yeah, raincoat AND googles!

great stability, feel really safe, quite nippy with the 50 but wet.  I think ill pick my days which will keep me dry. Did you notice you have to keep the motor trimmed up a bit to avoid backwash when slowing abrubtly or a  heavy following sea. the other thing is how much would it cost to put the fisherman front on, I got the boat cheap  and would still come out on top.[not sure on that] over cap?

I almost completely swamped mine Rahui taking some large waves (wake) over the stern anchored stern on in a river rip while fishing... filled the boat almost completley, stayed quite stable and still felt safe. The bilge pump took ages to empty it out.  My 420 was a standard CC I fitted out from a bare hull, loved it, you can fit the double console from the 570 as well for a bit more protection and add clears and a top.  I doubt you'd get much change from $2k to fit the cuddy and then you'll need new cables etc.

Hi

too true, I just don,t want to over capitilize , a small boat is a small boat and cost should be relative.

They are quiet, warm to the touch, solid, any holes easily repaired with a soldering iron and a sliver cut-off with a craft knife from somewhere inconspicuous. They ride well in a chop - predictable and hell of a stable thanks to the ridiculous wide 2.2m beam (which is a negative if you have a small garage like me!).

The freeboard is a bit low and they take more horsepower to perform compared to a tinny. IMO 50hp is minimum for the 420 and 25/30hp minimum for the 360.  Great value for money and safe. I would put a Kiwicraft 440 over a Mac 420 however.

I think mac have changed the chine on the new macs and apparently a little dryer.They are a little pricey for what they are and I suppose it is up to mac to become competitive and innovative as well, they are over due to put something new out there, especially  if you want to keep in the race.

Thats good to hear mate! Im sure you and the family will get heaps of enjoyment out of it for a long while! And your right, being a short ass you should be able to hide behind the dodger haha. Good idea with the icey tec to, would be primo. 

Me and a mate went out with this old bushman dude a few years back in his mac 360/ 15hp zook 4 stroke out from onetai by waikawau beach, north taranaki. His large forrestry/hunting block bordered some prime remote fishing so a beach launch was the go, been a surfer of 25 years i know a thing or 2 about reading the waves etc.. however he was a stubborn old bugga and not listening to my suggestion of an easy launch in a big flat hole 200mtrs down the beach and with no shorebreak, we ended up going straight off his batch in a 1.5mtr breaking wave filled surf zone. Nevermind he said.. 'might get a cupla greenies over the front but f it'. Long story short we did indeed take a couple over the front and completey swamped it but bugga me that little mac stayed afloat and the zook kept pushing us no probs.

yes I am from hawkesbay and the incident was a real tradegy.  the boil is a vey dangerous place especially at low tide, the waves can really climb up off the reef out of know where.