Export Prize Boat Christened

It did not take the Export NZ Fishing Competition prize boat winner Stuart Webb long to christen his new toy, heading out from Raglan for a snapper fish in August.

Although work and family commitments juggled with suitable weather breaks have meant Stuart has had limited opportunities to give his new rig a run, its first outing on the west coast saw him realise the boat’s fishing potential.

Launching from the Manu Bay ramp with a couple of mates on board, the crew headed out wide to the 50-metre mark with snapper the target species.

“It was a bit sloppy, but the boat (a yet-to-be-named Extreme 545 Centre Console) handled it well. Coming home, the sea had flattened out, so I was able to give the 90HP Honda a good squirt and was impressed,”  Stuart says.

The Hamilton angler was “very happy” with his $80,000 rig, which he won as the major lucky angler draw of the measure-based Export NZ Fishing Competition. Stuart weighed in a 54cm snapper that put him in the draw, along with several thousand other anglers who entered a fish in the year-long event. It was the first fish Stuart had entered in the event, enabling anglers to compete nationwide over a range of popular species with over $100,000 in prizes up for grabs.

The trip gave Stuart a chance to put the Shimano jig and soft-bait outfits to the test, all part of the prize, including a Lowrance Elite FS 9 electronics package.

The boat’s ‘fishability’ was also noted, with three anglers having plenty of space and the walk-around configuration ideal for lure fishing.

It was also Stuart’s first encounter with the GFab alloy trailer bench-style set-up.

“At Manu Bay, which is often open to the swell, you must quickly get the boat on and off the trailer. The bench-style set-up where slides are used instead of rollers enables you to do this.”

Stuart was also impressed with the U-Dek underfoot and on the gunwales. “It is very comfortable, especially in bare feet, and sets the boat off well, as does the Brave Design wrap.”

Expressing his gratitude once again to Export and all the other sponsors, Stuart says his next trip will be to the Coromandel mussel farms.

And does he have any names in mind? Karma seems to be a front-runner! – Grant Dixon