Pacific Sportfish Super Vee

The Pacific Sportfish Super Vee is the latest and most significant hull development by one of Australia's most respected plate aluminium boatbuilders.

Sportfish has consistently set the standard in its field. But with so many plate alloy boat brands emerging, the innovative Sportfish has attempted to break new ground with its new Super Vee concept.

A FISHING BOAT TEST
Any boat test with Northside Marine's Bill Hull is a day to remember. My brief was to review the new design and construction of the Super Vee, compared to similar boats, then conduct a seatrial to determine the effectiveness of the concept. However, Hull's idea of a seatrial is to fill the boat with rods and catch a feed, while the tester completes his task.

Hull blasted the big Sportfish across Moreton Bay in 15kt chop and cranked it through tight and wide turns. I thought his shenanigans were for the benefit of this boat tester; however, I'm now aware he was searching the bay for schools of spotted mackerel.

Once spotted, Hull pulled up and cast some metal slugs at the frenzied boils of water erupting below screeching gulls, quickly hauling in three 'spotties' around the 3kg mark, before handing the rods over to the crew, who, at a considerably more conservative rate, increased the catch to a dozen.

Bill then took the boat through another set of trials offshore from Tangalooma resort and the wrecks anchorage.

A run around the northern side of Moreton Island, where a better camera angle might be found, saw Hull's eyes light up at the sight of surf that was nearly 2m. He had obviously decided further testing would prove the seaworthiness of the Super Vee hull.

After 15 minutes of low-level flying through the surf, I was convinced that the construction and engineering of the Sportfish hull is bulletproof.

BULLETPROOF HISTORY
Sportfish commenced building rigid plate aluminium hulls in 1983, in the Brisbane bayside suburb of Clontarf.

Sportfish hulls have since undergone minimal changes, as the original concept was damn good.

The 6.2m Super Vee Centre Cab was the subject of our test. The 6.2m hull, like most Sportfish hulls, also comes in a half-cabin deluxe and centre-console configuration.

Sportfish claim a 30% improvement in ride softness, 30% better stability, and a 30% stronger boat as bonus features of the new Super Vee design.

After testing the 6.2m Super Vee, I believe an improvement in stability and ride softness has been achieved - only time will tell if it's a 30% improvement. However, given consumer interest in the Super Vee , Sportfish is now faced with an even longer delivery time as its order books steadily grow.

PERFECT ENTRY
Undoubtedly, the 6.2m Super Vee's finer hull entry results in a softer ride - albeit with less stability, which is principally evident at rest. The 24° deadrise hull, compared to the 16° deadrise of earlier models, provides the finer entry, while the exaggerated spray chines provide hydrodynamic lift, via redirected water pressure, that creates dynamic stability.

The forward third of the hull carries the variable vee, while the aft section carries constant deadrise.

The hull continues with full volume to the transom. With current consumer interest centring around heavier four-stroke outboards, and further enquiries regarding twin installations, the new hull delivers the required reserve buoyancy.

When the 6.2m Super Vee lies at rest, substantial stability is derived by the increase of the water plane area. The spray chines dip in the water slightly forward of midships and run aft. The result is significantly improved hull stability, when compared to a conventional deep-V hull.

This design theory is not necessarily new, as many naval architects have tried variations of the original deep-vee and tri-hull concept. The trick, for Alan Dowd, of Sirius Marine naval architects, and the Sportfish design team, was balancing all the ideas into a workable formula.

The 6.2m Super Vee runs on a very even keel and with a slightly bow-up attitude. Observing the boat from afar, it rides through chop effortlessly, with the fine entry splitting waves before the spray chines, shedding the volume of water.

SIMPLY SUPER
Sportfish has introduced a revised sheerline, and there's no doubt the 6.2m Super Vee's a fine looking craft.

Beautifully capped and radiused covering boards are 10cm forward, flaring out to 15cm in the cockpit. The cockpit feels comfortable, given the security assured by being able to lock your knees under the covering board, yet still reach over the side. Cockpit storage trays are raised, which further enhances cockpit security.

Substantial heavy-duty, non-skid decks ensure good footholding and other features include a fully self-draining floor, sealed deck and an oversized underfloor bilge pump, with float switch.

Sportfish has redesigned the boarding platform, in line with the added hull volume, and a large livebait tank is fitted into the port transom bulkhead. There is also a large underfloor killtank, which may be used for storage.

Dual batteries are housed under the rear covering board, clear of saltwater and spray.

The 180lt underfloor fueltank is standard, yet there is capacity to fit up to 320lt underfloor.

Underfloor bulkheads are fully welded, and additional transverse framing has been fitted to stiffen slab sides and provide an anchor point for fittings.

NICE ARRANGEMENT
The centre-cabin arrangement is a great concept for general boating. There is 1.98m headroom at the 6.2's helm and the set-up features two moulded seats, fitted onto two good-sized boxes. The starboard box is fitted out as an icebox, the port box as a storage locker.

Further storage is fitted in the wings of the cabin for safety gear, and there is more storage at waist level for loose items such as sunblock, keys and fishing tackle.

There is excellent sitting headroom for four persons in the cabin. The aluminium interior is softened by fabric-covered cushions and frontrunner cabin lining.

The testboat was fitted with an Evinrude 135hp FICHT outboard, which proved more than adequate for any recreational purpose. Other engine packages are optional.

The 6.2m Super Vee (as tested), including Redco fully-rollered tandem axle trailer with disc brakes, will set you back around $54,000 drive away.