Six big trailerboat and tech trends at Whittley

Whittley has an open-door policy whereby prospective new-boat buyers, dealers and those monitoring their exciting new-boat orders can visit the factory in Somerton near Melbourne airport to see how things are progressing. Nosey journalists aren’t excluded either.

In early 2017, the family yard looked busy and there were boats in various stages of build from lay-up to final detail. Whittley is said to be Australia’s largest fiberglass trailerboat factory.

You won’t see the spotless floors and abundant support staff, not the OHS departments of corporate yards. But what you will find is plenty on the go, a beautifully finished final fibreglass product, and some great history dotted about the place.

Whittley has been going since 1953 and this writer has been instrumental in deciding some of the Boat of the Year Awards dating back to the Nineties to Noughties that grace the walls of its meeting rooms. You simply can’t ignore the achievements of this Australian boatbuilder.

Our impromptu visit to Whittley in early 2017 proved engaging and revealing. Here are six news bites from the Whittley family boatbuilders at the start of what promises to be another stellar year.

1. New 2017 Whittley launches: It wouldn’t be a Melbourne boat show without a new Whittley on the stand. We found two boats in the early stages of production and tooling. There was a new CW model for mainstream bay fishing, with a clean transom design, in the 5.80m class. The idea is to produce a rig under $60k for the scores of budget boaters who just want to get afloat and catch a snapper in an outboard boat. A new Sea Legend SL20 with sterndrive for about $70k will also make splash at Melbourne show as an even sweeter bay and offshore fishing rig. Boat reviews next.

2. Whittley and the Outboard Market:  Sure, outboards are gaining in popularity, but it’s not across the board for Whittley. Where there are inboard and outboard variants, the Victorian market remains predominantly the former, with 80 per cent of its yearly production sterndrive-powered, whereas Sydney and Queensland are outboard. Yet Cruiser (CR) sales from long-serving Brisbane dealer Northside Marine remain inboard again. So it’s also got a lot to do with the dealership and its preference too. Whittley’s high growth market remains the sterndrive powered fishing boat SL series. “Many of our customers come in asking our dealers and sales staff for a sterndrive-powered boat these days,” Alan Whittley said.

3. Whittley and Volvo Penta engines: There will be a new 6.2L all-alloy V8 Volvo Penta engine in a Whittley in late 2017. It’s the same GM block used in the latest Holden SS Commodore, but will be in 380hp and 430hp variants. In keeping with the latest generation V6 and V8 Volvo Penta engines, the new 6.2L will have high-pressure direct injection, freshwater cooling, and variable camshaft timing. The engine will replace the 380hp and 430hp V8s currently in use with an iron block and alloy head.

4. Whittley and Digital Switching: CZone digital switching is among the big changes you find on Whittley boats today. You can see from the image accompanying this story just how clean and tidy it makes that dash. The other big thing is a new Volvo Penta battery system using a key fob that switches on functions like lights, electronics and power with just a click on the remote. Too easy. Even Whittley’s entry-level petrol sterndrive boats have full engine management linked to a Garmin screen instead of analogue gauges these days. But the big news is Whittley new Pulse system integrating six big boating functions including Fusion AV into the one Garmin screen. Separate news on Whittley Pulse to follow..

5. Whittley and Auto Trim: Whittley has found that its big 26-28ft weekenders and offshore fishing boats benefit from the quick-response trim offered by Zipwake tabs. Additionally, the auto trim system means anyone can get behind the wheel and run the boat in fine fettle without prior experience. Zipwake tabs and the Volvo Penta Power Trim Assist (standard on EVC engines) are making Whittley’s big trailerable cruisers more attractive to newbies . Whittley also hinted they are also researching a new front and rear combined thruster systems for larger sterndrive powered boats with a push-button head unit similar to a joystick.

6. Bigger boats for Whittley? Boat builders talk about lots of things and they all have a secret bottom drawer. We hear the yard is discussing the potential for bigger non-trailerable boats. Let’s face it, there’s not a lot of entry-level Australian-made cruisers these days and there would be few in the business that could build a small cruiser with the know-how of Whittley. If they just extended their trailerable cruiser concept into a 30-32 footer you’d have a great weekender to compete with the big European marques and something for existing Whittley owners to move to, with a local design feel. Maybe they could build something under licence. Just saying. Watch this space when we next stick our head in the door.

More at www.whittleymarinegroup.com.au.