Coraline 700 Boat Review

Boat Review Date: August 2017
Author: Mike Brown

Overview

Like most Coralines this 700 was finished to the exact specifications of its owner. Clearly he intended doing some serious fishing but equally, judging from  the quantity of seating provided, family and social days afloat are also on the cards.

The two main seats are Coraline’s usual swivelling armchairs mounted on storage boxes. These are top loading; seat and box top hinge forward to give better and easier access than a cave locker would provide. Behind the driver’s seat is another storage box, matching in size the 40 litre fridge behind the navigator’s seat. Both have upholstered tops to boost total seating capacity.

The hardtop and associated glass give first class protection to the occupants of the armchairs. Unlike some similar set ups this space will not get stifling: an opening windscreen centre and sliding side panels ensure that. The hardtop is lined and its forward end neatly houses the radios and entertainment system, positioning them for either the driver or navigator to use. A removable canopy extension spreads the shade to half the cockpit.

Little space has been sacrificed to the cuddy cabin; it merely occupies the space that in an earlier generation of boat would have been the foredeck. Small, but it gives shelter and even sleeping room for children, stowage under the settees, and space for a toilet. It is screened by a bulkhead with a zip-up door.

The fit out is exceptionally thorough. A drum type, free fall electric anchor winch; twin batteries plus a battery charger; both 28MHz and VHF radios; stereo, of course; deck lights in the coamings. The owner even specified that all the railings be polished. Continuing the shiny theme the steering wheel is in stainless steel.

The chosen motor was a 300hp Yamaha; solid power indeed. The sea on the day was a fair test for the boat, but a bit too lumpy to encourage full power. This much power will seldom get used on any day, but is not there just for bragging rights. Throttled back it would use surprisingly little fuel, and its wear rate would be close to zero. But it is always on hand for the day when you need to escape a breaker, or want to get home before a front comes in. Hardly anyone goes down on power in the next boat.

It was certainly a pleasure to use. It lifted the big Coraline onto the plane instantly, and its response to the throttle was pleasantly progressive. The merest hint of power trim set the bow in the right place.

The fisherman is well looked after on this boat. Thighs are cosseted by padded coamings; pot hauling is handled by an electric winch, with a removable control pedal, hauling over an also removable tipper. A bait station is laid on, of course, as are abundant rod holders. The deck wash is powered. As on all Coralines there is a self flooding underdeck catch tank – or ballast tank if wanted. Keen fishers want to be able to monitor the sounder full time, so as well as the Lowrance plotter-sounder combination Coraline installed a dedicated 1kW Furuno sounder. Both of these are mounted on top of the dash to be closer to the driver’s eye line.

Two other angling requirements are here: space and stability. The cockpit, roomy to start with, is instantly enlarged by either folding the rear lounge or stowing it in the cabin. The stability was always likely to be good due to the 700’s size, but the actuality is a step better due to the hull form that immerses its chines at rest. And you can always immerse them further with that ballast tank.

The trailer was in the same class as the rest of the rig. Aluminium and made to measure by Coraline, it was fitted with auto catch and release. Not very common nowadays, it also had an electric winch. This was not a converted starter motor lash-up needing hand crank assist; turning the key sent abundant power surging through it, and not a suspicion of overheating.

Lowdown

Price as reviewed    AUD $158,000

Length overall         7.5m

Hull length              7.0m

Beam                     2.5m

Fuel capacity           300L

Motor fitted             300hp Yamaha