FORMOSA SEA-ROD PLATE-BOATS
Water-ballasted hulls are showing up on more boats as designers seek to blend stability at rest with offshore performance, but one Brisbane company has taken a fresh approach to the concept.
Formosa Marine offers the Sea-Rod range of plate boats alongside its range of Tomahawk and Classic Formosa models, and each Sea-Rod boat employs a four-chambered water ballast system, in contrast to the centreline ballast system used by some manufacturers.
By spreading the load added by filled water-ballast, the four chambers evenly distribute weight toward the outer edges of the hull, lowering the hull line in the water and reducing roll (caused by swell or passenger movement).
Hull construction also includes the use of longitudinal strengtheners beneath the floor, where the hull structure is welded to the bottom sheets for increased strength and 4mm plate is used on the bottom, with 3mm sides.
Sea-Rod’s Deluxe models (centre-console, runabout, half cabin, side console and bowrider) aim to reduce cost for buyers by offering a sealed and carpeted marine-ply floor (unusual in a plate boat), although a self-draining aluminium deck is also available.
Each model is surprisingly beamy for its length, due to the innovative ballast system in combination with 100mm reverse chines which ensure the hulls track truly through offshore chop. For more information on Sea-Rod boats, visit searod.com.au for more information.