ANGLAPRO CHASER 424 PRO REVIEW

According to the team at Sydney-based Good Times Marine, the Anglapro Chaser 424 Pro was created with the vision of going anywhere and chasing fish. "It's the solution to easy boating without limitations," they say. And during this test the Chaser did live up to that statement.

The Chaser 424 Pro gives boaties a big platform as a foundation to work from when setting up their own rig the way they want it, and when they get home its compact enough to be easily stored away.

BUILT TOUGH

The bottom and sides of the hull are constructed from 3mm aluminium plate. She has an LOA of 4.2m, a beam of 2m, a payload of 300kg, and is rated to a max of 50hp. The hull comes with a standard three-year structural warranty.
 The Chaser is so efficiently designed, every internal square centimetre is available to be used - she truly is a blank canvas on which to work. And remember, if you want Anglapro to help you with the fitout you only need to tell them your design requirements and, as long as you stay within the parameters of the hull, the guys will build it for you.
  A 40hp Suzuki two-stroke was all the power required to get the Chaser 424 Pro "out of the hole" and planing. However, there was one small downside to her performance - the tiller throttle was set extremely lightly. It was too easy to "twist on" too much power, or back it off too quickly. But that's only a set-up problem that the guys from Good Times Marine assure me would be rectified as soon as they get her back to the showroom.
 The Chaser goes like a "cut cat" and delivers quite a soft, dry ride thanks to the spray deflectors that extend from the bow back down
one-third of the hull. She can also turn at speed almost in her own length and the G-forces don't try to throw you over the side, they push you down and into the boat, which
is comforting.
From a standing start the boat planed quickly with only limited bow-up, but at no time could I not
see over the bow when the power was applied.
For an economy prospective, if I was buying one of these boats, I'd pay the extra shekels and opt for four-stroke power. While there is nothing wrong with this Suzuki two-stroke fitted, four-strokes are more fuel efficient, quieter, less smoky and make it easier to sneak up on fish.

LAYOUT

The test boat had two removable, folding, pedestal seats and three positioning mounts - one for the driver, one offset amidships for the passenger and a mount for placing a seat at the bow. And all of these mountings have been reinforced for added strength.
I'd also opt to have an electric-motor mount built into the bow (easily used by a person sitting on the forward casting deck), because for we lure tossers it's almost an essential item these days.
The 424 has a raised forward casting platform with storage underneath. There's a low bowrail and the anchor stores in one of three compartments under the forward platform.
A tote fuel tank sits in a compartment on the left-hand side of the engine, while the battery is in another behind the driver. The Chaser has two small sidepockets that are raised off the floor, so you can get your toes in under when fishing. However, when an angler moves forward of the small sidepockets on the main deck, or fishes from the forward casting deck, there's no "toes in under" and you can't brace against the hull. But I don't see this as a problem, because the style of fishing normally conducted in a vessel of this type doesn't require it. Anglers would normally free-stand away from the gunwale to better balance the hull when fighting a fish.
Earlier I mentioned the boat came with a carpeted floor as standard, which I think is necessary in this type of vessel. It quietens the ride in choppy water, deadens the sound when things are dropped on the floor, thus not scaring the fish, and it stops the soles of your feet getting burnt under the hot tropical sun. I know boaties should always wear some form of footwear on a boat, but…
The boat was also fitted with navigation lights and there were two grabrails, one on each gunwale. There were two rodholders, one in each gunwale, near the transom (another two farther forward would be good, but that's also easily fixed, just order them at the time of purchase) and there was a large killtank that could be plumbed as a livewell.
The test boat was also fitted with a small Lowrance sounder mounted on the gunwale in front of the driver, which was a bit hard to see in direct sunlight.

THE WRAP

The Anglapro Chaser 424 Pro is an excellent open tiller-steer boat that offers her new owner plenty of scope for improvement. Her wide-open, flat, uncluttered floor, casting platform, exceptional ride over choppy water and value-for-money pricing, make her a vessel to look closely at if you're in the market for a top 4m open fishing boat.
 For more information about the Anglapro range, contact Good Times Marine: phone (02) 9524 6999 or email derek@goodtimesmarine.com.au

WHAT WE LIKED

Flawless design and handling
Superb stability
Loads of storage space

NOT SO MUCH

Some prop-pull through the steering on the 115hp outboard

Specifications: Anglapro Chaser 424 Pro

HOW MUCH?

Price as tested: 
Options fitted: 
Priced from: 

GENERAL

Type:  Open, tiller-steer
Material:  Aluminium
Length:  4.2m
Beam:  2m
Rec. max. HP: 50
Freeboard:  550mm
Bottom sheets: 3mm
Sidesheets:  3mm
Warranty:  Three Years

CAPACITIES

Fuel:  
Payload:  300kg

ENGINE

Make/model: Suzuki
Type: Two-stroke outboard
Rated HP: 40
Displacement: 
Weight: 
Prop: 

SUPPLIED BY

Good Times Marine,
2 Toorak Avenue,
Taren Point, NSW, 2299
Phone: (02) 9524 6999
Email: derek@goodtimesmarine.com.au
Web: www.goodtimesmarine.com.au

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