I have an admission to make: I have been a closet admirer of Polycraft boats for many years; they just make so much sense. Polyethylene construction is unquestionably tough, so much so that you can hit it with a sledgehammer repeatedly and barely scratch the surface. Go try that test with your fibreglass or alloy boat, and you’ll be sorry. In fact, polyethylene is said to have five times the impact resistance of fibreglass.

Polycraft boats are manufactured from UV-stabilised marine-grade polyethylene, and time has proven the material's suitability for boat building. They suffer little from fade or decomposition even after prolonged exposure to extreme elements. In fact, as the boats are rotary moulded, the colour is part of the base material; hence, even minor scratching doesn’t appear as it would on any other medium. Therefore, Polycraft boats will never need painting.

The rotary moulded process produces a single-piece hull, floor and deck with dual walls trapping air in the cavities, providing exceptional safety with inherent buoyancy. This is assisted by the plastic base material being independently buoyant. Polycraft says, “There’s no rust, no corrosion, no osmosis, no chemical washes... no worries - Just grab your mates and make some memories!” There’s no rot or electrolysis, and the plastic is far less susceptible to marine growth, making Polycraft ideal as tenders and work boats.

The polyethylene creates a totally new sensation in the water as it flexes slightly and has terrific impact absorbency. Its composition actually resists vibration and absorbs sound, so it’s a very quiet ride. Plus, it doesn’t transmit noise when fishing, and the texture is pleasing to touch. You can feel at ease pulling up to other boats without fenders, as it generally won’t scratch or scar, and the impact resistance combined with a strong keel makes it ideal for beaching.

With the yin comes the yang, so if you are looking for a sharp show pony, look elsewhere. The very nature of pulling heat-treated polyethylene from a mould means there is some buckling and even a little colour inconsistency, especially when you have such large surfaces as Polycraft's flagship, the 599 Frontier.

Polycraft Boats 599 Cuddy Cabin or Centre Console

I have considerable experience with the small models and loved them, so I was genuinely excited to be offered the opportunity to test drive the flagship 599 Frontier. Polycraft boats come in a wide range of models, from 3m tenders to our 6.1m O/A Frontier Cuddy, which is also available as a centre console.

We travelled to Port Welshpool, where I enlisted a local mate, Stan Crossley, for a second opinion. Stan has been around boating in the region since Adam was a pup; in fact, I think his first boat was a bark canoe! Stan said, “I reckon she goes alright, she tracks well…..I’d even like to take it bream fishing on the rivers as I can pull into the banks without worrying about rocks and scratches! There’s enough room for me to camp out in the cuddy, plus it’s not noisy like a tinny and has no amplified harmonics from the engine. Mum’s going to love that rear lounge. No matter your height, there’s very little hull slap and terrific vision!"

Full Width Lounge and Rear Storage Boxes

It was a shame we didn’t get the opportunity for some more rough water experience, but the boat felt exceptionally confident and capable. The hull is quite unique, with its “pronounced reverse chines” reminiscent of the older “Gull Wing” concept. These huge chines assist lift and tracking and combine with the 2.5m beam to provide excellent stability. I imagined it may have grabbed a rail in tight turns, but wrong again—it turned beautifully!

At Wide Open Throttle, she topped out at an almost perfect 6100RPM, and we were travelling briskly at 33.9 knots (63kmh) with the Honda 150HP V4 4-stroke humming a pleasing note. We had half a tank of fuel (200L capacity) and two passengers on board. The trim lifts to a good level but then appears almost to stop, a characteristic I have found in other boats with aggressive chines such as this. My old Stessl Edgetracker used to do the same.

There is surprisingly little bow rise as she lifts quickly to an offshore travel speed of 16.3 knots at 3800 RPM, then 21.2 knots at 4200 RPM, with a feeling that she wants to jump, and then finds a power band between 5000 and 5500 RPM, where she lifts to a sweet spot at 31 knots. Fuel figures were not available on the package.

The rotary moulding process demands a relatively simple layout, yet it is entirely practical and very comfortable. Our demo boat was fitted with an electric Savwinch, with a short stainless steel sprit and split bow rail wrapping the cuddy. The cabin area is quite spacious, having a flat floor with three storage containers underneath, allowing plenty of space to customise and easy access to the fore hatch.

The dashboard, seating, and helm are all quite pleasing, and a pair of bolster-style upholstered seats on swivels are securely mounted on moulded plastic seat boxes with efficient storage. The dashboard is quite neat and has all the instruments and controls in easy reach. The layout allows for a Garmin Echomap 95+ GPS/Sounder 9“ multi-function unit that suited the package entirely; however, you would probably have difficulty if you wished to upgrade to a 12” screen.

While the whole world seems to have moved to digital screens, I still like the simplicity of the analogue engine gauges, plus there was a switch panel, Seastar hydraulic steering, Savwinch controls and a Fusion Bluetooth stereo, with the passenger offered a dash grab bar and glove box. The screen is aluminium/perspex with a full-width grab rail, and the visibility was excellent. Overhead, we were protected by a good set of bimini canopies and clears with rocket launchers available as a dealer option.

The internal combings are slab-sided without foot recesses due to the nature of the plastic construction, yet the deck/work area is really very large with nice, high sides for added safety. There is an assortment of moulded trays and knick-knack holders with recessed grab rails, a fully carpeted floor, an underfloor fish box, plastic rod holders and a traditional engine well with boarding platforms and bait hatches on either side. There is a full-width rear upholstered lounge, and while I reckon the seat section is just a little wide and would benefit from taking 50mm off to form toe holds when lowered, Stan reminded me that the lounge lizards will love the added dimension when frolicking in the sunshine.

There are recessed battery compartments on both port and starboard, and the engine well is supported by a strong aluminium fabrication that drops down to the keel, where we find the bilge pump. It’s a little out of the ordinary, but this is no ordinary boat. The only downside was that when we reversed at speed, the deep engine well filled quickly, so don’t go madly backing down on a rampaging marlin.

Wrap It Up

Overall, there is plenty to consider from this tough contender. When you consider the very low maintenance factor, the ease of cleaning and repair, amazing functionality, very workable layout, a 4-year hull warranty plus an easily surveyed hull, and all at a price that’s considerably cheaper than most plate alloy and fibreglass alternatives, the Polycraft 599 Frontier plastic fantastic is a strong contender in the 6m class.

Every good Aussie seafarer knows that good things come from Bundaberg, Qld. No, silly, not the rum, I was talking about Polycraft boats! 

Specifications

Length overall: 6.10m

Beam: 2.5m

Weight: 940kg (dry- hull only)

Fuel capacity: 200L

Water capacity: nil

Power:  Honda BF150 DOHC, in-line four-cylinder, four-stroke outboard

 

Supplied by: Aussie Boat Sales, Williamstown, VIC, 3016

 

Ready to Set Sail? 

Find your dream boat online at Only Boats! If you enjoyed this review, please check out our current selection of Polycraft boats for sale.

We have a wide range of fantastic deals on boats for sale, including used boats and new boats. You can also check out our used boat buying guide, which is great for first-time buyers.

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