Mac 390

Mac boats are produced by Galloway International Limited, a New Zealand company specialising in boats, water tanks, and playground equipment.

Their products are rotationally moulded from polyethylene plastic at their factory in East Tamaki, Auckland, by the ‘Formac’ process, a moulding technique developed by Galloway in New Zealand, and for which they hold worldwide design registrations.

Mac boats have been around for about 23 years, with a strong domestic market (see www.macboats.com for the 19 dealers around the country) as well as a history of exports to Australia and many countries in the Pacific Islands, the UK, Asia and the Americas. Galloway International currently employs 31 staff and estimate that about 5500 Mac boats have been produced.

The Mac 390 is a new model. It is a shallow-draft hull aimed at lake, estuary and other inshore work. I borrowed a 390 from West Harbour (Auckland) Mac dealership The Brokerage, and along with Fishing News staffer Steve Pattullo, took it for a run off Auckland’s Whangaparaoa Peninsula on a crisp, calm winter’s day.

Construction

Polyethylene has high impact resistance (it is used in the manufacture of bulletproof vests and ‘super-braid’ fishing lines). It is tough stuff, and demonstrations at various boat shows have included beating boats with a sledgehammer and displaying a section of hull blasted by a shotgun.

Mac hulls are colourfast and have a high resistance to heat distortion. Polyethylene is non-corrosive, can be welded if repairs are ever needed, is non-toxic (it is used widely in the food industry), is quiet in the water and inherently buoyant, even before construction.

To the basic thermoplastic is added colour (white/grey is standard but other colours are available) and UV stabilisers. Its rated life in sunlight is well in excess of thirty years.

The boat is formed by rotational moulding at 250°C. The hull is formed in one integral piece with outer and inner shells connected – there are no hull welds or joins – and a five-year structural hull warranty is offered. In the case of the 390 a sheet of polyethylene is added internally to give a flat deck.

The Mac 390 has variable hull thickness ranging from 5-8mm, depending on which part of the hull you measure. Much of the internal space between the skins is filled with expanding foam, further stiffening the hull and providing a huge amount of reserve buoyancy. The makers give the figure of 1500kg, a massive amount for a small boat. The hull is rated for up to four people (300kg), and the reserve buoyancy includes this figure.

The transom is beefed up by a 6mm aluminium plate unit where the engine is mounted, and a battery box is built through the stern thwart.

The Mac 390 is certified to Maritime Safety NZ, US Coastguard and Maritime Safety Queensland and CE standards.

Power and performance

At 3.9m (12.78 feet) and with a hull-only weight of 130kg, the Mac 390 is relatively easily pushed along. Recommended horsepower is 25-50hp. The test boat had a long-shaft Suzuki DF 30hp four-stroke fitted, swinging a standard 12-inch pitch prop.

It was a magnificent, glass-calm day when we headed out. Although the boat is rated for four people, neither Steve nor I could be called Tinkerbelles, so along with about 25 litres of fuel, a decent chilly bin, lunch and tackle, the two of us made a reasonable load. Although we had no tacho or speedo (the engine had only just been fitted), I would estimate our best speed at around 25 knots (about 46kph) at top-end revs (around 5500-6100rpm, according to ‘the book’).

The hull didn’t exactly leap onto plane initially, but this aspect of performance improved markedly when, later in the day, several heavy bags were moved from the bow locker to the back of the boat. Even so, if planning to take reasonable loads or to use the rig as a light ski boat or for towing water toys, a 40 or 50hp outboard may be preferable to a 30hp.

Fuel usage is modest in a relatively light boat with a 30hp four-stroke engine. In a half-day of buzzing about and a couple of hours drift-fishing and running up our drift line three or four times, we used approximately six litres of petrol – cheap boating in these financially-constrained times.

Despite having only a 10° deadrise, the polyethylene hull and four-stroke outboard were quiet and smooth through the water. These hulls have a bit of flex between the two skins, which also helps, absorbing vibration and jarring. The worst of the seas we encountered would have been no more than a half-metre (remembering that this small craft is designed mostly for protected waters) and we enjoyed a soft ride.

Anchoring

The anchor well is under a hatch in the foredeck, accessible by reaching over the ‘screen. A tie-off cleat is fitted in the well for the end of the warp, and a bollard behind the well ties off the warp when the anchor is set.

What is not reachable is the fairlead, mounted low down out on the pointy end. Not only can you not reach it or climb out to it, but the fairlead is in a position where the warp is bound to slip out when the boat is anchored in any sort of head sea. A pair of skene bow chocks is fitted to the sides of the bow – perhaps handy when tying up to a wharf, but they would cause the boat to kite around if used when anchored.

The answer to all this would be to fit split bow rails that come down hard on each side of the fairlead. The warp could be easily flipped in and out of the fairlead, with the rails acting as guides, and they would constrain the warp in the fairlead when anchored.

Layout

The 390 is fitted with a robust, curved polycarbonate ‘screen. It is of a good angle and height to deflect the wind rush over the heads of passenger and helmsman when seated.

A small, sloping dash is suited to fitting basic engine instrumentation and a combination LCD sounder/GPS; all that is required in a modest craft like this. VHF and switching can be flush-mounted into the face of the console below the wheel. Cable steering is fitted and perfectly adequate for engines of the class required on a boat of this size.

A recess is set into the base of the console in front of the helmsman, presumably for the feet, to provide a bit more comfort. If this is the purpose, it needs to be a bit wider to fit both of my feet. A grab rail is fitted for the passenger.

A stowage locker fitted into the bow is accessed through a decent-sized hatch in the forward bulkhead.

Seating is provided by two thwarts, one at the helm and another across in front of the transom. The stern thwart has a battery box set into the centre. On the test boat we were using a single 25-litre tote-tank, half of which fitted into one of the spaces under the stern thwart. This was a bit of a space eater, and the obvious thing to do is use two 12.5-litre tanks, one to each side. These should (without measuring) fit neatly under the thwart, out of the way. Having two tanks like this also puts you on notice, when changing tanks, that you have used half your fuel.

Two grab rails on the stern quarters double as tie-off points. Over the transom, on either side of the stern, are small platforms. One is blocked by the steering and electrical cables, but the other could be fitted with a fold-down boarding ladder to help divers and swimmers board; the stability afforded by the pontoon configuration should allow this.

On the back of the transom, under the platform, a raised section of moulding should allow a transducer to be screwed on without compromising the hull’s integrity. A robust rubbing strip is fitted right around the boat.

Fishability

The foam-filled pontoon configuration, added to the 10° deadrise and down-turned chines, give this boat excellent stability and a very high degree of reserve buoyancy. You can stand up and move around in it if you need to, although we found it more convenient to fish seated.

When fitting out small boats, space is an issue and it pays to fish the hull a time or two to see what you really need. This was easy as the test boat had nothing fitted except the engine, steering and throttle/shift. On this day Steve and I did a little drifting with soft-baits. With no sounder or GPS we were winging it a bit; we were late in the tide and it was midday in the middle of winter. However, over a couple of hours we managed to boat half-a-dozen 1-2kg snapper and john dory – plenty for a feed.

A medium-sized chillybin stores the catch; for bait fishing it could also store bait and have a cutting board fitted to the top. It can be moved around as required and removed, fish and all, at the end of the trip. Landing net and gaff are basics.

There are many options for rod holders, and every fisherman will have their own ideas. The manufacturers offer an option of two, presumably flush-mounted in the pontoon tops, as is normal for Mac. I think a minimum of four holders are needed – one on each side to suit fishing from the front or back thwart. Other options to through-gunwale types fitted into the pontoons (these holders will not be easy to drain) include: vertical holders screwed to the inside faces of the pontoons; through-gunwale types fitted through the thwarts; or the bracket-mounted adjustable types, such as those made by Scotty.

With the electronics already mentioned, you have all the basics for a useful inshore fishing boat.

Trailering

The trailer supplied with this boat is a DMW A-frame, which continues the theme of simplicity; single axle, zinc-protected leaf-spring suspension and, with the exception of a single keel entry roller, polyethylene-lined bench supports make this trailer low maintenance. Guide rails help when loading and backing the trailer, and the boat slips on easily. Fittings include a manual dual-ratio winch, submersible lights and jockey wheel. Tow weight is around 450kg; easy meat for the average vehicle.

All in all

With its forward steering position and racy lines there is a temptation to think this boat is larger than it actually is, but at 3.9m (12.78 feet) it is border-line between a dinghy and a runabout. Considering this, the 390 is an excellent performer for its size.

The shallow draft of this hull and silence of polyethylene in the water suits it particularly to fishing estuarine, lake and inshore areas, while the modest cost of buying, towing and running this boat will provide a lot of fishing and family fun in these cash-constrained times.

Specifications

Material polyethylene plastic
Configuration pontoon runabout
LOA 3.9m
External beam 1.76m
Internal beam 1.37m
Hull thickness 5-8mm
Deadrise 10° variable
Recommended
horsepower 25-50hp
Test engine
Suzuki DF 30hp four stroke (L)
Propeller 12” pitch
Trailer DMW
Tow weight 450kg approx
Capacity 4 persons
Warranty 5 years
Hull only $8,625
Key turn package
(Yamaha 25hp) $18,199
Test boat courtesy of
The Brokerage, West Harbour, Auckland.

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