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BOAT REVIEWS
Discover New Zealand’s best boats with expert reviews, specs, and local insights—sailboats, powerboats, and yachts covered.
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Takacat 260 Sport
If you’re in the market for a new tender, you might consider the new Takacat – a lightweight, robust...
Displacement (M):
28
Length Over All (M):
2.6
Construction:
Inflatable
Elan E5
Elan’s E5 is a sharp looker and a smart mover – and perhaps a worthy contender to fill the vacuum le...
Displacement (M):
7300
Length Over All (M):
11.96
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Dickey Semifly 45
There are sport fishing boats and there are family cruisers, but there aren’t too many family sport ...
Displacement (M):
12750
Length Over All (M):
14.3
Construction:
Aluminium
Sealine C330
When Carsten and Sabine Mueller went looking for a suitable family boat, they instantly knew they’d ...
Displacement (M):
7100
Length Over All (M):
10.31
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Southern XP726
Developed from the successful XP676, Southern’s latest model is longer with subtle hull tweaks for b...
Length Over All (M):
7.3
Construction:
Aluminium
Smuggler Strata 11.2m Coastguard RIB
Boaties on Northland’s east coast will feel safer following the recent launch of the Coastguard’s ne...
Displacement (M):
4850
Length Over All (M):
11.2
Construction:
Inflatable
Jeanneau Merry Fisher 695
A trailerable launch, Jeanneau’s 695 Merry Fisher is billed as multi-use, family-oriented vessel. Th...
Length Over All (M):
6.55
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
White Pointer 1050 Custom
The new White Pointer 1050 Custom Oona is the first vessel Honda Marine New Zealand has fitted with ...
Horsepower (HP):
750
Displacement (M):
7300
Length Over All (M):
10.5
Construction:
Aluminium
Dufour 460
You can pull on another oilskin, sheet in the jib and grit your teeth – or you can ease back and sai...
Displacement (M):
10760
Length Over All (M):
14.15
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Whittley CW 1600 Cuddy
Australia’s Whittley Boats is best known for its cruisers – family-sized cabin boats with sterndrive...
Length Over All (M):
5.0
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Senator RH770
Napier aluminium boatbuilder Senator Boats is happy to customise any model in its extensive range to...
Length Over All (M):
7.93
Construction:
Aluminium
Beneteau Oceanis 41.1
When it comes to creating cruising yachts, you’d expect Beneteau to know their stuff. The new 12.4-m...
Displacement (M):
8777
Length Over All (M):
11.98
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Riviera 5400 Sport Yacht
Riviera’s latest Sport Yacht, the impressive 5400, takes the boating lifestyle very seriously.
Displacement (M):
24725
Length Over All (M):
17.46
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Tristram 701 Vanquish
The 701 is the latest model release from Hamilton-based Tristram Marine, available in a soft top con...
Horsepower (HP):
225
Length Over All (M):
7.1
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Aquila 44
The new Aquila 44 power catamaran is a vessel tailor-made for partying in style.
Displacement (M):
16240
Length Over All (M):
13.34
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Caribbean 35 Mk III
Proving that there is always room for improvement, the new Caribbean 35 Mk III expands her fishing-f...
Displacement (M):
850
Length Over All (M):
12
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Jeanneau 54
Fortunate indeed is the boatbuilder who announces a proposed, new model and immediately sells out th...
Displacement (M):
17164
Length Over All (M):
16.5
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Mac 470 Sportfisher
The newest model from Mac Boats is a versatile family runabout that lends itself equally easily to f...
Horsepower (HP):
70
Length Over All (M):
4.7
Construction:
Other
Whittley FF2100
A hardcore angler embraces his softer side with the new Whittley FF2100 – an Aussie “crossover” boat...
Length Over All (M):
6.13
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Southern XP896
Smart looking, nicely finished and boasting great performance and handling, the top of the range twi...
Horsepower (HP):
400
Length Over All (M):
9.43
Construction:
Aluminium
Stabicraft 2500 Ultracab XL
Just when you think Stabicraft’s design team has settled into a conventional frame-of-mind, along c...
Horsepower (HP):
300
Displacement (M):
2500
Length Over All (M):
7.62
Construction:
Aluminium
Smuggler Strata 750 RIB
With a tight deadline to review the new Smuggler Strata 750 Cabin, the weather wasn’t playing ball. ...
Horsepower (HP):
250
Length Over All (M):
7.5
Construction:
Inflatable
Innovision 555
The boat had to be a ‘pure lure-fishing weapon’
Horsepower (HP):
150
Length Over All (M):
5.56
Construction:
Aluminium
Bavaria C45
Beautiful weather doesn’t always equal the best weather for going sailing, but sometimes you just ha...
Displacement (M):
11935
Length Over All (M):
13.98
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Bavaria C42
Getting back out on the water after an extended period in lockdown felt so good — especially with ...
Displacement (M):
9678
Length Over All (M):
12.9
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Purekraft 800HT
Purekraft designs and builds custom aluminium boats – but its extraordinary flexibility was particul...
Horsepower (HP):
400
Length Over All (M):
8.0
Construction:
Aluminium
McLay 741 Raptor
A boat that can operate on land as well as on water is obviously attractive: amphibious vessels and...
Horsepower (HP):
250
Length Over All (M):
7.4
Construction:
Aluminium
Marco 750 Sou’wester
If you plan to spend your fishing hours in the turbulent waters of the deep South, you’d better mak...
Displacement (M):
2300
Length Over All (M):
8.10
Construction:
Aluminium
Image Prestige 10.75m
In boatbuilding, as with business, the best clients are the ones that return. You don’t have to con...
Horsepower (HP):
700
Length Over All (M):
10.75
Construction:
Aluminium
Bavaria C50
It used to be that cruising in a yacht – compared to a launch – meant making compromises in terms o...
Length Over All (M):
15.39
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
DNA 570 XHT
Game On was a special project for Jake, the DNA 570 XHT’s Taupo-based owner, replacing a smaller DN...
Horsepower (HP):
140
Length Over All (M):
5.7
Construction:
Aluminium
Elite AT43
Once upon a time, New Zealand had a thriving production boat industry. Now only a few diehards rema...
Displacement (M):
10500
Length Over All (M):
13.2
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Maritimo M51 Flybridge
Classic flybridge models like this glorious Maritimo M51 combine luxury with performance, a combina...
Displacement (M):
21000
Length Over All (M):
13.19
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
CSB Huntsman Centurion
The new CSB Huntsman Centurion Carbon Edition debuted at the Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show – and...
Horsepower (HP):
250
Length Over All (M):
6.5
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
Grand Banks 60 Skylounge
Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too? The Grand Banks 60 Skylounge is made for enjoying...
Displacement (M):
28000
Length Over All (M):
19.9
Construction:
Composite
Purekraft 700 HT
Purekraft is a relative newcomer among aluminium trailer boat brands, but the personnel behind it c...
Length Over All (M):
7.2
Construction:
Aluminium
Marco 950 Sou’wester
The award-winning Marco 950 Sou’wester Resolute is the Tauranga company’s third custom aluminium bui...
Displacement (M):
4800
Length Over All (M):
10
Construction:
Aluminium
Grand Banks 60
The marriage of two high-profile boat yards – Grand Banks and Palm Beach Motor Yachts – has delivere...
Displacement (M):
29000
Length Over All (M):
19.9
Construction:
Composite
CSB Huntsman Sotalia
CSB Huntsman’s handy 5.85m Sotalia is a conventional cabin-style trailer boat of a type that’s peren...
Horsepower (HP):
180
Length Over All (M):
5.85
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
