650_souwester_Boating_New_Zealand
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SPECIFICATIONS possible. Ayrton is eager to try a bigger outboard, saying the new 650 might be better suited to 175hp than its predecessor, which was shorter, narrower and lighter. “I wouldn’t put any less than 150 on it,” he says. “One seventy-five would be just that wee bit nicer.” The 650 made up for any power shortcomings with sea-keeping ability as we approached the harbour entrance. The running sea was roughening up and the roiling surf was crashing upon the rocks, causing Aryton, a keen surfer, to rue the fact that he’d forgotten his board and wetsuit. However, the 650 paid little heed to the 23m swell, delivering consistently soft landings and sticking to the plane like glue at 17 knots and much lower speeds as we picked our way through the troughs and crests. At the harbour entrance we gazed upon the Pacific Ocean before turning around to test the 650 in a following sea. The throttle was sensitive yet steady enough to keep pace with the waves instead of constantly surfing and climbing our way back to port. A few times I wished for trim tabs and thought they would be a great addition A macerating toilet is installed in the cabin and the cockpit is well spec’d with a gas cooker and built-in tackle box. to the boat’s lengthy list of specifications; Ayrton says they’re an option that would definitely boost the boat’s performance if desired. Despite the tabs’ absence, the 650 stayed well balanced, with a level attitude and minimal rolling even though three people were moving around in the hardtop and cockpit. Marco has hit upon a winner with the new 650 Sou’wester. Its newness to the market was only a minor inconvenience on the day of our review; undoubtedly the performance will improve given more testing and tweaking, and the model will go on to become a success for many years to come. In the meantime, it would be a challenge to find a more well-spec’d boat priced below $100,000. “It’s kitted out with so many extras for the price it’s at,” Ayrton says. We agree. It might be a show boat, but the 650 Sou’wester has the goods to back up its zzz acclaim. BOAT model 650 Sou’wester designer Marco Boats builder Marco Boats construction aluminium thickness 5mm bottom, stringers and transom; 4mm sides and deck; 3mm cabin loa 6.8m boa 2.49m deadrise aft 16° horsepower range 150hp engine options outboard max speed 45mph fuel capacity 140L length on trailer 8.6m height on trailer 3.05m width on trailer 2.5m trailerable weight 950kg price as tested $97,995 four-stroke packages from $79,595 two-stroke packages from $71,995 ENGINE make Honda type four-stroke horsepower 150 cylinders 4 max rpm 6000rpm propeller 17in four-blade by Solus price $23,810 TRAILER manufacturer Voyager brakes single axle hydraulic suspension leaf spring rollers multi features easy to load boat package supplied by Marco Marine, Christchurch other suppliers include Honda: outboard motor; Lusty and Blundell: winch and electronics; Fleet Image Ltd: paint.

Boat r e vie w : Mar co 6 5 0 So u’w este r Positive

Sou’west points to success for Marco Boats. Its all-new 650 Sou’wester won top honours in its class at the 2007 Christchurch Boat Show in late June, and it doesn’t take long on board to understand why. Y ou could try to label it a show boat that’s been done up to win awards, but the tag won’t stick: Even though it’s loaded with bells and whistles, everything has a useful purpose for the serious fisherman, diver or water-sports enthusiast. Marco Boats, based in Morrinsville, has made a comeback of sorts in the past year or so, adding several new models to its range of 4.8 to 7.6m boats. The...

The 650 is an impressive sight at the ramp. Its black hull is highlighted with stylish silver graphics, and the white hardtop provides attractive contrast. The raised sheer line is much more pronounced and noticeable than on most alloy trailer boats, resulting in a head-turning look that Marco has also used with success on the 700 and 760 Sou’wester models. The cockpit is set up with fishing in mind, but its excellent use of space provides all-round versatility. The cockpit sole is bare 4mm alloy treadplate while the sides are painted white, giving this part of the boat an uncommonly good...