OCEAN MASTER 451 RIPTIDE
In the Top End, the performance, safety and bullet-proof construction of Ocean Master boats are legendary. The baby Ocean Master is the 451 Riptide, and the latest version simply delights with the attention to detail, space utilisation and numerous stand-to-cast spots.
At the outset, I should confess that I am probably one of the most-qualified people to review the latest Ocean Master 451 Riptide. The reason is that I have been operating two of the recently-superseded models at our Arnhemland Lodge for three years now.
It follows that I should also explain at the outset that these boats were not part of any sponsorship deal. The Arnhemland Barramundi Nature Lodge is a commercial operation and the two Ocean Master 451 Riptides in fact cost much more than the two conventional 4.6m V-bottom boats that they replaced. They represent the two smallest boats of a fleet of six Ocean Masters, and are used almost entirely within closed waters and rarely for any coastal work. That’s not to say that they don’t handle inshore coastal conditions; they do it admirably, but the Lodge has bigger boats up to 6.5m for that purpose.
In the Top End, the handling, cushioning, dryness and overall performance of Ocean Master boats are legendary, but those were not the only reasons why we chose these boats for the remote waters of Arnhemland. There are other good boats around that have outstanding performance capabilities. The primary reason was simply that they are built like the proverbial brick shithouse. We were sick and tired of aluminium boats which just couldn’t handle the conditions: the tow-banging over cruelly-corrugated dirt roads, the tide-versus-wind, boat-hammering sea conditions often encountered, and the shallow sand, gravel and rock bars that some guides have a propensity for finding at 40kph. It seemed we were constantly fixing cracked welds, split seams and broken cross-members.
That all finished with the change to Ocean Masters. Little wonder then that they come with a five-year structural warranty.
So, in line with the brick shithouse theme, the 4.5m Riptide is a damned worthy contender for the title of Australia’s Toughest Little Boat. Frankly, this vessel is a floating Sherman tank…a little aluminium boat on steroids! That’s not surprising given its 4mm plate bottom, 4mm plate transom and 3mm plate topsides.
THE NEW HULL
The basic difference between the new hull and the old one is that it now has 2° more deadrise (the angle between the water and the side of the boat) towards the bow. In other words, it has a slightly deeper vee and thus a finer entry. According to Steve Blair from Territory Marine (which fits out all Ocean Master boats sold in Australia and overseas), in conjunction with larger reverse chimes, the deeper vee was incorporated to reduce what little spray there already was coming over the front of the boat, as well as to further improve the ride…nothing strange about that.
In line with the philosophy that, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, there has been no change to the airtight cylinders welded down both sides of the boat. They are the signature design aspect of all Ocean Masters, the defining structural component that underpins their performance and their safety features.
By performance, read a cushioned soft ride, and the inherent boat balance offered by those long, flat-bottomed sponsons which basically perform the same job as stabilisers do on a prawn trawler.
By safety, read firstly the obvious positive buoyancy provided by the airtight cylinders, and then secondly the awesome stability they provide. I can tell you from adventures in Arnhemland that three big blokes and a chunky guide can all stand down one side of the the little Riptide and that sponson sticks to the top of the water practically like a surfboard.
Other winning hull design features that have been retained are the flat-top extensions beyond the transom at the back of both sides of the boat, and the self-draining deck which — though I stand to be corrected — is unique to the Riptide in the world of 4.5m or smaller aluminium sportfishers.
What I did spy that was new was a neat cut-in step on both stern extensions, thereby negating the need for a fold-down ladder.
In line with the philosophy that, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, there has been no change to the airtight cylinders welded down both sides of the boat. They are the signature design aspect of all Ocean Masters, the defining structural component that underpins their performance and their safety features.
Fuel capacity is always a major with sportfishing boats. You couldn’t argue against 100L under the floor being a fair reservoir for what amounts to a fourteen and a half footer in the old lingo. Well, somehow or other, Territory Marine has managed to shove another 60L capacity under the floor. I can tell you again from Arnhemland Escapades that 160L under the floor in a Riptide powered by the economical E-TEC 75 (which is what the two Lodge Riptides are powered by and the test boat we used is also powered by) will keep you running up and down those big inland waterways for up to a week without needing to refuel.
INTERNALS
Mainly I’ll let the photos and captions do the talking about the internal features of the new Riptide. However, I should point out that, like all Ocean Masters, the attention to detail and space utilisation are flawless. Welds are impeccable, compartments open and shut with gas-assist struts, slip-proof synthetic matting adorns all the stand-to-cast spots (and they’re everywhere), the
side-console opens and shuts with a
full-height door at the front (so accessing all wiring is a cinch), there are ample spare seating positions and, flush behind the massive underfloor forward deck compartment (which can conceal a 60L icebox), there is a full-beam-width, plumbed live-well that even one of Jason Wilhelm’s barras would feel right at home in…and all that in just 4.5m.
THE TEST DAY
It’s 38km from the turn-off in Kakadu to the iconic Four Mile Hole (part of the Wildman River system), and the last 30km after the Two Mile Hole junction is sheer hell! It’s consistently one of the worst tracks in the Top End to tow a boat over, but it’s such a beautiful lagoon, and usually so rich in barra, with plenty of ‘togas too, that I need to get there at least every couple of years for a real Top End heartland barra fix. What better place to take visiting BBB columnist, impoundment barra guru and friend, Jason Wilhelm, for a day together on the water.
True to form, that blasted road was a boat-tower’s nightmare. Those concrete-hard corrugations cast early-morning shadows that overlapped each other, and boat trailer bits littered the track in. The Prado Kakadu handled it fine (no surprises there), but I was forever checking the mirrors to make sure the boat was also handling it. In hindsight, I had nothing to worry about as the trailer from Territory Marine was also built like a brick outhouse. It had dual axles — unusual for towing such a small boat but terrific on corrugated roads because one set of tyres is usually touching dirt while the other is suspended. With a single axle trailer, the tyres simply belt up and down over the corrugations and shake the hell out of the trailer and boat. Add to this the thick checker plate aluminium used on the wheel guards and the overkill dimensions of the box channeling, and you can appreciate just how bullet proof this trailer is. By the way, the box sections are sealed and full of oil to eliminate rusting.
Although the Riptide hulls weighs in at 360kg, and we had about 100L of fuel aboard, plus two iceboxes (didn’t realise the boat already had one under the front casting deck), I wasn’t at all surprised when that gutsy 2-stroke E-TEC calmly picked the boat up and shot it down the lagoon to my first secret spot.
We caught plenty of fish casting to timber and grass beds with snag-free plastics, and I certainly learned heaps from Jason about using largish Squidgy Slick Rigs out in the open in deep water during the middle of the day. He found the better fish all right.
I didn’t check out the top speed of this lovely rig, but that’s because I wasn’t thinking about writing a boat review at the time…the day was all about fishing. It was only later when I checked out the photos and quizzed Steve Blair on new modifications to the Riptide that it made sense to write this.
We fished from about 8.00am and pulled the boat out mid-afternoon. Getting the boat’s huge dust cover back on proved a sweaty task. It was built for a perfect fit, and with many elastic straps with precise points of attachment. Bending over there on the buffalo-trodden floodplain, we swore a bit as we wiped the wet dust from our brows. Second time round, it would be a lot easier.
Once we finally had the cover fitted and the boat secured, and we were ready to jump into the air-con, Jason made a pertinent comment: “Jeezus, I’m glad that’s over! But you know what AJ? What a nice little boat we had to fish out of today. I had a lot of fun.”