Whittley Sea Legend 650

After moving the Trailer Boat office to Brisbane, it didn't take long for me to forget just how miserable Melbourne weather can be. With a full day of Victorian boat testing booked, I departed warm and sunny Brisbane with nothing more than T-shirt, shorts and a dictaphone after all, it was summer.

On arrival at the Carrum (Vic) boat ramp, it was blowing about 40kt, raining sideways and 8°C outside. Although I felt like turning around and flying straight back to Brisbane, the white-water breaking at the entrance to the Patterson River and a wild and confused Port Phillip Bay looked just too inviting.

First boat on the test sheet was Whittley's new Sea Legend 650. This boat looked spectacular sitting on its Mackay multi-roller trailer as the boys from J.V.Marine backed her down the ramp. I jumped aboard, where Neville Whittley kindly loaned me a jacket before hypothermia had a chance to set in.

As we idled down the Patterson River, Neville explained that the Sea Legend 650 is one of several boats that wear the Rayglass marque in New Zealand.

Rayglass and Whittley are two very similar boat manufacturing companies and their trans-Tasman ties have been expanding for several years. The Whittley and Rayglass design teams have joined forces to save on tooling costs and to produce a boat that can handle the rough sea conditions that both Aussies and Kiwis have to contend with.

PIECE OF CAKE
While Whittley is better known for its trailerable family cruisers rather than serious fishing boats, the Rayglass influence is obviously helping to change that, because the Sea Legend range is definitely aimed at the serious angler. Having said that, the 650 still has plenty of the creature comforts we've come to expect from the Victorian manufacturer, so it seems you can have your cake and eat it too.

As we reached the mouth of the Patterson River, the wall of white-water that greeted us looked far from inviting. The testboat was fitted with a 200hp carburettored V-six Yamaha outboard that was extremely throttle responsive, so holding a slow plane wasn't that easy. A little bit of throttle and she wanted to get up and boogie. We managed to ply our way through the bar without breaking any bones, even though we did get airborne a couple of times. The landings were relatively smooth, but as expected in those conditions a fair bit of wind-blown spray made it on to the windscreen. Inside, though, skipper and passenger were still nice and dry.

RAISING THE BAR
Once out of the bar area and into a less confused sea, the Whittley could hold a 30kmh plane at just 3000rpm. At 4000rpm the 650 reached a sprightly 50kmh cruise and a fully-trimmed 6000rpm WOT resulted in an almost scary 80kmh. While it's always nice to have a few spare horses up your sleeve, it is obvious that this hull would perform satisfactorily with a 150 or 175hp outboard.

I was particularly impressed with the way the Whittley handled a following sea.

We came down the face of some pretty big waves and at no stage did it feel like we were going to bury the nose. This buoyancy in the bow can be attributed to Whittley's design process. They use 3D modelling software that allows them to determine centre of gravity, trim, stability and buoyancy before a boat has even been built. This computer-generated design along with the companies state-of-the-art five-axis milling machine are just two of the reasons why Whittley are at the cutting edge of boat building design and construction in Australia.

BRAND NEW HULL
The Sea Legend 650 features a brand-new hull design not just a revamped version of its 6.3m predecessor. A deep 23° deadrise aids its soft-riding characteristics and a fully integrated pod can support outboards of up to 225hp. The 650 can also be powered by a V-six MerCruiser sterndrive.

Moulded boarding platforms on either side of the enginewell aid access to the boat. A retractable stainless steel boarding ladder is located on the port side and, combined with stainless steel handrails, means climbing aboard after taking a dip is a snap.

Stepping from the boarding platforms to the cockpit is aided by cutouts in the transom bulkhead, which reduce the freeboard in the transom corners.

From a fishing point of view I don't particularly like these cutouts. I would prefer to see full freeboard in the corners, which is a popular place to stand and fish, and a transom door on one side to make accessing the cockpit easy.

ACTION STATIONS
Centrally located against the transom at the aft end of the cockpit is a fishing station that incorporates a sink with a freshwater washdown and a high-quality baitboard. With the baitboard removed, a heavy-duty skipole is revealed. Although the livewell was underfloor on the testboat, on future models it will also be incorporated in the transom bulkhead. This means the underfloor killtank will run the full length of the cockpit.

Battery and oil reservoir are located on raised shelving also incorporated in the transom bulkhead. Sopac hatches in the transom corners provide additional storage.

Sidepockets run the full length of the cockpit on either side and coaming height is good, providing ample freeboard port and starboard. Gunwales feature a teak protection strip, which also includes four flush-mounted rodholders.

At the forward end of the cockpit are two aft-facing seats that are ideal for sitting back and watching the lures. These seats are on moulded bases that lift up to reveal a massive amount of storage. Helm and passenger seating is incorporated in the forward end of these mouldings. The standard of upholstery is first class and all done in-house by Whittley. About the only fixture on the boat not manufactured by Whittley is the curved windscreen, which is imported from the United States.

Both helmsman and passenger are provided with footrests that feature toerails below, so if the going gets tough and you have to stand and drive, you can tuck your toes under the footrests for support. The helm area features clip-in marine carpet, which can be continued throughout the cockpit as an option.

TOP NOTCH TARGA
The targa, bimini and clears are top-notch. The targa features a six-potrocket launcher and houses the anchor light, antennas and the like it also folds down for garage storage.

The helm is nicely laid out with a Whittley sports steering wheel with Hy-drive hydraulics, Yamaha side-mount control and digital gauges and a Lowrance X85 sounder. There is enough room on the dash to flush-mount two larger units side by side. Compass, electric trim tab controls and switch panel complete the dash fittings.

Access to the cabin is good, and inside you'll find a generous V-berth with infill cushions. Padded sidepockets provide more storage space, as do compartments under the V-berth. A porta-potti is centrally located, recessed below the V-berth, or as an option you can get a pump-out model with a holding tank.

MAXIMUM SPACE
To maximise cockpit and cabin space the sidedecks are basically non-existent, so accessing the foredeck for manual anchoring duties is via the cabin hatch only. Fortunately, it is a big one, and by removing the centre cushion in the V-berth, a raised step is provided that makes accessing the anchorwell a lot easier. Of course, if you opt for a windlass, then sitting at the helm to drop and raise the anchor sure makes life a lot easier. Up front a low-profile bowrail helps complete the Sea Legend's stylish lines and a moulded bowroller within the bowsprit keeps the ground tackle in check.

The Whittley Sea Legend 650 is indeed a quality product that is a credit to its manufacturer. The quality of fittings and attention to detail can only be described as first class. The association that Whittley has made with Rayglass is a smart one and this trans-Tasman cross-pollination will no doubt bolster the Whittley range.

As boat manufacturers around the world continue the never-ending quest for the perfect family fishing boat, it seems Whittley may have edged one step closer.