BoatPoint.com.au reviews the Haines Hunter 565 Offshore

Here’s the Australian take on the crossover trailerboat. The great all-rounder and easy-tow rig is designed to serve equally well as a family ‘runabout’ as it does a serious fishing weapon. And in either role, the deep-vee fibreglass hull from Haines Hunter ensures a great ride in the rough stuff.

Overview

Designed by dealers for mass appeal.

There are many times in this industry when we hear that a boat has been designed from ‘extensive customer feedback’ or words to that effect. Often times, those words are taken with several grains of salt as it has become so cliché that we virtually disregard it.

However, with this new boat from Haines Hunter, the reality is too hard to ignore. According to the Melbourne manufacturer, the new 565 Offshore was designed in conjunction with dealers to be affordable, versatile and appeal to many facets of the boating public.

During our day out on the 565 Offshore, Haines Hunter’s Tim Davies told us that the boat was two years in development during which time dealers were consulted for their input to the point that they were invited to the factory to virtually focus-group the boat. The idea was that they would work on the finer details until they had a boat that they were confident would take a large chunk of the factory’s capacity for the foreseeable future. The result is an all-new hull and deck at a realistic price and with features to suit the majority of buyers looking for a sub-six-metre all-rounder….

Verdict

A good all-rounder for the family or sportsman

Everyone these days is looking for the ideal crossover boat that will tow the kids around on water toys on Saturday and take a couple of mates out fishing on Sunday.

But not only that, they’re looking for a boat that’s going to be safe, one that’s going to get you home if the weather turns bad, and one that’s going to hold on to a bit of value when it comes time to sell or update. If you scan through the ads on this site, you’ll see that Haines Hunter boats do retain their value, and because of their following and reputation are pretty easy to sell.

So if you’re after a cuddy/half cabin for a reasonable price that’s going to do a multitude of jobs and also be economical to run, you do a lot worse than checking out the Haines Hunter 565 Offshore.