Any Angler's Dream
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
LEISURE BOATING REVIEW Adventure Words and pictures by Anton Pretorius Any angler’s dream leisure boating 2 june/july 2009 espite the credit crunch, a classic offshore fishing craft can never go out of fashion, especially when it has the Dadded benefit of a cosy cabin. What 200 better way to escape the stress of economic decline than by fishing from your craft with your family by your side. Magson Marine’s Adventure 200 is surely the family fisherman’s dream! Leisure Boating reviews this nifty little number and is very tempted to rig the rod and wet a line. Cuddy Buddy Being familiar with the success of the cuddy cabin fishing craft amongst offshore anglers and recreational boaters in the States, owner of Magson Marine, Ernie Magson figured that “if it works there, it’s bound to work here”. With the popularity of their Filante 202, a cabin cruiser with a spacious wet deck, prompted Magson to design and manufacture a similar cabin model, but with a bit more “fishability” in mind. After all, fishing is a popular pastime in our country and many go in search of a craft that is not only a joy to fish from, but that can offer sheltered protection when our unpredictable weather turns sour. The Adventure 200’s cosy cabin allows avid anglers to extend their fishing expedition with their families alongside them. Not only is she built to withstand the most treacherous of seas, but as Magson says: “She’s the answer to that long-overdue father-and-son fishing trip”. Conditions for test Conditions overhead weren’t ideal as dark clouds carrying heavy rain were looming above our heads for most of the review. However, the roomy cabin kept us sheltered when the rain eventually happened. Water conditions were relatively calm around mid-morning, but a gusty South Easter (22 km/h) picked up and made for two-metre swells and a choppy surface. This gave us a great opportunity to test the Adventure 200’s seafaring capabilities. ((cutt 1 word)) leisure boating june/july 2009 3 LEISURE BOATING REVIEW General Impression With an overall length of 20-ft (6.20 m), she’s not particularly long, but she’s a little seafaring dynamo. Being neither too big nor too small certainly gives her a slight advantage over other bigger offshore fishing crafts. Her manageable length makes her easy to trailer, launch and operate on inland waters. Whether you prefer deep-sea fishing at False Bay or skiing on Hartebeespoort Dam, the Adventure 200 boasts good all-round versatility. Her overall length doesn’t quitr reflect her robust shape. Her broad shoulders, high gunnels and spacious deck encapsulate that superior look. Accentuated by smooth, strong lines, Caption XXXX caption XXXXX caption the Adventure 200 sports a strong- Caption XXXX caption XXXXX caption looking, deep-vee hull. A raised foredeck in the bow area allows for more headroom in the cabin, makes the Adventure 200 look slightly “box-shaped” at the nose. I would’ve liked to see Magson flatten it out for a smoother and rounder shape at the bow. Launching and retrieving With a weight of nearly 1 000 kg (without engines), the Adventure 200 is a little on the hefty side. However, when it comes to trailering, launching or retrieving, any diesel bakkie will make light work out of the situation. After Magson Marine’s crew did the appropriate checks, they reversed her onto the slipway, loosened the cable from the winch and slid her into the water without even breaking a sweat. Deck Layout The Adventure 200’s deck layout has distinct areas, each with a specific mission in mind. Firstly, the design of the stern will delight fishermen. It includes a 30-litre live bait well, storage for tackle as well as a cutting board to prepare and clean bait. The spacious aft deck also includes two sizable fish lockers, rodholders and Caption XXXX caption XXXXX caption two transom jump seats with battery Caption XXXX caption XXXXX caption storage underneath. The gunnels’ leisure boating 4 june/july 2009 Caption XXXX caption XXXXX caption interior is fitted with padded knee rests that allows for comfortable fishing. The Adventure 200 is also a walk-around, giving anglers the required freedom to manoeuvre around the craft in an attempt to fight the big fish. With big grab rails at the bow, you can rest assured than any youngsters and fellow passengers are kept safely inside the craft. A U-shaped seating arrangement in the cabin below the deck converts into bunk beds with storage space underneath. A larger family might find the cabin a bit cramped, but for the father-and-son combo, it’ll prove more than adequate. Caption XXXX caption XXXXX caption Protected by a curved windscreen Caption XXXX caption XXXXX caption and a collapsible sun canopy, the craft’s helm area put all the fish finding and Motors and controls 17-pitch propellers and also pushed out navigational instrumentation right at The Adventure 200 offers some 51.5 kW of power – sufficient enough in your fingertips. It’s a shame there are no serious grunt aft. She’s fitted with two any one’s books. pilot seats, but for those tired sea legs, die-hard 70HP 2-stroke Yamaha engines Cruising amid a choppy following sea there is a big centre seat, again with that produce 849 cc each. These and a blustery wind, the Adventure storage space underneath. three-cylinder models come with 200 planed within three seconds. leisure boating june/july 2009 5 LEISURE BOATING REVIEW rails strategically situated on the boat, she boasts a smooth, glassy look with a modern design that’s bound to get fellow water-goers rubbernecking at her beautiful appearance. However, she’s not just a pretty face, though. There’s a very solid boat underneath her shiny gelcoat. Extras come in the form of fish boxes (800 x 800 cm), the stainless steel sun canopy as well as the Fishfinder equipment. Conclusion Caption XXXX caption XXXXX caption Having tested the Adventure 200, I could not fault her in any way. She is Incredibly, she was only a half second After finding some decent swell, truly a very good offshore fishing craft. slower when planing against a we decided to put her through her However, fishing (or even skiing) on following sea. paces. Not once did we experience any inland waters isn’t impossible either Top end speed registered at broaching in a following sea or when with this craft. 34 knots (63 km/h) at 5 800 rpm turning to port or starboard. Nor was Magson and his team can feel proud and we established a good cruising there any indication of cavitation. of their efforts with the Adventure 200. speed of 22 knots (40 km/h) at 4 000 Thanks to her innovative hull design Every detail is meticulously designed revolutions. and responsive motors, the Adventure and manufactured to the highest With a side-mounted control box with 200 has a very good turning circle. standard and backed up with excellent power trim and tilt, you can adjust the Capable of throwing her stern around technical support that will leave an avid motor on the fly to get the maximum very quickly, and in a stable fashion, she’s boater truly satisfied. performance. ideally suited for big surf conditions. The Adventure 200 is a very versatile The Adventure 200 can be fitted with Coming to a standstill and facing the boat, which caters for all types of fishing a wide range of motor sizes, from two sea side-on, we experienced minimum and family fun. With a cosy cabin, a 40HP engines up to a 200HP motor. rolling – which is an indication of her responsive hull, die-hard engines, superb stability. The Adventure 200’s good handling ability and an all-round Handling hull is a well sought-after, tried and well-finished look to it, this boat will Glancing at her deep-vee mono-hull, tested design with enhanced fuel inspire you to go in search of that eluding I immediately got the impression that efficiency and super chines for additional 80 kg Marlin. Good Luck! she would ride well. She’s clearly roll stability and spray reflection. For more information, please contact designed for the offshore fisherman Magson Marine on (021) 854 7500 and can handle just about anything the Finishing touches or email on [email protected]. sea might throw at her. Finishing on the Adventure 200 was Alternatively, visit their website on quite exquisite. With stainless steel grab www.magsonmarine.com. At a glance LOA: 20-ft (6.2 m) Beam: 2.3 m Motors: 2 x 70HP Yamaha 2-stroke Max passengers: 6 Fuel capacity: 90-litres Price: Starting from R230 000 RPM Speed 3 000 28.9 km/h 4 000 40.7 km/h 5 000 53.7 km/h leisure boating 6 june/july 2009.