Preview: Quintrex 500 Hornet Trophy
The original Hornet concept set the small-fishing-boat market ablaze when it introduced its revolutionary stretch-formed gullwing hull to an unsuspecting audience almost a lifetime ago. However, with the release of the brand new pickle-fork (complex) hulled 500 Hornet Trophy, Quintrex is set for a repeat performance. In fact, we don’t just think the company met the brief, but smashed it out of the park with a design that emulates the latest wakeboat offerings from the likes of Malibu and MasterCraft.
Details of the new boat are a bit thin on the ground at this point, and even the supplied media kit had all the good bits redacted. We contacted Quintrex HQ only to come away more intrigued. How long is it? I’d say 5m. Beam? Not sure, but I’m guessing around 2.1m.
Hull and topside thickness? No-one’s saying. We know it carries at least the same horsepower rating as the 2012 model, since it went rather rapidly with a 115hp E-Tec on its rump.
It would seem it also borrows some of the offshore range’s Blade technology.
But this baby is really all about the fishing, and with rod holders, anchor locker, casting platform with good storage underneath, rear livewell, tackle storage and a basic Lowrance fishfinder, it may well be really good value — unfortunately, Quintrex was also tight-lipped on that score. Big options
list, too.
Now, we could’ve pushed the issue, but all the cloak-and-dagger stuff only serves to enhance our belief that we could have something really special on our hands.
We do know the new 500 Hornet Trophy is available as a Quintrex Instant Boating Package, which includes the boat, engine and Quintrex trailer, complete with a three-year limited-factory warranty. And we also know we will have fished out of it by the time this magazine hits the stands, so keep an eye out for a full test in an upcoming issue.
SPECIFICATIONS: QUINTREX 500 HORNET TROPHY
Material: Aluminium
Hull: Pickle-fork (really cool)
Length: 5m (approx.)
Beam: 2.1m (approx.)
Max. HP: 115 (approx.)
Fuel: Well, we know it uses it
Capacity: 5 (approx.)
Originally published in TrailerBoat #295, May/June 2013.