The Haines V19R project boat gets the best boat accessories

The excitement was rising for the final fit-out stages of our long-awaited Haines V19R project boat, since dubbed the Nautek N19R. We’d come a long way since we started the boat restoration

PROJECT BOAT ACCESSORIES

Many of our friends had already come on board to help project managers Nautek Marine with the restoration of this classic Haines V19R hull. Still more stepped up to the plate for the boat accessories that would make this a great boat. Sam Allen Wholesale is a name that won’t be familiar to most of our readers as it supplies a wide range of componentry at the dealer and wholesale level. Did I say wide range? I meant a virtual smorgasbord of marine fittings, accessories and equipment to set-up your boat from bow to stern.

HYDRAULIC STEERING

Firstly and in my mind most importantly, is hydraulic steering. Most experienced marine operators will recommend hydraulic steering is fitted to all outboard motors over 115hp. The old rule of thumb was the step up to V6 from four-cylinder engines. However, with the introduction of high-torque four-stroke engines and the recent developments in lightweight, high-power four-cylinder engines, such as our gutsy Yamaha F200G outboard motor, things have changed slightly.

To meet the task, Sam Allen supplied a full Ultraflex hydraulic steering kit to enable us to leash the Yamaha F200G outboard on the transom, allowing for ultimate control at all speeds. It also gives more confidence knowing you have the strength and reliability of the hydraulics keeping control and not relying on mechanical alternatives.

A good hydraulic steering kit such as the Ultraflex is there for the life of the boat and other than a gentle wash-down, check of hoses, fittings and oil levels, the system requires little servicing. Hydraulic steering also reduces the amount of cabling required at the transom and creates a very neat fit-up with few holes or catch points. Also supplied were bi-wall fittings to reduce any wear points and give a neat finish, the job completed with a pivoting helm for adjusting the steering wheel position.

The cost of hydraulic steering has dropped in recent years and we are now seeing it used in more and more installations. In fact we’ve seen it installed in boats with outboard right down to 25hp and it is now a regular option fitted to 60hp outboard motors and above.

Sam Allen Wholesale also supplied a strong Ultraflex Tavolara soft-grip steering wheel with attractive stainless steel spokes. Unlike other sports-style wheels the Tavolara has equal symmetrical spokes allowing it to appear centered at all times. Those that have had a lesser steering wheel collapse on them at the worst possible time at sea will appreciate the importance of a good, strong wheel with a warm and comfortable non-slip grip. The Euro-sports design also adds to the visual appeal of the dashboard.

SLIMEY TANK

Our Haines V19R is destined for plenty of offshore fishing and will be carrying a good supply of large slimey mackerel for bait. We purposely built the largest livebait tank possible in the rear quarter and Sam Allen Wholesale supplied us with a Piranha dual-port livebait well pump and all fittings, including the hoses and a unique high-speed through-hull pickup that delivers at speed.

Speaking of pumps, we also installed a SHURflo 1000gal/h bilge pump with float switch, and a complete washdown kit to keep the work area clean and tidy. These are all essential items on any serious fishing boat – just ask anyone who has had the misfortune of slipping on a wet and bloody deck!

Today’s standup style of short-stroker gamefishing allows you to fish with heavy 37kg tackle in small boats, but these outfits apply enormous pressure on the rodholders on strike, so we got a strong set of fully welded rodholders made from marine grade 316 stainless steel to meet the task. The hint is to check the thickness of the machined steel or casting and take particular attention to the weld quality on the underside from the tube to the flange.

EVEN MORE BOAT ACCESSORIES

It’s a combination of quality accessories that make the difference for a well-fitted boat. Sam Allen Wholesale also supplied strong stainless steel handrails, large-diameter bungs, locking fuel filler componentry, breather tubes, pickups, outlets and valves. There have been enormous advances in boat lighting in recent years too and LEDs have been fitted as cabin, work and navigation lights, with coloured LED courtesy lighting under the coamings providing an excellent nighttime work environment.   All switch gear is run through a new Relaxn membrane-style flush-mount switch panel and with today’s electronics, we can’t go anywhere without a Relaxn USB outlet or two for charging portable communications equipment.

We are very pleased with the pair of Relaxn 5in oval underwater lights on the transom. They not only put on a handsome blue light display but we found them exceptionally handy as illumination for our rod tips without ruining our night sight, an essential element for any nocturnal angler.

LONE STAR ANCHOR WINCH

Our friend Malki at Lone Star Marine jumped at the chance to supply us with all anchoring equipment, fittings and accessories. Malki is quite a character with a most enthusiastic demeanor and a fishing nut in his own right. Furthermore he has an affinity with older Haines Hunters, personally owning a 565C that looks more like Darth Vader than our Tweety Bird.

Lone Star Marine started operations around four years ago, not long after the popularity of cotton-reel-style winches began, and the business has grown immensely, now producing a full range of innovative winches, anchors, bow fittings, ropes, chains and accessories.

“Cotton-reel winches were far from a new idea but I saw a huge potential for improvement. Quality and service are the key elements in this rapidly changing market,” explained Malki. “The bloke at the end of the phone must know his products intimately and we are committed to personal attention, not internet obscurity!”

Malki was immediately attracted to our Haines v19R as he previously developed a wide hawsepipe specifically for that model. The short drop into the anchor well from the runabout’s deck creates problems for the rope laying well on the cotton reel. His wide hawsepipe allows the rope angle to spread as it comes through the deck, giving a much more even lay across the spool. What’s more it looks great.

Lone Star Marine also supplied us with a 1400-Watt WG31400D winch which is actually larger than generally required for this size of boat. However it gives us the spool capacity of 120m of 10mm rope plus 10m of short-link chain for anchoring on deep offshore reefs. It also supplies the chain capacity needed to help hold in our local Port Phillip Bay mud. The big winch wouldn’t fit in many trailerboats without the modifications carried out by Nautek.

Lone Star is an individual in the winch market, sourcing its own upgraded motors and beefing up the gearbox and drive components to cope with a rugged saltwater environment. It uses a true IP67-rated motor that is claimed to be better by design and has been thoroughly tested for ingress protection at the Austest Laboratories.

The stainless steel rotor housings are up to 15mm thick and have proper waterproof seals, plus use paint, silicone and glue for added protection. The process allows rugged protection but also helps the motor to heat up and cool slowly greatly extending service life. Malki tells us that some are as little as 2mm thick and are sealed with dabs of silicone.

Lone Star has beefed-up all stainless steel componentry in the gearbox and uses only 316M stainless steel input and output shafts and double-shielded enclosed bearings. It has also minimised the gap between reel and gearbox so rope won’t get jammed. Malki has done plenty of field testing (read fishing) to ensure that the drop and retrieval rates are maximised; not too fast to allow overruns or create undue stress on retrieval, and not to slow to miss the spot. Lone Star Marine is proud of its track record, boasting a low return rate of 0.0057 per cent on the whole kit of current models, including solenoids, motor, circuit breakers and gearboxes. It only uses premium Bussman circuit breakers which are up to ten times the price of some cheap alternatives but according to Malki, “No one will catch on fire!”

BOWSPRIT

Lone Star also supplied us with a self-launching stainless steel bowsprit that will work well with any sort of anchor, including his opposition’s — SARCA. There’s much more to anchor design than meets the eye and we have been really pleased with the 10kg stainless steel Mud Magnet.

The anchor has wide flanges with a long point to dig into harder surfaces, but it’s reasonably flat on top for increased holding capacity in the mud. It has a self-righting roll bar and the tip is lead filled to ensure it digs in. The Mud Magnet will actually turn in a circle without popping out on a tide, current or wind change. The convex design also reduces environmental damage on weed beds.

Lone Star Marine supplies double-braid nylon rope which is far more expensive than standard polypropylene. It is more pliable to lay straight on the spool and will stretch under load without damaging the fibres, again extending the lifespan. In continuing efforts to improve, Lone Star Marine has now developed a terrific new chain guard to protect the componentry while reducing the noise created by chain dropping into a boat.

You can contact Lone Star Marine directly: here.

See the full version of this story in Trade-A-Boat#457, September / October 2014. Why not subscribe today?