Fyran 595 |
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The plan was to take two brand-new Fyrans – a 595 Pursuit HT and a 595 Horizon (the subject of this review) – for a decent run, swapping between them as the morning progressed, and stopping here and there for a bit of soft-plastcs fishing.
Fyran Boats’ Chris Pascoe and Honda Marine’s Andy Ducat turned up at Westhaven public boat ramp at 6am with two shiny new boats in tow, neither of which had even been wet. They joined assorted NZ Fishing News staff members, who planned to demonstrate the effectiveness of soft-plastics to the neophytes, while I took the opportunity to review the new boats.
The new model Fyran 595, in Pursuit and Horizon variants, shares the same hull as Fyran’s popular 600. It began life as the Fyran 580, but has been extended at the waterline, portafino style. The extra length adds buoyancy aft, which better supports heavy four-stroke engines, and improves the ride and handling, but hasn’t translated into more cockpit space as the transom position hasn’t changed.
The 595 Horizon is a basic spec model, left unpainted except for Fyran decals.
The review boat has a serious 4.5mm tread-plate floor, although Fyran can also supply the boat slightly cheaper with a Nautolex vinyl-covered plywood floor – a popular option with some dealers. The Horizon misses out on the 120-litre under-floor fuel tank option found on the Pursuit, which leaves room for a sizeable under-floor wet locker aft. Fuel is carried in tote tanks, which fit neatly under the transom locker, leaving the cockpit clear. Three partitions can accommodate up to three tote tanks, or two tote tanks and a couple of dive bottles or a fish bin.
One of Honda’s impressive new BF90hp engines graced the Horizon’s transom and proved to be a sharp performer with very moderate drinking habits; we spent a morning of running around, covering at least 40 nautical miles, all on one tote tank of 91-octane petrol.
The 595 is a beamy boat, and its cockpit is spacious and admirably uncluttered. Its high sides and wide coamings ensure good thigh support, as well as somewhere to plant the bum if the fishing’s slow, and there’s sufficient toe-room to access the boat’s sides. It is a bit of a reach around the transom, which is rather deep, in order to clear the engine with the rod tip, but the upside is the amount of space under the transom lockers.
Cockpit side-shelves are long, wide and deep enough to accommodate fishing rods, poles, gaffs, boat hooks and other lengthy items – not always a given in trailerboats – and the cockpit floor drains into a covered sump aft, containing a screened bilge pump, which jettisons water over the side.
Access through the open bulkhead to the Frontrunner-lined fore-cabin is good. Removable vinyl squabs reveal limited stowage underneath and there’s more in side-shelves. A large So-Pac hatch offers easy access to the foredeck, covered anchor locker and ground tackle, which is deployed by hand.
While the V-berths are long enough to sleep on, making overnighting an option, the boat wasn’t specifically set up with this in mind.
There’s a useful transom platform either side of the outboard pod, with an aluminium dive ladder fitted to the port side opposite the boat’s simple lift-out transom door. There are no cleats aft, only welded grab rails, which would have to double as tying-off points when lying alongside another craft or tying up to a jetty.
The boat’s battery and isolation switches are mounted inside the transom locker, nicely protected behind huge hatches. The locker runs the full width of the transom to the door, so there’s ample covered stowage for odds and ends, tools and other equipment.
Pitched at the family boater, as reviewed the fairly basic 595 Horizon is a good starting point for the keen angler looking for a blank canvas. Individual Fyran dealers can add as many extras as a customer might like, and the basic layout, with its large, beamy cockpit and high sides, is well suited to fishing.
Standard equipment includes four plastic through-gunwale rodholders and many buyers will opt for a Fyran bait-station, which adds another pair of rodholders. A six-position rocket launcher and a removable ski-pole are two more popular options.
While the day lacked challenging sea conditions, the 595 Horizon rode nicely, landing softly, with its aluminium chine extrusions doing a fine job of directing spray away from the boat. Although the hull carries its beam well forward, the entry is relatively fine, and a moderate 17° deadrise at the transom offers a good compromise between stability at rest and rough-water performance.
The 595 Horizon’s simple dash was fitted with standard Honda instruments, but no electronics. These are normally the domain of Fyran’s dealers, who will fit whatever electronics the boat owner desires.
Cable steering was fitted to the test boat, which works fine, but understandably it isn’t as effortless as a hydraulic system. The rest of the driving dynamics are good. The helm position is well placed, sitting or standing, and Honda remotes fall easily to hand.
Seating consists of two swivelling plastic buckets with removable vinyl-covered squabs and backrests on hollow plastic pedestal bases. There’s limited storage inside the bases. Footrests on both sides are well positioned and there are plenty of strategically placed grab-rails for sitting and standing passengers. A handy shelf above the remotes, repeated on the passenger side, is a good place to toss small items.
The aluminium-framed, curved, three-piece acrylic ‘screen wraps around the cabin top, offering reasonable protection, sitting or standing. A fold-down canvas canopy provides further shelter, though it lacks a clear panel on the helm side, which is useful in rainy or rough conditions.
The new generation BF90hp VTEC Honda engine is an impressive unit. Based on the 75hp model, it’s a lightweight, narrow, inline four-cylinder engine displacing 1500cc. It features four valves per cylinder, a single overhead camshaft, an aluminium alloy block and Honda’s advanced VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) technology. VTEC may be familiar to owners of premium Honda cars.
The BF90 also packs Honda’s new BLAST (Boosted Low Speed Torque) and Lean Burn Feedback technologies, which, along with VTEC, were pioneered in Formula One racing. According to Honda Marine’s Andy Ducat, the BF90 actually churns out 97hp at the propeller shaft.
The Horizon left the 595 Pursuit HT (powered by a fresh-out-of the-box, but old-tech Honda BF 115hp), in its wake, particularly from a standing start.
To be fair, the BF115hp was over-propped, which adversely affected the Pursuit’s acceleration and top speed. The engine was at least 600rpm short at wide-open throttle, so the 115hp should be good for a few more knots, but there still wouldn’t be much between them.
But there is no getting away from the BF90’s remarkable grunt off the line, or its willingness to pull strongly right up to the rev-limiter – testament to Honda’s race-bred VTEC and BLAST technologies.
BLAST adds horsepower and torque at low revs (see sidebar), while VTEC boosts performance throughout the rev range, but particularly above 5000rpm.
In the Horizon we attained a top speed of 41mph (indicated) at 6300rpm, which is very respectable, and clear of the Pursuit’s maximum of 40mph (5000rpm). At a pleasant (and quiet) 25mph cruise, the engine spins at 4400rpm.
Since neither boat was fitted with a GPS, we had to rely on the boat’s analogue gauges, so these speeds are only approximate, but they give a reasonable idea of the their respective performances.
In fact, the 595 Horizon’s performance might have been better still; there was some discussion that the BF 90’s 13.5 x 15-inch three-blade prop wasn’t quite right, since we were able to hit the limiter. A little more prop may have given us a few more miles per hour, albeit probably at the expense of throttle response.
And the throttle response is excellent. The 90hp offers bags of urge throughout its rev range. With this engine on the back, the Horizon was certainly more engaging to drive, with better response and more available engine trim than the Pursuit HT, with its much heavier BF115hp.
Between photo-shoots, speed trials, swapping boats and general running around, we also found time to wet some soft-baits. The Horizon’s cockpit has plenty of room for fishing and the boat is relatively stable at rest. We happily fished three adults without getting in each other’s way, although the fish proved stubbornly uncooperative throughout the morning.
Even though we fished in an area that had produced consistently over several weeks, we struggled to get bites, and worse, dropped too many of those few fish we did hook. And while we went home with a modest feed, given the amount of effort and the pleasant conditions on the day, the catch was rather disappointing.
So while Chris and Andy may not have been much wiser about soft-plastic fishing, fortunately we learned quite a bit about the new Fyran 595 Horizon.
An entry-level six-metre aluminium cabin boat, the Fyran 595 Horizon offers the security of the Fyran brand name, a 5mm hull, consistent build quality and a competitive options list. It’s a sweet handling, soft-riding hull, and Fyran offers reliable after-sales support through an extensive dealer network.
Available with Honda power or with the outboard of your choice, and supplied on a single-axle, unbraked, galvanised Hoskings trailer, the Fyran 595 Horizon is a well-made, realistically priced aluminium all-rounder.
*For a full review of the Fyran 595 Pursuit HT, see NZ Fishing News’ sister publication Boating NZ’s February edition.
Construction
Fyran Boats use a well-proven construction method for the 595. Only good quality marine-grade aluminium is used, variously sourced according to availability. Different alloy specifications are used for the hull and the topsides/decks/superstructure to reflect different performance demands.
Four longitudinal girders are welded hull to floor, with transverse supports and bulkheads ensuring rigidity. The tread-plate floor (where fitted) is welded to the bearers, the boat’s sides, and to the transom to form a sealed chamber. The fuel tank (where fitted) or wet locker is located between the two central girders.
Hull and side plates slot into the boat’s special chine extrusion and are welded on both sides. There’s a full-length keel bar, also welded both sides.
Hull plates are 5mm-thick; tread-plate floor is 4.5mm; sides and cabin are 3mm.
Blast
‘BLAST’ is Honda-speak for ‘Boosted Low Speed Torque’, achieved by sophisticated ignition timing control. Exclusive to Honda and set to feature in all its four-stroke outboard engines, the BLAST system advances ignition timing during acceleration so that the engine develops more horsepower at low revolutions.
The result is less time to get onto the plane.
Specifications
Model: Fyran 595 Horizon
Designer: Fyran Boats
Builder: Fyran Boats
Construction: aluminium
LOA: 6.010m
BOA: 2.180m
Deadrise: variable, 17° at transom
Alloy thickness: 5mm hull, 4.5mm tread-plate, 3mm sides, decks and cabin
Horsepower range 115hp max
Engine option: outboard
Max speed: 45mph
Fuel capacity: tote tanks
Engine
Make: Honda BF 90hp
Type: Four-stroke outboard VTEC
Horsepower: 90hp @ 5800rpm
Cylinders: four, inline, 16V
Max rpm: 6300rpm
Propeller: 13.5 x 15-inch three-blade aluminium.
Trailer
Manufacturer: Hoskings Trailers
Braked: no
Suspension: galvanised leaf spring
Rollers: multiple
Features: submersible lights.
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