Extreme610 Centre Console

TRAILERBOATTRIALSBySamMossman

Based in Thornton, near Whakatane, Extreme Boats are making quite a name for themselves.

The company is owned by Glen and Diane Shaw, and their good-looking, solidly-constructed fi shing and diving-oriented boats have been impressing both the fi shing public and the judges at various boat shows, taking home more than their fair share of awards.

It was at last year’s Hamilton Boat Show that I fi rst saw the subject of this month’s Trailerboat Trial, the Extreme 610 Centre Console. Initially a custom boat built for owner Ian Miller (‘The Boating Guy’)

based on the 610 hull, it was draw-ing in hard-core fi shos like blowfl ies to a fi lleting bench, and demand has subsequently forced it into produc-tion. It looked like such a hot fi shing boat that I arranged to do this test on the spot. The question was: did its performance match its looks?

With one thing and another, it was late February before the boat and I managed to get on the same piece of water. The rig was on short-term loan to Dave ‘Mavis’ Bryant of Coromandel Safaris, and early one morning I drove to his Kuaotunu (near Whitianga) base to give the 610 a run.

ConstructionThe 610 Centre Console features

5mm bottoms, 4mm sides and decks, and a 5mm transom. The entry is fi ne, with no strakes on the hull, substantial downturned chines and a 20.5° deadrise aft. Six fully seam-welded stringers run the length of the hull, with frames at 1200mm centres supporting the sealed, 4mm chequerplate decks.

A feature of the construction is the use of a fl at plate welded across the hull just above the keel. This forms a chamber that is triangular in section, running the length of the hull. It is left open at the transom and vents through the anchor-well at the bow. This adds stiffening to the hull, and brings and drains water from the under-deck holds. It also acts as a self-fl ooding ballast tank, fi lling with

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122 New Zealand Fishing News April 2010

a 150hp engine may be a better match. Cruising was comfortable at around 3800-4000rpm, running at a little over 20 knots.

We launched the boat at the Kuaotunu ramp and headed out to the Mercury Islands, the sea still dropping after a stiff easterly blow the day before. This meant a metre of swell out in the open, with a 10-15 knot breeze putting a little chop on top.

The big centre console’s ride really impressed me. It chewed through the sea like it was not even there, riding soft and smooth with not the

slightest tendency to bow-steer or broach, even when running at an acute angle to the swells. It was a stable hull and, for a centre console, it was also very dry, helped in part by its rising sheer line. With the wind quartering on the bow we took little spray, and did not bother to fi t the clears that can be domed onto the bimini support frame. Often when a manufacturer develops a centre con-sole layout on an existing hull, they struggle to get the balance and hull attitude right fi rst time round, but Extreme is spot-on with this one. Exceptional.

AnchoringAn advantage of the centre con-

sole layout is ease of access to the bow for anchoring. The forward bulkhead is a big fl at face to lean on, and the anchor well is a decent size. An aluminium bollard is welded to the foredeck and a fairlead to the bow, which also features a one-piece bow rail.

This is a fairly basic set up, and a boat of this size really requires decent ground tackle, so it is a bit of weight to pull by hand. There is plenty of room for a capstan to be fi tted, which is an option no doubt,

water when the boat comes to a halt, adding to the hull’s stability at rest, and draining rapidly as the hull lifts onto plane.

Reserve buoyancy is an impressive 489kg – getting on for half a tonne – in three under-deck compartments.

Power and performanceThe recommended horsepower

range for the 610 hull is 115-150hp. The test boat Fin-Nor had one of the new-model Mercury Optimax 125hp outboards bracket-mounted on the back, swinging a Vengeance prop with an 18-inch pitch. Fuel capacity is 170 litres in a tank mounted under the centre console, with the fi lling port on the console’s side.

With two-and-a-half men on board and about half a fuel load, the rig achieved 61kph (33 knots) at 5800rpm. Given that the ‘book’ top end revs for this engine are 5750rpm, it was over-revving a little and could stand about a one-inch reduction in pitch, which would also have the effect of lifting the top-end speed a bit. Realistically, although the 125hp outboard was adequate, with a full fuel load and a few more bodies and gear on board, Centre console layouts offer easy access to the bow and all-round fi shing room; The forward seat has a padded back rail and lots of internal

stowage space.

New Zealand Fishing News April 2010 123

or you could just use a lifting float to make life easier. An under-deck hold is fitted in the bow, and this would be a useful spot to store a float or extra warp.

LayoutLike the Tardis, this boat almost

seems bigger on the inside than the outside. It is beamy, and wide gunwale tops offer all-round seat-ing. As mentioned, bow rails are fitted around half the length of the

hull, and fitting clear spray skirts to these would be a possibility. Decks are sealed chequerplate, draining to a sump under the transom, from where any water is removed by a 1500gph bilge pump.

There is an under-deck hold in the bow with a bung drain into the self-flooding tank along the keel line. Another similar hold is built in near the stern.

A large, upholstered seat is situ-ated in front of the console, featuring

a padded, rolled backrest. Under the seat is a deep stowage well. The large console shelters two adults easily and three at a pinch, also provid-ing mounting space for instruments and electronics (in this case flush-mounted dials, switching, sound system, Raymarine 49E VHF, and Humminbird 917c sounder/chart-plotter).

The Hy-Drive Admiral hydraulic steering was excellent (unusually, the helm was set on the centreline of the hull, but this worked well in practice), and there was stow-age space on top of the console for odds and ends. This was where car keys, cell phones, cameras and the like all seemed to end up, sheltered behind the heavy, clear polycar-bonate ‘screen. The single battery was set in a sheltered position inside the console (no doubt dual battery set-ups are an option and prefer-able), which also boasts plenty of sheltered internal stowage space. A substantial pipe frame supports a bimini top, offering shade and allow-ing the addition of a set of clears for

more spray protection when under way, if needed.

Behind the console is a padded-top bench seat featuring a huge amount of internal stowage, and sup-plemented by a pair of two-metre-long side shelves.

The transom wall is roughly divid-ed into thirds: a step-through with a drop-door on the starboard side; a central stowage locker (which con-tained the wash-down hose, fitted with a pressure pump); and a live-bait tank to port. Over the stern is a large chequerplate boarding platform, fold-down boarding lad-der, and under the waterline there are mounting brackets for trim-tabs, water intakes, transducers and the like.

FishabilityIt was surprising to find a hull that

cuts through the water so well is also stable at rest, with the self-flooding keel-line tank, the reduced topside weight of the centre console layout and the down-turned chines all com-ing into play. The chequerplate deck

The large chequerplate boarding platform is fitted with a fold-down ladder; the bench seat has a heap of internal stowage and could be designed to take an after-market ice box; instruments and electronics are flush-mounted on the big console; a six-position rocket launcher is mounted on the bimini top.

124 New Zealand Fishing News April 2010

SpecificationsMaterial: aluminium

Configuration: centreconsole

LOA: 6.18m

Beam: 2.49m

Bottoms: 5mm

Sides: 4mm

Decks: 4mm

Deadrise: 20.5°

RecommendedHP: 115-150hp

Testengine: Mercury125hpOptimax

Prop: Vengeance18-inchpitch

Fuelcapacity: 170litres

Trailer: ExtremeBoats

Towweight: 1400kgapprox

Basekey-turnpackage: $68,759 (Optimax125hp)

Astested: $78,118

TestboatcourtesyofIanMiller.

gives good footing, and the gun-wales and transom have toe room underneath, with mid-thigh support offered astern of the console.

The bow area has a raised deck, useful for casting from. I cast a fly to some rat kings from up there with no problems, although I found the height of the rails interfered a little when spin-fishing to some feeding kahawai schools and wanting to keep the rod tip down low during a fast retrieve. Unless spray skirts are going to be added, much more abbreviated rails (shorter and lower) may be bet-ter from a fishing point of view.

The best thing about a centre-con-sole layout is the all-round fishing room it opens up, as Mavis, his young fella and I found when we got some action from rat kings, snapper and kahawai on light fly, soft-plastic and spin tackle. Being able to walk fish right around the boat and cast from the bow are big plusses for sportfish-ing, especially jigging, fly, popper, soft-plastic and other lure casting. In this beamy hull, even the over-wide console does not impede movement around the boat.

Fishing fittings include through-gunwale alloy rodholders: two in the bow, six along the sides aft of the console, and two built into the bait-station. This last item has the useful feature of a tip-up baitboard, allowing easy washing into a trough beneath, which in turn, drains over-board.

As mentioned, a live-bait tank is built into the transom, although it had yet to be plumbed. The bimini top supports a six-position rocket launcher, forward and aft-facing spot-lights, and could no doubt be used to mount outriggers if required.

The catch could be stored in the fore or aft under-deck holds, or the bow or stern seating units could be designed to take an after-market ice box.

Divers are catered for with a tran-som step-through, boarding ladder and boarding platform. The helm seat is designed to store dive bottles, standing up.

TraileringExtreme Boats build their own

trailers, in this case a cradle A-frame design in galvanised box section. It has a single axle, leaf-spring suspen-sion and is fitted with mechanical brakes. Features include: a wind-down jockey wheel; submersible LED lights; dual-ratio manual winch; and dual coupling. The boat is car-ried on four pairs of wobble rollers per side, and a rear keel skid-plate and forward keel roller aid load-ing. Tow weight is approximately 1400kg.

All in allCentre-consoles are not for every-

one, especially in winter months in colder parts of the country, but if you are a fan of the fishing advantages bestowed by this layout, then the Extreme 610 Centre Console is one of the best.

Easy to fish from, a very good sea boat, stable at rest, solidly construct-ed with a good level of finish – the 610 looks cool as well. With options and customising taking care of your own preferences, this is a very seri-ous sportfishing machine.

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