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Quintrex Turns 60
  |  First Published: May 2005



In early March, Quintrex turned 60 years old and celebrated their diamond anniversary by releasing a range of new boats and fitout options for 2005. They also announced that from July 1, the Quintrex Instant Boating packages will be available with Mercury outboards.

Staged on the Gold Coast, the 60th Anniversary allowed Fishing Monthly unprecedented access to the new boats and fitouts and also allowed us to really test out the rigs on the water. With the wind howling in from the east, it was a great chance to see how well these boats handled a bit of rough stuff.

The first boat I jumped into was the 650 Offshore CC. At 6.7m long and with a standard feature list as long as your arm, the 650 looked the goods. Like the 460, 480 and 510 new release models, the 650 Offshore has new cockpit side coverings that are manufactured using a thermal direct injection moulding process. This gives a light and easy-to-maintain finish that is eye catching and durable. There are some clever features placed in the cockpit side, including two built-in drink holders, horizontal rod brackets and an allocated area for mounting stereo speakers.

On the water, the 650 was fantastic. Capable of running a 200hp outboard, the 650 certainly got up and going with the 150hp Mercury on the back. Due to the inclusion of the Millennium hull and the flared bow, when we deliberately ran over the roughest water, I was surprised at how well the boat rode through the chop and swell. It was the first time I had the opportunity to really see the benefits of the Millennium hull and flared bow at work and I was very impressed on the larger boat. Running through boat wakes was comfortable with the bow trimmed down a little. This allowed the hull to cut through the wake while the flared bow pushed the water away from the passengers. The combination of both smoothed out the big bumps and kept us dry.

Built with 5mm bottomsides and 3mm topsides, the boat weighs in at around 880kg. It’s no lightweight, but not so big that you can’t tow it with relative ease with a 4WD. The maximum engine weight is 300kg, so when you add on a bit of gear, you’re starting to get up around 1500kg for a fully fitted package ready to fish.

There were plenty of other boats for us to play in, with nine other models being shown off, but for me it was the big girl that took the prize for best on the day.

If you’re in the market for a new boat, from a small creek basher like the 395 Dart or the 385 Explorer Trophy to the 560 Cruiseabout Pontoon or the 650 Offshore CC, then it’s well worth dropping into your nearest Quintrex dealer and checking them out. Coupled with the Quintrex Instant Boating package deals, Quintrex are sure to offer just about every boater a serious aluminium option. – Stephen Booth

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