Pleysier 40 Custom Gameboat

If you've spent any time around gameboats, names like Pannawonica, Cervantes, Sea Strike, Broadbill, Pacemaker, Kamari, Spirit of Brisbane, Mauna Kea and Inkwazi are sure to get your attention.
 
These craft are some of the finest gamefishing vessels ever to ply our waters.
And while they vary in age and size, they have one thing in common: they are all from the drawing board of renowned designer, David Pleysier.

Pleysier's work has long been considered at the forefront of gameboat design.
He has a reputation for consistently producing strong, lightweight, dry, fast and frugal vessels.

The latest Pleysier creation is a magnificent 40-footer christened Shakara.
Launched in July 1998, Shakara has been built primarily for billfish charter work like its predecessors.
 
It is owned and operated by Bob Brookes, a skipper with a long affiliation with Pleysiers, having run Pacemaker from 1989 to 1996 (the last two years as an owner/operator after purchasing the boat from his brother).

When it came time to upgrade, Brookes looked at all the production line vessels but decided that it was a Pleysier or nothing, describing the craft as "the Rolls Royce of boats".
Of course such craft aren't cheap, but according to Brookes, like all custom-built vessels the satisfaction of being able to absolutely personalise the craft is priceless.
Given Brookes' high praise for Pacemaker it is not surprising that Shakara has many similar features to the 33-footer.
 
Of course, having the extra length to play with meant many additional features could be added, however the general layout is the same.
 
Brookes also paid close attention to two previous Pleysier 40s — Kamari and Spirit of Brisbane — when deciding on the final fitout of Shakara. Essentially, he has picked the eyes out of three of Australia's finest gameboats. There is no Pleysier factory as such: David designs the boat, draws the plans and, if built within the vicinity of his Gold Coast home, will also supervise the construction. In Shakara's case, Brookes rented a shed and hired local tradesmen to work under Pleysier's supervision.

Shakara took approximately 12 months to complete and ended up with a pricetag of around $600,000. At first glance it does not look like a classic Pleysier. While the tried and proven hull remains the same, the superstructure looks much more modern, with smooth flowing lines and wraparound tinted screen.

To the untrained eye, Shakara looks like a typical GRP hull, however it is actually triple diagonal planked cedar with E-glass sheathing. With a loaded weight of 7250kg including 1050lt of fuel and 400lt of water, Shakara is commendably light.

Twin 355hp Cummins engines driving through Twin Disc 5061A boxes yield a notable top speed of 35.3kts at 3100rpm, while at a 2400rpm cruise burning a mere 50lt/hr, the GPS registers 26kts.

An incredible amount of thought has gone into the craft's layout. Every corner on the boat has a softly radiused curve to it. There are no sharp corners or edges on the entire vessel.
The flybridge is clean and uncluttered with all electronics within easy reach and view of the helm seat.

When standing, facing aft, a full unrestricted view of the cockpit is available and single lever controls are perfectly positioned for backing down. Simplicity and function are the themes behind Shakara's interior. The forward cabin sports a large island berth and ample storage space. Aft of the forward cabin on the starboard side is a bathroom with toilet, shower and wash basin.
 
On the port side is the galley with fridge, microwave oven and gas stove. The main saloon area incorporates a convertible U-shaped dinette on the starboard side and sofa/pullman on the port side. The cockpit area finds lift-up engine boxes on each side. Padded and still protected by the bridge overhang these are comfortable rest spots on those slow days at sea.

The cockpit itself is once again clean and uncluttered. Transom corners are radiused both on the gunwale and below the waterline. Cleats are recessed and accessed through the covering board. A heavy duty stainless steel pedestal allows the use of a 130lb chair or light tackle rocket launcher.

A large livebait tank is built in to the transom and Shakara also sports a large 240 volt underfloor freezer. Although built as a charter vessel, the Brookes family love to fish on Shakara. Bob, wife Junee and son Ian are regular visitors to the tournament podium. In fact, the Shakara crew won the first tournament it fished, the Bribie Island Tournament of  Champions back in January. Since Shakara's launch the Brookes family has already racked up a number of pending Queensland, Australian and World records.I must admit I stepped off Shakara truly impressed. This is a first-class gamefishing vessel and a credit to David Pleysier, Bob Brookes and the tradesmen who built it.

Bob and Junee Brookes can be contacted at Ability Fishing Charters, tel/fax +61 7 3203 8099.