BOAT TEST. Challenger 720 SE Hardtop. 32 tradeaboat.co.nz

Transcription

1 Challenger 720 SE Hardtop 32 tradeaboat.co.nz

2 Challenger 720 SE Hardtop Challenging the status quo Challenger Boats owners, Tony and Gill Hawker, weren t happy with the look of their established 720 HT model so they set about redesigning the hardtop. As well as a significant change in the lines, almost half the overall weight was removed. Matthew Jones travelled to The Mount on a glorious day to see the results of their hard work Story and images by Matthew Jones Weather conditions Average windspeed 5 knots variable Sea state Calm There are few things a boating journo enjoys more than a sharp looking boat on a perfect day with a backdrop as good as Mount Maunganui. The Challenger 720 HT looked to be excellent subject matter for the day, and having it tied up alongside the finger prior to departure gave us a chance to give it a thorough once-over before we headed out on the harbour for the all-important performance test. Up front The highly curved bow section features a solid self-tipping fairlead fed by a Quick Genius freefall windlass. A sturdy, contoured stainless steel bow rail follows the outline of the deck, at an adequate height. To protect the pristine fibreglass finish, a solid rubber strip runs around the entire boat. The easiest access to the anchor well is via the front hatch. The hatch itself is of good quality and is a decent size and height to squeeze the more generously proportioned among us through. If you prefer to access the bow by scrabbling around the deck you will tradeaboat.co.nz 33

3 The additional rod storage and LED lighting are classy extras find a moulded non-skid pattern that provides reasonable grip; it unfortunately doesn t extend to the gunnel tops, where the shiny fibreglass finish could prove hazardous in the wet. The optional teak trim would solve this issue and look superb. Venturing forward, the fully lined cabin features a large upholstered V-berth, complete with an infill capable of easily sleeping two adults. Discretely housed beneath is an electric toilet, which still allows for generous storage in the remaining space. Hidden beneath the bunk are sealed buoyancy chambers, helping this boat achieve its CPC rating. The test boat was fi nished in black upholstery with grey vinyl trim as per the customer s specifi cations, but Hawker and his team are happy for you to choose any of the 23 colours on offer. Room with a view The sleek new hardtop design features large, curved, polarised glass windows that provide excellent visibility and do a good job With the five in the bait board, the Challenger 720 features no less than 14 rod holders 34 tradeaboat.co.nz

4 of eliminating glare. Hawker has done away with the sliding windows from the original design, opting instead for increased visibility. The rear pillars have also been moved slightly forward, making the cabin feel more open without compromising the protection from the elements to any significant degree. Fumes weren t noticeable, although additional ventilation via roof-mounted hatches is an option. At the helm the flush-mounted Raymarine A70d sounder/gps combo takes pride of place on the dash with space to spare. As you expect, Yamaha digital gauges displaying fuel usage, speed and RPM are also present. I know I m being picky but I felt the dash layout could be enhanced by shifting the windlass switch starboard of the steering wheel and moving the switch panels up in line with the GPS/sounder. To get the party started a Fusion stereo, complete with ipod dock, cranks out boneshakingly good sound quality from only two speakers due to the built-in speaker boxes. tradeaboat.co.nz 35

5 As expected, the forward cabin is complete with a toilet The all-important VHF is neatly mounted in the hardtop within easy reach. Seating is provided via king/queen helm seats, which are almost too comfortable, and provide excellent all-round support, with plenty of lift-up storage beneath. The seats have been enlarged to allow you to sit right back, affording increased support and extra aaah factor. The rear-facing seats are just as comfortable and also allow the passengers to sit sideways, although I had to wonder where are the drink holders? A custom-made handrail runs around the cabin entrance, providing plenty of places to get a grip when required and full-length stainless steel rails, complete with finger grooves, run vertically down the rear of the hardtop. Overhead lighting is provided via LED downlights recessed into the roof. A spotlight provides the necessary illumination for tricky knot tying. Additional handrails run along on either side of the roof and a rocket launcher capable of stowing six weapons of your choice finishes off the look appropriately. The gunnels are at a good, safe height, and large parcel shelves run down either side complete with secure rod storage. The walls are carpeted and the side panels are nicely finished in vinyl complete with LED lighting. The floor is covered in ribbed marine carpet with two under-floor compartments; the front concealing the under-floor fuel tank, with the rear available to be used as required. Twin plastic hatches in the transom open downwards to access the two batteries and saltwater wash-down pump. On the duckboard is the fuel filler cap, which is easy to reach from the ground for hassle-free filling. For less pain at the pump, but a larger capital outlay, The new hardtop gives more visibility at almost half the weight of the old model the Challenger 720 Hardtop also comes in a diesel option. Hunting and gathering Whether you are into fishing or diving the Challenger 720 SE delivers with the roomy cockpit affording plenty of space for either activity. For those who prefer to hunt above the water there is an abundance of rod holders; four on the gunnels, six overhead and a further five on the bait board. The bait board itself is large and extremely solid, and although RATING CHALLENGER 720 SE HARDTOP Fishability... Ride... Stability... Finish... Versatilty... Ease of towing... Wow factor tradeaboat.co.nz

6 We can safely say the result of the redesign is a faster and much prettier vessel Trade-A-Boat says WWW Take the first step towards owning this Challenger boat. Visit Tradeaboat.co.nz and type Challenger into the handy search bar. The new Yamaha range is turning heads in the industry PERFORMANCE 2011 Yamaha 225hp FETX four-stroke and Yamaha Saltwater Series 19T 15¾ propeller MPH LPH 1000rpm rpm rpm rpm rpm rpm rpm rpm rpm tradeaboat.co.nz 37

7 SPECIFICATIONS CHALLENGER 720 SE HARDTOP LOA 7.20m Beam 2.45m Deadrise 18.5 degrees Construction Fibreglass Weight 2250kg (fully fuelled) Fuel 215L capacity Engine 225hp Yamaha FETX four-stroke (rated hp ) it s not self-draining, it looks great with copious amounts of gleaming stainless steel. A live bait tank in the duckboard is accessed through a circular inspection port, and I m sure a game chair could be fitted if required. For those who prefer the view underwater, there is a solid boarding ladder with handholds on the rear of the portofino stern and room for a couple of tanks in the aft underfloor compartment. Two bilge pumps are located at the back to quickly disperse any unwanted water that comes aboard. Launching and retrieving The Challenger 720 SE comes on a Prescott tandem axle trailer complete with hydraulic brakes. At 2250kg, it does need a capable vehicle to tow it. Launching is simple with the Challenger 720 SE it just glides off the rollers with a bit of a shove. Retrieving was a bit more strenuous, however, due to the single handled winch and the substantial load. Hawker advocates the electric winch upgrade, and I can see why. Handling and performance The Tauranga weather was ideal for photography purposes but not so good for a boat test. We ventured out of the entrance in the hope of finding some of the forecasted swell. Unfortunately this didn t exist, so we had to make do with tight turns and wake riding instead. The strake-less hull design featured across the Challenger range provides a quiet, soft ride, and at no stage of the test did the windscreen get wet or the hull bang. Turns were tight, with no evidence of side slip, even when corning hard over the chop, and the comfy helm seats held us fi rmly in place. The moderate 18.5-degree hull cut back through the wake with ease, and transition onto the plane was smooth and barely noticeable. This really is a great hull that offers a superb ride. Although non-adjustable, I found the king/ queen seating option to be at a good height with the bow fairlead still visible when seated. The helm position is also comfortable standing. Steering was smooth, fi rm and responsive with the Seastar hydraulic system and when coupled with the Lectrotab trim tabs, and the electronic throttle made controlling the horsepower a breeze. The 225 Yamaha four-stroke provided bucketloads of grunt, delivering a very respectable 45mph with two people onboard. Acceleration was smooth and responsive and Hawker informs me they have got 53mph out of this boat on a different day. Overall I m pleased to report this is an outstanding boat that rides like a dream. The performance is top of its class and the comfortable accommodation is a bonus. The visibility afforded by the large polarised windows was excellent and this boat was a real pleasure to drive. We can safely say the result of the redesign is a faster and much prettier vessel. For more information contact Challenger Boats NZ Ltd, ph or tony@challengerboats.co.nz. Soft and dry ride Quality fittings Comfortable helm with good visibility No drink holders Slippery gunnel tops Price as reviewed NZ$120,000 TO OWN THIS BOAT: EXAMPLE BASED ON Purchase Price of NZ$120,000 Deposit $48,000 Final Balloon Payment $24,000 Term 60 months MONTHLY PAYMENT $1315* PHONE *Normal Toyota Financial Services lending criteria apply. Interest rates are subject to change at any time. 38 tradeaboat.co.nz