The fully imported Trophy Pro 2352 Walkaround (WA) is a serious offshore fishing machine. The test boat came on an all-new Belco custom skid trailer, which made it a breeze to launch and retrieve. The boat and trailer were no problem for my 4WD.

This is the third Trophy I have tested and they continue to impress me with their excellent workmanship and no-nonsense attention to fisher friendly detail. The test boat had already sold and owner Keith Northage sang its praises when I caught up with him after the water test. Keith read several write ups on boats in the same class before settling on the Trophy Pro sight unseen, and he hasn’t been disappointed. He has found it ideal to take the family out, while still meeting his need for a serious fishing rig. His wife feels relaxed onboard with creature comforts like a washbasin, removable dining table and easy access to the head.

The sides in the main cockpit are high enough to feel secure without being so high they create the feeling of being too far above the water. The walkaround is a comfortable width with the high bowrail and hard top struts offering plenty of hand holds for security, creating the perfect 360 fishing platform.

The fibreglass hard top is a serious piece of superstructure, with oversized anodised alloy supports and bracing everywhere. The overhead locker, with Perspex door, keeps bits and pieces near by and visible. The four shot rocket launcher, on the trailing edge of the canopy, keeps reels up away from the spray while the deck floodlight is ideal for night fishing. The dash has a number of switches and gauges – far too many to mention but all are clearly marked. The test boat had a zip out screen to maintain good air circulation in hot weather, while making it easy to enclose when the weather turns nasty. We took the Trophy into some very ordinary water out the front of Cairns Inlet and made sure we got spray onto the screens and they offered excellent protection. The Trophy is pretty dry but there is always a trip home at the wrong angle to the wind and waves so it pays to have the extra protection. The windscreen wipers did a great job of maintaining forward vision when spray hit the screen.

The test boat was fitted with a 5L MerCruiser Alpha 1 (220hp) stern drive, which is my preference over an outboard on a boat of this size. It moves the weight to be a little further forward and allows the boat’s centre of gravity to be lower, providing a more stable platform at rest and underway. The Trophy Pro is very stable at rest and at trolling speed. I stopped it side on to the swell and it sat beautifully for the conditions.

Access over the stern is via a lift out transom gate, onto a 3/4 duckboard and a removable stern ladder. The ladder can be stored when not in use. The 3/4 duckboard allows an angler to fish tight into the port corner, though Keith’s son prefers to step out onto the duckboard to fish.

The lockable cabin hatch opens to reveal a fully carpeted interior, with adjustable dinette that converts into a Vee berth for comfortable overnighting. The combination of foldback doors and hinged top section stops people hitting their heads when entering the cabin. The front hatch offers good flow-through ventilation and access to the anchor. The opening side portholes add extra cross ventilation for the tropics. The positioning of the head just inside the cabin door is a feature Keith particularly likes for ease of use. As he rightly pointed out, too often when they are in the front of the Vee berth they get covered with gear, making it necessary to clear all the equipment out of the road to use them.

The main cockpit layout is functional with features like a 54L aerated livebait tank, slide out under seat esky, storage boxes, four under gunwale rod racks, twin under floor kill pens and a pressure demand wash down hose. The MerCruiser engine cover is low enough to be used as a fishing platform but high enough for a seat. The only feature missing in the main cockpit is a small grab rail either side of the cabin entrance, so passengers have something to hang onto when the going gets rough and they need to stand.

The anchoring system is very functional, with a starboard anchor hatch, bow roller on the end of a long bowsprit and a horn cleat for easy tying off. Keith had an optional anchor winch fitted, which is a good idea in a boat this size.

Features which add to the quality of construction are the built-in water channels, which direct water flow toward the main cockpit drains then into the scuppers for quick removal, PVC wiring chassis to protect wiring and make it easy for owner installation of extra electronics, textured surfaces for excellent grip and an overbuilt fibreglass stringer system which is glassed into the hull while still in the mould and then foam filled.

The 5L 220hp MerCruiser Alpha 1 was the perfect power plant for the 2352 WA, and really got the Trophy Pro on the fly. In such a big boat, speed is very deceptive and when I turned on the GPS I found we were doing about 15km/h faster than I thought. It produced 32km/h (17 knots, 20mph) at 2500rpm, 42km/h (23 knots, 26mph) at 3000rpm, 54km/h (29 knots, 34mph) at 3500rpm, and 63km/h (34 knots, 39mph) at 4000rpm. The fingertip controlled trim tabs worked a treat. With the touch of a button the nose could be tucked down or up, and any list adjusted. The power steering made it easy to control the Trophy in the nasty conditions and it performed beautifully at all angles to the swell.

All up the Trophy Pro 2352 WA is an excellently designed, built and finished boat that is perfect for the serious offshore angler. It would be equally at home with the family aboard for an overnighter or day trip around the islands or out to the reef.

For further information contact Quay Marine in Cairns on (07) 4041 3166.

SPECIFICATIONS

Length Overall: 7.14m

Beam: 2.57m

Deadrise at Transom: 20

Weight (Base boat with engine): 2122kg (approx.)

Length (overall): 7.75m

Length (on trailer): 8.56m

Height rigged with Trailer: 3.3m

Draft Hull: 0.51m

Draft Max: 0.94m

Bridge Clearance Max: 2.39m

Fuel: 382L

Price: $93,000