Wellcraft 360 Coastal

Nothing seems to divide opinion like fishing. You either like it or hate it. So what to do when one half likes offshore fishing with a passion and the rest of the family turns green around the gills? Buy a boat to please both parties, of course. Something like the 360 Coastal will do nicely.

Wellcraft is a fishing boat builder that uses the tenet 'Go Catch Yourself Some Fun'. But here's the spin: not all of its fishing boats are strictly for fishing. Those in the Coastal series, of which the 360 is the flagship, feature carefully crafted layouts in which you can competition fish one day and assuage the family the next.

While the Coastal 360 seen here sported the latest Raymond Hunt deep-vee hull and power options ranged up to twin 550hp Cummins, and while it's the most far-reaching of the range, it has an interior that sleeps four or five, a separate and seriously good head, handy galley, generator and air con, and an island double berth in the bow.

So put it down as a real crowd pleaser. It will look just as spiffing at a communal anchorage on a sunny Sunday with the generator running and the 240V stainless steel barbecue on the rail cooking, well, steak if you must, as it will ranging up the coast or way out to sea with the fishing crew. Who said fishing divides?

SOLID TO THE CORE
With a deep forefoot, high flared bow, and broad beam the sure-footed hull is a great foundation for a half-tower. With, or, as was the case, without the tower, the boat felt eminently seaworthy when I headed offshore.

High-sided and dry, it gives the impression of a much bigger boat. Deadrise is a sharp 18 degrees, which contributed to the smooth ride. In fact, such was its sea-keeping ability that I would be comfortable fishing in less-than-perfect conditions or carrying the family along the coast.

The hull's most impressive trait was its stability. The boat ran as if on rails and sat like a jetty. The wide footprint and well-spaced propellers also assist manoeuvrability whether for fishing or parking purposes.

As with all good offshore boats, the deck hardware is heavy-duty with thick stainless steel piping for the bowrail and stanchions, aft hawsepipes, and five rodholders. All the cockpit hardware is flush so as not to foul lines. And this way you can sit on the gunwales cleats while hanging out at rest.

The above-deck cleats on the bow looked a tad small for taking the thick mooring lines during those après-fish raft-ups with friends. But the moulded toe rails and steps from the cockpit make the side decks safe walk-arounds for fish wives charged with swinging fenders and grabbing mooring lines.

The polished aluminium struts holding the moulded hardtop, upon which the radar and optional remote spotlights were mounted, included a rocket launcher to keep fishing tackle out of the outdoor living area.

As it was, kitted out with options such as a Raymarine electronics package, emergency engine-driven bilge pump, fold-down rear bench seat and small, unobtrusive swim platform, the 360 Coastal was fishing and family friendly. This is where a big part of the market is these days.

SERIOUS SPACE
Measuring 4.16m wide, the 360 Coastal's self-draining, non-skid, easy-clean cockpit has room to swing a fighting chair or a deck party. The padded coamings make stand-up fishing and crew work that much easier. The outward opening starboard side marlin door leads to a small boarding platform with swim ladder. On deck, two underfloor insulated fish boxes each have room to stow a 20kg tuna or any number of refreshments on ice. The fish boxes are linked to pumps with macerators. There was a raw-water deck wash for clean-ups and courtesy lights. I noted twin bilge pumps - the plumbing is great on this boat - and a 1514lt aluminium fuel tank in the lazarette. Moulded steps lead up the bridgedeck from the cockpit.

Either side of the companionway are fishing or amenities centres with moulded tops that double as impromptu seating. Under one lid, which lifted on gas struts, I found a sink, small cutting board, freezer or drinks fridge, tackle drawers, and a neat rig hanger, plus a drinkholder.

To starboard, under the other lid, was the 140lt livebait tank with flow adjustor and rounded corners.

THE BRIDGEDECK
The bridgedeck has a great social seating layout, allowing you to sit and chat out of the weather while running to the fish or fun grounds. The front windowpanes, with a push-button centre-opening vent, are made of safety glass and have wipers. Powder-coated aluminium is used for the window frame.

Clears in tracks were provided for weather protection and, get this: there were 7000BTUs of optional air conditioning in the bridgedeck with a control panel nearby. Cool it down for summer, warm it up for those autumn and winter runs. Besides the forward windscreen vent, hatches in the hardtop help with natural ventilation.

The portside L-shaped lounge, which can seat four, has a fold-down forward seat base to create standing room for the navigator if the going gets rough. The thick-gauge hardtop support included a nice, big transverse grabrail under the hardtop so crew can stand and ride shotgun. The helm seat is an adjustable two-person number. Behind this is a recessed crew lounge out of the driver's view.

As with any good fishing boat, storage was a highlight and the abovementioned crew lounge had three drawers and three tackle trays beneath it. The other lounges had storage below its base. There was a chartholder forward of the co-pilot, a drawer under the helm seat, an EPIRB locker, and drinkholders here and there.

The wheel was a trick alloy number with one of those wheel-spinner knobs. There was an optional bowthruster and supplied Bennett trim tabs, plus room for twin Raymarine E120s screens, an autopilot, and Volvo's EDC control panels for the twin D6 370hp diesel motors.

Among the switches were those for the red night-driving light, light dimmers, windlass, and forward and aft spreaders.

ENGINEERING
We unclipped the optional rubber-backed bridgedeck carpet and pressed a button to raise the entire moulded bridgedeck sole. Two big rams lifted the floor and, voila, walk-in engine room access. I looked hard at the flange between the floor and engine room and figured you would be hard pressed putting water in there when backing up.

A fully-moulded liner made checking for leaks a snap and there was a decent amount of sound insulation. The three Racor filters were aft, including one for the 8kVa generator, which was to port sans sound shield. All the plumbing was colour coded, of course, as was the wiring. Sea strainers were forward, batteries to starboard, and there was good access to the ZF gearboxes.

It was great to see an engine-driven bilge pump from which you could run a decent deck hose.

INTERIOR COMFORTS
The lock-up cabin features an open-plan layout, which is to be expected in an express-style boat, with a separate fully-moulded head immediately to port. It had serious headroom, an opening portlight and air con outlet, oodles of storage, a Corian counter and sink, full-length mirror, shower rose on slide for standing room, and a moulded seat over the Vacuflush loo. More than a dayhead, this one caters for weekends and the fussiest of crew needs.

Also to port was the galley. It had a handy amount of storage, including an appliance and pot locker and overhead pantry. I noted a 240V outlet for the toaster, 12/240V fridge, a small microwave oven, and a Corian counter with sink and hot/cold pressurised water. Nothing out of the ordinary, right? Wrong.

The dinette opposite converts to an additional double berth, with an additional Pullman berth created from the hinged backrest. While you could sleep five aboard it's more likely to accommodate a couple of kids on weekends. The perfect boat for the middleclass family of four.

Behind the lounge was a rod locker and there was another huge subfloor rod storage locker with lift-out storage boxes and room for holding long-range victuals. Nothing too tricky about the nearby AC/DC control panel, though.

For a childless owner and partner, the 360 Coastal would make a great overnighter or weekender. With the dinette in place, a hot shower and Vacuflush loo, plus a very generous 409lt of water and an island double bed in the bow with innerspring mattress, you have plenty of comforts. Privacy can be gained by pulling across a curtain, and there are hanging lockers and a couple of drawers for stowing the Sunday best.

The air conditioned interior has lots of headroom, plenty of opening portlights and hatches, and a none-too-glitzy finish derived from cherry wood joinery with a nice optional compass-rose inlay on the dinette. There were clip-in carpets and timeless, tasteful soft furnishings.

BOUND FOR THE BLUEWATER
At lure-trolling speed of about eight knots at 1310rpm, the twin 370hp Volvo D6 electronic diesel motors jointly consumed 14.4lt/h. Moreover, there was no diesel smoke and no annoying drum.

With the tabs down and half fuel and water, the hull held a low-speed plane of 13kt at 2250rpm for 59lt/h total fuel consumption. Low-speed cruise of about 18kt at 2590rpm returned a pretty economical 81.5lt/h. Leaving 10 per cent of the decent 1514lt fuel supply in reserve, range is just over 300 nautical miles.

The boat's fast cruise speed was 22kt at 2890rpm using 102lt per hour for a 294-nautical mile range. Flat out, the GPS showed we were doing a tad over 26kt. I suspect the boat is more like a 30-knotter with clean props and running gear (Wellcraft claims 30.5kt). Power options range to twin 540hp motors and, I suspect, you'll see 30kt cruise.

But fast or slow it felt awfully good as I ranged through some messy stuff without one thud, bang or shudder. The electronic shifts made the boat a snap to drive. It's certainly an adaptable, low-maintenance boat that should unite those who have an interest in fishing and those who do not.

HIGHS

Seaworthy hull from Raymond Hunt
Smooth and manoeuvrable
Excellent engineering and engine access
An all-round combo fish-and-family boat
Lots of storage for gear (except gaffs)
Fishy features and electronics
Comfortable and accommodating
Pretty lines and décor
Less maintenance and expense than a battlewagon

LOWS

No gaff, tagpole or under-gunwale storage racks
Windscreen frame will need respraying
Vision with full tabs could be better
Slow rams that lift floor to engineroom
Needs more power and a soundshield on the generator
Small microwave oven
Needs half-tower and poles

Wellcraft 360 Coastal (May 2006)