Southern Cross 46

As I scroll down a list of well-known Australian gameboats, I realise that several have one thing in common. Tianui, Cervantes, Aquila (now Mauna Kea), Assegai and Amokura have all been built under the watchful eye of Captain Bill Edwards.

Affectionately known as "The Eagle", Edwards has not only a keen eye for spotting a billfish in the wake, but also for spotting a well-built sportsfishing boat.

A fan of the deep-vee hull, Edwards has implemented a winning formula into all the above boats that are renowned for their seaworthiness and their ability to catch marlin.

Another fan of the Pleysier or Assegai style of boat is Papua New Guinea-based charterboat operator Keith Kingston.

When the time came to upgrade his 36 Steber, Kingston had his eyes on the Pleysier-designed, Edwards-built 44-footer Mauna Kea.

Unfortunately Mauna Kea was not for sale and Kingston looked for other options. Kingston already owned the moulds to the Southern Cross 44, which was considered quite a good seaboat but its squarish lines and low freeboard in the cockpit meant it never gained popularity with gamefishermen.

However, Kingston decided to make the most of the Southern Cross 44 moulds and used them as a basis for his new boat. He employed the services of naval architect Chris Hutchings to aid in the design process; Azzura Yachts were asked to build the boat, while Bill Edwards was asked to project manage the build as well as offer his priceless knowledge in constructing such a vessel.

Ultimately the hull was extended two feet (hence now being called the Southern Cross 46) while the cockpit, saloon and galley were changed dramatically. In fact the layout is not dissimilar to Mauna Kea which Edwards built several years ago. Considering that this is the boat Kingston wanted to buy, it's not surprising.

TWO DAY TEST
We managed to spend two days on the new Southern Cross 46, Tsunami before it headed north to its home port of Lae, PNG. The first day out was your typical boat test - zoom around, a quick spin offshore, get the photos then do a walk-through. However, the second day was spent heavy-tackle marlin fishing, which provided a much better insight into how the boat performs.

On first impressions the Southern Cross 46 isn't the most visually appealing boat in my eyes. In my opinion, although the new house has been nicely rounded off, it appears to be too high and out of proportion with the rest of the boat.

If it was a Pleysier-look that Kingston was after, he could have ripped a foot of height out of the house and still had full headroom in the saloon. This would have also brought the centre of gravity down and provided more space on the flybridge.

When you jump aboard Tsunami via the cockpit there's no mistaking this boat is made to go marlin fishing. With the hull extended two feet, the freeboard raised to 780mm and a 13ft 6in beam across the transom, this is one serious cockpit. Throw in a 900mm wide outward opening transom door and 130lb Reelax gamechair, and you get the impression that Kingston has his eyes set on putting a 1000lb PNG blue on the deck.

Under the teak deck lies a large livewell to port and a similar sized kill box to starboard. A large hatch to access the lazarette is centrally located.

Rather than having a standard scupper arrangement, which seems to let just as much water in as out when backing up, Tsunami features a clever drainage system whereby flaps on the transom below the waterline close while backing up. This way, the only water entering the cockpit has to come over the covering boards, which quickly drains overboard thanks to large teak grates in each corner.

Two heavy-duty cleats are also located in each aft corner: one on the transom and one on the side. They are tapped into 25mm steel plates that are 'glassed into the hull. The hawsepipes are also located through the hull rather than the covering boards to prevent ropes from damaging the teak.

At the forward end of the cockpit on either side are two large fridge/freezers, which can be thermostatically controlled to the required temperature. Ideally, I see one being run as a freezer for baits etc and the other a fridge for drinks and the like. Both the freezers feature large bungs that drain onto the deck, allowing them to be hosed out.

The starboard side freezer doubles as a bait rigging area with a day tackle locker located in the bulkhead above, and a teak fiddlerail provides a handy spot to throw odds and ends. The portside freezer is incorporated in your access to the flybridge.

READY TO ROLL
Outboard of each freezer are cockpit cupboards that include a number of interesting features. The starboard side cupboard houses two large tubes which enable you to store all the flying gaffs and tagpoles fully rigged and ready to roll. You also access all the fuel shut-off valves and fire-fighting system via this cupboard.

The port side cupboard houses the 24V and engine-driven deckwashes as well as bilge manifolds, 240V inlets and manual bilgepumps.

The daily entrance to the engineroom is below the steps, which lead from the cockpit to the saloon. This is adequate access for daily checks, however the saloon floor can also be raised to provide more space and ventilation if working in the engineroom for extended periods.

Interestingly, the twin Cummins QSM11s and the Onan 11kva genset are the only items of machinery in the main engineroom. All other mechanical equipment such as pumps etc are all located in the plant room between two watertight bulkheads forward of the main engineroom.

The engineroom is clean and uncluttered making access around the engines that much more bearable. A clever inclusion to Tsunami's engineroom are storage tanks for old and new engine oil. Each engine is fitted with a pump that can pump the old oil out of the engine and the new oil in, preventing the need to store drums of oil in the engineroom.

LONG-RANGE CAPABILITIES
Fuel and water levels can also be viewed in the engineroom. Fuel capacity is 3300lt via two 1650lt tanks which can be equalised. They are filled by 2in camlock fillers, which will fit any nozzle on any pump. The fuel fillers are also located in a separate fuel bung that prevents any overboard or engineroom spillage.

Freshwater capacity is 550lt, however, a 150lt/hr WaterWitch desalinator means there is never a shortage of fresh water.

Stepping up from the cockpit to the saloon you are greeted by a luxurious fitout with solid Fijian Cedar joinery throughout, which provides a modern and stylish look indeed. A teak and holly saloon floor also looks the part and the clear non-skid doesn't look too out of place.

The day lounge to port and the dinette to starboard are designed in a way that they can be easily disassembled and reassembled if there is ever a need to remove an engine.

The large central saloon door is also designed with this thought in mind.

The settee is long enough to lounge out on, while the dinette can seat a total of seven, with clever stools that are removed from around the table stanchion.

UNIQUE ROD LOCKERS
The highlight of the saloon for us fishos though, are the ceiling rod lockers that drop down (not unlike an aircraft baggage compartment) to reveal 10 of Keith's finest outfits. No doubt these lockable compartments added considerable cost to the fitout, but they are certainly functional and it sure beats having the rods hanging off the ceiling.

Although Tsunami is air-conditioned, Kingston has opted for sliding saloon windows for those hot PNG nights at anchor when any breeze is a welcome one.

The saloon is also serviced by a first-class entertainment centre on the forward bulkhead that incorporates a Samsung flatscreen TV and PC monitor, DVD, CD and VCR. A drawer below the Samsung monitor is designed specifically to house a laptop computer, so you can run your PC-based navigation software from here if you wish.

There is also ample storage for CDs and DVDs. Adjacent to the entertainment centre is a remote unit for the Icom VHF radio that doubles as an intercom between the saloon and the flybridge. A satellite telephone and A/C control are also located hereabouts.

GALLEY UP
The galley arrangement is totally different to that on the Southern Cross 44. The 46 features the galley up rather than down. Again, quite similar in design to Mauna Kea.

On the starboard side are the cleverly concealed under-bench fridge, freezer and a 10kg per day icemaker. By keeping the refrigeration to starboard, anyone cooking in the galley to port is not bothered by someone fixing a drink.

The U-shaped galley to port is very functional with all crockery, cutlery and glassware safely stowed in drawers with heavy-duty latches. The chef is spoilt with a four-burner gas stove and grill plus a convection microwave.

Corian benchtops are the obvious choice and match the Fijian Cedar nicely. While the pantry isn't huge, there is certainly enough space to store a week or so worth of supplies.

Underneath the galley is the plant room which houses all the pumps and other machinery that would normally be located in the main engineroom. The pumps have been mounted so that all freshwater pumps are to starboard and all saltwater pumps are to port.

The freshwater side of the plant room houses a Jabsco freshwater system that can accommodate up to 14 taps running at once, the WaterWitch watermaker, a washer/dryer, a 3kW inverter and a 240V Gerni for washing down the boat with its own water supply.

SMART WASHDOWN
In my opinion, the Gerni would have to be one of the most useful and functional items on the boat. With an outlet in the cockpit and another on the bow, you can give the whole boat a high-pressure freshwater washdown no matter where you are. And seeing as you are making your own water, no one can give you a hard time for cleaning your boat even if the area you are in is on water restrictions. Very clever indeed.

On the saltwater side of the plant room you'll find the two watercooled refrigeration units and the high-volume saltwater deckwash pumps.

Also in the plant room is the hydraulic probe transducer for the Furuno 360û scanning sonar, and vertical rodholders which house all Kingston's heavy-tackle rod butts with reels in place. The rods themselves are stored overhead.

The plant room is accessed by raising the stairs that lead from the galley to the companionway. If large items need to be removed, a hatch in the galley floor provides adequate access.

The companionway leads to a twin cabin to port, a spacious head to starboard and the master stateroom in the forepeak.

The twin cabin features good-sized bunks that are 2m long and 700mm wide. There is a hanging cupboard, as well as four drawers and additional storage below the bottom bunk. The twin cabin also features an overhead hatch for light and ventilation and an A/C control panel.

Taking the galley up has resulted in an enormous head.

It is also 2m long and there is ample room to shower and swing a towel in total comfort. Features include a Jabsco quiet flush toilet with Letrasan treatment system, large vanity, Corian benchtops, under-sink storage, extraction unit and removable teak treads that provide sure footing while showering at sea. Access to the head is either via the companionway or from an additional door in the master stateroom.

The stateroom features a large double bed that has been raised on the 46 to convert it to a walkaround berth and allow provision for large storage drawers below. Cupboards on either side of the room offer hanging or shelving space and quality upholstery is used throughout.

FLYING HIGH
Back outside and its time to head up to the flybridge. You access the flybridge over the port side freezer. There are two steps on the face of the freezer and another five on the cabin bulkhead. I found this ladder very difficult to use, particularly while underway. Once you get to the top of the ladder, there is only one small handle to hang on to which in my opinion is insufficient. The quality of the ladder is fantastic, it just needs to be set up differently to provide safe access to the flybridge.

The flybridge has been totally redesigned from the 44 and although it has been nicely rounded off with no sharp corners, it did feel a little cluttered up there.

For a 46-footer the flybridge felt quite small. I put this down to two factors. Firstly, because the flybridge is so high, the area decreases with height as it follows the lines of the house. And secondly, the huge helm console takes up a good proportion of the bridge.

Kingston has optioned this boat to the hilt with the biggest and best electronics money can buy, and subsequently needed a big console. I just feel it could have been designed with a slightly lower profile so the skipper's vision is not impaired while seated. Also, the skipper should not have to leave the helm to allow someone to access or depart the passenger seat.

Apart from the two Murray Bros helm chairs, there is a bench seat in front of the console that works well and another along the port side that may or may not be required.

The hardtop has been extended slightly which does look strange, but is done for a purpose. In PNG they get massive amounts of rain and it is hoped that by extending the hardtop, the zips on the clears may get some reprieve.

CLAYTON'S TOWER
The hardtop is mounted on stylish anodised aluminium supports by Black Marlin Towers, which look similar to a tower ladder. Not only do they look good but are functional as well. They allow you to climb up on the hardtop and attend to antennas if required.

The helm console is certainly packed with goodies. Try a Furuno Navnet chartplotter with 48nm radar including overlay, Furuno FCV1100L sounder with 3kW transducer, which will reportedly mark the bottom in well over 2000m of water, and a Furuno CH250 360û scanning sonar. Yep, this boy is serious.

Then there's the Furuno autopilot and backup GPS, not to mention the Icom VHF and HF radios.

The wheel is mounted on its own pod that juts out from the console proper. I like this arrangement, and the Palm Beach-style single lever electronic controls running through Twin Disc gearboxes are indeed a pleasure to use.

On both the boat test day and the day we went fishing there was a good 20kt breeze blowing as we departed the Gold Coast seaway. I must say I was very impressed by the ride on the Southern Cross 46. Extending the hull certainly hasn't done this boat any harm. The ride was soft and considering the conditions, dry also. The hull did want to wander a little when running down sea, but generally it got the thumbs up from me.

PLENTY OF HORSES
Spinning five-blade Mikado props, we found a comfortable 24kt cruise at 1900rpm. At these revs the QSM11 electronic displays told us we were using 75lt/hr per engine.

At wide open throttle we reached 31kt at 2300rpm. The QSM11s can rev to 2350rpm so the props could probably do with a bit of a tweak to obtain maximum load.

Although taken off a mould, Tsunami could definitely be described as a custom boat. Azzura Yachts' workmanship should be applauded, and I'm sure Mr Kingston is very happy with his new pride and joy.

At the time of writing the Southern Cross 46 isn't about to go into full-blown production but the moulds are there and Keith Kingston is happy to talk to anyone interested in building one.

Oh, I almost forgot: the boat raises fish, too. On our heavy-tackle outing off the Gold Coast Keith managed to tag a blue marlin on his first outing in his new boat. To say he was chuffed is an understatement!