Preview: Quintrex Renegade and Quintrex Trident

Last month, Queensland aluminium boat manufacturer Quintrex put its own “bat signal” above Sea World on the Gold Coast, calling all Australian marine media to the launch of its two latest ranges. Needless to say, TrailerBoat

was quickly on the case. The two new ranges, Renegade and Trident, have bustled their way into the dedicated fishing boat market, making quite a splash in the process.

REBEL WITH A CAUSE

The new Renegade range has been purpose-built for fishos who frequent rivers, estuaries and impounds. The Renegades come in five sizes — 420, 440, 460, 490 and 520 — and three different configurations. While all of them can be set up as side-consoles, there are tiller-steer and centre-console configurations available on specific models.

With ample space and almost sexy storage (well, as “sexy” as storage can get, anyway), the Renegades really make you want to go fishing. The boats have an impressive list of standard features, but can also be optioned to suit owner preference.

I loved the extra space and stability of the wide beam, the multi-purpose storage facilities in the casting platform, and the sleek, minimalist layout. The boats feel much bigger than they actually are, and are a breeze to drive and a pleasure to fish from.

THREE-PRONGED ATTACK

The Trident range has been designed for sloppy seas and serious offshore fishing. All Tridents are dedicated cabin boats and they come in three different sizes — 610, 650 and 690. All of the models in this range feature the new Millennium Blade Hull, which, according to Quintrex, makes for “a softer, drier ride in offshore conditions”.

Jumping aboard the Trident for the first time immediately filled my head with an endless stream of fishing scenarios these boats would be perfect for. The tough checkerplate floor commands respect and the dive door screams “big fish”.

I would really have liked the opportunity to give these boats a solid thrashing, but the conditions were just too good. Nary a breath of wind meant travelling offshore across a flat ocean with the throttle maxed out wasn’t a problem.

I could easily see myself fishing in the big and ballsy 690 Trident for long stretches. The smaller 610, on the other hand, was great fun to drive; the hull responds especially well to trimming, and by experimenting a little you can change the boat’s ride to suit your needs. I loved the self-draining deck, clean transom layout and extra-wide gunnels.

Though I’m a fibreglass fanatic through and through, I could imagine myself owning one (or maybe two) of these boats. The big 690 Trident would be my pick for game fishing, while the 490 Renegade, with a side console, would be unstoppable in the estuaries.

To be brutally honest, the main reason I’ve steered away from tinnies in the past is that most look quite daggy — I’ve seen them more of a “dad’s boat”. And while I know most hardcore fisherman wouldn’t be keen to admit it, a tough-looking boat is usually very close to the top of the priority list.

Well, both of Quintrex’s new ranges have that rugged appearance in spades — they look like absolute weapons on the water. Plus, all of the boats have truckloads of standard features, which means they can be out of the factory and onto the water in no time. And even though these new units are ostensibly fishing boats, they also remain practical for the
family boat buyer.