Quintrex 510 Frontier SC: Fishing Boat Review

The 510 Frontier is the entry model in an exciting new series of open fishing boats from Quintrex. Available with side and centre console layouts, the 510 Frontier is equipped with the new Quintrex flared and deep vee Apex hull bottom, distinctive forked-bow shape, and raised side decks. The new 510 Frontier is an excellent bay and coastal fishing alternative to the more traditional Top Ender Quintrex models.

OVERVIEW
- Frontier line-up to complement Top Enders
The Quintrex Frontier open boats are brand new models, released only a few weeks ago, alongside a range of new craft from Australia’s leading alloy boatbuilder.

During the launch, staged on the Gold Coast, Quintrex unveiled the ground breaking new Apex series flared-hull bottom, available on both the new Frontier fishing craft and the Freestyler bowrider family boats. Both of the new boat lines come with Apex hulls in 510, 530, 550, 590, and 630 sizes.

For this test we secured the entry model in the Frontier fishing boat range: the 510 side console. As noted earlier, this boat also comes with a centre console option, be we feel the offset side console helm will be the preferred configuration in the smaller Frontier sizes.

The 510 Frontier and its siblings are new to the Quintrex range and add to the vast choice of Quintrex models available to boaters and fishermen.

The Frontiers sit alongside the Blade-hull equipped Quintrex Top Ender and Renegade open console boats, as well as the low profile Hornet bass and barra models.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
- Under $40k for a versatile bay fisher with a contemporary design and layout
The Quintrex Frontiers are priced a tad higher than some of the other models in the Quintrex line-up, but they are loaded with standard features and equipped with the latest Apex series hull.

Prices start at $39,990 for the 510 Frontier fitted with an Evinrude E-TEC 90hp DFI two-stroke outboard and riding on a single-axle Quintrex braked trailer.

For your money you get plenty of kit, including internal carpet, a large bow casting platform with storage lockers, moulded anchor well with hatch, three lift-out pedestal chairs (with four floor sockets), raised side decks (providing around 80mm extra freeboard compared with regular Quintrex models), cockpit lighting, two drink holders, four stainless steel rod holders, bow and stern cleats, bow and stern side rails, boarding ladder, dual transducer brackets, transom corner live bait tank, VHF radio and an 85L fuel tank.

Our demonstrator model was fitted with a few extra features including a more powerful 115hp Evinrude E-TEC two-stroke DFI outboard with hydraulic steering, two-tone paint, a lockable port side rod storage locker, overhead bimini with envelope, electric trolling motor plate, and a Lowrance HDS7 fish finder/GPS. These additions lift the drive-away price to $46,953.

INTERIOR LAYOUT
- Deep cockpit and wide bow for more space and storage
In addition to offering improved performance, the new Quintrex Apex hull has a forked-bow shape which carries the beam of the boat further forward. This has allowed Quintrex to widen the bow casting deck to give anglers more foot-space for casting and more storage space under the deck.

The wide pickle-fork bow shape also encourages you to stand and fish right up and over the stem of the boat, forward of the carpeted deck, and over the anchor well. To this end, Quintrex has fitted a sturdy stand-on hatch cover over the anchor well. Most other Quintrex models have an open anchor well.

The casting deck itself is 1.28m long with a maximum width of 2.08m. It is elevated around 300mm above the rear cockpit floor.

Beneath the casting deck there is a series of compartments. The main centre hatch conceals a large storage area with a carpeted false-floor suitable for stowing storage boxes with safety gear, etc.

This centre storage area can also fit an optional lift-out 47lt or 50lt Evakool ice box or it can be fitted with a large live-fish well for tournament fishing.

This centre storage area is also accessed via separate side hatches, while a forward deck hatch contains a platform suitable for mounting batteries to run an electric trolling motor.

Notably, all deck hatches are carpeted front and back for aesthetics, but also to protect the underlying plywood from mould and rot.

If you need more storage space there are addition sub floor lockers in the lower cockpit. There is a roto-moulded plastic storage tray beneath a hatch just aft of the casting platform and a sub floor fish box aft.

The battery and oil tank is also situated underfloor in a roto-moulded bin under the rear cockpit floor. I am not a great fan of sub-floor battery storage as there is a risk of water getting to the battery and upsetting the electrical system. That said the battery in the Frontier was contained in a separate plastic battery box (within the sub floor locker) and there was an auto bilge pump close by to pump out any water that finds its way into the compartment.

There are no surprises with the layout of the rear cockpit — which is long, wide, and deep — some 80mm deeper than the cockpits in other Quintrex models due to the new raised side decks. The higher, re-profiled side coamings add volume to the interior and increase the cockpit freeboard to 715mm along the sides and 645mm in the transom corners.

There are three seat floor sockets in the cockpit so you can rig the boat with the three included pedestal seats in the rear of the boat, or fit one seat to the casting platform and two aft.

Our test boat was fitted with the optional horizontal lockable rod locker on the port side with side pocket storage and the helm console to starboard.

The side console itself is compact in size, made from hard-wearing roto-moulded plastic, and well designed to accommodate a flush-fit GPS/fish finder up to 12 inches in size, along with engine instruments and switching.

The console also has a small wind deflector, a handy overhead grab rail, and a storage platform underneath with the included VHF radio fitted nearby.

There is space beneath the console for your feet when driving so you can set the helm up nicely with the sports steering wheel and side mount throttle well placed.

To the rear of the boat, anglers will appreciate the full-height transom freeboard, wide rear coamings and boarding platforms, as well as the decent sized transom corner live bait tank with viewing window.

A ski-pole or bait board can also be optioned to fit above the centre of the transom.

ON THE WATER
- Smooth ride and easy handling from new Apex hull
The new Quintrex Apex hull impressed this writer across a range of hull sizes during its recent debut on the Gold Coast, offering up a new level of ride comfort, handling and stability for an aluminium trailerboat.

With its forked bow shape, the Apex hull looks dramatically different to a traditional vee hull. At first glance it has something of a tri-hull look about it due to the positioning of the chines, but below the water line the hull has a regular vee bottom shape, albeit with a substantial vee angle which is carried well aft — and spread right out to the chines to both soften the ride and keep the boat dry underway.

You’ll note too that the stem of the Apex hull has quite a gentle slope to it, compared with some hulls, and this helps the hull slide easily out of wave troughs in a following sea.

The Apex equipped launch review boats all performed well during our tests, including the 510 Frontier. It felt comfortable, dry and stable underway, sporty through the corners, and solid at rest.

Base 510 Frontier packages come with a 90hp Evinrude E-TEC, but our test boat was upgraded with a 115hp Evinrude E-TEC engine, and it proved quick and responsive. We achieved a wide open throttle speed of 37.4 knots at 6000rpm and a comfortable cruise of 21.3 knots at 4000rpm.

The hull/engine combination was most economical while cruising at 3000 rpm for a speed of 12.6 knots and a fuel burn of 11.2l/ph. This equates to a maximum range on 95 per cent of the boat’s 85lt fuel capacity of 90.78 nautical miles.

VERDICT
- A wonderful new boat for bay, coastal, river and impoundment fishing
The 510 Frontier is the smallest model in the new Frontier range, but it could well be the most versatile, especially when armed with the new Apex hull. The flared, deep-vee Apex hull bottom offers class-leading levels of ride comfort, handling, stability and seaworthiness so you can comfortably fish coastal offshore waters. This boat will handle some rough stuff, no probs.

Equally, at just over 5.0m in length the Frontier is small enough to fish smooth water rivers, creeks, lakes and impoundments. It is also light in weight, easy to tow, and will likely fit in most home garages. It’s a ripper new boat and one that is destined for success.

LIKES
>> Great new hull
>> Smooth, stable ride
>> Cornering grip
>> Wide casting platform
>> Ample deck space and storage
>> High cockpit freeboard
>> Covered anchor locker

NOT SO MUCH
>> Underfloor position of battery

RATINGS
Overall rating: 4.78/5.0
Mechanical/equipment: 4.7/5.0
Packaging and practicality: 4.8/5.0
On the water performance: 4.8/5.0
Value for money: 4.7/5.0
X-factor: 4.9/5.0

PERFORMANCE - SPEED
3.3kts (6.1km/h) @ 1000rpm
4.8kts (8.9km/h) @ 1500rpm
5.4kts (10.0km/h) @ 2000rpm
6.3kts (11.6km/h) @ 2500rpm
12.6kts (23.3km/h) @ 3000rpm
17.2kts (31.8km/h) @ 3500rpm
21.3kts (39.4km/h) @ 4000rpm
25.1kts (46.4km/h) @ 4500rpm
28.3kts (52.4km/h) @ 5000rpm
33.1kts (61.2km/h) @ 5500rpm
37.4kts (69.2km/h) @ 6000rpm (WOT)

PERFORMANCE - ECONOMY
1.4 l/ph @ 1000rpm
2.8 l/ph @ 1500rpm
4.6 l/ph @ 2000rpm
8.2 l/ph @ 2500rpm
11.2 l/ph @ 3000rpm
17.1 l/ph @ 3500rpm
21.6 l/ph @ 4000rpm
25.7 l/ph @ 4500rpm
31.8 l/ph @ 5000rpm
34.8 l/ph @ 5500rpm
42.0 l/ph @ 6000rpm (WOT)
MAXIMUM RANGE ON 95% OF 85l FUEL TANK: 90.78nm @ 3000rpm

Specifications: Quintrex 510 Frontier
Price as tested: $46,953 including Evinrude E-TEC 115 hp DFI two-stroke longshaft (20in) outboard with hydraulic steering, two-tone paint, single-axle Quintrex alloy braked trailer, Lowrance HDS7 fish finder/GPS, overhead bimini with envelope, lockable port-side rod locker, electric trolling motor plate, 12 months QLD boat and trailer registrations and an inshore safety gear pack.

Priced from: $39.990 including Evinrude E-TEC 90hp DFI two-stroke longshaft (20”) outboard, single axle Quintrex alloy braked trailer, 12 months QLD boat and trailer registrations and an inshore safety gear pack.

Length overall: 5.19m
Hull length: 5.06m
Beam: 2.3m
Depth: 1.2m
Deadrise: 13 degrees
Hull weight: 592kg
Weight on trailer: Approx 1,050kg
Bottom & transom alloy: 4.0mm
Topsides alloy: 3.0mm
Maximum power: 115hp
Maximum engine weight: 203kg
Maximum load: 653kg
Engine as tested: Evinrude E-TEC 115hp two-stroke
Fuel capacity: 85L
Flotation standard: Basic
Maximum persons: Five

Supplied by:
Caloundra Marine
Phone: (07) 5401 1944
More at

Caloundra Marine

and

Quintrex website.