Scorpion 610 HT

Beginning over seventeen years ago as a family retail company based in Waikato’s Morrinsville, Sportcraft Boats decided to supplement their existing boat agencies with their own range of hulls, contract-built under the ‘Scorpion’ marque.

Headed by Jamie Black, Sportcraft grew steadily. The Morrinsville yard spread to several adjacent lots, and in 2001, a new yard was opened in Hewletts Road, Mount Maunganui. This, too, was outgrown in a couple of years and the company soon moved to new premises in the same road.

Construction

The Scorpion’s aluminium hull features five-millimetre bottoms and three-millimetre topsides and superstructure. Construction of keel and chines is achieved by fitting the plates into aluminium extrusions, then seam-welding them – a sound technique. There are six longitudinal bearers, plus the keel bar, and seven full-height crossframes with an additional six gussets. The hull shape includes a reasonably fine entry, variable to a 17° deadrise at the transom, no planing strakes, and a modest downturn at the chines producing a slight gullwing effect.

The deck is fully sealed, forming a single air chamber, and pressure-tested after construction. Reserve buoyancy figures were not available at the time of writing.

The level of finish is reasonable, considering the price, and the welds look to be solid and well executed.

Power and performance

Recommended outboard power for the 610 HT is 90 to 115hp. The review boat was fitted with a Mercury 115 Saltwater, spinning a 20-inch pitch Laser II prop. In a quick burst this produced 40 knots (74kph) at 5400rpm on the dash gauges. It cruised comfortably at 26 knots (48mph) at 3800rpm.

Test day was a magic spring day with glassy-calm seas. You can normally depend on strong currents around the entrance of Tauranga Harbour to provide a bit of lift to play in, but even this area was smooth.

The hull has a fine entry and a moderate (17°) deadrise at the stern, allowing it to successfully tread the line between providing a good ride and reasonable stability.

Sportcraft sales manager Jayson Hurley and I took the 610 for a run out towards Karewa Island, but ultimately had to rely on the wakes of larger craft to give us some idea of the hull’s performance. Indications were that the hull is a soft lander and takes the sea well.

Visibility is good, seated or standing, through 6mm toughened glass forward windows and fixed polycarbonate side windows. The cable steering system is quite adequate.

Anchoring

Access to the bow is through the hatch in the forecabin top, and it is an easy reach to the fairlead while standing in the hatchway. The anchor well is of a good size. It is not hatched, but has a drop-down entry with a substantial aluminium bollard welded to the foredeck. The fairlead has bent over flanges to help contain the warp. An anchor winch or capstan can be fitted.

Layout

The berths in the forecabin are long enough to sleep adults, and would comfortably take two with a berth infill fitted. There is space under the bow squab to fit a toilet if required, as well as stowage space under each side berth and two small side shelves. A screw-off plate gives access to the inside of the helm console. The cabin is lined down to the sealed chequerplate deck.

The helm position boasts a large dash area, sensibly lined with dark marine carpet and backed by a grab rail, which also acts to restrain items stored on the dash. VHF, instruments and switches are flush-mounted and a Navman Fish 4430 sounder was fitted on the dash.

A number of seating options are available. The test boat was fitted with two swivelling, upholstered, rotationally-moulded plastic seats on fibreglass pedestals with stowage inside. Footrests had not been fitted, but I was told that these are part of the package and custom fitted to suit the owner’s leg length after purchase.

A sheltered side pocket is fitted on each side under the hard top, while out in the cockpit, side shelves run the full length of the sides and across under the transom. An interesting design feature is the position of the 90-litre fuel tank. This is an optional extra, bolted crossways up off the deck under the transom shelf – two tote tanks are supplied as standard. Two baffles are built into the tank to prevent the fuel sloshing from side-to-side and de-stabilising the hull.

A single battery with isolation switch is mounted centrally on the transom shelf in a protective case next to the fuel filter. This fit-up allows easy access to battery, filter and fuel tank.

The fully-sealed chequerplate deck drains to a large sump under the transom, from where water is removed by an 1100gph bilge pump. The sump extends a little forward of the transom line, but Sportcraft intends fitting a half-grille to improve footing here.

A transom walk-through (with drop-door) on the passenger side simplifies access to one of the large chequerplate boarding platforms. Grab rails are fitted, as is a large fold-down boarding ladder. This could be made slightly narrower without affecting its function, avoiding interference with the steering arm when the helm is hard over.

Overall, there is good space in the cockpit and the boat still retains full-length berths in the cabin – a good use of space.

Fishability

This hull has a basic – but quite adequate – fishing layout, with four nylon through-gunwale rod holders fitted, in addition to a pair of transom mounts for the drop-in baitboard. There is plenty of room for more rod holders, and no doubt aluminium versions could be substituted if heavy use is anticipated. A rocket launcher on the hardtop is another option. The catch could be accommodated in a removable ice bin.

The 17° deadrise and slightly down-turned chines made for a reasonably stable hull. Chequerplate decking gives good footing, except for the narrow strip of smooth alloy along the sides of the deck. Coaming faces are flat and offer reasonable mid-thigh support, although anglers need to lean forward slightly. As mentioned, the fitting of a grille over part of the drainage sump will make for good toe recess right across the transom (there is space under the fuel tank). The gunwhales are wide topped and finished in decktread panels, offering an additional perch for anglers.

The boat is fine for general fishing tasks, with easy boarding for divers. There is plenty of potential for a specialist fishing fit-out.

Trailering

The Sportline trailer supplied standard with this model (the test boat happened to be on a tandem version) is a single-axle, cradle, A-frame design. Leaf-spring suspension is zinc treated, as are the rims and studs. A dual-ratio manual winch is fitted, as is a dual coupling and wind-down jockey wheel.

There are six pairs of wobble rollers per side, as well as a keel entry roller. The boat comes on and off the trailer very easily. Tow weight is around 1048kg. 

All in all

In New Zealand, boating and fishing often exposes us to extremes of weather, both hot and cold. As a consequence, hardtop designs are popular for the shelter they provide. Six metres is about the minimum size for a standard monohull (pontoon boats excepted) to sustain a hardtop without sacrificing too much stability. The Scorpion 610 HT manages the trick by cutting back on the sides of the hardtop to reduce weight and windage. Clears can be fitted if more side shelter is required.

Overall, a good ‘boys’ boat’ for general fishing and diving tasks, well performed, at a good price for its size.

	This article is reproduced with permission of New Zealand Fishing News Nov 2006 - by Sam Mossman Re-publishing elsewhere is prohibited