Sea Hunter Magnum 44

It doesn't matter if the craft in question is a centre console, dinghy or offshore rig. Over time most of them improve as the manufacturer experiments with layout, materials, hull tweaks and the like. Changes in market demand are also strong evolutionary factors.

Take for example the flat bottom or duck punt. This evolved from the floating alloy box into the pointy-nose or barra-style punt through to today's efficient pocket sportsfishing package. Whereas this style of boat started out with the most basic of designs, most manufacturers now boast a number of sizes and models from basic to fully-fitted market-specific models.

In recent times we have seen a few of these boats evolve to the point that they now resemble the bass and flats boats that are so popular in the USA - 4.5-5.0m V-nosed punts with gunwale-height raised casting platforms and a cockpit and side console towards the stern for seating while travelling.

The basic idea is to offer maximum area for fly and lure casting. The deck area itself has minimal line-catching appendages - all the 'features' of the boat are hidden below deck under a network of hatches and compartments.

About all that you will see topsides is an electric trolling motor on the bow, an outboard at the stern and the abovementioned control console.

Sea Hunter's Magnum 44 is such a boat - an Aussie interpretation of a US flats boat.

Designed in conjunction with well-known Moreton Bay sportsfisherman Steve Bain, the Magnum's basic layout features an expansive casting area forward of the centre console and another behind the helm. The seating and console area is more or less like a sunken lounge with a full-width bench seat, legroom in front and the console in the middle.

Under the aft deck area, a huge livebait runs the width of the boat. Forward of the console there is another large wet tank, well suited to holding target fish live.

Checking a number of the other hatches, you'll find areas built to accommodate buckets, tubs, anchors and batteries.

Along either side of the boat there are long rod storage compartments. These feature multi-tiered holders and are long enough for typical SWF rods.

There's no escaping the fact that the Magnum 44 is a fair lump of a boat.

It's something you notice from the moment you go to hook up the rig. Normally, I would expect to lift a 4.5m rig onto the towball without too much trouble. But with the Magnum, I opted to use the jockey wheel as the boat's maker intended.

There is an upside to the weight that the plywood deck and compartments adds to the boat - it sits well in the water, with a solid feel and doesn't bounce all over the place.

The extra stability this beamy rig offers is very pleasing from a fly or lure casting point of view. But the downside of this bulk is that the Magnum requires a fair dose of horsepower to provide good performance.

Our testboat came fitted with a 50hp Yamaha four-stroke outboard.

In my opinion, four-strokes are the way to go for a boat that will see a lot of freshwater use. And wherever they are used, I believe their quiet running is of immense advantage when stalking fish.

Some four-strokes can be a bit slow out of the hole, but by using plenty of throttle and then backing off to the desired cruising speed, the Magnum proved comfortable and more than fast enough. Trimmed out and at full revs, the 44 topped 55kmh.

As far as the Magnum's behaviour in a seaway, you have to keep in mind that this style of boat is aimed at estuary flats, rivers and inshore areas.

It will certainly handle bay conditions where there is a bit of chop or swell, but in such situations expect to get wet. And remember, if you don't possess good sea legs, standing up in a boat where you have nothing to brace yourself against can be somewhat daunting.

While there is a limited market for this style of dedicated flatsfisher, I'm sure the Sea Hunter Magnum 44 will find plenty of fans.

If you are a keen fly or lure caster who enjoys a well-kitted boat and you're after a boat in this field, it's certainly worth a long look.