BOAT REVIEWS
Discover New Zealand’s best boats with expert reviews, specs, and local insights—sailboats, powerboats, and yachts covered.
Formula 54
Formula Cruisers recently launched Pacific Diamond, a customised version of its 16.2m production mod...
Horsepower (HP):
480
Length Over All (M):
16.45
YEAR:
2001
Displacement (M):
19,000
Construction:
Foam/composite
CONSTRUCTION:
Foam/composite
Oliver Royale 400
The Oliver Royale 400 uses the proven Oliver Royale 4300 hull but, with a stylish new deck and flybr...
Length Over All (M):
13.25
YEAR:
2002 (estimate)
Displacement (M):
11
Construction:
Balsa core in the bottom transitioning to a foam core
CONSTRUCTION:
Composite core
Ramco 680 Patrol
Aluminium production builder Ramco Boats has diversified into pontoon craft with a difference. Geoff...
Horsepower (HP):
150 hp to 225 hp
Length Over All (M):
6.8
YEAR:
2002
Construction:
Aluminium
CONSTRUCTION:
Aluminium
JBoats J160
In 2006, Steve Raea tracked down one of America's leading one-design yacht builders, J Boats, which ...
Horsepower (HP):
88
Length Over All (M):
16.06
YEAR:
1996-2000
Displacement (M):
14,152
Construction:
Fibreglass
Length Over All (M):
14.48
CONSTRUCTION:
Fibreglass
Pacific 38 Offshore Cruiser/Racer
So said an Australian boat reviewer in the seventies and it is hard to argue with him. Perception wa...
Length Over All (M):
11.6
YEAR:
1982
Displacement (M):
7548
Construction:
Solid GRP (ply/grp decks)
HamiltonJet Vortex XL
The Vortex XL will do all the jet boat things - race across shallows and adventure up rocky rivers -...
Horsepower (HP):
300hp at 4,600rpm
Length Over All (M):
5.80
Construction:
10mm 5083 marine grade alloy plate centre section, 5mm outer bottoms, 3 mm transom, 2.5mm sides, GRP deck.
CONSTRUCTION:
Aluminium
Ramco Sportsman 850 Hardtop
Moderation is the new model Ramco 8.5m (26ft) Sportsman Hardtop, released at the 2001 New Zealand Bo...
Horsepower (HP):
350
Length Over All (M):
8.55
YEAR:
2001
Construction:
Bottom thickness: 6mm; Side thickness: 5mm
CONSTRUCTION:
Aluminium
Legacy 30 Profish
The Legacy 30 Profish is a unique two-level boat purpose designed for sportfishing. The well-develop...
Length Over All (M):
9.3
YEAR:
2001
Construction:
GRP
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP
Fi-Glass Senator Excell
For more than 40 years Fi-Glass Boats have put boats and boating within the reach of ordinary New Ze...
Horsepower (HP):
70-130
Length Over All (M):
5.50
Length Over All (M):
5.25
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP
Sunrunner 3400
Designed and built for the distinct Australian lifestyle, the Sunrunner 3400 sportscruiser looks set...
Horsepower (HP):
260 x 2
Length Over All (M):
11.33
YEAR:
2001
Displacement (M):
5.7
Construction:
GRP Fibreglass and foam-cored decks
CONSTRUCTION:
Fibreglass
Tristram Millennium 691
Tristram Marine's Millennium 691 was introduced at the 1997 Auckland Boat Show, where it won the Tra...
Horsepower (HP):
Twin 175-275hp
Length Over All (M):
6.9
YEAR:
1997
Displacement (M):
2050
Construction:
multi-mould fibreglass process
CONSTRUCTION:
Fibreglass
Fi-Glass Firestar
The Fi-Glass Firestar is constructed to meet a certain price-point, but it's also built to perform a...
Horsepower (HP):
70-130
Length Over All (M):
5.35
Construction:
Fibreglass
Length Over All (M):
5.25
CONSTRUCTION:
Fibreglass
Southern Boats 670 Cuddy Cabin
Sleek lines and dazzling looks set the SouthernSportz 670 Cuddy apart from its peers and proves agai...
Horsepower (HP):
250
Length Over All (M):
7.9
Construction:
Hull Thickness: 5mm; Alloy Transom: 5mm; Alloy Sides: 3mm Alloy
CONSTRUCTION:
Aluminium
Impala 4.5 S
Paul Smith tests the Impala 4.5 S - the subject of jet boat racing folklore in the deep South.
Th...
Horsepower (HP):
260hp @ 5600rpm
Length Over All (M):
4.5
Construction:
Polyester resin, chopped strand mat, timber bearers, plywood floors glassed in.
CONSTRUCTION:
GRP
Black Watch 36 Sportsfisher
From the sketchpad of a trainee naval architect to the rough and tumble of the Great Australian Bigh...
Length Over All (M):
12.38
YEAR:
1999
Displacement (M):
10.5 tonne
CONSTRUCTION:
Fibreglass
Aqualite 601RV
Our staff writer had no intention of writing a boat review when he stepped aboard the Aqualite 601RV...
Horsepower (HP):
90-135
Length Over All (M):
6.03
YEAR:
1998
Construction:
Aluminium
Length Over All (M):
5.49
CONSTRUCTION:
Aluminium, hull 5mm, pontoons 3mm
Rayglass 850 Legend (1998)
A Rayglass 850 Legend won the Overall Winner prize at the 2000 New Zealand Boat Show and the same bo...
Horsepower (HP):
260-500hp
YEAR:
1998
Construction:
Glass-reinforced plastic
CONSTRUCTION:
Glass-reinforced plastic