BOAT REVIEWS
Discover New Zealand’s best boats with expert reviews, specs, and local insights—sailboats, powerboats, and yachts covered.
Maritimo S50
Australia-based marine journalist Maurice Kelly covered the global launch of the Maritimo S50 for Bo...
Length Over All (M):
15.69
Displacement (M):
28,000
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP / Fibreglass
Aquila Sail 50
Aquila's domination of the power catamaran market has prompted the American-Chinese builder to move ...
Length Over All (M):
14.97
YEAR:
2026
Displacement (M):
24,000
Construction:
Resin-infused vinylester process with PVC core materials and NPG water-tight bulkheads
Oceanpro 535CC
I have a confession to make: I don't like fishing with bait anymore. If I'm honest, I have been an a...
Length Over All (M):
5.42
Construction:
4mm hull and frames, 3mm topsides & superstructure
Superior 1050 SS
Sadira is primarily a day boat, although she is more than capable providing the home comforts for a ...
Horsepower (HP):
370
Length Over All (M):
10.65
YEAR:
2026
Displacement (M):
6,000 (dry)
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP
Buccaneer 635 Exeed
The latest Buccaneer 635 Exeed is an excellent example of why the company has been successful for so...
Horsepower (HP):
150-250
Length Over All (M):
6.76
YEAR:
2026
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP
AT43
More with less
In 2018, after some 40 years of operation, Auckland’s Allan Tongs Boatbuilders (ATB)...
Length Over All (M):
13.5
Displacement (M):
11,000 (depending on engines and options)
Length Over All (M):
13.8
Extreme 696 Xpedition
Extreme Boats has earned an enviable reputation building quality aluminium boats for more than two d...
Horsepower (HP):
250
Length Over All (M):
7.07
YEAR:
2026
Construction:
Aluminium
CONSTRUCTION:
Transom thickness: 8mm; Side & deck thickness: 4mm.
Bonito 635 Kingfisher
The 635 Bonito Kingfisher was released in June 2001 and Geoff Green drove two examples, one on placi...
Horsepower (HP):
90-150
Length Over All (M):
12.65
YEAR:
2001
Construction:
Fibreglass
CONSTRUCTION:
Fibreglass
Smuggler Strata 800 Elite CC Amphibious
Smuggler Marine is well known for its range of high-quality rigid inflatable boats, available both a...
Horsepower (HP):
300
Length Over All (M):
8.5
Construction:
GRP and Hypalon
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP and Hypalon
Rayglass 2400
For any boat builder, especially a GRP production boat manufacturer, releasing three new models in a...
Horsepower (HP):
250-425
Length Over All (M):
6.7
YEAR:
2026
Displacement (M):
1500-1750kg
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP
Bluefix Boatwork NorthCape custom craft
“There are plenty of big sportfishers that can go backwards fast, but few marques have the manoeuvra...
Horsepower (HP):
600
Length Over All (M):
13.6
YEAR:
2026
Southern Pacific Club Electric 490
Based on the highly successful Southern Pacific Club 490 coach boat platform, Southern Pacific Boats...
YEAR:
2026
Construction:
Alloy hull, Hypalon tubes
Length Over All (M):
4.9
CONSTRUCTION:
Aluminium RIB
Prestige F4.3
Prestige’s new F4.3 is a meaningful upgrade on earlier models, and with interesting design features ...
Horsepower (HP):
880
Length Over All (M):
13.07
YEAR:
2026
Displacement (M):
15415 (heavy)
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP
Saronic SEVEN
On any summer's day, trailer boats towing water toys loaded with laughing, screaming children are a ...
Horsepower (HP):
363
Length Over All (M):
7
YEAR:
2025
Displacement (M):
24,500
Construction:
GRP
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP
Wright 52 Flybridge
Father and son team Kelvin and Amos Kay have built six Wright 15m powercats, originally designed by ...
Horsepower (HP):
880
Length Over All (M):
16
YEAR:
2026
Displacement (M):
20,000
Length Over All (M):
14
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP
Nick Peal 10.6m
With her plumb bow and traditional lines, Malolō could easily be mistaken for a meticulously restore...
Horsepower (HP):
315
Length Over All (M):
10.6
YEAR:
2025
Displacement (M):
5000
Construction:
Fibreglass over Gaboon ply laminate
CONSTRUCTION:
Timber
Elotri
With the confronting reality of climate change and the climbing cost of fuel, electric vehicles are ...
Horsepower (HP):
3kW
Length Over All (M):
6.1
YEAR:
2026
Displacement (M):
1200kg (four adults onboard)
Construction:
Foam, fibreglass and some carbon
Length Over All (M):
5.84
CONSTRUCTION:
Composite
Bill Townson 11.4m
Underway, Songbird has a light, gentle motion, easily nodding to the light headwinds. She felt very ...
Horsepower (HP):
110
Length Over All (M):
11.4
YEAR:
2025
Displacement (M):
5,800
Construction:
Triple diagonal glued yellow cedar and kauri
Length Over All (M):
10
CONSTRUCTION:
Timber
Fin Chaser 800HTWA
The new Fin Chaser 800HTWA, the company’s flagship amphibious model, is not only Fin Chaser’s larges...
Horsepower (HP):
425
Length Over All (M):
8.7
YEAR:
2026
Displacement (M):
3400
Construction:
6mm bottom plates
Length Over All (M):
8.0
CONSTRUCTION:
Aluminium
Brig Navigator 20
The Brig Navigator range has been redesigned and updated and now comes in four versions: the 26, the...
Horsepower (HP):
150 (175hp max)
Length Over All (M):
4.2
YEAR:
2026
Displacement (M):
770
Construction:
Five-chamber tubes
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP, Hypalon
Roger Hill Camp Cruiser
The Camp Cruiser concept reminds us that boats come in all shapes and sizes and that there are still...
Horsepower (HP):
60 (50hp design spec)
Length Over All (M):
6.54
YEAR:
2025
Displacement (M):
1800
Construction:
Timber or composite
Length Over All (M):
7.43
CONSTRUCTION:
Strip paulownia sheated in fibreglass
IRON 907
The cabin is a light, airy space with two large windows port and starboard and a Lewmar hatch in the...
Horsepower (HP):
300-500
Length Over All (M):
8.92
YEAR:
2025
Displacement (M):
1700
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP
Sargo 45
Stylistically, the 45 is very much part of the larger Sargo family.
Horsepower (HP):
1920
Length Over All (M):
14.6
YEAR:
2025
Displacement (M):
13,000 (dry)
Construction:
Vacuum infused
Length Over All (M):
13
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP
Innovision Explorer 707
Overall, this boat is another example of the high standard that Innovision holds itself to.
Horsepower (HP):
350
Length Over All (M):
11.15
YEAR:
2025
Construction:
6mm bottom, 4mm sides, deck
CONSTRUCTION:
Aluminium
Offshore 100 HTC
Outahere took approximately two years from concept to launch, with Mike and Offshore Boats having co...
Horsepower (HP):
700
Length Over All (M):
11
YEAR:
2025
Displacement (M):
7500 (dry)
Construction:
Aluminium planing powercat with foil assistance.
CONSTRUCTION:
Amuninium
Saxdor 400 GTO
This is a seriously fast boat intended for socialising and impressing friends.
Horsepower (HP):
800
Length Over All (M):
12.4
YEAR:
2025
Displacement (M):
10,000
Construction:
Boats
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP
OceanPro 533 Cuddy Cabin
OceanPro is not really a name that springs to mind when thinking about New Zealand-built aluminium t...
Horsepower (HP):
70-100
Length Over All (M):
5.5
YEAR:
2025
Construction:
Pontoon-style aluminium monohull
Length Over All (M):
5.33
CONSTRUCTION:
Aluminium
XO Crossover DFNDR 9 Expedition
The DFNDR’s adventure-ready spirit is reflected in its layout.
Horsepower (HP):
450
Length Over All (M):
8.8
YEAR:
2025
Displacement (M):
2710kg, plus engines
Construction:
Amuminium hull, GRP decks, superstructure
CONSTRUCTION:
Aluminium/GRP
Smuggler Strata 800SS
New Zealand has led the world in the development of small amphibious recreational boats, and hundred...
Horsepower (HP):
300
Length Over All (M):
8
YEAR:
2024
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP hull and decks, Hypalon tubes
Riviera 4300 Sports Express
Building large, multimillion-dollar bluewater motoryachts for a global market is a serious business,...
Length Over All (M):
13.88
YEAR:
2025
Displacement (M):
15,500
CONSTRUCTION:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Viknes 10
Now headed to our shores, is this clever new family cruiser the ultimate all-rounder?
Very few bo...
Length Over All (M):
10.60
Displacement (M):
6,300
Construction:
Fibreglass (GPR)
Prestige M48
Showing your hand too early in poker, or indeed in any emerging market, is a gamble, so the Beneteau...
Length Over All (M):
14.79
Displacement (M):
17.5
Buccaneer 605 Exeed
The 605 Exeed impresses with its quiet, dry, and supremely comfortable ride.
Horsepower (HP):
150-200
Length Over All (M):
6.46
YEAR:
2025
Length Over All (M):
6.05
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP
Purekraft Rova 29 Amphibious
The Purekraft Rova 29 Amphibious is an impressive beast however you look at it, whether on the hard ...
Horsepower (HP):
600
Length Over All (M):
9.92
YEAR:
2025
Displacement (M):
5000
Length Over All (M):
9.0
CONSTRUCTION:
Aluminium
Dufour 44: Très Bon
Helming the Dufour 44 during a club race was both exhilarating and surprising, reports our Australia...
Length Over All (M):
13.91
Superbly Senator
Hawkes Bay’s Senator Boats is best known for its range of strong, capable, trailerable aluminium ‘ch...
Horsepower (HP):
90-115hp
Length Over All (M):
3.9
YEAR:
2025
Construction:
5mm bottom, 3mm chambers, 4mm sides & decks, 3/4mm hardtop
Length Over All (M):
5.65
CONSTRUCTION:
Aluminium
Maritimo M50
Maritimo’s new M50 is the result of a lot of intensity, born out of a singular purpose – namely, to ...
Horsepower (HP):
1600
Length Over All (M):
15.69
YEAR:
2025
Displacement (M):
26,500 (dry)
Construction:
Solid GRP hull
Length Over All (M):
15.2
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP
Fin Chaser 700HTA
I have always been impressed with the hull performance of FC Boats and a change of name hasn’t alter...
Horsepower (HP):
250/27
Length Over All (M):
9
YEAR:
2025
CONSTRUCTION:
Aluminium