Lazercraft Avanti 620

Compared to the previous 620 Sport GT, the Avanti has a more useable cockpit with the moulded transom and rear deck area now allowing the inclusion of dropin seats. The extra 400mm depth either side of the engine well has allowed for a pair of large and comfortable rear seats. These can be slid out of the way under the rear deck when not required, or provide part of the six-person cockpit seating arrangement. The bases form extra storage or double as fish bins. The battery and oil tank are mounted on a separate pad above the cockpit sole and are hidden behind a hinged alloy door. The cockpit is fully self-draining with scuppers either side. There is provision for an optional live bait tank and a pair of self-draining transom lockers can be used to stow the back anchor, bait or in the case of a boat from the South, are tall enough in which to stand a dozen or so Speight’s stubbies. There are recessed footpads either side, with the drop-down ladder mounted to starboard and provision for an outboard auxiliary to port. There is also an optional dive platform if required. Standard seating is back-to-backs on moulded pedestal bases with split storage lockers. The top one is for dry gear, the lower for items you don’t mind getting wet. Both bucket seats are swivelling and for/aft adjustable. I found when I was seated to drive the seat was ideal in the fully forward position and allowed me to get my feet on the footrest. When standing I had it slid all the  way back and despite this, the base was well out of the way. Following on from the previous 620, the exceptionally wide side trays have been retained to accommodate full length rods and are wide enough to take dive bottles. The helm follows the trend of the split level design to be able to handle plenty of flush mounted electronics as well as leaving enough area for all the instruments, switches etc. There’s even a recess for the helm and the compass. A first for Lazercraft is the lockable sliding cabin door which leads through to a fairly standard cabin layout with twin berths with fully lined storage under and large overhead side trays. The extra height in the cabin allows sitting headroom for 2-3 adults and there is easy access through the gas stay mounted deck hatch for anchoring. The kidney shaped anchor well hatch moulding has been especially designed to take an auto-retrieve capstan or there is provision for a standard electric capstan forward. Ideally suited to 140-150hp, the Lazercraft 620 Avanti ran 50.5mph on a mirror smooth Otago Harbour with a Yamaha 150hp 4-stroke @ 5900 rpm. It climbs onto the plane easily and remains on the plane as low as 2500rpm. Lowest trolling speed was 3.5mph, which is okay for some of those big local salmon, but maybe a notch too fast for the Taupo trout. The Lazercraft 620 Avanti sets a new benchmark for this type of aluminium boat and although the purists will argue that it is a hybrid with the marriage of a fibreglass deck and cabin, it still presents the hard running surfaces and benefits one would expect from aluminium. What the fibreglass does is add a certain flair and style that Lazercraft sought and couldn’t get with alloy without making the boats so expensive that nobody would buy them. In the 620 Avanti they have a marriage made in heaven.