Boat Reviews & Insights Menu
BOAT REVIEWS
Discover New Zealand’s best boats with expert reviews, specs, and local insights—sailboats, powerboats, and yachts covered.
BOAT REVIEW
Seawind 1170
Yacht
Combining the space of twin hulls with the capabilities of a proven design froma vastly experienced ...
Displacement (M):
9,200kg
Length Over All (M):
11.9m
BOAT REVIEW
Vindex 350 S
Launch
When the itch for another boat project required scratching a little over two years ago, de Fluiter d...
Displacement (M):
5500
Length Over All (M):
10.8
Construction:
Composite
BOAT REVIEW
Cora 48 Catamaran
Launch
Performance is modest, as expected for its power-to-weight ratio, but nearly 17 knots of speed was a...
Displacement (M):
24000
Length Over All (M):
14.75
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Buccaneer Five Seven Five
Trailer Boat
The spacious cockpit is uncluttered but has plenty of seating. The cockpit sole is covered in SeaDek...
Horsepower (HP):
150
Length Over All (M):
5.75
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Beneteau First 44
Yacht
Fifteen knots eased back to about 10 knots and the boat felt light on the helm, responding nicely to...
Displacement (M):
10500
Length Over All (M):
14.15
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Sealegs 12RC
Trailer Boat
‘Behemoth’ is a word which springs to mind or, perhaps more nautically, ‘leviathan’.
Length Over All (M):
12.3
Construction:
Aluminium
BOAT REVIEW
Haines Hunter SP635
Trailer Boat
The hardtop SP635 shares the same underpinnings as the popular SF 635 which was a completely new mod...
Horsepower (HP):
200
Length Over All (M):
6.76
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Elite 15.8m Sport Sedan
Launch
The pride and joy of a multi-generational family, Bliss resides on a pier that’s home to a couple of...
Displacement (M):
16200
Length Over All (M):
15.8
Construction:
Composite
BOAT REVIEW
Dibley 12m canting-keeler
Yacht
The cockpit is open and spacious, raceboat-style, with a cool curved edge to the deck at the open tr...
Length Over All (M):
12
Construction:
Composite
BOAT REVIEW
Rayglass 3000
Launch
There are two different powerplant configurations currently available: either twin outboards or sing...
Horsepower (HP):
600
Length Over All (M):
8
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Buccaneer Six Fifteen
Trailer Boat
Based on the well-known Buccaneer 605 hull, the Buccaneer Six Fifteen has increased the 605’s waterl...
Horsepower (HP):
200
Length Over All (M):
6.78
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Surtees 750 Game Fisher
Trailer Boat
The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show prize boat package would be every Kiwi angler’s dream to own.
Horsepower (HP):
300
Displacement (M):
1590
Length Over All (M):
7.5
Construction:
Aluminium
BOAT REVIEW
Sargo 31 Explorer
Launch
The Sargo 31’s exterior looks like it means business – in a cool way.
Displacement (M):
5400
Length Over All (M):
9.96
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Beneteau Swift Trawler 41 Sedan
This vessel has much to recommend it for a couple or a family.
Displacement (M):
11040
Length Over All (M):
13.42
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Haines Hunter Overlander OP725
Trailer Boat
The Anura system is not only pleasingly quiet in operation (no noisy internal combustion engine in t...
Horsepower (HP):
300
Displacement (M):
2400
Length Over All (M):
7.5
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Caribbean 32 FB
Launch
With classic styling, good performance and class-leading ride and handling, there’s a lot to like ab...
Displacement (M):
6500
Length Over All (M):
10.385
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Seawind 1370
Yacht
Solar panels on the vast roof help keep the batteries charged.
Displacement (M):
11000
Length Over All (M):
13.7
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Sessa Yacht Line C47
Launch
Sessa vessels have a CE CLASS B rating – certified offshore to 200 miles, for winds up to force 8, a...
Displacement (M):
14500
Length Over All (M):
14.27
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Legacy Marine L45
Launch
The L45 is intended to fulfil the role of a luxury motoryacht capable of operating in typical New Ze...
Displacement (M):
20000
Length Over All (M):
13.8
Construction:
Aluminium
BOAT REVIEW
Lazercat 950
Launch
The helm station is well-equipped and simple to operate, thanks to the simplified switching that’s b...
Displacement (M):
3800
Length Over All (M):
9.5
Construction:
Aluminium
BOAT REVIEW
Innovision 808 Venture Estero
Launch
As has become more usual for the crew at Innovision Boats, Estero has been extensively customised.
Horsepower (HP):
400
Length Over All (M):
8.2
Construction:
Aluminium
BOAT REVIEW
Moody 41DS
Yacht
The major point of difference between this boat and a regular cruising yacht is the high-profile dec...
Length Over All (M):
12.52
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Boston Whaler 405 Conquest
Launch
Step aboard and the 405’s roomy cockpit certainly makes a strong first impression.
Displacement (M):
17853
Length Over All (M):
12.6
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Elite 18m Mid Pilothouse
Launch
The loving care and attention that has gone into every detail is clearly evident.
Displacement (M):
28000
Length Over All (M):
18
Construction:
Composite
BOAT REVIEW
Challenger 720HT
Trailer Boat
Like the rest of the Challenger range, the 720 HT’s fibreglass hull is designed by Terry Reid, who h...
Horsepower (HP):
250
Length Over All (M):
7.15
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Quarken 27 Cabin
Launch
This size is notably popular in New Zealand, being small enough to be trailered, yet spacious enough...
Displacement (M):
2700
Length Over All (M):
8.35
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Iliad 53 S
Launch
Compared to the range’s flybridge models, the 53 S has much less windage and greater stability, so ...
Displacement (M):
24000
Length Over All (M):
16.35
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Beneteau First 36
Yacht
The First 36 has a pleasingly yacht-like cockpit: this is a boat that is meant to be sailed.
Displacement (M):
4800
Length Over All (M):
11.98
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Sea Ray Sundancer 265
Launch
The Sea Ray Sundancer 265 is an impressive example of all that is good about American production boa...
Displacement (M):
3200
Length Over All (M):
8.07
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Oceanpro 540 GTS
Trailer Boat
He aimed to produce something that provided the best of both worlds: the tough, rigid hull sides of ...
Horsepower (HP):
115
Length Over All (M):
5.4
Construction:
Aluminium
BOAT REVIEW
Senator 500 Side Console
Trailer Boat
Senator allows owners to spec the boat however they want it, starting with a base, but very comprehe...
Length Over All (M):
5.2
Construction:
Aluminium
BOAT REVIEW
Caribbean 2300 Hardtop
Trailer Boat
Straight from the factory, the Caribbean 2300 is ready for fishing action.
Length Over All (M):
7.84
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Profab 1200
Launch
The quad-cam 7.6L V12 600hp Verado is stunning!
Displacement (M):
11700
Length Over All (M):
13.0
Construction:
Aluminium
BOAT REVIEW
Maritimo S75
Launch
My first impression of the S75 was its striking and sleek profile, thanks to nearly 75 feet (23m) of...
Displacement (M):
48000
Length Over All (M):
23.07
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
Rodman 31 Spirit Hardtop
Power Boat
Although relatively unknown here, Rodman is one of Europe’s most respected brands.
Length Over All (M):
9.48
Construction:
Fibreglass (GRP)
BOAT REVIEW
GHB 10.5m powercat
Launch
Makédo’s construction is a foam-cored, epoxy sandwich: Corecell foam for the hulls and Divinycell fo...
Displacement (M):
3479
Length Over All (M):
10.7
Construction:
Composite
