Small but efficient fisher

Not everyone who is keen on getting offshore in comfort and safety has the necessary 4X4 needed to tow a big fishing boat to their favourite holiday ramp and the grunt to launch and retrieve it in adverse conditions.

In the past this may have meant dedicated fishers were forced to venture offshore in a tinny that would be happier in enclosed waters. But now Signature boats have come up with a dedicated 5m day fisher that is light enough to be easily towed by a family car.

Weighing in at just 1170kg, the Signature 502DF is a smaller boat with all the features of its larger brothers. The 502DF will make its first appearance at the Melbourne Boat Show which opens on Thursday.

The deck space is larger than you would expect in a five-metre boat and the 502DF fishes like a larger boat with good stability at rest and a soft and quiet ride. There is also ample storage space and the very necessary toe holds under the side boxes to give the security you need when bringing a fish over the side or just hefting a big rod.

The Haines family have been building boats for more than 50 years and their manufacturing motto has always been "build it as if you are going to own it". Every employee knows this mantra and it shows in the construction and finish of all Signature boats -- all of which come with a 10-year structural warranty and a two-year warranty on parts.

The 502DF has a walk-through windscreen and a forward hatch to make anchoring safe and comfortable and to give shelter and storage in the form of a small cuddy cabin when closed up. The windscreen is set high to give extra protection from the elements.

Other notable features include a 25-inch transom, a walk-through transom door (or fish landing door), a modern dash area with more than enough room for today's marine electronics. A 12-volt power plug is fitted for all those accessories everyone now carries, and a battery isolation switch and an automatic bilge pump are standard.

The 502DF has high freeboard for safety at sea and the helm is designed to be comfortable whether sitting or standing. The foam-filled hull deadens noise and offers a comfortable ride.

The new vessel is already rolling off the production line at Signature's south east Queensland factory and the 502DF is sure to be a familiar sight along the Australian coast next summer.