KEY POINTS:
Traditionally held at Green Lane in Auckland over Queen's Birthday Weekend, the Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show has taken a couple of new tacks for 2007. First the timing has been moved forward to May 17-20 and secondly the gate prize that a lucky show patron will win
this year is a package with a total value of more than $100,000.
That is serious money, but the show organisers have discovered over many years that providing the right incentive can get people through the gate. That's not surprising because it's mainly a trailerboat show and the tow-it brigade are mainly serious about fishing. They also know about bait, which is why the show team are once again providing their own sort of bait, a Stabi-Craft 659 Super Cap with all the bells and whistles.
The prize rig comes powered by a Yamaha 150hp four-stroke outboard and fitted with a top-of-the-line Raymarine electronics package from Lusty & Blundell. It also includes the full range of Hutchwilco safety and fun equipment, Kilwell 12' outriggers and two Tica game-fishing sets. All this adds up the richest gate prize package the show has offered. Veteran boater, fisherman and diver Ian Miller, also known as 'The Boating Guy' for his advisory role at the show, has again been showing off the prize rig on a promotional tour of the country.
Although Miller's main interest is game-fishing, he did manage to 'anchor-up' on occasion. Here is where he rated the 659SC tops. It is fitted with a Muir Atlantic VR600 600-watt windlass able to be operated in comfort from the cabin.
"It worked really well," says Miller, "operating without fault throughout the summer in a variety of conditions, quick to retrieve and the free-fall option was a real advantage."
He rates the Stabi 659SC highly in several other areas, not least the F150hp four-stroke.
"I was really surprised by the amount of grunt the outboard puts out. I first thought it was a pretty big boat for just 150hp and that was before we put the dive gear aboard. We never found it lacking in power and there was always plenty in reserve. And its economy was just phenomenal."
Miller the diver was equally impressed.
"This is one of the very few all-purpose boats I have been on where you can store four dive bottles in the side pockets. Four bottles and all the dive gear close at hand and yet out of the way. The transom has a walk-through to port with a ladder straight ahead. This is absolutely superb for divers. You can walk freely up the ladder and through into the cockpit with a dive bottle in each hand."
There is a live bait tank set into the transom which features a glass window so fishers can easily check the state of the inhabitants.
This is powered by a Venturi system when under way and a Rule 1100gph pump when at rest. Miller set up the Stabi for game-fishing. There are six holders set into the side coamings, with the two central ones set straight aft and the two flanking these set at 45 degrees so they easily clear the first two.
The third set aim at 90 degrees, straight to the tips of the outriggers. That layout has been well tested by Miller and his cohorts in the lead-up to the show.
There he will be available to answer patrons' questions about the rig and encourage them to make all the gate prize check points and get into the draw.