Special Report: Fi-Glass boats

Fi-Glass is a household name in Kiwi boating families and it has now gained good market acceptance in Oz. It maintains a classic style and delivers an excellent ride in rough condition, which places the brand in good stead with offshore Aussie boaties.

Fi-Glass Products was formed in 1958 by Frank Simpson, who is the Kiwi version of the late John Haines Snr here in Australia -- he’s regarded in New Zealand as the doyen of fibreglass boat builders.

Simpson was one of the first of three manufacturers in NZ to take advantage of the new fibreglass technology being used to make washtubs and shower trays in that country. With the expertise gained from these humble beginnings came the first Fi-Glass boat, the Fisherman, designed by Brian Wall. This boat created a great deal of interest and strong sales leading to Fi-Glass Boats being found on many NZ waterways -- from jet boats on the Canterbury River, to Finn Class Yachts on Waitemata Harbour.

Many new cuddy cabin models followed, but they were basically runabouts with the hardtop unit and windows bolted on. They were extremely labour intensive to build, but the company prided itself on building boats with no wooden components. Instead, Divinylcel transoms, fibreglass stringers and foam-filled hulls became the order of the day. The result was boats built to Survey standards. They were strong, soft-riding craft that delivered a dry ride, even in the tough boating conditions our ANZAC brothers have to endure for much of the year. And it’s these design characteristics that’s making Fi-Glass Boats popular with Aussie offshore boaties and anglers.

The first Warrior, was released in 1977, and proved to be one of the most successful cabin boats on the NZ market. It was a robust, dry and safe vessel that gave family boaties excellent performance. But all Fi-Glass boats had a powerboat racing heritage and Frank actually used his hulls on the racing circuit. With a pedigree like this, and the knowledge that this boat builder has constructed more than 10,000 boats during the last 50 years, it’s not too difficult to understand why Avante Marine took on the Australian distributorship.

The company is now run by Frank’s son Griff, and it really is a case of like father, like son. Frank taught Griff well, but Griff has also added his own touch to these boats to make them even better. His first boat was a new 6.4m Warrior (the company likes to maintain the model names) and she’s a top offshore fishing vessel.

At present, BWW imports three models into this country, the 5.1m Dominator, the 5.8m Lightning, and my favourite, the 6.4m Warrior, which is a hardtop boat that’s perfect for offshore sportfishing, because it offers great protection from the elements. And yes, it does come fitted with trim tabs, so you can control her large expanse of hardtop and glass running into the wind.

All of these boats make excellent family, fishing or cruising craft, because they’re spacious, soft-riding and they deliver a level of safety that every boating parent requires for their family.

The aggressive chines also throw water and spray down and away from the hull, so the boats are dry riding; plus, the chines form mini tunnels between their outer edges and the keel. As the boat moves forward, air is trapped in these tunnels, which generates lift and allows the hull to ride on a cushion of air.

Capable of planing in seconds means, all the driver needs to do is trim the outboard leg well out and the boat slices and dices the sea better than most. Take a test drive and you’ll see what I mean.

For more information about the entire Fi-Glass Range call (02) 9737 0727, or go to www.berowrawaterswholesale.com.au