Savage 415 Big Daddy

Many commercial tenders, recreational estuary-fishing platforms and boats chosen for their car-topping abilities, due to low weight and minimal bulk factors, have worn the Savage logo. Of course, the brand goes way back to the 60s.

Today, the general popularity of the smaller offerings by Savage is evident by the number of Big Boy 384 and 435 models that, over the last couple of years, have rolled off the production line with regularity. 

But there was a gap in the line up and, after listening to the Savage dealers at the coal face of boat sales around the country, the 415 Big Daddy was born.

The price, as standard and as tested, for the 415 is $7702; a figure many of us could handle on a credit card if need be! And equipment? There’s not much of that at all. But with this sort of price tag not a lot would be expected. 

Its position is between the two most aft vertical ribs; no doubt for rigidity and to prevent the possibility of it moving fore and aft. As installed, this puts the seat well forward for those wanting to sit and steer looking ahead; some of whom will find it uncomfortable stretching the arm back to control the steering tiller.

Having said that, this will not be an issue for those opting for four-stroke power as most engines in that range tend to have longer tiller arms with key starts, power trim and tilt and gear levers attached.

The bilge aft of the thwart seat is covered by two carpeted marine-ply panels located each side of the gusset support for the transom. The fuel tote tank occupies one of these and the other could be used for storage or a spare fuel tank, tackle boxes and the like.

The deck between the thwart seat and the forward bulkhead is also carpeted marine ply, sculptured around the cross ribs and sitting well below the chine mould to give the boat a reasonable amount of internal depth.

The forward casting deck features a single large hatch which hinges toward the bow. It exposes the hull when opened and allows for plenty of dry stowage, though when there is water sloshing in the bilge it will inevitably wet whatever is stowed here unless it is raised off the keel.

Vertical side panels from the hull to the standing platform hold the foam floatation installed either side of the compartment to complement that in the thwart seat.

The forward end of the casting platform stops short of the bow and the void forward of that is used to stow the ground tackle on a small infill. An eyelet is welded to the keel line to which the end of the anchor rope is attached. A covered in bow point is supported by sturdy ribs and, being smooth sheet, would benefit from the addition of some non slip material just for the fact it would keep the aluminium looking neat and tidy.

A pair of grab handles at the bow are used to manhandle the boat at shore or to tie off the anchor rope and another pair are installed on the stern, both of which second as a tie down point when the boat is on the trailer.

Six pressed top hat ribs run along the inside of the hull sides and join corresponding cross members of the same material, at the chines. The hull's sides are flat rather than the traditional 'clinker' look with pressed ribbing that gives the boat a nice clean line externally.

The Big Daddy is constructed of 3.0mm alloy for the bottom and topsides as well as the transom. The hull is protected by Savage's three-year limited warranty.

With a hull weight of just 194kg and motor of 120kg plus the trailer, this rig could be towed by all but the smallest of cars.

It was getting to perform those hard turns with the tiller arm so far back that felt ‘out of the norm’ but, as we mentioned, there are options. At WOT the GPS was reading 23 knots while it settled into a comfortable cruise at 15 knots, initially climbing out of the hole at 10 knots.

The hull performed as most ‘tinnies’ would in the given conditions, a little bumpy due to its light weight on the chop of the day but nothing more than ‘typical’ for a boat of this size.

As far as cheap and affordable yet practical small boating is concerned, the Big Daddy is going to be hard to beat. 

Some refinements in the cosmetics and a rethink in the options department when it comes to tiller handle size will hold it in good stead and get you on the water without breaking the bank.