Tournament 2100 CC
Tournament boats have gained a great reputation with rough-water fishermen but does the new 2100 CC live up to that reputation? We sent Rick Huckstepp out on a blustery day to find out.
- Full foam fill under deck
- Very good quality stainless steel work
- Direction of opening bait tank lid should be changed.
As the Tournament 2100 CC slid off the trailer I donned my Stormy jacket; I gave up enjoying getting wet years ago!
The 175 ETEC fired on the touch of the key and we headed for the Seaway. With four people aboard I laid claim to the standing room in the lee of the windscreen on the centre console to dodge the spray coming over the starboard forequarter which would have 25 to 30 knots of wind pushing it straight over the gunwales. It didn’t happen. No spray and I didn’t get wet; how can that be?
Tournament’s 2100 CC (centre console) has evolved from their 2100 WA (Walk Around) model which was launched about two and a half years ago.
The 2100 WA found favour with many due to its offshore capabilities, sleek lines and ability to cut the water without a lot of spray. So if a hull doesn’t need modification, why go through the rigours and expense to build a completely new mold for the same size boat in a centre console. Just put new topside on and gauge the market reaction.
Tournament did this and launched to 2100 CC at the most recent Brisbane Boat Show and it is still the talk of the town with those that have a hankering for centre consoles and like to get out onto some wicked water without getting wet in the process.
The inside of the coamings have thick upholstered padding running fore to aft in the cockpit with two large apertures each side to gain access to the stowage shelf within.
The padded coaming is blank from just behind the level of the back of the console to the transom bulkhead while fibreglass pockets are installed on the inside of the hull each side.
Feet easily fit under these side pockets when standing at the gunwale having a fish but the three-quarter rear lounge with a drop-down base has the front edge of that base swinging too close to the deck to allow comfortable foot-under access. There are pins in the three hinges that may be removed to remove the entire seat base, leaving just the back rest but they proved difficult to remove without hand tools. We would have liked to see the drop-down length of the seat base shortened to alleviate this issue.
Two fold-down struts hold the base in place and when that base is removed a vinyl curtain may be clipped in place to cover the plumbing installed under the bulkhead and the small bilge.
The cranking battery is easily accessed as is the oil reservoir for the ETEC, behind a vertical hatch under the transom doorway. The oil reservoir is more easily filled via a remote port in the engine well.
Opening that hatch one may step out onto the transom boarding platform and utilise a telescopic ladder that is recessed into the fibreglass keeping it low in profile.
A large live-bait tank is installed into the starboard corner of the transom bulkhead and it featured a clear acrylic lid that opened inwards rather than outwards meaning the bait catcher had to work over the top of the opened lid. This should be easily changed at the time of ordering a boat from Tournament Pleasure Boats to open in the opposite direction.
The console sports a short, tinted wind deflector behind a grab rail that forms part of the frame for the T-Top which was manufactured by Blue Marlin Towers. The aluminium work and its welding by Blue Marlin Towers looks first class and a brace of rod holders adorn the rear edge of the roof. The flush-mounted Garmin worked well with the depth sounder operating correctly at speed without losing contact with the bottom.
Steering is typical of Seastar in that it provides faultless hydraulic operation which is easy on the arms.
Smoother still was Evinrude’s Icon Digital Throttle and Shift system. On a single-rig application such as we reviewed we liked the idea of having illuminated lights indicating gear-lever position as the smoothness in and out of the electronic gates proved to be hard to detect if one was not concentrating; it was that smooth.
Also there is the ability to fine tune the revs in increments of one per cent to set a perfect trolling speed for pelagic fish or for maximised fuel consumption on the plane. Ostensibly it is a cruise control no different from your modern motor vehicle. The advantages of the Icon are not fully realised till it is used in a twin-rig application but we might just save that one for a later read.
The fuel consumption of 60litres per hour at that speed might not be to your budget so backing off to a ‘just on the plane’ speed of 21.5 km/h the ETEC is running at 2500 rpm and burning just 12.5 litres per hour. If on the troll at around 11 km/h the 175hp is running at 1500 rpm and sipping the 210-litre tank at just five litres per hour.
We talked earlier about how dry this hull runs in big wind and chop conditions. In fact, we came away from this review wondering if there is another 21ft centre console that could out-perform the Tournament in that department. If there is, we haven’t reviewed it yet.
The smoothness of ride was also noticeably good and laying into hard corners at speed over waves and steep chop one normally has to brace oneself for the resulting pounding. It just wasn’t there.
The Tournament 2100 CC presented itself as a formidable offshore sport-fishing machine with the stability needed to drift baits over the shelf in offshore currents. The finish is good and the fittings are quality. It is a good base on which to build you next mini game boat.
Mechanical/equipment: 4.7/5.0
Packaging and practicality: 4.8/5.0
On the water Performance: 4.9/5.0
Value for money: 4.7/5.0
X-factor: 4.6/5.0
Options fitted: Full Flexiteak decking, Garmin 5008 Touchscreen Combo depth sounder/GPS, Evinrude Icon DTS controls, padded coamings, alloy T-top, rear lounge, and full colour sides.
Priced from: $59,900 with 150 ETEC
GENERAL
Type: V-bottom
Material: GRP fibreglass
Length: 21ft, 6.25m
Beam: 2.34m
Hull weight: 95kg dry, hull only
Total package weight: 1900kg, BMT
Deadrise: 21 degrees
CAPACITIES
People: 6
Rec. HP: 150hp
Max. HP: 200hp
Fuel: 210 litres
ENGINE
Make/model: Evinrude ETEC 175hp
Type: Direct injection two stroke
Weight: 196kg
Displacement: 2592cc
Propeller: Stainless steel Viper 14.75x17
3491 Pacific Highway, Springwood 4127
Phone: (07) 38087333
Email: rod@australianmarinecentre.com.au
Website: www.australianmarinecentre.com.au
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