On May 15 Rayglass Boats debuted the Legend 2700 at the Hutchwilco Boat Show. This new vessel is an evolution of the company’s most popular boat, and New Zealand’s most awarded fibre-glass boat ever – the Legend 2500. Rayglass are now taking expressions of interest and offering tours and sea trials at their Mt Wellington HQ. This boat was tailor-made, considering almost 20 years of customer feedback on the Legend 2500. Rayglass founder, Tony Hembrow, says when designing the vessel, they wanted to address all the things that customers didn’t like about the vessels, and improve on all the features they did like.
The result is a truly multi-purpose vessel built to enable the Kiwi adventure lifestyle. Whether you’re into serious fishing, long range cruising, entertaining family and friends, or overnighting in complete comfort – with a 2700 on a trailer you can do it all. The Legend 2700 still has all the features that Kiwis loved about the 2500. That includes the famous Rayglass unsinkable hull design, high build quality, spacious cabin and extended hardtop. And despite it’s generous proportions the 2700 still fits on a trailer.
But Rayglass have added several refinements and updates. That includes an edgier, modernised design, an updated flat windscreen with improved visibility. There’s more headspace in the separate toilet, and more room to stretch out in the cabin when overnighting, and a larger full galley than the 2500. The boat’s storage is also significantly expanded, with a larger underfloor space, a dedicated rod storage locker on the starboard side, and on deck, there’s space to fish four comfortably, and seat six or more when on the move. Customers have the choice between a 270 hp inboard diesel, a 300 hp V8 or 400 hp V10 single outboard, or twin 200-225 hp outboards. The inboard option includes an expanded duckboard, and a new double engine bay seat. And like all Rayglass vessels, almost every detail can be customised to suit the customer’s needs.
Tony Hembrow says that the Legend 2700 isn’t a reinvention, but an evolution of the 2500: “You don’t make a square wheel when the round one is working. The 2700 is based on an extremely good, extremely popular boat, and it still features everything that made the 2500 great. It has the same philosophy behind it, including the best of everything Rayglass has designed. But over almost 20 years of talking to customers about the 2500, we’ve found ways to refine and update that design.”
“We think of these as quality of life improvements. Everything in this boat just makes sense, everything works. It allows you to get out of your own way and enjoy being out on the water.” The 2700 isn’t a replacement. This will sit between the 2500 and 2800 in our range, and it exists because it’s a size we know our customers want. What’s exciting is that this boat is the start of the modernisation of the Rayglass range. The 3000 was first, now the 2700. I can’t share any more right now, but more new vessels are coming – and sooner than you might think. Watch this space.”
