Coraline 580 Walk-Around Boat Review

Boat Review Date: May 2019
Author: Mike Brown

Overview

With its 2.45m beam, the Coraline 580 handles the walk around layout well. The cabin is a useful size, there is space between the seats to get to it, and the decks alongside it are wide enough for painless passage forward or for fishing from. In a sense walk arounds are grown up centre consoles giving greater weather protection.

The buyer of this one chose a variation on the paintless look. The hull exterior is naked, the interior and upperworks painted. There is logic here: he gets all the benefit of the paint without the worry of external scratches.

The business area aft of the cabin is protected by an open hardtop aided by a removable fabric extension aft that shades most of the cockpit. The armour glass is carried in a typically massive Coraline structure, with clears to bridge the small gap above. The top itself has fore and aft handrails that can double as a roof rack.

The walk around (or centre cab) layout allows plenty of sitting positions but leaves near total fishing access to the rail. Skipper and mate get the first class seats: stainless steel framed swivels mounted on lockers. The others are a good step above steerage quality. Three or four can occupy the folding transom settee, and a couple more the seat ahead of the cabin.

Unsurprisingly, the future for this 580 is almost totally committed to fishing and plenty of fishability is built in. It has rail room and stability that can handle a bunch of friends and most of the facilities they could need. It has a profusion of rod holders, a large self-filling and draining catch tank, salt water deck wash, rails in the right places and – vital up north – a carpeted deck. A non standard combo with a vast screen further reduces the fish’s chances.

The 580 has abundant storage, which could get more use than in a southern boat: this one will be operating out of Dampier and is likely to see some camping out at remote anchorages. Lockers under and behind seats, bins beneath the cabin’s settees, roomy side pockets all contribute to more room than my wife could fill. The cabin is really sleepable only by children, but it can contain what many people feel is a necessity: a chemical toilet. This is shielded by a solid bulkhead with a soft door.

The chosen motor is a 150hp Yamaha: a herd of horses bigger than the usual choice for this hull. But in Pilbara waters apart from cyclones the weather generally allows speed, which is handy for the distances that might be covered, and speed we proved the owner certainly has. His addition of trim tabs is less easy to understand - they are normally used to level a boat in a stiff cross wind. Still they also cope with people sitting in the wrong place.

Lowdown

Price from               AUD $87,323

Price as reviewed    AUD $97,933

Length overall          6.2m

Hull length               5.8m

Beam                       2.45m

Fuel capacity            175L

Motor fitted              150hp Yamaha