Signature by Haines 600RF

Australia's many fibreglass boat builders continue to strive to design the perfect all-round vessel that will serve family and friends, casual or serious fishers, waterskiers, wakeboarders and anyone else that just likes being on the water for one reason or another.

The Haines family company are right up there with the best of them when it comes to building a winner, and judging by some of the boats rolling out of its factory doors it plans to stay a serious contender.

The Signature 600RF was first released in April this year and since then I've been waiting for a chance to take it for a spin. Trailer Boat managed to collar Greg Haines to nail down a time for a test to see if it performed as well as it looked. We weren't disappointed.

GOOD MANNERS
The 150hp Yamaha HPDI shunted the 600RF along the Gold Coast Broadwater at a top speed of 70.15kmh according to the GPS. The engine rpm at that speed was 5500 with a fuel consumption of 55.70lt/hr displayed on the Yamaha instruments. Given its fuel tank capacity of 250lt, the Signature's estimated range is 161.50km at full throttle.

A minor problem of air in the Seastar Hydraulics made steering a little difficult as it circulated in the lines, but this glitch has since been fixed. I might add that I have never experienced anything but perfect performance from this steering system. Once the air shifted past the helm pump, steering was as smooth as silk.

Running through a two-metre swell in the Seaway, we backed off the throttle and ventured further out where the swell settled to 1.5m pushed by a breeze of about 8kmh. The 600RF landed gently coming off the tops of the swells and tracked perfectly along their crests with no sign of broaching. Pushing the boat over the swell and chop with the wind blowing over the forequarters, we failed to get a drop of spray on the windscreen during the entire test.

Slowing to a comfortable cruising speed of 43kmh, the tacho was reading 3500rpm and the fuel flow meter displayed its optimum reading of just over 23lt/hr. At this throttle setting the boat would have an estimated range of 240km.

COOL CONVERTIBLE
Converting this boat from a family runabout to a serious fishing vessel is simply a matter of removing the rear lounge which is barrel bolted to the deck and inserting the well thought out bait rigging table into the transom bulkhead... then throw in the tackle and go fishin'.

The removable lounge has a lift-up cushion allowing for storage inside the base when installed. With base removed, access is allowed into the bilge where the pump is positioned. Central in the rear bulkhead is a fold-down nylon door that allows the engine powerhead to fully tilt through the transom. While some might think a door is unnecessary, it's surprising how much noise is kept out of the cockpit with a full wall between it and the outboard. The bait station has a hinged cutting board that lifts up for washing the fibreglass base below. The sink in the bait station also has a lid and the plumbing for the saltwater tap runs down the post support and bayonet fits to the outlet port in the engine well. The deckwash may be installed into a 'Y' piece connector under the baitboard. This is a practical set up allowing the deckwash hose to be installed into the engine well port when the baitboard is left at home.

In the port corner of the transom bulkhead, a large livebait tank is fitted with a nylon cutting board lid. The starboard side has a similar lid that opens to reveal the battery and plumbing for the deckwash system. Attention to detail and an intelligent layout was evident, especially with the raised mount holding the fuel line squeeze bulb up off the floor and within easy reach though the hatch. There is no gutter running around the inside edge of this aperture and salt water could run past the lid and onto the battery terminals. The manufacturer has taken this on board and is looking at rectifying the problem.

WALK-THROUGH DESIGN
The walk-through screen allows the passenger to lift up a lengthy hatch in the cabin roof. The edges of this walkway has gutters for drainage, and with the hatch open offers good access to the anchor well hatch and ground tackle. A recess between anchor roller and split-locking bollard features a flush-mounted nylon board fitted to prevent chain damage to the gelcoat of the hull. This forward section has no walkaround passage, but with good-sized bow rails and heavy non-slip deck surface it would make a comfortable place to lie in the sun when at a calm anchorage.

The cabin is not designed for sitting up in but rather for lounging and dry storage. There is storage under the bunk cushions, and at the front of the footwell is a lifting bi-fold door accommodating a marine toilet. The head is lower than the surrounding seating so one may sit comfortably with enough headroom when nature calls.

Back out in the cockpit the passenger and skipper have wrap-around bucket seats that swivel and slide forwards and backwards. In front of the passenger a lid in the dash reveals an uninsulated icebox that's drained externally through a skin fitting. It would hold about six cans of drink and ice.

NEAT DASH & COCKPIT
The skipper faces a neat dash layout with a compass mounted directly in front but tucked behind the brow of the instrument panel. It is difficult to see when seated but viewable when standing. Yamaha instrumentation adorns the dash along with a flush-mounted Lowrance LCX15mt plotter/depth sounder fitted centrally with more room for other instrumentation on either side should it be required.

The cockpit area is fisher friendly with two tier storage shelves either side complimented with a flush mounted vertical hatch each side holding tackle trays. The bait tray has two rodholders with another two in the port and starboard gunwales. Deck lighting, CD/radio and speakers add to the creature comforts.

The smooth flowing lines of the internal shell of this boat are formed as one in the mould. It is then fixed to the outer hull with methylmethacrylate glue and the cavities are foam filled. This adds a lot of strength to the hull and also dampens a lot of the water noise and vibration that would normally amplify in the cavities. Large modules inside the transom bulkhead hold extra flotation for engine buoyancy should the unthinkable happen.

The Haines 600RF performed as well as it presented. It looks slick with nice lines, and it's well mannered and practical for a number of uses. It will fill the bill for those looking for a family runabout and could be easily fitted out as a dedicated fishing boat with minimum outlay. All in all, this is one versatile rig from the Haines family.