Quintrex 520 Renegade SC

Name: Quintrex 520 Renegade SC
Brand: QUINTREX

A serious light-tackle sport fishing Renegade from Quintrex

LIKES

- Plenty of under-deck stowage for lots and lots of tackle trays
- Good live fish holding ability which is important (and in most tournaments mandatory)
- The marriage of this hull with the 90 ETEC is a happy one
- Deep and wide cockpit side pockets for large and bulky lure trays

DISLIKES

- Higher sides on bow roller will prevent rope falling out to one side when rocking at anchor in chop
- Many tournament fishers fly fish and will want to get rid of the knobs on which the elastic loops are attached to hold down the hatches
- Keen sport fishers just love their electronics and the narrow top on the console will be restrictive

OVERVIEW

- All the right ingredients for hassle-free boating and fishing

Thanks to production line facilities at Telwater, those that wish to get into serious sportfishing don’t have to mortgage the house to realise their dream.

Their 520 Renegade has all the right ingredients in a recipe for fishing or for just fun boating with more than the average amount of icing on the cake.

Its LOA of 5.48m gives it enough waterline to deal with bay and lake surface chop and the Millennium hull will keep the whole affair reasonably dry.

Well matched with Evinrude’s 90hp E-Tec it’s a package that isn't left wanting in the power stakes.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

- Full package that won't break the bank

Mounted on Quintrex’s factory built trailer, with outboard and registrations, this boat launches at $29,460.

The addition of the bow mount for the electric motor, two-tone paint job and a drink holder bumps the price up t $31,490 which is very affordable indeed.

LAYOUT AND ACCOMMODATION

- Plenty of storage and good use of available space

In the helm seat, it's easy to be excused tfor thinking you were aboard a much bigger boat. Extensive flat areas and the carpeted casting platforms fore and aft give a sense of space.

The platform in the bow is raised off the main cockpit deck approximately 25 centimetres by way of a solid bulkhead. The aft end of it is fitted with three hatches that are secured closed via elastic loops on knobs across the bulkhead. Fly anglers will be the first to rid themselves of these items as they constantly catch fly lines. Velco on the undersides of the lid would suffice.

The outside two hatches open to their respective gunwale and their bottoms are the slope of the deadrise between the keel line and the chines giving the contents a reprieve from bilge water that might be slopping around in the hull.

The central hatch is the live-fish tank and one or more of these are a prerequisite when fishing most of the bass, barra, cod and bream tournaments. That on the Renegade consists of a rotaform insert with a removable perforated baffle dividing it in half. This is to separate catches for identification when weighing in before release, which is the norm these days in tournament fishing. This divider also retards the rush of water from side to side which would inevitably constantly wet the surrounding deck. The rim of the tank is fitted with a quality automotive seal to further enhance its dry-keeping performance.

A single hatch forward of that holds safety gear and again, high enough off the bilge to alleviate the contents in here getting wet.

At the port side of the bow point an electric motor mount is formed as part of the coaming and is an optional extra, while the anchor well next to it consists of a rotaform insert without a hatch and a cleat aft for tying off the anchor rope. The bow roller is alloy and sits in a low profile frame and in fact that frame could have had higher side plates to prevent rope from slipping to the forequarters when the boat is rocking at anchor -- easily fixed.

Low-profile grab rails here make it handy to man handle the boat at the ramp and for tying gear down when travelling which these days in most states is law. In Queensland, a tackle or ice box or anything for that matter, unrestrained sitting in a boat or trailer being towed on a road earns the driver of the vehicle an on the spot revenue raiser.

The front third of the cockpit deck is clutter free across the internal beam, and side pockets run aft to the rear casting platform bulkhead. These pockets are deep and wide and join the deck. Side pockets running all the way to the deck without toe-under access for those standing there is a pet hate for most of us but with the console and helm chairs in front of that, this issue faded into insignificance, especially considering the amount of fishing space offered by the fore and aft casting platforms.

The console is a clean-cut looking arrangement with its support side rebated toward the bottom so toes don’t get knocked around when walking about the boat. A hand rail also provides the support for an acrylic wind deflector and there is a small glove box in which to store things that don’t like inclement weather such as mobiles, wallets and car keys.

The amount of space on offer on this console for large screen electronics is zilch. Small-screen units will get a ride here but anything larger than five inches will have to be slung on the outer edge of the console support frame. An arrangement where the wind deflector was shifted forward of the console might alleviate this. Failing that, a RAM style mount which can be seen at www.southerninsight.com.au will address the issue.

Good use has been made of the aft deck with a raised casting platform in which a livebait tank is installed with a nylon hatch that serves as a cutting board. It has a flat rubber seal around the circumference of the well lip to stop water ingress into the next compartment which is part of the same rotomold insert. That second compartment is designed to enable a pair of Plano style tackle trays to be stored on their side.

In the starboard aft corner of the aft platform a hatch slides under a keeper plate and is secured down when not completely removed. It provides a big area for reasonably dry stowage of goods and its floor is up off the bilge also.

Grab rails in the aft quarters and four plastic rod holders compliment the coamings which are 200mm wide and capable of hosting outrigger or downrigger units.

MECHANICAL AND HULL

- Built for strength and with a lack of clutter

The steering fitted to the Evinrude was manual cable type in a non feedback configuration.

The hull has a ‘plate’ construction look with flat sheets and no pressed planking in the 3mm material on the sides. The transom and bottom sheets are also built from 3mm material.

The structural ribs are minimal and all coincide with a bulkhead, console or side pocket to minimise any apparent clutter and further strengthen that part of the superstructure.

Each has a flange at deck level to hold in place the deck sheeting which consists of carpeted water proof ply.

ON THE WATER

- Plenty of power, light and manoeuvrable

The engine fit was the maximum recommended horsepower for this boat and it more than did the job. Hole shot was very snappy and typically E-Tec, was very torque sensitive throughout the throttle range. The boat felt like it was in its comfort zone cruising at 3000rpm and 23.5 knots and at WOT it revved out to 5300rpm with a maximum speed of 33 knots.

The manual steering was noticeably light on the arms at a variety of speeds -- something that many manufacturers only manage to achieve spasmodically.
Even with the engine trimmed up for maximum economy the hull exhibited little side slip and only minor aeration at the prop. It handled short sharp chop without any violent banging from the hull and exhibited good manoeuvrability.

Standing back and taking all this in, we came away scratching our heads; how is it that you can get all of this for under $32K? It is probably one of the best value-for-money, purpose-built boats we have reviewed in recent times.

RATINGS

Overall rating: 4.7/5.0
Mechanical/equipment: 4.6/5.0
Packaging and practicality: 4.7/5.0
On the water performance: 4.8/5.0
Value for money: 4.9/5.0
X-factor: 4.5/5.0

Specifications:

Price as tested: $31,490
Options fitted: Bow mount thruster plate and two tone paint
Priced from: $29,460
LOA: 5.48m
Beam 2.25m
Weight: 460kg hull only
Engine: Evinrude E-Tec 90hp
Berths: Nil
People Day: 5

Supplied by:

Caloundra Marine (Qld) Pty Ltd
8 Baldwin Street Caloundra 4551
Telephone: (07) 5491 1944
Email:

steve@caloundramarine.com.au

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Quintrex 520 Renegade SC

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