Bundaberg-based builders Sea Jay have turned out a host of alloy craft over the years but few have been tougher than the new 4.7 Ranger, one of their Pro Series boats. With a 4mm bottom, 3mm sides and 11 ribs, this rig is built to take anything an owner can throw at it and come back for more.

A freeboard of 710mm and interior height of 560mm ensure that family boating will be safe and easy.

The 4.7 Ranger is a great estuary, bay and impoundment craft very suited to targeting bream, tailor, whiting, flatties, bass or barra. And a run offshore on the right day would certainly also be on the cards.

Crabbing? Certainly; with its treadplate floor, the Ranger can be hosed out at the end of the day for an easy clean-up.

Powered by a Yamaha F60 four-stroke, the rig ran easily and the easy-planing hull means it would be cheap as chips to run.

Up forward there’s a split bow rail, bowsprit, roller and bollard. The port rail is split to accommodate a plate for a bow-mount electric motor.

Two drained hatches sit in the 450mm-high treadplate casting deck. The forward one is for the anchor and rope, the aft for general storage.

The side decks are 280mm wide, enough to sit on, and add further strength to the hull.

Down in the cockpit there are five seat positions, two aft, one central amidships and two more up front near the cast deck. Two pedestal seats come standard and the skipper’s is spot on for easy tiller steering.

A small off-floor side console box was set up for instruments and there’s a handy side pocket for personal items.

Apart from deck-mounted side grab handles aft, the 4.7 Ranger was pretty much plain Jane without rod holders, side pocket to port or any other fishing features. But a host of factory options are available.

There’s transom storage in each quarter. To port the test boat housed the 25L fuel tank, leaving the starboard one for extra fuel or more gear. The strong hatch tops double as aft casting platforms.

The 4.7 Ranger’s moderate-vee hull performed very well with the F60 Yamaha, which is maximum power. The boat planed at an incredibly low 7.3 knots (13.6kmh), cruised sweetly at 19.3 knots (35.8kmh) and hit 29 knots (53.8kmh) at wide open throttle – plenty of performance for a fishing boat.

It was great to run the Ranger at full throttle over the wakes of larger boats. Thanks to the Ranger’s small reversed outer chine, fine bow entry and hull strakes, the hull could not be put off line in any way and even at full throttle there was minimal impact, little noise and certainly no hard bumping or jarring.

In an estuary or bay the 4.7 Ranger should offer an excellent ride with only a crosswind bringing any spray aboard, the same as any open boat.

One thing I really liked was the fact that this boat – certainly no punt, by any means – whether at rest or under way, did not lean to starboard with just one person aboard at the tiller.

That stability persisted with two of us to the one side, as well. The ability to maintain level attitude is a great asset in a fishing craft.

With just a few factory options fitted, sport anglers will like the Sea Jay 4.7 Ranger because of its versatility, while family boaters would also enjoy it thanks to the extra seating provisions and overall roominess.

This boat will have great appeal to a lot of boaters because it’s strongly built, stable and has an easy ride and general sea kindliness. With a beam of 2.14m it’s certainly roomy and its a five-adult load rating makes it a workhorse.

Sea Jay offers an excellent standard of finish with a neat paint job and tidy welds. On a Redco single-axle trailer with rego, safety gear and other kit for $24,999, it’s certainly good value.

Call Sea Jay on 07 4152 2111 or visit www.seajayboats.com.au.