FC 680 SeaLegs

Raglan’s Manu Bay boat ramp is not for the faint-hearted, but it was a great testing ground for the latest vessel from FC Boats, as Grant Dixon found out…

With just a small breakwater between the ramp and the rolling Tasman Sea, the Manu Bay boat ramp has a reputation for breaking boats, bones, trailers and tow vehicles.

There was one-and-a-half to two metres of westerly swell on the day we were to put the FC 680 SeaLegs prototype centre-console through its paces. No way I would have contemplated launching a boat conventionally in those conditions. However, while there was a decent swell, there was very little wind – we just had to get out past the rollers.

Enter the FC 680 SeaLegs. Backing the vessel off its custom made Voyager trailer, Max Christensen and his dad Ross lowered it to the ground, loaded the gear, donned lifejackets, and we were ready.

Raising the vessel again, Max lined up the ramp, totally unconcerned with the maelstrom of white water confronting us. We then drove into the foam and, once there was enough depth, the motor was deployed and the wheels raised. After nosing around the end of the breakwater, we headed to the 60-metre mark, where we had a superb day’s fishing, filling the bin. Our return was equally without incident.

What a graphic demonstration of the FC 680 Sealegs’ amphibious capabilities. The Raglan bar that morning had closed out and, as mentioned, launching and retrieving a conventional trailer boat at Manu Bay would have been fraught with danger. We would not have been fishing that day normally; yet here we were, back safely after some enjoyable fishing with a great catch.

Surf and Turf was destined for Golden Bay at the top of the South Island, where it will be used by owner Graeme Hockey for serious fishing missions chasing groper out wide. This is the third FC Boat Graeme has owned, testament to his belief in the performance of these Hamilton-manufactured craft.

The boat is essentially a FC620 with a FC700 transom added. It is powered by a Mercury 225hp Verado outboard, upgraded from the Mercury 150hp in the original plans.

“It [Surf and Turf] is a heavy boat, with a 6mm bottom and 5mm sides, plus all the SeaLegs kit [around 500kg of extra weight – equivalent to five people], so the decision was made to go up in horsepower,” Ross says.

Fish City Boats has a reputation for building no-nonsense, practical fishing craft, and Surf and Turf fits the mould.

Before starting on the project, Max and Ross spoke to several conventional Sealegs boat owners to get the vibe around the pros and cons of this style of craft. One of the biggest issues was the reduction in the cockpit fishing space due to the motor used to power the SeaLegs hydraulics and propel the wheels themselves.

In this boat the Honda 22hp V-twin motor driving the hydraulics is tucked away inside the centre console, leaving the cockpit uncluttered, as well as helping to distribute the weight more evenly. It can also be accessed from the front and back of the console. The exhaust for the Honda comes out at the stern, the pipes running under the floor.

The transom has been designed so the rear driving wheels retract to a position that does not impede fishing. Anglers fish over the wheels rather than around them. Another little trick: Ross lowered the wheels slightly when fishing at rest so they act as stabilisers.

Another first with Surf and Turf is a steering system that works for the SeaLegs’ front wheel and the Mercury Verado outboard.

Owner Graeme had some other requirements, one of which was a height restriction, so the boat would fit in his garage, resulting in Max creating a folding bimini top to accommodate this request.

With the SeaLegs motor taking up the conventional storage area usually available in the centre console, other stowage space had to found. There is a large underfloor storage area in the cockpit – big enough to take three dive bottles and several sets of gear.

The Icey-Tek chilly bin slides under the helm seat and there is storage for all the bits and pieces in the transom. Deep shelves run longitudinally, and 12 rod holders are placed strategically around the walk-around’s gunwales. Several have been designed specifically for electric reels with deep-water fishing in mind. Two small ‘gloveboxes’ are fitted into the gunwales; inside are the plugs for the reels. There is room for six more rods in the rocket launcher.

Forward of the centre console is a casting platform. Another neat design feature is the way the Savwinch 1500 drum winch has been set into the forepeak, keeping the deck uncluttered, as well as protecting the anchoring system from the elements.

The boat has good range, with a 200-litre fuel tank under the floor. The bespoke FC Boats’ live-bait tank is a large one, having an estimated capacity of 200 litres.

Max says the hull has been changed slightly to account for the unconventional weight distribution associated with the SeaLegs componentry. This has not affected the ride; if anything, the extra weight has probably improved it slightly.

Surf and Turf offers excellent fishing space. The gunwales (coated with Speedliner spray-on deck-tread) are at a nice height with plenty of toe-room to give the angler safe purchase while fighting decent fish.