Looking for a Custom Boat Builder in Queensland for your next multihull powercat? check out our Allrounder Multi-hull Powerboats right here.

The post Another New Allrounder – Custom Boat Builder appeared first on Lifestyle Boats.

If you’re looking for custom fibreglass boat repairs on the Sunshine Coast to repair your powerboat, get in contact with us at Lifestyle Boats Queensland.

The post Rebuilt Custom Transom appeared first on Lifestyle Boats.

Published in “Australian Fisherman and Boatowner” – March 2003

One of the success stories of 2002 was the emergence of Chris Reynold’s Lifestyle Boats’ GRP 6.7m Tri which settled down into production with one boat being produced each month throughout the year.

As we pointed out in the boat test (F&B #70) Chris is a dedicated boat builder who has built up a fanatical following with his beautifully finished and very strong fibreglass Tri’s.

This is not a flop moulded anything, nor an old boat modified – this is a totally new rig from the ground up with naval architect specifications and the highest level of tradesmen employed in the construction of brand new moulds and tooling.

That process has continued for the last year or so, and has led to the development of a whole heap of GRP options such as a fibreglass hardtop (now a regularly chosen option) and all sorts of fittings and trim ranging from bait tables to GRP lockers. Chris allows for a degree of customisation that is very rare in a production fibreglass boat.

Most of the Tris are now sold with either a Honda 225hp 4-stroke or the Yamaha 225hp 4-stroke, depending on the customer’s requirements and relationship with his local dealer. Chris Reynolds can either set up the entire rig for a customer or work through dealers around Australia.

Basic specs list the boat at 6.7m LOA, Beam 2.5m, draft 0.3m and a BMT weight of 1980 kg with a Honda 130 hp 4-stroke outboard. For more information can be found about the Allrounder Lifestyle Boats here.

The post Lifestyle Tri-Hull Enjoys Real Success appeared first on Lifestyle Boats.

Article by Wayne Kampe
Published in “Fishing World” – November 2002

This big new fishing boat combines the best of twin hull stability with mono hull economy and performance

THE Lifestyle 6700 All Rounder is a trihulled half cabin that will appeal to anglers searching for a solid craft that offers a lot of comfort. It’s a dedicated fishing craft which very successfully makes the transition to a family cruiser as well (hence the All Rounder denomination). A good hard look at the unique design reveals the Lifestyle combines some of the best features of multi hull and mono hull craft in the one package. Certainly, the great stability and sea keeping ability of the multi hull design prevails throughout every aspect of the boat’s performance but it also comes with the economy associated with running only one engine.

THE HULL

The hull of the Lifestyle 6700 All Rounder is roomy, stable and boasts great sea-keeping ability. The tri-hull design features a central deep vee section with smaller side sponsons. Under way the central section of the hull makes initial contact with oncoming waves while the side sponsons are riding high and dry to a point about half way back along the hull. This means there is far less of the Lifestyle’s hull in contact with the water at speed than there is at rest with greatly reduced drag when underway a bonus. On the flip side of the coin, once the hull is at rest the deeply vee’d side sections of the hull then come into full water contact to provide a great deal of stability. In fact, I noticed that three adults on the one side of the Lifestyle 6700 All Rounder are a non-event. This is one very stable rig.

A neat engine pod protrudes aft. This pod also incorporates a wide boarding/swim platform. A huge walkaround cabin, plenty of cockpit fishing room and enough creature comforts to keep the family man in the good books with mum and the kids as well make this a great, well, all-round boat.

LAYOUT

The Lifestyle 6700 All Rounder is packed with features in standard form, although the test rig had been thoroughly optioned up. Easy anchor access is standard with a large bowsprit and heavy duty roller. An anchor winch is an option. Standard, though, are the paired anchor wells up front along with the split stainless steel bow rail. Access to the walkaround area is via pairs of moulded steps on each side of the cockpit with both the windscreen, targa frame and bow rail offering support. A moulded targa arch is standard and makes an excellent place to mount a rocket launcher or bimini with clears: the test craft featured both of these options. A set of speakers for the radio and CD player were also fitted within the targa.

The dash layout consisted of a neat moulding on the starboard side of the substantial full width bulkhead in place below the screen. On the upper section of the dash section were instruments to monitor the rig’s Honda 225 four-stroke engine. A compass is there as well. Mounted below these instruments was a Garmin plotter/sounder unit and an array of switches plus a decent grab rail. The dash had ample room for more nav aids as well. A grab rail set near the door leading to the cabin was there for the passenger while both passenger and driver were offered a fair amount of side storage in the pockets provided.

The steering wheel of the Lifestyle 6700 All Rounder was mounted on a vertical section of the dash moulding and both the wheel and engine controls were well placed for ease of use.

The bucket seats on the test craft were very comfortable and featured plenty of adjustment plus full swivelling capability. The driver’s seat was also serviced with a footrest built into the lower dash moulding. Both driver’s and passenger’s seats were mounted on moulded storage boxes and there was an interesting option here in that one storage box had also been set up as a refrigerator.

Entry to the cabin area was via a tall hinged door that opened to port. The finish of the cabin is top shelf and the contrasting tones between lining and large Vee berths was quite eye pleasing. The usual storage compartments were set up under the berths. I’d rate the cabin size as an XOS and an in-fill cushion would allow both parents and a couple of youngsters to sleep aboard with ease. Unfortunately the TV in the photo is an option but it sure would keep the kids quiet when the fish were hard to come by!

ROOM TO FISH

The heading about sums it up. The Lifestyle 6700 All Rounder has a large, angler-friendly cockpit that would fish at least five rods under most conditions. Four rod holders are set into the top of the gunwales as standard but on the test rig five more were also located up on the targa mounted rocket launcher. The cockpit is self-draining, a sensible feature in a craft with as much offshore capability as this one.

Anglers fishing from within the cockpit will notice there is plenty of free board and anglers can get stuck into fish with their toes hooked under the well placed lower gunwale padding. Large side pockets are featured within the cockpit as well. Another excellent feature is the high transom which guards against water entering from astern even when reversing into following seas. The Lifestyle’s wide transom features two very large bait tanks with hinged covers as well.

PERFORMANCE

The driving position is comfortable either seated or standing. Plenty of room for electronics.
The 225 Honda on the stern of the test boat was right at the upper limit of power requirements but the rig still balanced and performed beautifully. At 5,700 rpm the big Honda, fitted with a Solas four-blade Torquemaster propeller, pushed the rig at 40.8 knots! Planing was at about 13 knots for a modest 2,800 rpm and a sensible cruise speed would most likely be around the 26.5 knots at 4,000 rpm. Dropping back a little will see the rig travelling at 21 knots at 3,500rpm if need be.

Sea travel is always governed by prevailing conditions but a big plus for the Lifestyle 6700 All Rounder is the fact that it planes at a level attitude at all speeds and trolling at 13 knots would see the engine almost whisper quiet, consuming very little fuel and with the craft trimmed quite flat.

Both the ride and handling of the big tri-hull were really quite exemplary. The steering effort seemed to be virtually nil thanks to the Sea Star hydraulic steering fitted and the inherent balance of the craft as a whole. At speed and into oncoming seas the under-hull tunnels always seemed to have a cushion of air trapped below them to soften the ride. And the craft was surprisingly quiet under way – no vibrations or rattles at any speed.

The Lifestyle’s hull reflects the time taken in design and development in that the ride was as dry as it was soft. Very little spray or water can find its way aboard this craft, even when pushing into seas with the wind quartering on the bow.

FINAL JUDGEMENT

The Lifestyle 6700 All Rounder is a boat that will have tremendous appeal to anglers wanting to fish anywhere from estuaries to oceans. The comfort levels make it really suitable for families to enjoy yet the sea-keeping ability, cockpit size and the many angler orientated features will endear it to hardcore fishos as well. Level of finish was in the deluxe class and a wide range of options is available, including a lower transom for twin engine installation, toilet, the targa canopy and many others.

The post Love That Lifestyle appeared first on Lifestyle Boats.

Article by Rick Huckstepp, Photos by Rick Huckstepp & David Granville
Published in “Trailer Boat” – May 2002

It can’t bat and it can’t bowl, but the 6700 Allrounder – by new boatbuilder on the block, Lifestyle Boats – can do just about everything else….

It seems the race is on to build the perfect family fishing boat. indeed, given the number of educated buyers around these days so much more is required from a boat. Which is fair enough. If you’re going to part with a swag of your hard-earned, you want a boat that can perform as many duties as possible.

Boat manufacturers around the country are aware of this, and it seems more and more boats are being designed to be a serious fishing boat one day and a family entertainer the next.

LIFESTYLE BANDWAGON

The latest company to jump on the ‘jack of all trades’ bandwagon is Sunshine Coast-based fibreglass boat manufacturer Lifestyle Boats. While Lifestyle Boats is a relative newcomer to the new boat market, its production team certainly is not. In fact, its staff have worked for some of the better boatbuilders in the country, including multihull specialists like Kevlacat and Noosa Cat.

Lifestyle Boats has exploded on to the market with its 22ft fibreglass trihull, aptly tagged the 6700 Allrounder. Indeed, an allrounder is exactly what this boat is designed to be, as it has enough features to appeal to the serious fisho, yet enough creature comforts to keep the fairer sex happy.

Bi-fold doors provide access to a large cabin with twin bunks. The dash could be a bit bigger if wanting to mount a larger complement of electronics. Marine radios stored in the port side radio box are too far from the helm.
We were fortunate enough to drive two different 6700 Allrounders recently – one powered by a 115hp Honda four-stroke and another with Honda’s brand-new 225hp V-six four-stroke. Not many hulls can perform successfully with such a contrasting power range, so it was interesting to compare performance with two outboards at opposite ends of the power spectrum.

The Allrounder fitted with the 115hp is owned by Steve Evans from Solas Propellers fame, while the boat powered by the 225 was a brand-new boat about to be delivered to a dealer in Western Australia. Steve’s boat was completely finished with all the extras, including bimini top, electronics, etc. The other boat was in a relatively bare form, so performance figures may alter slightly once fully loaded.

A TESTING PROPOSITION

Steve’s boat was tested in and around the Southport Seaway while the other boat was tested offshore from Mooloolaba with quite a substantial swell running.

While the 115hp Honda would be at the bottom of the recommended power range, it still provided quite impressive performance figures and is quite an economical power option. Top speed with the 115 at 5600rpm was 54kmh while 4000rpm produced a comfortable cruise of 29kmh.

The Allrounder fitted with the 225 was, as expected, a bit of a rocketship. The big fourstroke is super-quiet and mid-range acceleration is more like a two-stroke than the four-strokes of old. Top speed offshore was 71 kmh at 5800rpm, while a 4000rpm cruise produced 53kmh. The big Honda’s VTEC kicks in at 4500rpm, at which time the Allrounder is fanging along at around 60kmh. We found the Allrounder to be responsive with both engines, although the 225 obviously provided much quicker acceleration out of the hole.

Stability was good both at speed and at rest, although we noticed a lot of water noise under the hull at low speed – probably more noticeable due to the quietness of the outboard. The ride in the choppy offshore conditions can be described as relatively soft – except in a head sea – when you knew you were in a multihull. Unfortunately, the full bow can’t quite cut it like a deep-vee monohull.

We managed to get the Allrounder airborne a couple of times off the big swells running off Mooloolaba on our test day. However, considering the air we got, the landings were very sedated. The boat kept an even trim and felt safe – even in the air.

INNER SPACE

One thing about boats in trihull configuration is they are big on space – especially forward. Cabin space is maximised due to the full bow of the trihull, unlike a monohull, which loses a lot of space up front due to its bow flare. This is particularly evident in the Allrounder, which, although a centre-cab, still has a very large cabin for a boat this size. The walk-around configuration of the 6700 Allrounder will not only appeal to the active stand-up fisherman, but will also makes life a lot easier when anchoring.

Two large hatches in the foredeck reveal twin anchorwells with ample space to store necessary ground tackle, as well as anchor buoys, fenders and the like. A big, high bowrail adds to the safety forward, and recessed lighting ensures sure footing while moving about the walk-around after dark.

On Steve’s boat, a set of clears are located from the top rim of the windscreen to the stainless steel frame of the bimini. The bimini is also anchored to the screen with stainless steel cable and fittings. The rear of the bimini attaches to a fibreglass targa that sports stainless steel rodholders and antenna mounts. An aft bimini extension from the targa provides additional shade in the cockpit but does make accessing the rocket launcher a bit of a pain.

The cabin provides good headroom and features a small double berth. An electric marine toilet is centrally located and storage is provided below the bunk cushions. Sidepockets on either side of the cabin also provide additional storage space. Bi-fold cabin doors with tinted glass can be locked for additional security.

OUTSIDE THE CABIN

Just outside the cabin on the port side is a radio box that houses a 27MHz VHF and CD player. While this box provides good protection from the elements, it is too far from the helm. Marine radios should be closer to the helmsman, so they can be reached and heard easily.

Seating for both the helmsman and passenger is provided by swivel bucket seats that sit atop insulated fibreglass boxes. Lifestyle has gone for a rather narrow bucket seat to maximise room in the helm area and to aid access to the cabin. Only problem is, if you’ve got a fair old butt like me, you’ll find these seats a bit squeezy.

The seatbox on the port side features a hinged lid that provides access to a small sink with a tap that is fed from a 60lt freshwater tank. Under the corresponding lid on the starboard side, a tray sits over the opening to an insulated icebox that may be drained to the cockpit via a bung.

The helmsman is treated with a hydraulically-operated stainless steel steering wheel. Electronics fitted to Steve’s boat included a Furuno FCV600L sounder and Navman 950 chartplotter. The dash featured a full complement of Honda gauges, Navman fuel-flow meter and keyless ignition.

A fuel-filler on the gunwale is used to fill the 200lt underfloor tank, which is also accessed through the cockpit floor via a stainless steel inspection port. This inspection port enables the tank to be dipped for an accurate fuel content reading and simplifies maintenance.

Inner walls divide short pockets with flush mounted hatches behind which water pressure pumps, batteries, isolation switches and fuel filters are located. Plumbed live bait tanks are located in each aft corner while a bait table above the transom bulkhead has a hinged cutting board and has provision for bait storage below. Overflow from the bait table drains into the enginewell.

Overall we thought the 6700 Allrounder was an extremely well-constructed package. With the two test boats being only the second and third boats ever built, there is obviously some room for improvement. That said, the Lifestyle team is definitely on the right track with the Allrounder and have indeed entered the race to build the perfect family fishing boat.

The post Jack of All Trades appeared first on Lifestyle Boats.

A Testimonial from John C. Townsville, Queensland.

Following are the fuel figures for a trip to Arab Reef which is some 57 Nm off Townsville. The boat was loaded with 400 litres of fuel, which was a full tank together with three guys, ice and gear for a 2 day trip. Weather conditions were 10 to 15 knots, with 1.5 metre seas from the NE.

Leaving Townsville we headed straight into the wind and swell at 24 knots which proved to be a bit too bumpy for my old back, so I went and sat in the back seat and let Stephen drive, he came back in speed to twenty knots which provided a very comfy ride.

The seas stayed pretty lumpy for the whole trip but apart from heading straight into the seas, the boat handled it with ease. In fact, on the way home I placed a self-inflating mattress on the cockpit floor and went to sleep whilst we were travelling at 24 knots with a following sea.

The GPS logged 132.4 Nm for the trip with an economy rate of 1.54 Ltr/knots for the whole trip which I was over the moon with considering that we were starting & stopping & moving between reefs and the lumpy seas use extra fuel.

We are thrilled with the whole combination: boat, motor & trailer.

We towed the boat home to Townsville from [Lifestyle Boats’ factory at] Caloundra at 90-95K/hr with my 3.0Ltr Nissan diesel Patrol, sure I used a lot more fuel but it towed beautifully.

The Honda 225Hp Motor is ideal for this boat with a top speed of close to 36 Kn/hr and a great cruising speed of 27Kn/hr @ 4700 rpm and 36 Lt/hr. I might add that I lost my bet with Stephen (it cost me a new rod & reel ). I didn’t think it would do better than 40 Lt/hr @ 25 Knts, however a couple of reef trips and I will have saved the money I lost.

I would have no hesitation in recommending this combination to any prospective buyers.

The post A Testimonial from John C. appeared first on Lifestyle Boats.

A Testimonial from George. July 2012.

Thought I would give you an update on Bridget. She is going well, I have had no trouble operating the boat at all, easy on and off the trailer, no trouble to manage by myself. No problems, everything is working well and Gail loves it, great for all the family.

Have done about 7 trips now, mainly on Hervey Bay and have caught my first 3 Schnapper.

About 30 hours, I’m glad we decided on the 200hp engine, I wouldn’t go smaller, it seems to be a good size for the hull.

Some information for you, on a flat ocean at 4000 rpm it is doing 21 knots and using about 1.1 litres per nautical mile (23 litres per hour), at 4500 rpm it is doing 26 knots and using about 1.3 litres per nautical mile (30 litres per hour). I think this is pretty good

The Lowrance HDS 10 is good, but you need a PhD in Electronics to get the sonar to work properly, particularly in a rough sea (and I’m not sure I have it worked out). The plotter is really good.

The HDS 10 gives you information from the engine including engine temperature, alternator, battery voltage, fuel useage (including the total amount used for the trip – really handy to know exactly how much fuel you have on board), engine trim and other info. All useful, note, when the NMEA 2000 is connected for the engine info it draws voltage continuously so needs an additional switch to turn it off and stop unnecessary battery drainage.

I spent a weekend up in Wathumba Creek with my daughter and her partner, it’s great to have a hull that just sits level on the sand when the tide goes out. Great for camping. Towed the boat up to 1770 for the weekend last month, tows well behind the Mazda BT 50 but I will buy some Hayman Reese ride levellers for the trailer to lift the back of the ute when the trailer is attached and correct the headlights and steering. (Like they do with the caravans.)

The trailer brakes work perfectly. You asked me to report back how the rust preventative is working on the trailer, so far the gal is still fairly shiny but it’s still fairly new so will let you know what it’s like in another 6 months.

The post An Update On Bridget appeared first on Lifestyle Boats.

Article by Wayne Kampe
Published in “Queensland Fishing Monthly” – March 2007

Several years after the release of the soft-riding 6700 Allrounder, Lifestyle Boats have again wowed enthusiasts with the development of the X7400. Lifestyle Boats have delivered a fine craft set up with twin Honda 135 4-strokes that offers home-away-from-home comforts, a live-aboard capability, luxurious and innovative features and a standard of ride and stability that really impresses.

I tested the X7400 Allrounder during a nasty south-easterly which made the weather less than pleasant, but the big Lifestyle slipped effortlessly straight off its custom-made tandem wheel trailer. Lifestyle Boat’s Chris Reynolds is proud to admit that everything is made in-house.

TRI-HULL DESIGN

The Lifestyle craft’s unique design is best described as a tri-hull configuration. Smaller outer sponsons are incorporated with a larger central hull section which results in lots of internal space, good stability and a reduced wetted area underway. Chris designed the craft to offer flexibility in power options that can be powered by either single or dual outboards or a stern drive unit.

The size and self-draining layout of the cockpit and cabin area are impressive features of this great craft. Entry to the fully lined cabin is via a lockable folding door which sports a floor lip that prevents the possible intrusion of rainwater. The cabin also offers plenty of room for a family who want to bring the youngsters onboard. A marine toilet is standard and full overhead shelving compliments the storage areas below the Lifestyle’s multi cushion king-sized bed. A large central hatch provides ample natural lighting while paired interior lights are also standard. A big bow rail is there for your safety as well as a non-skid walk around area with hand holds.

PRACTICAL COCKPIT LAYOUT

Forward cockpit seating is both practical and comfortable with wrap around style bucket seats providing plenty of support. The skipper’s seat is mounted on a moulded storage box and can be adjusted easily. The first mate’s seat is set up on the forward section of the expansive galley unit to port. Footrests are standard, as are grab handles and handy storage areas. The passenger also has access to radio and stereo controls within a locker located on the left, as well as storage shelf that is mounted and extends across the dash.

The Allrounder’s cockpit is certainly large enough for a game chair.

The instrument panel has plenty of room for additional instruments or navigational aids. The wheel had a lively feel thanks to hydraulic steering that also made for user-friendly driving. This craft is responsive but gentle.

Switches and gauges are all easily reached or monitored. While the linked engine forward controls offered trim buttons on each unit, there were independent trim controls set into the main panel next to the winch control switch.

The Lifestyle’s galley unit is compact and practical. There’s a hinged Granicote top, sink, fridge tucked in behind the first mate’s seat, a gas stove and plenty of cupboard space. All features make ease of meal preparation. I noted that the galley unit was set up at a useful height too, with no stooping or bending required.

Shelter for occupants is provided by a Targa hard top and a full-length rear bimini (with side curtains and a midge screens for overnight trips) that can be folded down if required.

A SERIOUS FISHING CRAFT

This craft’s movable bench seating aft means the layout is very flexible. An innovative spigot system in the transom anchored the seating very firmly. There is plenty of cockpit storage with lockers along both sides and in the transom area. A pair of rod holders each side complimented the array on the Targa. The shelved bait board and the pair of plumbed livewells in each stern quarter reinforces that this is a serious fishing boat.

The locker-style side pockets take a lot of equipment and there’s a gaff and net holder insert. Walkway lights, fresh water shower and deck wash are also handy features in this very deep cockpit. I liked the innovative heavy-duty tube tread matting within the cockpit as well. This material gives a very sure footing and can be removed easily if you need to hose it out.

EASILY RUNS ON ONE MOTOR

The paired Honda 135’s proved to be very capable of pushing the craft to a speed of 73.7 km/h at 6,000 rpm with three aboard and an almost full (300 litre) fuel load. Riding at this speed was car-like and we creaming through the chop.

Planning occurred at an easy 2,500 rpm at 18 km/h while 3,000 rpm saw 24.8 km/ h on the GPS unit. 4,000 rpm equated to 52.6 km/h and 5,000 rpm saw a smooth 52.6 km/h. I noticed that when one motor was trimmed out the other Honda 135 pushed the craft to 43km/h.

The Lifestyle’s ride was simply superb. Dry as a bone and rock steady at all speeds the rig rode as though on rails. The tri-hull design traps air beneath the sponsons to reduce any impact as the hull comes off a wave while the very fine how entry sections slice through chop and swell very effectively.

SUMMING UP

The Lifestyle X7400 Allrounder is a luxurious and well set out craft that has terrific fishing potential. Offshore work would be a breeze and it would be just as comfortable within estuaries. You would need a large 4WD to tow the craft.

There are plenty of engine/hull combinations available. Lifestyle Boats can be contacted on (07) 5491 8788 or fax (07) 5491 8744. The website is lifestyleboats.com.au.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Length: 7.4 metres
• Beam: 2.5 metres
• Approx weight with motor: 2100 kg
• Persons rated for: 9
• Engine ratings: 90 hp twin, 135 hp twin, Single 135hp 4-stroke to 225 hp 4-stroke
• Engines as tested: Twin 135 hp Honda 4-strokes
• Fuel: 300 litres, option for 400 litres

The post Enjoy Life in the X-7400 Allrounder appeared first on Lifestyle Boats.

Published in “Australian Fisherman and Boatowner” – December 2001

Introducing one of the few genuinely new and very innovative GRP boats we’ve seen in Australia in several years. A fibreglass tri-hull boat, this new entry has a wide range of applications and is sure to be a real success in both the commercial and recreational markets.

Released at the 2001 Brisbane Boat Show, the Lifestyle 6700 is, without doubt, one of the most interesting new fibreglass boats we’ve seen in some years. Absolutely brim full of excellent ideas; the Lifestyle 6700 is the culmination of experience and skill from three blokes who between them share more than 50 years of boating experience.

Down in SA, many readers will remember the name Steve Peake. Steve, hailing originally from SkipperCraft in that state, has been working up on the Sunshine Coast now for several years. He has quite a few notches on his plug makers belt, not least of which is a wide range of the current Noosacats, many of which have been tooled by this very talented craftsman.

Chris Reynolds is another bloke with Noosacat involvement – he’s been one of their key employees for several years and in fact it was at Noosacat where the two men met up with each other and discovered a rapport that ultimately led them to create a business together.

The third player in the team is Steve Evans, the Solas Propeller man well known to F&B readers because he has personally helped out hundreds of our readers over the years. He is deservedly known as Steve, The Prop Doctor throughout Australia.

Steve is a very switched on marketing man, with a vast knowledge of the Australian dealer network and how boat distribution systems work, so he became involved in the Lifestyle Project too.

So perhaps it’s not all that surprising that these three men came up with such a polished craft. Few would argue that Steve Peake is one of Australia’s foremost plug makers, and with input from his two colleagues, what you see here is one of the most competently produced trailer-boats available in Australia.

Lifestyle Boats are never going to be a threat to the Haines Signatures and Seafarers of the world, nor is that in their business plan. They see themselves as occupying a niche in the overall scheme of things, contentedly building a very high-quality fibreglass boat on the basis of one, perhaps even two boats a month, at best. In this way, they hope to retain the same sort of flexibility and individual attention that has made plate aluminium boat building so attractive to the more experienced buyers dominating today’s marketplace.

By keeping their production team small, and their output carefully controlled, Lifestyle Boats can retain a degree of customer involvement not normally found in the fibreglass world.

DESIGN

This is a very good looking tri, isn’t it? When they first pulled into the car park, I was amazed at the sleek, slim lines of the craft, and delighted to find the mouldings were of such a high standard. The craft is right up “there” with the best of Australian GRP standards.

Testing boats ‘out of the box’ is always a bit of a worry because more often than not, the standard of mould making or glass production leaves a great deal to be desired. Not here – this is a boat that’s equal to any in its class, with a very high standard of moulding, very attractive lines, and a direct application to all sorts of boating, be it recreational or commercial.

But let’s take a closer look at what makes it work.

Upfront, we’re looking at a fibreglass trihull, or as it would be known in some quarters, a “gullwing”. From the writer’s viewpoint, calling it a trihull is more accurate than calling it a gullwing, because this is indeed a fair dinkum tri. Typically, the forefoot and “mouth” area are the critical zones, and getting the shape of these areas right is what occupied many months of Steve Peake’s time.

This is where the boat meets the water. Unlike a monohull, this boat has three separate hull shapes to get into a wave and out the other side without going Kerbang! in the process. Most whalers, tris and for that matter, many cats fall apart when the skipper brings the boat about and heads directly into the sea.

Head-on is the Achilles heel of almost all these multihull craft. Understandably, we were very keen to find out how this design coped in choppy water, but looking at the boat in the car park, and studying the underwater lines, I must admit I was singularly impressed. The laminar flow of water through the tunnels of this boat is quite impressive, and has obviously been subject to some meticulous workmanship and planning. Very interesting!

As you can see in the photographs, it’s a big tri, measuring 6.7m LOA with a maximum beam of 2.5m, a draft of approximately 300mm and a highway weight, complete with boat, motor and trailer on the weighbridge of 1.980 tonnes. That’s with the 130hp Honda as shown here, and a tandem axle, hydraulic actuated disc braked Tinka trailer.

It’s not a ‘pretend’ walkaround. There is a really good trench right around the cabin. It’s big enough to allow oversized blokes like the writer to walk around the cabin in safety and comfort. You’re not squeezed between the coamings and the ‘shed’ nor do you have to position your bum over the side to get around the cabin.

It’s one step up and an easy walk up front to the forward fishing area and the two marvellous anchor lockers. No kidding, this is one of the best foredeck set-ups I’ve seen. It has two huge anchor lockers, both big enough to take a decent sized (15 lb) plough anchor and chain on one side and a nylon warp Danforth anchor on the other.

The windscreen is a nice piece of armour glass, and although the cabin obviously comes inside the maximum beam quite a way, it’s interesting to note you don’t really feel as compressed or tight as you do in many other craft. The two helmsman’s chairs sit well together, both swivel easily and with the addition of the clears and bimini shown, a practical wheelhouse set-up is created.

One step down into the cabin reveals more excellent planning. Although the berths are only 5’8″ long (1.72m) there is actually plenty of room to sleep albeit 6 footers will have to curl up a bit as the bunks are only just 5’8″ wide. Interestingly, with the fill-in panel in place, the width of the cabin (or the resultant double berth) is 5’6″ across the boat as well – so there’s plenty of play room in here for the energetically inclined.

A toilet can be fitted between the berths, and in the test boat was one of the pump-out varieties. The boys can easily build in a holding tank for areas where the sewerage issue is particularly sensitive. For trailer boat owners, a chemical toilet slots into the same position.

Back up into the cockpit, the test boat was fitted with some very nice (optional) seat mouldings embracing a galley unit on the port side and an ice chest and live bait tank on the starboard. Again, this is all very good design.

PERFORMANCE

As you can see in the photographs, it was a pretty awful sort of day, with a strong sou-easterly blowing, and a gale due in that arrived (fortunately) just after we finished the test. Nevertheless, it was blowing up enough to make the seas offshore pretty sloppy, and with five of us onboard, the Lifestyle 6700 was working fairly hard to keep it all together in the manner we’d like with only 130hp on the transom.

This boat is actually rated for 225hp 4-strokes, or two x 115hp 2 or 4strokes on the transom – or for that matter, a diesel or petrol sterndrive.

But the 130 Honda was struggling a bit with the load, especially as we came across the bar. It all worked properly, we didn’t have any dramas, but I just thought it was a bit sluggish with a heavy load of blokes onboard (sorry, Ruth) and I would have liked to have seen more horsepower with a better power-weight ratio on the transom on this particular boat.

Having said that, if I lived in Sydney and went boating on the Hawkesbury River most weekends, then the 130hp Honda would be just about the perfect choice. It turned in a top speed of just on 28 knots, and we thought that was good for a heavily laden boat. Without all the bodies onboard, I’ve no doubt whatsoever we’d be pulling a clear 30 knots very easily.

In answer to the BIG question; does it thump? Then the answer is a qualified “yes” but “no”. Okay, what does that mean?

It means that for the bulk of the offshore work we undertook the boat was fantastic. There was scarcely any thump or bump to speak off, lateral stability is unreal (as you would expect) and it doesn’t have anything like the fore and aft peaking or sensitivity that you get in cats where you have to be very careful not to load up the corners too much because the displacement isn’t there to carry too much weight.

In this case, it doesn’t really make that much difference – there’s plenty of buoyancy down the bum of this boat and more than enough to carry two 4 strokes, let alone one. In fact, I suspect the boat’s handling would be even better if it had the weight of two 4 strokes on the transom because then that would in turn lift the bow up even more than it is now and promote (I suspect) an even softer, bang-free ride.

Okay, back to the thumps and bumps. The boat still does bang a little bit inshore funnily enough, especially in waters around 450-600mm tall in the bay. It was difficult to establish that one speed was actually better than another so as a result, we tended to travel across the chop flat stick in order to minimise the wetted area – this is a good technique usually, and it works well here, too.

I don’t want you to take this out of perspective. The ride is more than acceptable in all the mid-range speeds, and I don’t think it’s all that much harder riding than many of the top brand monohulls that we’ve tested.

Offshore, working in the seaway, it’s a very confidence building boat. As noted, the stability is excellent; it’s very comfortable to walk around and it doesn’t have nearly as much ‘rock and roll’ on the pick as many monos.

We’re able to confirm that the Lifestyle 6700 is a very good compromise between the advantages of a cat and the advantages of a mono, with minimal disadvantages of either strain.

In the safety department, the Lifestyle 6700 is a clear winner amongst its GRP peers.

It has one of the highest levels of inherent boat safety we’ve ever encountered, with multiple glassed-in air compartments (“positive” foam floatation is an optional extra), a self-draining cockpit – and is genuinely unsinkable without cutting it up with a chainsaw.

And on top of all this, it only needs one engine. So it gets very close to that dream situation where you are approaching the ride and stability levels of a cat, with the performance, handling and economy of a mono.

We found it was an unusually dry boat too, and especially so for a tri.

Usually, the slabby sides of a tri (or some cats) doesn’t engender dryness in a seaway, but it was pleasing to note that such is the bow lift of the centre hull, the two outer sponsons are mostly out of the water anyway. It’s only in really rough and choppy conditions that they engage the water surface. Even then, the curved chine on the outer sponsons rolls the water back down to the sea, thus deflecting most of the loose spray.

Summarising the performance is easy – offshore handling and ride we’d score it 7.5-8.0 out of a possible 10, with 9.5 for safety with the positive foam floatation installed, and 7.5-8.0 for style and intrinsic appeal. I liked it – it looks really good in the flesh.

APPLICATION

Well, there’s not much you can’t do in this boat. Obviously it’s going to be a fabulous fishing boat with the addition of a bait board and the usual toys such as outriggers, downriggers, depth sounder etc. As a fishing boat it’s a ripper because it’s very comfortable underfoot, the cockpit is a particularly nice size – not too big, not too small, and it’s nicely uncluttered – no rear seats or squabs although I daresay a lounge could be added if you needed one for the rello’s.

It’s also a boat with terrific family appeal and potential, especially from the safety viewpoint. I keep hammering this issue of safety because it’s one of the very, very rare boats in Australia that can be purchased with either sealed air tanks right through the chassis substructure, and/or positive foam buoyancy to make it completely unsinkable. Given the publicity around the need for boats to become unsinkable, it’s true to say that the Lifestyle 6700 is one of the first cabs off the safety rank. And for many family people that is a terrific advantage. Full stop.

In cruising mode, this could easily be converted into a wonderful weekend cruiser for a couple, and with the addition of cockpit curtains and canopies, the whole rear cockpit could be made into a snug tent or cabin that’s folded away during the day. Lot’s of potential here, be it a fishing boat, a family cruising machine or an island hopper for an escapist couple, there’s no doubt the Lifestyle 6700 is well named.

CONSTRUCTION

Steve Peake has built this boat without a splinter of wood. An all fibreglass construction, it will still be working hard when most of us are pushing up the daisies.

Steve and Chris are deservedly proud of their very high construction standard. Utilising fibreglass stringers, bearers, GRP cockpit sole, cupboards and dash arrangement, it really is a very fine example of the plug maker’s art.

CONCLUSION

One of the better boats we’ve tested in a long while. Easily one of the most interesting, and one of the most practical. I’d love to see more people in a boat like this because small manufacturers like the Lifestyle Boats’ team deserve to be supported if only to reward them for the courage, initiative and skill they’ve shown in developing such a fine craft.

I think it’s going to make a wonderful fishing boat, and you can see half a dozen of these plying their way out of the far NSW South Coast ports such as Bermagui and Eden with two or three anglers onboard.

Personally, I’d prefer a bit more horsepower than we had with the 130hp Honda, but please keep in mind we did have five big adults onboard during the test, and this no doubt impacted on the boat’s handling and performance.

That said, I think it is a pretty big ask for 130hp to push a big 20′ long full beamed fibreglass cruiser, so I’m not casting aspersions at Honda so much as reminding readers that if they live and work in areas with a strong river barred entrance (Port Macquarie, Narooma, the Tweed, etc) then definitely, I’d order this boat with up to 175hp on the transom – or my other preference would be for twin 80-100 hp Yamahas.

But as noted earlier, if you live and work in flat water areas such as the Pittwater, Brisbane Waters, Port Phillip Bay, Moreton Bay etc, and there are only two or three of you onboard usually, then the 130hp Honda as fitted here is more than ample for quite pleasing 28-knot performance.

All in all, an excellent new addition to the recreational fleet and one we believe is destined to achieve a real measure of success this summer. If you’re in the market for new fibreglass boats, enquire now with Lifestyle Boats Queensland.

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