THE NEXT PROFILE BOATS BEST SELLER?
Ten years ago, almost to the day, I authored an article for DIVE New Zealand magazine, which focused on what made a good SCUBA diving boat. The article centred on Firmans Marine’s popular Profile 635H vessel. I mention this simply because, having retrieved from my bookshelf that old issue of Dive magazine containing the article, I recalled my summary comment. “So overall, how does the Profile 635H rank as a dive boat? Pretty damned well!”
Fast forward a decade and, after a recent day out on the water aboard the latest Profile Boats model 785H Platinum, I now find myself writing an article for Pacific PowerBoat magazine about this impressive new offering from Profile Boats, not with a focus on how suitable it is for diving this time, but how suitable it is for fishing and general adventuring. Although, as a long-time diver, I could not help but assess its potential as a good dive boat as well.
Now it is not my intention to compare the 635H to the 785H (they are vastly different craft) and although the 635H has, up until now, been the best-selling Profile boat in their extensive model range, I personally believe (spoiler alert) that the 785H will knock the 635H off the “Best Selling” podium. Read on to see if you agree.
SO, WHAT’S THIS NEW BOAT ALL ABOUT?
A quick overview before we get into the nitty-gritty. The Profile Boats 785H is a premium, 7.95-metre (26-foot) aluminium pontoon-style enclosed-cabin boat designed and built in Napier, New Zealand for serious offshore fishing and adventuring. My first impression of the 785H, arriving at Auckland’s Half Moon Bay Marina boat ramp, was “This is a ‘expletive deleted’ big boat!” I soon found out how big.
THE BOW: But let’s start at the bow, not because this is the front of the boat, but because on most boats there isn’t usually that much going on up forward. Not the case with the 785H. This bow area is impressive, not only in looks but in the way it has been thought out to accommodate not only the anchor winch and bow roller, but also because it is a level and relatively wide platform, with high, sturdy bow rails that allow secure fishing from the bow. An expansive feature not found on many trailer boats.
Sitting up forward, wedged into the rounded “V” of the larger than normal 38mm diameter aluminium bow top rails, as I looked aft, my immediate thought was “Gawd, there is a lot of space up here!” For a trailer boat, albeit a very large trailer boat, plenty of room to safely move around on the foredeck is uncommon. On the 785H the flat, level area, covered with U-DEK® non-skid material, and housing the concealed Maxwell RC8 rope/chain anchor winch, is unencumbered and providing you don’t inadvertently step into the narrow, combined anchor/chain channel, you will find this to be a secure fishing location. A solid aluminium bollard sits above the fairlead and aft of the anchor locker is a large, clear black acrylic Vetus Altus access hatch atop the forward cabin. On either side and forward of the hatch, the rest of the foredeck features large swaths of anti-skid U-DEK® surfacing.
Access to the bow is either through the forward hatch, or more commonly by shuffling along the narrow, but adequate side decks to port and starboard of the hard top cabin. A well thought out feature that I didn’t immediately notice, is the way the substantial handrails ‘bulge out’ away from the cabin sides, giving you ample room to get your butt and upper body past the cabin as you externally maneuver yourself back and forth between the cockpit and the foredeck.
While still up on the foredeck, glancing aft over the cabin top, you will notice twelve rod holders, two antennas, the GPS unit, a fold-down anchor light post, four grab rails and, once again, heaps of non-slip U-DEK®. This craft shouts safety and security no matter where you are on it. I did tell you that there was plenty going on up forwa rd!
THE COCKPIT: If you thought that there was a lot going on up on the foredeck and cabin top, you ‘ain’t seen nothin’ yet when it comes to the cockpit. First off, it is an enormous 5.6 sqm! To appreciate my exclamation, let’s have a look around, starting at the transom. Well, actually I’m going to start aft of the transom, out on the duck board/swim platform/fishing dais – call it what you will. Once again, however, safety and spaciousness are immediately apparent.
Despite having a massive Yamaha 350 Hp V6 Four-stroke outboard mounted off the stern, the spacious area between the engine and the transom is uncluttered. A couple of fisherfolk can comfortably and safely utilise this area thanks to the high, large diameter rails surrounding the transom platform area and acting like a secure ‘cage.’
Normally, a sizeable ‘cage’ such as the one on the 785H would dominate the stern and spoil the aesthetics, but just the opposite is the case, with the robust, surrounding rails not only giving you an immediate sense of safety and security, but also cleverly giving you access to the water (for diving, swimming or hauling big game fish aboard) through the incorporated access ‘gates’ port and starboard, also acting as stout boarding ladders for diving and swimming. The stern platform is finished with hard-wearing, anti-skid U-DEK® as are most areas of the boat where you will be walking or standing.
Entrance into the cockpit from the stern platform is via removable and easily stowable port and starboard, ‘Pro Deflector Transom’ doors, which on both sides border the centrally located bait station. These transom doors allow easy entry/exit, over a low step, into or out of the enormous cockpit. Note that the entire transom features Profile’s unique wave deflection design, meaning that should you take a large wave over the stern (such as launching in adverse conditions), the water is deflected back towards the stern, rather than up and over into the cockpit. Nice!
Moving into the cockpit from the starboard side, you will find located under the step, a utilitarian locker, while the port side has you stepping over the lidded live bait tank. This is definitely a craft designed for serious recreational fishing with more than just a few friends. Equally, it could easily be used as an ideal charter fishing boat for elite clientele.
Before moving forward towards the cabin, I took time to examine the stern from inside the boat. If you thought there were loads going on up at the bow, be prepared!
The bait station is designed and built by knowledgeable fisherfolk for fishers who want everything they might need, easily and practically accessible. The hinged ‘food grade’ Densetec © cutting board is in two sections. Lift the starboard third and an insulated bait chiller bin is revealed. Lift the port two thirds and you will find a saltwater sink and faucet. Between the two is a small cylindrical rubbish bin, ideal for general plastics and fishing line offcuts, etc. Surrounding these three features is more U-DEK®, giving the area an aesthetic as well as functional aspect. Aft of the cutting boards are five rod holders and four cup holders, one of them with a specially designed surround to handily stow fish knives, iki spikes, etc., when not in use. On the subject of rod holders, there are no less than 25 of these installed in various locations around the boat, with the most obvious being the rocket launcher (13 holders) atop the cabin.
Above the bait board is an LED strip light, while below the cutting board(s) is a large horizontal grab rail and below this, two cavernous storage lockers for the batteries, bait station plumbing and pressurized fuel tank fittings. But what is really clever are the hidden drains from both the bait sink and the saltwater sink, neatly concealed in the bait station podium and which drain directly under the stern swim platform, helping to keep the entire bait station clean and practical.
Immediately to port of the 72l live bait tank is the hot and cold, freshwater shower head, neatly housed and concealed in the port stern gunnel, with the water temperature and flow controls found behind a S/S lid near the live bait tank.
Leaving the stern of the boat and heading forward to examine the enclosed hard top cabin, once again I was struck by the overwhelming cockpit expanse. Ok, last time I’m mentioning the huge cockpit! But the cabin does look a long way away from the bait station. Just saying.
Proceeding forward and glancing left and right, you will see ample storage spaces beneath the gunwales, where on both sides there are rod racks, and on the starboard stern side, a coiled and neatly stowed, pressurised saltwater wash down hose. More rod holders adorn the gunwales, and the starboard gunwale has a fish measurement ruler, as does the cockpit floor, port and starboard, which is finished with U-DEK®. There is a mid-sized underfloor storage bin just aft of the cabin.
Prior to entering the cabin, I stopped for a moment in order to take in all the ‘stuff’ I was now looking at, especially after being impressed with the surfeit of features on the foredeck, stern area and cockpit of this sizeable craft. Where to begin?
Well, first impressions, whether good or bad, are always worth mentioning. Top of the list: spaciousness. Like the rest of the boat, the cabin appears to be much larger and more open than you would expect in a boat just under 8 metres, especially when the cockpit (whoops, I wasn’t going to mention that again) is, ‘a hem’ – large.
With the port and starboard bi-fold cabin doors open you get this wonderful sense of roominess. And that’s a good thing, because from my experience, there is nothing worse than feeling claustrophobic on a boat. I’ll get back to those doors.
Before even entering the cabin you will notice a sink unit behind the helm seat beneath which are two large storage cupboards. To port, storage for a small diesel fuel tank, 70l portable chilly bin and an emergency grab-bag beneath the port, stern facing seats’ footrest. Whoa, what’s that ‘drawer’ beneath these two seats? Well, I’ll be damned – a pull-out diesel fueled stove top! Profile Boats just keep coming up with truly innovative and useful stuff aboard this 785H Platinum. Oh, by the way, the diesel unit not only heats the water, but also acts as a cabin heater. This boat is designed to meet market demand from North Cape to Bluff and from Florida to Newfoundland, or anywhere else in the world for that matter.
Time to explore the cabin, but by this stage, I was prepared to be overwhelmed. And, as it turned out, I wasn’t disappointed. Spaciousness was once again my first impression and it all works, as the following walk through will reveal.
GENERAL CABIN LAYOUT: One of the first things you will notice, as you enter the hard top cabin, are the bi-fold doors to port and starboard. When open, they are barely noticeable, but when closed, the clear black acrylic doors securely enclose the cabin when the weather is inclement.
We’ll get to the all-important helm station, but the port side area of the cabin really caught my attention. Like so many other areas of this impressive craft, there is lots going on throughout the cabin as well. For example, a whole sitting, cooking, dining, entertaining and convertible single bed unit all in a compact area before you even get to the forward, two berth cabin!
The up/down pneumatic table which, when up serves as a utilitarian eating or workstation for three people, but when pushed down, converts this area, by means of a removable squab, into a modest but practical single bed.
During the day, this space serves as a dining area; however, when you flip the backs of the two aft seats forward, it transforms into a sheltered, comfortable spot where two anglers can sit out of the sun and weather. The footrest for these seats adds to a relaxed fishing experience.
HELM STATION: The heart of any boat and therefore the area that one usually notices first. Such was the case aboard the 785H. Uncluttered, functional, and intuitively laid out, this aesthetically pleasing area invites you to take control of the vessel. The large 16” Simrad NSS4 MFD (Multi-Functional Display) is easy to read and use without dominating the helm station. Two readily accessible, ‘twelve toggle’ switch panels sit on either side of the MFD, while below to port, is the telemetry gauge for the Yamaha outboard engine as well as the Maxwell windlass up/down control switch. Below to starboard you’ll find the Yamaha GPS Positioning control unit and the Humphree Interceptor Trim Tabs instrumentation panel.
The Elite helm seat slides easily forward or back and the flip-up/down seat bolster provides a secure sitting position when down and proves equally supportive for your lower back while standing with it up. A feature I really liked was the movable Yamaha electric tilt steering wheel. If you’re sitting, tilt the wheel up to an almost horizontal position (think VW Kombi van) to clear your legs and move it down to a 45° more vertical position, for easy control while standing. Whether standing or sitting, the conveniently placed footrest is both unobtrusive and conveniently positioned. You will recall me mentioning the sink unit behind the helm seat and the two large storage cupboards beneath the sink. What a great, practical use of space.
The essential Yamaha outboard controls: throttle/ gearshift and the Helm Master EX system for features like joystick steering and autopilot, sit to the right of the helm seat at a naturally comfortable and easy to use height for confident operation, even in heavy seas. As you head down into the spacious (there’s that word again) forward cabin, glance up at the cabin roof and fascia above the helm and co-pilot/passenger seat. A more practical, functional, and minimalistic design would be hard to find on any boat. Naturally positioned grab rails and lighting adorn the cabin roof which is lined with the same charcoal coloured material as the helm station. Finalising our cabin walkthrough, a centrally located Ritchie compass sits on the dash behind the centre post of the expansive windscreen, as do the two, white Exalto, dual arm windscreen wiper, motors which, in my opinion, would look better in a black finish. On either side of the windscreen, port and starboard, are large sliding windows giving the whole cabin a light and airy aspect.
FORWARD CABIN: Access to the comfortable and ample twin berth forward cabin, via a large opening, is made easy and safe with the assistance of a conveniently located grab rail to starboard. As is common on most large trailer boats, the three central bunk squabs are removable for daytime use and to give access to the neatly concealed but practically located Jabsco electric toilet in the forward ‘V’. While at night, once the squabs are repositioned, provide a very wide and long forward bed, suitable for two large adults. The adequate anchor chain locker can be accessed through the twin latch, bulkhead hatch.
PERFORMANCE: Okay, I hear you saying, this boat is pretty impressive thus far, but what about the all- important performance aspect? Pleased to report, equally impressive! And you know, I could happily leave it at that, but I am sure you would like something more specific, so specific you will get.
Handling: Keep in mind this is a big, heavy trailer boat, but when it comes to handling, it performs more like a nimble 6.5 metre craft. The best example of this I can give you is that when we were about to wrap up our photo shoot, we decided to put the 785H through a continual series of tight, fast turns, just for the hell of it. Two things I was expecting to happen didn’t. The stern is going to break loose and the prop’s going to cavitate. Well, the stern didn’t break loose and the prop only cavitated when we had aerated the sea so much there really wasn’t much for the prop to grab! Thanks to substantial insulation and the foam filled pontoon chambers, this is a quiet aluminium boat.
Stability: Being a pontoon boat, you expect stability. The 785H doesn’t disappoint. Whether crashing through waves generated by passing ferries, doing tight turns, or just generally moving about the boat, this thing is stable. Full stop.
Speed: The powerful, perfectly suited Yamaha 350 Hp outboard, pushed the boat up onto the plane effortlessly, and as the Performance Data chart reveals, whether idling along at trolling speed or going flat out, but even more importantly at normal cruising speed (about 25 knots), the 785H maintains an acceptable balance of performance speed and fuel efficiency.
Safety: We tend to take for granted that any boat should be safe, and that is mostly true, but the Profile 785H elevates safety to another level. I’ve already pointed out numerous safety features throughout this article, so no need to belabour any further. Suffice it to say, this is a go anywhere, anytime, and in almost any sea conditions, craft.
Profile Boats set out to design and build a boat, which in their words; “Is built to perform and offer a true fisherman’s paradise which includes a rear door, lockable cabin, ready for some serious adventures”. Have they succeeded? After my day out at sea on the Profile Boats 785H Platinum, I certainly think so.
KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS: Construction: Built with a robust 6mm thick hull and foam-filled, 3mm thick tubes, contributing to its “unsinkable” safety feature and a quiet ride.
Dimensions: An overall length of 7.95m (26’,10”) and a wide, ‘road legal’ 2.55m external beam, translates to a spacious 2.25m internal beam providing excellent deck space for fishing.
Design: A lockable, fully enclosed large (7.56 m3) cabin with a rear door for security and weather protection, and a unique cockpit deck ‘toe-space’ for secure footing while fishing.
Performance: The 785H features a 400-litre, underfloor fuel tank and is typically powered by a 300hp to 400hp outboard engine (Yamaha or Mercury), allowing for efficient performance in various conditions.
Warranty: 10-year structural hull warranty.
Options: The boat is available in “Limited” and “Platinum” specifications. A concept borrowed from the automotive industry. Although both editions are superbly kitted out, more ancillary items can be specified.
SPECIFICATIONS
LOA 9.98m
Beam 2.55m
Dry Weight 3250kg
Max safe loading 8 (adults)
Fuel Capacity 400L
Recommended HP 425hp
PERFORMANCE DATA
RPM KNOTS LPH LNM
1000 5 4.5 0.90
2000 7.4 12 1.62
3000 13 26.5 2.04
4000 24.7 43 1.74
5500 38 107 2.89
