Sea Fox 200XT Pro

Not all Sea Fox models are available in Australia at present. Local distributor, the Gold Coast’s JSW Powersports, is importing selected models that are likely to appeal to Australian boaters and anglers.

Earlier this year we tested, and were impressed with two of Sea Fox’s general-purpose fishing centre consoles, the 199CC and 226CC. This time we’ve got our hands on one of the new bay and flats boats, the 200XT Pro.

The 200XT Pro is part of the Sea Fox “Bay Fox” series. There are four models in the range - the smaller 180XT and the larger 220XT and 240XT models. All are designed for bay fishing, but have enough external freeboard and general seaworthiness to fish coastal waters.

The boat has more storage lockers than you can count, plus two fully-plumbed live wells, lockable forward rod locker, console rod racks, cup holders, tilt hydraulic steering, float-switch bilge pump, seven stainless pop-up cleats, coaming rod holders, navigation and courtesy lights, battery master switch, 12-volt power point, self-draining cockpit, positive foam flotation and more.

I could go on, but best if you check the website for the full list of standard features as it is extensive.

In addition to the regular standard features, Australian specification models come with a range of features and accessories that are listed as options in the US.

They include a fishing chair, base and pole on the casting deck (though not fitted during the test) a saltwater deck wash, rear boarding platform and ladder, two-tone coloured hull, and a Jenson stereo system.

Additional, non-factory equipment fitted to the test boat included an 80lb thrust bow-mount Minn Kota electric trolling motor, a second battery, and a Lowrance HDS10 sounder/plotter (with side scanning option).

Packaged with a Mercury Verado 150hp four stroke motor and tandem-axle trailer, and the test boat is priced at $61,600. Without the trolling motor and electronics the package is great value with a introductory price of $54,200.
 

The 200XT and other Sea Fox boats are made with foam or foam composite cored materials throughout and the foam-filled fibreglass stringers are bonded directly to the cockpit floor for added strength and rigidity. The transom is equally strong as it is reinforced with an aluminium plate that has been fibreglassed into the structure. This adds durability and provides additional support for high powered outboards.

All vacant spaces in the hull are filled with closed cell foam for flotation and to dampen hull noise underway.

A water drainage channel runs along the keel from the bow to the transom to ensure there is no water trapped underfloor. A single bung at the stern releases rainwater – though it will be pumped out automatically (when the power is on) with the float switch operated 800G/ph bilge pump.

You can access the bilge area via a hatch in the top of the outboard well. Within the bilge you will find the bilge pump, two live-bait tank pumps and the fuel/water separating filter.

The battery is not located in the stern, but on a shelf inside the centre console. There is a master switch on the side of the console so you can turn the power off when the boat is in storage.

At the bow you’ll find a lockable rod locker that can stow ten smallish fishing outfits horizontally. The similar-sized locker on the starboard side and the centre casting deck locker are for dry storage.

A good sized anchor well is recessed into the casting deck at the bow, just aft of the trolling motor platform. Excellent stainless steel pop-up cleats surround the bow area and make for easy anchoring and a smooth deck surface with nothing to snag a fishing line.

In the centre of the forward platform is a base for mounting a fishing chair -- though this was not fitted during the test.

At the stern of the boat, two surprisingly comfortable padded seats flip-up from the front edge of the rear casting platform. In the folded-down position it is hard to pick they are even there as the deck surface is completed flush. Between the lift-up rear seats is plumbed live well boasting a capacity of 98 litres.

Other stern features include two rear bait storage lockers (with overboard drain), cup holders, more stainless pop-up cleats and two stainless steel rod holders.

Separating the casting platforms is a centre floor area with the centre-console helm station and padded seat/icebox.

The two-person width helm seat/ice box is contained within a stainless-steel frame and is removable. The padded back rest is reversible and can be slotted into several vertical positions.

I found the helm arrangement quite comfortable while seated, but when standing, the front of the stainless-steel seat frame would butt up against the back of my legs. Moving the frame and seat back two inches would fix this though.

The helm console is well designed and functional. A small windscreen is topped by a useful stainless steel grab rail. The fascia has just enough space for engine instruments and flush-mounted electronics, and the binnacle mount throttle box was well positioned.

A radio locker and glove box is situated under the helm. Beneath that there are two doors which open out to give easy access to the battery shelf.

Wiring for the instruments and electronics can be serviced from a locker on the forward face of the console. The locker is deep enough to stow several life jackets.

Other console features include a vertical rod rack to each side of the console and a bow facing console seat with a 38 litre live well located underneath.

The supercharged four-cylinder Mercury pushed the boat to a top speed of 40 knots -- but more impressive was the mid-range grunt of the motor. It accelerated briskly from any speed or rpm.

A low plane was achieved at 2300rpm and a speed of eight knots.

The hull also maintained quite a flat, level attitude during the transition from displacement to planing speeds -- which can be attributed to the shallow transom hull vee and the hull extensions or built-in side pods that extend back past the keel of the hull on each side.
 

Given the 200XT’s shallow vee hull shape I did not expect the boat to ride all that softly, but it proved better than anticipated. The 200XT may not ride as comfortably as a similar-sized deep vee boat, but it is more than acceptable for choppy bay use -- and softer and quieter than many other boats in this size range.

In other areas the Sea Fox is equally impressive; the pronounced flare in the forward topsides keeps the boat very dry and the hull runs straight and true in a following sea.

The only real disappointment was the boat’s cornering performance. There was a lot of propeller cavitation in tight turns, but I believe this could be cured by lowering the Mercury on the transom by one bolt hole -- and perhaps experimenting with a different propeller.

As a fishing platform the Sea Fox has few peers. It’s loaded with standard fishing features and there is a great deal of open, uncluttered deck space.

Put this together with the impressive build quality, the inclusion of positive flotation and a self-draining cockpit, and you’ve got one very special fishing boat.