Arvor 810 Diesel

Arvor 810 Diesel (Shaft) "TUG"
Delivered new 2019.
Sold by us to the current owner in 2020 and personally delivered from Port Macquarie to Broken Bay (170 NM in 11 hours @16 knots with fuel to spare. )
Very comfortable seaworthy ride with no bashing or pounding and a clever practical design for fishing or coastal exploring.
Well maintained with great presentation and only 194 hours since launch.

TRADE A BOAT -REVIEW
Largest of the range is the 810 D, released in Australia in 2016 as a makeover of the classic Arvor 25, with a new deck layout and a roomier cabin. At the same time the interior finishes were upgraded and power was lifted to a 160kW (220hp) Mercury diesel.

Peter Collins of Arvor Boats in Sydney has been a champion of the Arvor brand for many years, even building early versions under licence locally, so they're a common sight around the country. That said, anyone new to the brand may view the design as unusual.

Big shoulders, high freeboard and wide chines running high towards the bow all contribute to the boat's distinctive looks. Adding a sizable upright cabin creates the impression of a boat much bigger than its 7.49m footprint might suggest.

The full-width boarding platform leads to a wide starboard-side gate with heavy-duty latches and hinges. A retractable swim ladder is stored out of harm's way under its fibreglass moulding but an engine bracket, which seems out of place on such a big boat, is due to European safety standards that require a back-up motor.

Provision to store four fenders is moulded into the rear of the transom, making them easy to access and freeing up valuable interior space.

Step aboard and the three-metre beam and high freeboard create a feeling of space in the roomy cockpit. A quick look reveals well-moulded fittings and convertible seating so you can relax or enjoy an uncluttered deck for fishing.

It soon sinks in that the enclosed cabin is offset to port. The crafty European designers have embraced a practical approach to maximising cabin space by including a wide walkway to the bow along the starboard side and a narrow one to port. It might seem strange but it worked well and didn't create issues when docking on the port side.

Seating in the cockpit includes neatly upholstered lounges along the sides and smaller removable and folding fibreglass benches in the rear quarters. Bring along a folding table and it's a great place for lunch, but close everything down and you have a big non-skid platform for serious fishing.
A central lazarette is big enough for your tackle and diving gear plus any extras for extended voyaging. Fisherfolk will be impressed by lengthy kill tanks either side of the lazarette and a monster bait tank with a window at the transom. I also noted rod holders on the gunwales, a four-slot rocket launcher high on the cabin roof as well as rod storage on the port side deck and inside the lockable cabin.

Take a stroll along the starboard side, and you'll find yet another usable fishing area in the bow, protected by a high rail. A substantial plough anchor sits proud on a stainless steel housing with a Quick electric winch plus chain and rode stored unobtrusively in a deep deck locker.

The roof extends some 400mm over the cockpit and offers some weather protection as well as housing a pair of LED lights and external speakers for the Fusion sound system.

The substantial locking and sliding glass door gives entry to the cabin where funky European design has made the most of the available space. Lots of white fibreglass surfaces and timber trim should be easy to clean and help keep the interior looking sharp for years.

The main helm area reaches 2m overhead, while further forward the floor drops at the entry to the forward cabin for a height of 2.25m. Wraparound windows lend panoramic views and a great feeling of space in the well-protected enclosure.

Two sturdy and comfortable helm chairs with bolsters are provided for the skipper and offsider, and a bench infill between them will accommodate an extra crew.

Forward of the port helm chair is a storage cupboard with moulded sink and single-burner butane stove. Keeping drinks and food cool is a Waeco compressor fridge under the passenger seat.

A generous dash is set to port, leaving a wide opening forward where lengthy V-berths convert to a full bed with the supplied infill or a dining space with a timber table.

There are padded side pockets to store often-used items, while holds in the floors of cabin and helm will handle provisions and extra clothes for weekends aboard.

Forward of the helm is a compact head/shower combination with a Jabsco pump-out toilet and holding tank. White fibreglass is offset with timber trim, while loads of headroom and an opening port for fresh air keep it from feeling too confined.

A seven-inch Simrad screen with GPS and sounder sits high on the dash above two comprehensive Smartcraft screens for the Mercury diesel, showing speed and revs as well as all the usual engine information. Further down are controls for the electric anchor winch, Lenco trim tabs, Vetus bow thruster.

To the right of the screen is an unusual knob that operates a trolling valve. This allows the motor to run at low speed by letting the transmission slip without overstressing the engine when dragging lures. This valve is duplicated at the outside helm station. Along the bottom of the dash are USB and 12v charger plugs, and a switch panel for accessories including lights, pumps and the twin wipers.

I found the seating position comfortable, especially with feet up on the wide timber footrest, and within easy reach of the side-mounted controls and stainless steel steering wheel. But while there's also plenty of room to drive from a standing position, by placing the skipper further forward,

THE RIDE
Clicking into gear and moving forward uncovered a peculiar feature of the big Arvor: at low speeds the boat has a distinctly bow-down attitude, which can be a little unsettling at first. However, this doesn't cause the hull to wander like some single-engine shaft drives and the bow thruster made docking and manoeuvring very easy. Once speed rises, the bow lifts to a more natural position.

Under the waterline, the prominent chines become even deeper as they continue to the stern, creating a gullwing shape with distinct tunnels either side of the keel line. So deep are these mouldings that the Arvor has some handling characteristics similar to a twin hull.

It lifts onto the plane at a tad under 3000rpm and 14kt. Engine noise isn't as quiet as a modern four-stroke outboard, partly because the diesel is simply a noisier unit but also because it's sitting right under the deck, rather than outside the transom where the sound is deflected away from passengers. That's not to say the noise is annoying - in fact, being a diesel convert, I liked the reassuring sound in the background letting us know it was happy to run all day every day without fuss.

The boat lopes along in most sea conditions with a soft ride, without bangs or rattles and felt happiest at 18-19kt and 3300rpm. In around a 1.5m sea, faster speeds showed a tendency for the broad shoulders in the bow to want to stay afloat rather than slice into the water.

In calmer conditions the engine ran out of puff at 3900rpm, with the GPS showing 24.5kt and the gauges a fuel burn of 52L/h. If that's the worst you can expect, it's excellent for a three-tonne vessel. Naturally there's better economy at slower speeds; on the 3300rpm cruise we recorded 29L/h, giving a range of 176nm from the 300L tank with 10 per cent in reserve.

Because of the hard-working chines, the boat doesn't lean much into turns and maintains a steady track through the water without any wallowing or cavitation.

MERCURY ENGINE
The Mercury QSD2.8L diesel is a common-rail, turbocharged inline four-cylinder with 2800cc capacity and seawater after-cooling. It pulled well through the rev range and had a reassuring torquey feel over swells.

THE WRAP
The Arvor 810 D offers a high level of safety from the competent sea-going hull and self-draining deck. Combine power from a reliable and frugal diesel engine with a roomy cabin for overnight stays and weather protection, and you have a great all-rounder for offshore fishing or cruising the coastline.

Locations: Coffs Harbour - Port Macquarie - Pittwater - Sydney Harbour - Batemans Bay