Coraline 670 Ocean Runner Walkaround Boat Reviews


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Boat Review Date: February 2011
Author: Mike Brown

Overview

Coraline’s 670 Walkaround’s aluminium hull features an item from the builder’s seemingly endless list of options and continual improvements: a deep knuckle. The presence of this has allowed the deadrise to be increased by two degrees to 20, with the same amount of stability. A neat trick at the expense of a few more man-hours and a few more metres of cutting and welding.


More Information

Plate aluminium boats have typically had deadrises of around 12deg, but several builders have worked on ways of steepening the angle without decreasing stability. In the Coraline 670’s case I thought I could detect that extra 2 degrees’ contribution to a ride that was always pretty good.

A 6.7m hull length and a maximum towing permit-free beam of 2.5m gives the size that a good versatile walkaround needs for both fishable side decks and a useable cabin. The side decks have just a single step, and are wide enough for unfettered walking or for easy playing of a fish. The bow rails, at a useful height, sweep back to the rear edge of the cabin and are backed up by rails along the edge of the hardtop.

In typical Coraline fashion the hardtop is a beefy structure well able to carry a load, and those rails would act the part of a roof rack. There are plenty of other rails around the boat for standing or sitting passengers, or for the passenger movement you expect on this style of boat.

Although a major aim is always to provide wide-open spaces, this walkaround still manages to provide seats for seven or for eight at a pinch. There is a double recessed into the cabin front – where the kids can sit under the driver’s eye – a folding or removable settee at the transom, and a pair of very good swivel armchairs on lockers at the dash. The lockers are on two levels:  the upper offers access via hinging the seats; the lower uses the more common doors. The seats even have dual height footrests; these items, vital for any but the shortest trips, are often apparent afterthoughts or even omissions.

They flank a zip-up door in the bulkhead. This is my choice of closure: light, no slamming, and cheaper. It is not a secure lock-up feature when on the road, but all most people want is occasional privacy for the cabin. This cabin will mostly be used for storage and occasional shelter, much more rarely for sleeping in, so leaving it unlined is reasonable.

The space beneath the hardtop, on the other hand, will be in constant use, and there is a lining here with the radio console and stereo powerhouse embedded within it. The space is welcoming, with sliding side glass, with those two comfortable seats – with enough room between them for clear access to the cabin – good vision and convenient controls for the driver, a carpeted and fiddled dash. Side pockets extending aft are also carpeted. An advantage of aluminium is that they are strong enough to act as steps.

Shade is not confined to the pair in the first-class seats; a fabric extension of the hardtop stretches to shelter standing passengers (they have grab rails in exactly the right position), and will come in handy for anglers looking for respite from the sun.

They are also well equipped for the basic fishing task. A battery of rocket launchers augments four rod-sockets in the coamings, and whatever the rods catch has a home in the under-deck catch tank. This tank, of course, can be used as a ballast tank to increase stability when drift fishing.

A 200hp Yamaha four-stroke powered the review boat – and powered it very thoroughly – but choice of motor can lower the boat’s price noticeably, and if less power does the job for you then why not take it. With the 200 four-stroke the price is $109,405; going down to 150hp gives savings ranging from $7,816 to $2,824 depending on your choice of four-stroke or carburetted or fuel-injected two-stroke.

200hp gave a top speed around 40 knots that the 670 easily held in the slight sea conditions. The indirect evidence was that this would be a fine offshore fisher, combining the softer ride with good following sea ability for the run home.

Lowdown

Price as reviewed    $109,405

Price from              $101,589

Hull length              6.7m

Beam                      2.5m

Fuel capacity           225L

Motor fitted              200hp Yamaha four-stroke