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Yellowfin Plate 7000 Centre Cab and 7600 Southerner Hard Top

WE hear it all the time, “Fishing boats built by fishermen”. And to be fair, after many years of boating journalism, most fishing boats are built by fisherman. But Yellowfin Plate has taken this to a whole new level. There are so many small innovations that make a massive difference, but left us thinking, only a fisho who has spent a lot of time on the water would be able to think of such things.

Yellowfin Plate has released a number of new and revised models in the range and Fisho was lucky enough to be on the Gold Coast to review the Yellowfin Plate 7000 Centre Cab and 7600 Southerner Hard Top. The hulls are a new build that are designed for offshore fishing. The build is a 6mm bottom with 4mm sides that feels rock solid from the helm. The Yellowfin Plate range is built by Quintrex and after doing a factory walk through and chatting to the blokes that build these hulls, there’s a lot of knowledge and experience that goes into each build. These things are not built at the back of a the Quintrex factory by the same blokes who are welding up the tinnies. Instead, Yellowfin has its own factory, its own builders and even its own research and development team. It’s refreshing to see this approach to boat building from Yellowfin Plate.

7000 Centre Cab Starting with the 7000 Centre Cab, the layout is a generous deck space with a small but functional cabin that will sleep one or a couple overnight. If sleeping a couple, ensure that whoever you are sleeping with is happy to “spoon” for the night because it will be cosy. There is plenty of room in there for storage and is ideal for a portable toilet. The cabin is lockable which is a huge plus and is also a walk around so the cosy design is well justified. The helm is very neat and big enough to have a 12-inch sounder and navigation system build into the console. The test boat also had the Evinrude dials such as speed, trim and fuel mounted above the sounder with room to spare. With the price and the size of electronics these days, having all the gear flush mounted into big consoles is a big tick in the box.

The seats have been dramatically improved. Sitting in a chair that feels like a real skipper’s seat is very nice. The windscreen allows for excellent protection from weather and spray and comes down the side of the boat enough to offer protection from the weather, even when at anchor or trolling. The top has fold down rocket launches and water deflectors to prevent rain and spray dropping off the back on the hard top and all over the poor bloke standing behind the skipper’s chair.

The transom has a very well-designed bait board with a live bait tank on one side and transom door on the other. The live bait tank has a viewing window and the transom door is a quick and easy lift to open mechanism instead of a bolt that can be cumbersome. It’s all these little touches that left me thinking that the Yellowfin Plates have been designed by a team that has spent a lot of time on the water.

The big heavy plate hull did not disappoint on the ride quality. Powered by 200hp Evinrude, the hull was able to be trimmed to lift the bow which created a very soft and quite ride. The Evinrude pulled the 7000 Centre Cab out of the hole nicely and had it cruising at 23 knots at only 3500 RPM. Baxter Bolton from Yellowfin Plate was kind enough to do the math and with its 320L fuel tank, this cruising speed allows for a range of just under 400kph. Opening the 200 HO Evinrude up achieved a top speed of over 38 knots. Boat, motor and fuel will push the 7000 Centre Cab to over 1500kgs which was surprising. This is a lot of boat for 1500kgs and feels a lot heavier on the water but can be towed by the family 4WD or work ute without any problem. Overall, it is a very impressive offshore fishing boat that needs to be seen to do it justice. The welds are clean and the finish is hard to fault. It’s bound to impress as much at the boat ramp as it will on the water.

7600 Southerner Hard Top The 7600 Southerner Hard Top is without doubt the flagship of the Yellowfin Plate range and has it all for the serious offshore angler. Built to the same quality and standards as all the Yellowfin Plate range but as soon as you step on board, it has the feel if a big and luxurious hull. It still has the checker-plate floor and fishermen’s layout so we are not talking limousine luxurious, but fishing luxurious. The seats are better than my lounge at home and the cabin is big enough to sleep two in comfort with “spooning” being an option, not a necessity. The seats can even be optioned up with suspension making them even more comfortable and good for those of us that get a sore back after a day on the water. It has all the basics as well as the innovations that the 7000 Centre Cab has but with added deck space, a massive 380L fuel tank, 2.4m beam with a 7.6m hull. It will come in at 2000kgs with boat, motor and fuel so can still be towed by the family 4WD. The Southerner Hard Top has an amazing range of over 700kms at a cruising speed of 20 knots at 3000 RPM. If that doesn’t get you to the reef and back you are doing something wrong. But for anglers who want to be out for a few days, this is the boat that will allow that to happen without filling the deck with fuel cans.

From the helm it is a very simple hull to operate and as to be expected, the 300 ponies bolted to the transom has no trouble pushing the 7.6m hull along. The 300hp E-Tec has a real rumble to it and we loved the sheer grunt that comes from such a powerful engine. The Evinrude did the hull justice and had no trouble launching the Yellowfin Plate and managed to top speed of 42 knots.

The transom is similar to the 7000 but with a bigger and better bait board with a very impressive built in tackle box that holds 10 full size tackle trays. Anyone who has tried to keep the boat uncluttered while fishing will tell you how nice it is to have a full sized, built in tackle box and if you haven’t experienced this before, you’re about to be spoilt.

Fishability As impressive as these hulls are, they are designed for fishing. Whether you use it in the bays, bottom bashing the reefs or trolling the blue water, the Yellowfin Plate is a very comfortable hull to fish from. The gunwales are a good height to play a fish in with enough room to dig the knees into the bottom of the gunwale when it gets a little rough. The transom has plenty of rod holders on the massive bait board and the walk around design of the 7000 Centre Cab is perfect for playing in the big ones. While the 7600 is not a walk around, the standard rails with a non-slip surface underfoot makes getting past the cab and onto the bow very easy. There are fishing options galore so Yellowfin Plate have the bay angler covered as well as the game fisho who wants to troll a spread out wide all day long. The massive fuel tanks come at the expense of no kill tank which will only upset mackerel and wahoo anglers whose fish will need to be cut up before they will fit in the eskies under the seats. Everything else including big snapper and most king fish will squeeze in and the quality as well as their positioning will make sure the catch is colder for a lot longer than any floor mounted kill tank could manage.

There’s too much to cover completely in this review so to do these hulls justice. Keep an eye out for the new Yellowfin Plate range at your dealer or next boat show. The entire range left us very impressed. The Yellowfin Plate range has a Platinum model which is loaded with options as well as a base price (Noted below) for those who prefer to option the hull up themselves.

For more information: www.yellowfinplateboats.com.au

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• Boat Reviews

Yellowfin 42 CC – Boat Review

• By John Brownlee
• Updated: August 18, 2013

When I was growing up, a 25-foot outboard-powered center console was considered a big boat. These days, though, it seems the sky’s the limit on how big and fast that same type of boat can be. The new, powerful four-stroke outboard engines have been combined with modern hull designs and lighter-weight construction principles to produce boats that provide performance no one could have envisioned a few decades ago.

I experienced that new level of performance recently with ­Wylie Nagler, founder and president of Yellowfin Yachts, when we took a test ride aboard his company’s new 42-footer. Powered by triple 350-horsepower Yamahas, the boat comes up on plane with no appreciable bow rise, and in a matter of seconds, you’re loping along at 45 mph.

Nagler steered the 42 out of Big Sarasota Pass on Florida’s west coast at just such a speed, straight into a steep three- to four-foot chop whipped up by an approaching squall line. Being 42 feet long definitely helps in such a situation as the hull reaches across the troughs between waves, virtually eliminating any pounding. The 42 basically ignored the seas as we blasted past the sea buoy into the open Gulf of Mexico.

Yellowfin’s stepped-hull design introduces air onto the running surface, reducing friction and enabling faster speeds, and the 42 proved as nimble as its smaller siblings in the Yellowfin line. Like them, it also proved to be quite dry; the windy conditions and short chop we encountered during our test are the perfect combination to throw spray in your face when approached at the wrong angle, but the big Yellowfin kept spray to a minimum regardless of how we hit the waves.

Back in the protected waters of the bay, we let the big boat stretch out, hitting 62 mph wide open. It’s an exhilarating feeling traveling along at 60-plus miles an hour in a boat of this size, and it maneuvers with the agility of a much smaller vessel. Envision a giant Porsche, maybe.

Although speed and ride set the 42 apart, that’s not the main story with this boat. At the core, it’s a no-holds-barred fishing machine, with features and amenities galore to make serious offshore fishermen happy. In the cockpit, you’ll find two huge in-deck insulated fish boxes, port and starboard — those are the small ones. The really mammoth box lies forward of the console; that one holds 530 quarts. All of them drain via macerators.

A fully customizable rocket launcher sits at the forward end of the cockpit. Want another huge livewell to complement the 80-gallon well that comes standard in the transom bulkhead? No problem. Or you can outfit the space as a massive tackle storage area — it’s up to you. Our test boat’s unit featured two aft-facing seats with three large tackle drawers beneath a rigging station.

At the helm, we found bolster-style seating for three people, with fold-up/fold-down backrests for easy driving whether you’re sitting or standing. A large electronics-mounting surface above the helm had plenty of room to accommodate the two 19-inch Simrad NSO displays mounted there — a truly outstanding setup.

The centered helm offered great visibility in all directions, and all 12-volt operations on the boat were run through the CZone digital-interface system from New Zealand. This ­innovative system eliminates all switches, instead allowing the operator to turn things on and off electronically through a single CZone display screen, or through an interface with the Simrad system. It’s a very slick way to do things, once you get the hang of it, and it comes with a fail-safe backup system in the unlikely case of an electronics failure.

Beneath the console lie two six-foot-six-inch berths, ­extending forward beneath the foredeck. There’s a full marine head — standard equipment — and a shower as well, plus a flat-screen-TV option.

On the forward end of the console, a large sun pad sits atop a big storage box –– great for holding loose gear –– that opens on gas rams . But the entire bow area is about storage, with boxes beneath the forward wraparound seats, and two subdeck storage boxes outboard of the aforementioned fish box, and a third in front of it in the deck. There are even tilt-out bins in the hullsides that are perfect for holding items like dock lines. At the bow, an anchor receiver held a stainless-steel plow anchor, and the forward anchor locker contained an optional windlass.

The 42 excels at another type of storage too: rod storage. I already mentioned the 14 rod holders around the forward sun pad; there are six more atop the transom bulkhead, four in the rocket launcher, and three under each gunwale. That’s 32 rods before you ever install a single holder in the covering boards. On our test boat, the owner had opted for 10 per side, bringing his rod-storage capacity to 52. That ought to do it.

The Yellowfin 42 isn’t the only huge outboard boat on the market; in fact, these boats seem to be popping up with ever-increasing frequency, but it’s easy to understand the attraction. The ability to run hard in substantial seas and cover lots of ground when others are at the dock appeals to many of us. And with the Yellowfin, you get peace of mind in knowing that the company’s construction methods are state-of-the-art, using high-tech coring materials, all blended together into Yellowfin’s famous level of fit and finish.

These are good things to have when you’re far from the sight of land and the wind’s blowing hard. The Yellowfin 42 was built just for those of us who like it that way.

• More: Boat Reviews , Yellowfin yachts

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Are Yellowfin Boats Reliable & Good? (Helpful Tips)

Yellowfin Yachts is a premium brand located in Florida.

Their lines of expensive boats are a common sight along the lower east coast of the United States.

Beyond their sticker price, are they a good brand of boats?

Here’s how good Yellowfin Boats are:

Yellowfin Yachts are well-built boats using the highest quality materials by expert craftsmen, and each one is custom-built. They are expensive compared to similar models, but they are very good boats and well-regarded for their performance and functionality.

Table of Contents

A Brief History of Yellowfin Boats

Wylie Nagler grew up in Miami, Florida, and spent time as a boat rigger.

Later he started his first company, Back Country Powerboats, and it proved to be successful; he sold the company to Champion in 1998.

That same year he founded the Yellowfin Yacht company. Their original focus was on the premium center console market.

He sold his first Yellowfin boat at the 2000 Miami Boat Show.

From that time, the company built a reputation for high-quality and high-dollar center console boats. They are a highly recognized brand of saltwater boats, having expanded from just center consoles. They use the best quality materials in all of their boats, leading to the expense.

One design focus is to build boats that withstand traveling at high speeds. Nagler has a background in powerboat racing and wanted boats that could handle the rigors of high speeds.

Yellowfin boats are manufactured in Bradenton, Florida, in a facility that has grown to 150,000 square feet in 16 separate buildings.

Everything from design to testing to manufacturing is done in-house by the company; there are no outside contract designers or builders. Several of their models are customizable by owners, such as seating arrangements.

In June of 2021, Yellowfin was acquired by Warbird Marine Holdings. This company also owns the Invincible brand.

Both of the brands will be independently managed and operated, and Wylie Nagler remains President of Yellowfin.

How Reliable Are Yellowfin Boats?

Yellowfin Yachts’ primary focus is on offshore fishing.

They have a strong reputation for riding smoothly through waves at high speeds.

The wiring on Yellowfin boats is well-regarded among owners, being laid out in rows with clear markings and different colors for different functions. Some of it is exposed inside the console, though, and some owners have expressed concerns that saltwater might reach the wiring in some conditions.

The various models are known to have plenty of live well space for the catch. The layout, which on some models is customizable, is praised by most owners.

The boats have more than adequate power, usually with Mercury motors. Despite the high-end performance, they are regarded to be fuel-efficient.

How Durable Are Yellowfin Boats?

The boats are carefully and solidly constructed vinylester resin, with all models over 24 feet having hand-laid fiberglass.

Yellowfin boats do have balsa wood coring, but it is completely encased in fiberglass. Though the danger of rotting exists if water was to get past the fiberglass and into the wood, careful construction prevents this from happening. There are no reports on the internet of this actually occurring.

The Yellowfin 36 Center Console has been a staple of their company for most of its existence and is among the most well-regarded fishing boats on the water. It sports many of its nicer features beyond the solid construction, such as pop-up cleats and running lights, recesses bow rails, and recessed lighting.

When searching forums for information on the durability of a Yellowfin boat, it is difficult to find anyone who has had a problem due to the construction.

While commenters may complain about the cost, there are no negative comments on the manufacturer’s durability. It is acknowledged to be among the most durable brands in the marine industry.

What About Older Yellowfin Boats?

Since Yellowfin Yachts has only been in existence for a couple of decades, it isn’t easy to gauge their long-term durability with certainty.

But based on the accumulated evidence to this point, there is every reason to believe they will remain as solid a boat as they age, as they are now.

The same high construction standards and processes have always been a hallmark of the brand. There has been no change in personnel or ownership during their existence that would signal a drop in quality that other brands may have experienced.

Some early models had fiberglass fuel tanks. While no problems have been reported due to this, it was enough of a concern among buyers that by 2008 all models had aluminum tanks.

Do They Still Make Parts For Older Models?

Most parts that have been used over the years by Yellowfin are still being made.

Since all of their manufacturing has been in the same plant for all of its existence, it is a straightforward matter to get replacement parts for older boats.

Most owners needing replacement parts will go through the dealer network, but some owners have reported success in going directly to the company on certain difficult issues.

A few online companies are selling Yellowfin replacement parts, but not as many as with other brands. This is due to the fewer number of Yellowfin boats compared to other brands and the ease of getting parts from the company. Boatoufitters.com has the largest selection of OEM Yellowfin parts.

There is also a Yellowfin Owners’ Group on Facebook that is active and may assist in tracking down an obscure part.

What Are Typical Problems With Yellowfin Boats?

There are very few reported online problems by owners of Yellowfin boats, and some of them are common to all brands of powerboats.

It may be that the dearth of problems reported is a factor of their relatively fewer number in comparison to other brands, but it seems more likely that this is a factor of the quality construction.

That said, a few owners have raised issues with their thru-hull fittings. Many of these are stainless steel. Some owners that leave their boats in the water have found that these corrode. 

Opinions split on this issue online, but most feel that bronze is better as a material for thru-hulls. Still, more to the point that electrical currents at marinas are the real culprit, and owners with this problem are not replacing their zincs.

Some of the larger Yellowfin boats with Deep-V have been reported to scrape when launching from a trailer. These are isolated reports, though, and may be a factor of where they were being launched, rather than being a problem with the brand.

A few older boats have reported live well leaks, but this does not seem to be widespread.

While the Mercury engines that Yellowfins use have a good reputation, they are also known to get water in the heads when shifting between gears too quickly. Some owners have reported this occurring.

How Long Do Yellowfin Boats Last Compared To Similar Brands?

Given that Yellowfin Yachts has been in existence only a couple of decades, there is still not enough data here to make a certain judgment.

But going by the feedback from owners that we do have, there is every reason to believe that a Yellowfin will be around for a very long time. There are very few forum posts that indicate any problem in the construction materials or methods.

Older models that are listed for sale show little or no evidence of soft decks or spiderweb cracks in the gel coat that you might expect.

As always, the caveat here is that even the best boat will fall apart if it is poorly maintained.

Do Yellowfin Boats Hold Their Value?

Yellowfin boats have a reputation for holding their value pretty well over the years.

It is notable that they are not listed on the NADA guides, though. This is rumored to be because the company does not report its sales data to NADA and asks its resellers to do the same.

Whatever the truth, it is harder to get good data on what Yellowfin boats actually resell for than it is for other brands.

There is a website called yellowfinboatsforsale.com that lists only Yellowfins, but they do not list what the boats actually sell for, just the asking price. The best way to assess their value is to find reviews of a certain year and then find that model listed for sale now.

For example, a review of the 42′ Offshore in 2017 listed the price as $456,903, plus another $58,000 in options. The closest to that model listed on yellowfinboatsforsale.com was a 2016 model listed at $475,000 after a “major price reduction.” Suppose this boat sells at $450,000, which is about a depreciation of 13%, which is outstanding.

It is noteworthy that the other 42′ Offshores listed on that website are all listed for more money.

While this is far from conclusive, which is very difficult given the very limited sales data available to the public, it does fall in line with what Yellowfin owners claim, that their boats hold their value very well.

Are Yellowfin Boats Still Being Made?

Yellowfin Yachts is still in business and having more success than ever.

They sell 14 different models of boats, all of them designed for fishing. They do not advertise the prices on their website.

The heart of the company is the line of offshore boats, most of which are center consoles. There are 8 base models, from 29 to 54 feet in length. 

They also make some skiffs and bay boats, ranging in size from 17 feet to 26 feet.

Nearly all of these models offer some degree of customization. By playing around with the features on their website, you can configure a model to your liking and then ask them for a price.

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Yellowfin Plate Southerner 7000 HT review

July 19, 2019

YELLOWFIN Plate is hoping to make a big impression with its recent brand relaunch.

You may not be familiar with the Yellowfin Plate name, yet the brand has a 35-year history in Australia. Think of the Yellowfin family tree in a similar vein to the Hemsworth family and you’re on the right track. So you’ve got Quintrex (Chris), Stacer (Liam) and Yellowfin (Luke). Basically, it’s the less-renowned brother of well-known sibling brands.

However, Yellowfin Plate doesn’t want to fade into the background and let its siblings garner all the fame and attention, no, it wants to kick serious goals with serious offshore boats hand built in southeast Queensland. Apart from being hand built, what has the brand one in relaunching itself to pop up on your radar? A focus on customer comfort is key, with increased spacing between helm seats, dry storage, massive fuel tanks, increased dash space for up to 16” electronics and more helping to make stepping into a Yellowfin for an offshore fishing trip an inviting proposition.

On a recent test day leaving from Manly on Brisbane’s bayside I was able to step aboard a number of new Yellowfin Plate models, but I spent the most time on the 7000 Southerner HT. This 6.98m boat certainly isn’t lacking in visual impact, especially not as tested with deep, gloss grey paintwork covering the majority of surfaces including the h-u-g-e cabin and hard top. Designed to comfortably punch through a coastal bar and then spend at least a night offshore, cabin space and comfort were clearly priorities during design.

These two boxes are well and truly ticked by the big Southerner, with loads of walking room between the helm seats, masses of headroom (even for six-footers and above), a panoramic glasshouse and enough cushioned sleeping room to comfortably accommodate two adults. The joy of a 7m platform is a massive cabin does little to impede on fishing room, and the 7000 Southerner has no problem fitting three fishos along one side of the boat. Handy with a rated capacity of seven people!

Looking at the spec sheet, the options list is mighty tempting but this is no bare-bones special, with standard features including carpeted cabin storage, live bait tank, outrigger mounting plates, windscreen wiper, self-draining treadplate (checker plate) deck, Zipwake trim tabs and more. Our test boat was understandably plumped with a few tasty extras such as the aforementioned grey paint, an electric motor bow mount plate (spot locking is the new anchoring, duh), driver’s seat with suspension and a few other niceties throughout the cabin. I tell you what, you absolutely feel like the ocean is your oyster when sitting in the driver’s pew.

The expansive wraparound windscreen, high seating position and just that feeling of security in a hard top provide the perfect platform for oceanic exploring. The test boat was fitted with the maximum horsepower in the form of an Evinrude E-TEC G2 225hp HO. I remain a sucker for the maximum rated horses on a boat and damn, every time I jump back in an E-TEC-powered boat I’m reminded of just how bloody punchy these motors are.

Acceleration is genuinely savage, especially when hitting the throttle from a cruise, with the motor responding without hesitation and rocketing the bow towards the horizon. The rolling acceleration is truly addictive (perfect for bar crossings), and I felt the 225 HO was well matched to the hull, able to settle into a comfy 46km/h cruise at barely 3500rpm, just humming along out the back. Despite all its fury, the big E-TEC showed its direct-injection tech isn’t all for show by returning impressive economy numbers when matched to the 1250kg hull (dry).

That 46km/h cruise speed saw the Evinrude drinking 24.4 litres of fuel per hour, which thanks to a 320-litre fuel tank equates to a range of over 600km! As I said, the ocean is your oyster. Flat out during testing with one person on board, the 7000 Southerner HT and E-TEC 225 HO combo topped 82km/h at 6000rpm, which is more than enough to ruffle your feathers in an open boat but feels barely half that speed when cocooned in the comfort of the big hard top.

With a bunch of other Yellowfin Plate models getting about on the test day, I took the opportunity to run amok over their wakes in order to give the 7000 Southerner something of a challenge. The big plate boat just ate up whatever I threw at it, with the Zipwake trim tabs ensuring the hull ran straight and true even when surfing a sizeable wave. Its 6mm bottom sheets dissected any smaller waves with aplomb and nudging the nose up once on the plane, I found the ride to be incredibly soft for an alloy boat.

A little bit of alloy slap permeates the hull when copping a wave on the front quarters but apart from that it’s a remarkably quiet boat under way. And boy does that suspension seat ensure you remain comfy no matter the conditions. Overall, the Yellowfin Plate 7000 Southerner HT is an easy boat to like. Big, beamy and comfy as a lounge chair yet able to explore the farthest reaches of most offshore fishing grounds, you’ll want for nothing, especially after taking a quick trip down options lane.

You can get into a 7000 Southerner HT as tested for about $95,000 from Brisbane Quintrex, though prices start at $85,625 with a 200hp ETEC. For more information on the Yellowfin range, visit yellowfinplateboats.com.au

To see the boats in person and find the one that’s right for you, drop by Brisbane Quintrex at 3775 Pacific Highway, Loganholme or head to brisbanequintrex.com.au

About Daniel Tomlinson

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One comment

The 7000 Yellowfin Southerner is an amazing boat that competes with the best and you get much more value for your dollar.

I am going to see the boys at Brisbane Quintrex and see if I can get an amazing deal.

The motor runs at 84 klm @ wide out throttle which is very quick for a boat this size.

Very soft ride which feels comfortable in the chop.

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2019 Yellowfin 5800 Folding Hard Top review

Yellowfin plate has added a garage-friendly folding hard top option to its expanded range of plate aluminium boats.

One of the problems raised by some Yellowfin Plate boat owners was that not everyone has a big shed out the back of the house with plenty of space in which to store their pride and joy. Yellowfin Plate has listened, and in response has added a new model to its line-up with a folding hardtop and windscreen that crunches down to a size that makes it compact enough to fit in most ordinary car garages.

Available in three sizes – ranging 5.8 metres, 6.2 metres and 6.54 metres in length – the new folding hard top is expected to be one of the stronger sellers of the new-for-2019 Yellowfin Plate range – even if most owners are unlikely to ever drop them.

This is the Yellowfin Plate model optimised for urban ownership. If you need to squeeze the boat into a garage alongside the Holden Commodore, pulling back the aluminium roof to its stowed position, and rotating the windscreen back into the cabin will crunch the height of the boat as it sits on the trailer back to a compact 2.12 metres.

The hard top can change configuration on the fly. If it starts raining, you can drop the leading edge of the roof down to the top of the windscreen, lock it in place and still enjoy good, well-protected forward visibility through the windscreen. Add a set of clears, and the protection from the elements gets even better.

You’ll notice that the name of Yellowfin Plate’s most compact model now reflects its length far more accurately than the boats these replace; the 5800 measures 5840mm long.

Price and equipment

Brisbane Quintrex has boat, motor and trailer packages for the Yellowfin 5800 FHT starting from $56,955. This price includes an Evinrude 135 HO outboard engine, 12 months of Queensland boat and trailer registration, safety gear, and a battery.

You might wince a bit at the sticker shock, but bear in mind that this is a premium product compared with other members of the Quintrex stable – Yellowfin Plate is still technically part of the Quintrex family. The extra stretch in price shows in the quality of the fit and finish – not to mention the full standing headroom hardtop that at the tug of a handle and the flip of two catches becomes a coupe.

One twist for the revitalised Yellowfin Plate line-up is the introduction of a Platinum Pack, a collection of features that most buyers used to pick up for the old range but neatly bundled into a set-and-forget box to tick on the order form.

This includes cabin lining, cushions and backrests, an LED light package, a GME GX750B VHF radio, a three-step dive ladder and transom door, a pair of stainless steel sinker cups that help fishers re-bait lines at the gunnels, a burley bucket and raw water deck wash, a flip-up rear lounge with backrest (the folded-down lounge now leaves enough clearance to allow feet to fit underneath after customer feedback from owners), a transom cutting board, and a covered spare wheel for the trailer. All this adds another $7570 to the Yellowfin 5800 FHT’s base price.

One other part of the Platinum Pack that needs separate mention is that the pack also gives owners a choice of hull colours from the stock white. The dark grey hull on light grey interior of our test boat looks the business.

Hull and engineering

The 5800 is the most radically changed model in the entire Yellowfin Plate line-up. Extra beamy at 2.4m, Telwater had to compensate by reducing the hull’s deadrise from 20 to 17 degrees just for the smallest Yellowfin Plate model alone to help with stability at rest and under way.

Yellowfin Plate builds most of its boat range with 6mm plate on the bottom, and 4mm plate on the topsides and transom, but for the 880kg 5800 FHT it uses 4mm all around. The highly seaworthy Offshore HD Hull (the “HD” stands for “heavy duty”) introduced in 2015 uses ribs spaced 500mm apart, and stringers set 200mm apart and running all the way out to the chines to help with rigidity.

The underfloor kill tank of the previous model makes way for an extended 190-litre fuel tank to improve operating range.

Because the Yellowfin Plate boats are a more bespoke product than other Quintrex products it will have at least 50 hours spent on welding alone.

Much thinking has gone into how to make the space on the hull more useable. This includes moving the entirely new cabin designed specifically for the hardtop forward by 300mm, and adding a transom door that lifts up and flips back into the boat – this simple solution has removed the need for a transom door-mounted latch that always rattled.

The sealed deck design means the 5800 FHT comes standard with an automatic 1250L/h bilge pump and one-way scuppers.

Design and layout

Tied up at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron jetty, our Yellowfin 5800 Folding Hard Top test boat, fitted with the Platinum Pack, is an impressive thing to look at. This boat is kitted out with the dark/light grey paint combo, with raw aluminium exposed for the gunnels, duck boards, transom and hull bottom. The contrast works really well.

Jump inside, and blacked-out features against the lighter grey, such as the cutting board, inspection ports and Sopac door that keeps the battery safely out of sight, add a tasteful contrast.

The side decks are topped in soft rubber to help with grip while stepping in and out, and contain recessed rod holders and a pair of stainless steel cupholders that also double as sinker holders – they have nicely curved bottoms so you can easily grab small items. The floor is checkerplate aluminium.

Two comfortable Pro-style chairs with armrests and emblazoned on the back with the “YF” logo face the console, and sit on top of inward-opening storage boxes with rear-mounted footrests for when all the attention focuses on the back of the boat. These chairs are placed further apart than in the model this one supersedes; feedback from owners said they needed more space to duck between them in rougher sea states.

In front of the crew’s chair is a large portal into the cuddy cabin. The cabin contains a 1.7-metre vee-berth that, in our test boat, was cushioned in black lining. A decent-sized hatch with gas struts provides access to the anchor well.

The trailing edge of the berth contains a checkerplate foot rest for the crew. A wide handrail runs along the entire top of the cuddy entrance.

The pilot’s chair faces a broad, flat dash that can comfortably take up to a 16-inch screen. On our test boat, it was filled with a 12-inch Lowrance HDS touchscreen chartplotter and sounder. To one side is a GME VHF radio and to the other are the analogue gauges for the 135hp Evinrude fuel-injected two-stroke engine and the comfortably mounted throttle lever.

The switchgear for the lights and bilge pump are fitted to a carbonfibre-look panel, and a breaker board replaces a bank of fuses. All the wiring is now heavier, allowing more demanding electronics to be installed. A small criticism is the white fascia of the dash; if the light hits it just so, the glare will blind you. Black would be better.

Speaking of electronics, the kill switch is now located next to the transom door. It used to be housed in with the battery, but it made more sense to locate it where owners could easily reach it while the boat was up on a trailer.

There’s a wide carpeted, recessed section on the top of the dash for stowing loose small items, but it is not partitioned off to stop stuff sliding from one side to the other. There’s no lockable glovebox, either; just a porthole-style storage bin on the starboard side of the cockpit.

Setting or stowing the blacked-out hard-top and windscreen is a two-person job. The front of the hardtop, held up by gas struts, tilts down, and the rear bows unbolt from the side decks. The roof then lowers backwards, and once the windscreen is released via three locking levers, it flips backwards. It all takes just a few minutes to raise or stow.

Fishing deck

This is an extremely beamy boat given its compact waterline. The sense of space this extra width yields is surprising.

The cuddy cabin sits 300mm further forwards than the generation of boat this replaces, bringing its placement in line with competitors. It helps yield enough room in the cockpit for two people to fish comfortably without getting in each other’s way.

The lack of a kill tank means the floor is free from any underfloor access portals, other than the blacked-out inspection hatch for the bilge.

The hardtop comes with six rod holders on the trailing edge of the hard top that flip down at the pull of a lever to make inserting or retrieving a rod much easier.

The cutting board down the rear is deep and wide, and a decent height even for a taller user, the coaming-mounted rod holders are nicely spaced and the sinker holders are a neat inclusion, even if they are an option. Under the side decks, deep, wide bins are long enough to store a rod without having to break it down.

On the portside transom is a plumbed live bait tank that includes a clear window allowing you to monitor the health of the bait. On the other side is a lift-and-flip transom door that folds into the cockpit. It is a complete redesign to get away from using a physical latch which always rattled – something customers had grumbled about.

The transom ladder now uses offset steps so that you can easily board even while wearing flippers.

On the water

Our Yellowfin 5800 Folding Hardtop was fitted with an Evinrude 135 E-Tec HO outboard engine, the maximum-rated engine for this boat. The “HO” in the engine’s name means it is fitted with the Lightning gearcase that mounts the engine higher on the transom to increase prop performance and generate higher speeds.

Evinrude’s two-stroke technology allows the maker to build outboard engines that can outperform equivalent four-stroke engines for power, speed or torque. Adding direct injection to the engines helps them cut emissions without any loss in performance.

These modern two-strokes are not like the old ones. At speed, our 135hp outboard engine is smooth and quiet, with a decent dollop of mid-range performance delivering good acceleration.

Performance

Maximum range at 4000rpm on 95% fuel reserve of 190L tank: 285nm

With three people on board and on the relatively calm waters of Moreton Bay, the 135hp unit was still comfortably pushing the Yellowfin 5800 FHT along at more than 50km/h.

The gentle swell showed why the smallest of the Yellowfin Plate boats needed that deeper vee. We could clearly see the 5800 was moving around a lot more on the water compared with the bigger boats we were chasing, particularly if there was a cross swell. The shallower vee was also more apparent in cornering, where the hull did not tip in as much as the bigger boats.

At rest, though, there’s not much to complain about. The wide beam provides an extremely stable platform that makes it barely noticeable when one person walks to one corner of the transom.

The Yellowfin 5800 Folding Hard Top combines the best of both worlds for suburban fishing enthusiasts; a hardcore fishing package with plenty of appealing features – particularly when the Platinum Pack option is ticked – and the ability to fit into a normal garage instead of taking up space in the driveway or out on the street.

At the moment, the FHT is only available in the smaller sizes, but depending on how things roll, the 7000 and 7600 could one day be added to the showroom.

But the 5800? Yeah, looking at how well the bigger Yellowfin boats on the water that day with the 20-degree deadrise clipped along on the chase back to Brisbane had me wistfully wishing I’d caught a ride back on one of those instead of the most affordable boat in the range. Given that, we'd probably try and stretch the budget to the 6200 Folding Hard Top and all the benefits that will bring.

Bigger is always better, isn't it?

Specifications Model: Yellowfin 5800 Folding Hard Top Length overall: 5.84m Length on trailer: 7.62m Height on trailer: 2.92m Beam: 2.4m Depth: 1.11m Weight: 1186kg Engine: 135hp Fuel capacity: 190L Passengers: 5

Priced from: $56,995 including Evinrude 135 E-Tec HO, live bait tank, 12 months trailer and boat rego in Queensland, safety gear and battery

Price as tested: $64,525 (est) including cabin lining, cushions and backrests; LED light package; GME GX750B VHF radio; three-step dive ladder; stainless steel sinker cups; burley bucket; raw water deck wash; flip-up rear lounge with backrest; transom-mounted cutting board; covered and mounted spare trailer wheel

Supplied by: Brisbane Quintrex

What we like

• Can be towed by a family car
• Larger fuel tank extends range
• Folding hardtop's storage benefits
• Great weather protection
• Good at-rest stability

Not so much

• Glare off the white dash
• No locking glovebox
• Analogue speedo/tacho a bit dated

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Yellowfin 32

• By Capt. Dave Lear
• Updated: November 12, 2008

Although some of my die-hard friends fishing the king-mackerel circuit might disagree, speed isn’t the only attribute to consider when it comes to center-console performance. Sure, there are times when you need to go lickety-split – like when a monster lightning storm is bearing down or that monster in the fish bag happens to be 100 miles from the weigh scales. Whenever that happens, it’s comforting to know that you can put the hammer down and go. But there are other factors to consider. Range, rough-water handling, livewell capacity and a functional layout are important too.

Wylie Nagler, president of Yellowfin Yachts, understands the run-and-gun mentality very well, because he raced boats before launching his semicustom line of center consoles in 2000. After retiring the original 31-foot mold, he recently introduced a suitable replacement. The 32 Center Console, like its predecessor, is one sleek, serious fishing machine. And oh yeah, it’s fast too.

The majority of Yellowfins are rigged with Mercury Verado power, although other engine packages are also available. Factory tests of the 32 with a pair of Verado 300 outboards produced a top speed of 60.9 miles per hour at 6,050 rpm. The fuel rate was 59.8 gallons per hour with two people and 175 gallons of gas on board. During my follow-up run with Nagler on his home waters of Sarasota, Florida, our test boat had a pair of Yamaha F350 V-8s hanging off the transom. With the extra 100 horsepower, speed increased to 65.6 miles per hour at 6,100 rpm. The fuel rate was 68.4 gallons per hour. By slowing down to an effortless cruising pace of 4,000 rpm, the boat ran 41 miles per hour while burning only 24.8 gallons per hour. Nagler says he can bump the speed by a few more miles by tweaking the propellers to offset the factory engine rev limits. I don’t doubt it. This craft is made to run.

Starting with a sharp bow entry, the hull transitions aft to the dual, notched steps that serve to ventilate the running surface and reduce drag. Deadrise at the stepped transom is an aggressive 22 degrees. At a stable 9’9″ overall, the beam is nearly 5 inches wider at the stern than the previous model, making the added weight of the four-strokes a nonissue. With two of us leaning over the side, the waterline barely budged. Even so, the aft freeboard isn’t so high that wiring a fish would be a problem. Conversely, the bow cap was lowered slightly to better accommodate “height-challenged” anglers.

Driving the 32 is like driving a Corvette convertible. There’s no hesitation upon initial acceleration, and the bow settles quickly so visibility isn’t hampered. It responds well to the slightest course correction and the oversize K-Plane trim tabs allow rapid adjustment to various loads or sea states. Residual swells from a far-off hurricane provided a good indication of the 32’s sea-keeping abilities. It punched through the waves effortlessly and shed water like a seal. Bottom line – driving this boat will bring out your inner speed demon.

I love a clean, functional layout, and the 32 didn’t disappoint in this department either. From its low-profile bow rail to the flush-mount hardware and the infused nonskid, it offers 360 degrees of unhindered maneuverability when that big smoker is doing doughnuts just beyond the gaff. The dry box in the bow centerline deck can be divided into two sections, and it’s big enough to accommodate beanbags. Two more dry boxes are located in the forward deck. Under the bow covering boards, a recessed shelf, neatly concealed behind a mesh cover, can rack life jackets or other gear.

The large console on the 32 comes standard with a T-top and overhead electronics box; an upgrade to a hardtop is an available option. In fact, since each Yellowfin is sold factory direct, owners can choose a wide variety of add-ons to further customize the boat to meet individual needs. The boat I tested had a pair of 15-inch Northstar displays flush-mounted on the helm with room to spare.

Want a bow coffin box or forward seating? No problem. Boost fuel capacity by 100 gallons for greater range, add a head inside the console or pick one of five leaning-post configurations when you place your order. Nagler sells packages (boat, motors and trailer), and his team is quite capable of adding custom features. A quick look at the wiring harnesses, rigging or overall fit and finish are more indicators of the skill level and professionalism of the Yellowfin crew.

The 32 does come standard with twin livewells, including a 100-gallon pressurized tank incorporated into the leaning post and another 50-gallon tank in the transom. Twin saddle fish boxes with 600-quarts-plus capacity each are housed in the cockpit deck. Different tackle centers are available depending on the leaning-post selection. There’s even a built-in garbage can, so you never have to worry about where to stash the trash.

Like the other six models in the lineup (with a new 29 CC in the works), the 32 is solidly built and uniquely tailored for its owner. However, all share a propensity for speed and performance. Wylie Nagler wouldn’t have it any other way.

LOA……32’6″ BEAM……9’9″ DRAFT……1’6″ DEADRISE……22° Weight……8,500 LBS. dry MAX. HP……700 WATER……65 gals. FUEL……225 gals. PRICE……$157,000 w/twin Mercury 300 hp Verado Four-Strokes and Trailer

Yellowfin Yachts ? 941.753.7828 ? www.yellowfinyachts.com

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Yellowfin 24 Bay: 2020 Boat Buyers Guide

• Updated: December 12, 2019

Yellowfin Yachts bears the undeniable imprint of its founder and president, Wylie Nagler, known for his pledge of personal responsibility for the standout quality of every boat his company ships.

That goes from Yellowfin’s smallest boat, a 17-foot skiff, to its largest, a 42-foot offshore center-console. Each is a high-performance fishing platform, custom-built of the highest-grade materials and products, and skillfully assembled.

Although built in Florida, Yellowfin boats clearly show Carolina Outer Banks design influences, with wide flares and high bows. On stepped hulls, they leap onto plane.

For over 20 years, Yellowfin has been a leader in offshore boats; it’s more recently achieved inshore success and prestige as well. Those who know Yellowfins call them solid, fast, spacious and flexible.

Yellowfin 24 Bay

The 24 Bay, in the decade since its launch, has set standards for bay-boat speed, fuel efficiency and ride, with an ergonomic layout suiting both family and tournament-angler boaters.

The center-console 24 Bay has a recessed forward casting deck that is clean and clutter-free, endearing it particularly to fly-fishers. There’s plenty of room for two to fish, maybe more spin- or bait-fishers. (There is space, by the way, for an electric trolling motor.)

From the deck, three hatches access a huge storage area. More storage space is within the seat-fronted console. The aft deck contains three livewells.

Flanking the helm are five vertical rod holders per side (65 percent of bay-boat survey respondents say they carry five to 10 rods aboard), and the transom has a pair of angled flush-mounted rod holders.

Leaning post, livewell and rocket launcher are available, as are a hardtop, Key West soft top and second stations. Select aft seating if you’re among the 45 percent of survey respondents who consider it important. Pick your colors of hull, rub rail, pipework and upholstery.

With a 75-gallon fuel tank, the 24 Bay runs far as well as fast. It comes with a standard jack plate (and Power Pole), and draws just 14 inches.

The 24 Bay offers a variety of custom power options.

Survey Says: On Target

⋅Abundant fish storage—standard and options

⋅Seaworthiness and performance clearly a high priority

⋅Baitwells and rod holders exceed expectations

⋅Expert layout, quality

⋅Perfect boat and setup: fishing, sandbar, cruising—wow!

⋅Reliability

⋅Nothing beats a Yellowfin

⋅Incredible acceleration, fuel economy, and eye-watering top end

⋅Sheer number of tasks it does well

⋅Unmatched attention to detail

More Info: yellowfin.com

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