Trailcraft Deluxe 4.5

Trailcraft are a unique company in the aluminium boat market in that they are, as far as I know, the only boatbuilder out there that presses clinker lines into the sides of its plate alloy boats.

This improves not only the aesthetics, but also the strength and structural integrity, which is otherwise obtained only by fitting extra internal ribs. It also reduces the overall weight of the vessel. Every clinker pressing also acts as a spray-deflecting chine when on the plane, and those below the water contribute to stability at rest.

The 4.5m Runabout proved itself on a test out into the top end of Moreton Bay in Queensland. Its 50hp two-stroke Mercury provided ample power carrying a payload of two adults. The boat performed nicely with the engine trimmed right out, with the hull sitting up cleanly on the water. Even when trimmed right out, cavitation was minimal during tight turns. With the leg only slightly trimmed in, the boat could be thrown around effortlessly at a top speed of 49.5kmh showing on the GPS and the boat tacho reading 5750rpm ? a couple of hundred revs above the recommended maximum as the boat was slightly over-propped.

Steering is Teleflex mechanical type and with so much positive trim available, it was as good as it gets, although more weight was felt with the engine trimmed down. The boat found its comfort zone at 4000rpm, which shifted us along at 30kmh.

SMART DESIGN
I found the lean-through, three-piece windscreen a bonus and the ground tackle is easily accessed with the fold-out section of the screen resting on a rubber grommet on the bowrail.

The spacious dashboard sections of this boat would easily accommodate an electronic unit with a mid-sized cabinet, along with most of the other smaller items that a crew normally carries. Excess luggage may be stored under the dash in bow, which has a retaining fence that also acts as a foot rail across its aft section.

Inserted in the deck are swivel chairs with padded armrests. While I was seated, my feet and legs were comfortable in a well on the foot rail. This well is bunged so that it could be drained into the bilge.

The seat height is such that the average person looks through the screen rather than over it, protected from wind and spray, although the boat proved very dry on the relatively calm test day. The frames for these seats are sturdy and light, being manufactured out of a moulded resin. The bimini canopy also has zip options for clears, the latter not present on the test boat.

The cockpit has a good quality, carpeted deck. This deck is nice and flat except for the pedestal mounts, which are slightly raised to prevent deck water entering the swivel bases.

SAFETY FIRST
The self-draining deck is scuppered through the transom - a real selling point for the safety-conscious boatie. A short gate is installed on the port side of the transom for easy access out onto the full floating pod with its well-designed boarding ladder. The gate for the step through featured a heavy-duty stainless steel barrel bolt for securing, and there are plenty of handholds for safe passage when boarding or disembarking.

The battery box on the Trailcraft Deluxe is fixed to the floor against the middle of the transom bulkhead. It has a padded seat and a short back pad to buffer your back against the transom coaming. Access to the transom for fishing is available either side of the box, which is large enough to house two heavy-duty batteries.

GOOD PERFORMER
This boat performed well and has all the features of a boat targeted at small boating families, most of whom are after a safe, comfortable little runabout that doesn't cost a fortune. The self-draining deck is a bonus - no need to bail if you cop a greenie over the side and no danger of sinking during a heavy downpour.

This boat can be towed with the average four-cylinder family car and is easily manoeuvred on and off the trailer - something many new boaters fail to consider until there's a 20kt breeze blowing.

It's a comfortable little boat - good quality seating, excellent stability and most of all economical yet brisk performance with a small engine.

Swapping the prop for a 13in unit to bring the rpm down to normal levels would give the boat longer legs at top speed. However, if you're contemplating carrying a stack of gear and a gaggle of kids, the maximum 60hp engine might be a better option.

At a price, as tested, of under $24,000, it represents a cost-effective hull that should last the average family fisher a lifetime - or at the very least, hold its resale value.