QUINTREX 610 TOP ENDER TOURNAMENT REVIEW

Let's get one thing straight from the start, a Quintrex 610 Top Ender Tournament boat doesn't need to be in the Top End to be put to good use. It has more than enough assets and features to make it a viable fishing platform for most waters around this country, whether you're fishing the tournaments or not.

Being a centre console, there's plenty of deck space to move about on. The forward-casting platform sits about 11cm above the rear deck and features four hatches with rotomoulded inserts, which deaden sound. These compartments have drainage bungs that empty into the bilge to get rid of intruding water. The compartments are also large enough to store safety gear and the like in, well up off the ribs below.

There's another two rotomoulded compartments under the floor behind the console. The engine cranking battery is housed in one. This is a practical design move because it frees up the space under the transom coaming for tackle storage trays beneath the livebait tank. There are other containers on the starboard side where the fuel filter and battery isolation switch are installed.

LOWER CENTRE OF GRAVITY

Sighting the battery forward and low helps lower the boat's centre of gravity, and because it moves weight from the transom, it gives the hull more bow-down trim when required. Putting a second battery in the other forward compartment would help the equation even further. There's a raised platform under the transom and another hatch between these compartments to access the bilge and the automatic bilge pump.

In the face of this raised platform are two funnels, which channel deck water to the scuppers in the stern.

A central posthole in the top of the transom bulkhead serves as a base for an optional baitboard, or any other item you wish to mount here. However, the isolation switch and fuel filter impede your ability to install something larger here with any sort of permanency under the starboard transom bulkhead, which is a pity. Perhaps these items could be installed on the face of the engine well, or down its side between the livebait tank to free up more valuable storage.

The console has plenty of room across its top for gimbal-mounting large electronics provided they aren't too deep, because there's a grabrail on the console's front side. A Lowrance X135 only just fits here without too much overhang. Optional high-definition GPS/sounder units from Navico are also now available.

The X135 Lowrance unit was mounted centrally on the top of the console and the radio aerial was installed on the portside of the console. If the test boat was to be used for tournament fishing, another depthsounder should have been fitted on the portside, so that another forward-facing unit could be viewed by those fishing from the front of the boat. A bit of forward thinking will alleviate the necessity to patch up drill holes across the top.

The instruments for the Mercury outboard are spread across the sloping fascia, fixed into a black backing board. In front of these, between the instruments and the helm wheel, is a flat area that could be made into a handy shelf.

Inside the console is a single shelf with a sill and strong welded gussets to add rigidity to this structure.

TOURNAMENT SEATING

The Tournament has three seating positions flush-mounted in the deck behind the console and another two in front with a sixth in the forward part of the raised casting platform. With the two front seats removed, a hatch in the lower deck may be opened to reveal a wide fishbox, which also drains into the bilge, but it's also removable to transport fish in or for cleaning purposes.

The usual sidepockets adorn the length of the lower deck and while the fascias for these are quite high, the bottom of the pocket is not as deep with the void below filled with some buoyancy floatation.

A checkerplate boarding platform and fold-down telescopic stainless steel ladder for easy boarding from the water adorns the transom.

The 115hp Mercury four-stroke on the transom produced only mediocre holeshot with three adults onboard, but once on the plane, acceleration through the range was good. There is room to move in the horsepower department if you need to, because this hull's rated to 150hp, which would be an excellent match.

Manoeuvrability at various speeds and trim was faultless, as was the steering, which was Sea Star hydraulic. The throttle peaked at 5600rpm with the Mercury speedometer reading 36mph.

THE WRAP

With our test area restricted to the Coomera River, we weren't able to check the Quintrex 610's overall seaworthiness. However, there was plenty of steep chop from the other six, or so, Quintrex boats being tested simultaneously in the area. It was a dry affair with no issues coming to the fore.

The most attractive thing about this boat is that she's priced under the $50,000 mark and gives you a lot of boat for not a lot of money. She also offers a good base on which to build a tricked-up sportsfishing boat as the financial opportunities arise.

Specifications- Quintrex 610 Top Ender Tournament

HOW MUCH?

Price as tested:  $48,522
Options fitted:  nil

GENERAL

Material:   Aluminium; 4mm bottom, 3mm sides
Length overall:  6.16m
Beam:   2.38m
Weight:   681kg (hull)
Deadrise:   Approx 16 to 17°

CAPACITIES

Fuel:    120lt
People:   Seven
Rec. max. HP:  150
Rec. min. HP:  115

Rec. max. transom weight: 256kg

ENGINE

Make/model:  Mercury 115 EFI
Type:    Four-stroke OHC 16-valve outboard
Weight:   185kg
Rated HP:   115
Displacement:  1732cc
Gearbox ratio:  2.07:1
Propeller:   16in

SUPPLIED BY

Telwater,
53 Waterway Drive,
Coomera, Qld, 4209
Phone: (07) 5585 9805

Originally published in TrailerBoat 248.