HAINES HUNTER 625 OFFSHORE REVIEW

The Haines Hunter 625 Offshore is one hell of a fishing boat

The Haines Hunter 625 Offshore is one hell of a fishing boat. It’s capable of some very impressive performance on the water and it will travel far without the skipper having to stress about rough conditions.

The new Haines Hunter 625 Offshore fishing boats are primarily designed to suit long-distance travel in harsher-than-usual conditions. For that reason, my expectations of the ride were going to be above average, although I had no doubt whatsoever that the Haines hunter 625 Offshore would produce the goods.

At 6.4m in length, this is one of those ideal-sized boats which is not too big and not too small, a dedicated fishing weapon, great for the mates and family and one that can even be operated alone. Typical of the Haines Hunter design, the sharp entry monohull and hefty shoulders are a standout. Like most other Haines Hunter models, the 625 Offshore’s deep-vee hull was going to be a guaranteed annihilator of chop and swell.

As a family man and dedicated fisherman of any sort, I naturally consider any boat as a family boat, although my wife wouldn’t agree when it comes to my centre console. In respect to the 625 Offshore, it’s not hard to see that the layout is primarily designed to suit the hard-core fisherman throughout, although at the same time it could just as easily serve well as an all-round family boat.

FISHING LAYOUT

The fisherman’s layout includes a number of familiar features found on dedicated fishing craft – namely livebait tanks, baitboard, rodholders, sidepockets, killtank, good stowage space, large bimini, a nice cab and dash setup, plus outriggers.

But there is a distinguishing difference. There are not one but two generously-sized livebait tanks, along with good access to bilges and plumbing and separate side-accessed hatches for the batteries.

The next feature that appealed to me was the moulded divedoor which can be left out or in. This is not only ideal for loading large fish but also works well for diver entry and exit and is so much easier when it comes to boarding from pontoons.

Up front, the dash works well with a nice angle for sounders as well as plenty of dedicated space for other electronics. Seating is comfortable, although I would suggest customising the seat heights to suit your’s. Personally, I would add one of the flip-up bolstered seats to use as a leaning post when standing and driving.

The cab is quite spacious, contains plenty of storage space and is finished off with a touch of vinyl and carpet – a good spot for a little overnighter.

HANDLING AND RIDE

The ride is remarkable on the 625 Offshore, with the hull cutting through anything that resembled a bump, chop or swell. The cutting edge deep-vee hull works a treat, producing an ultra soft ride at all speeds. Besides being a nice characteristic to have on any boat, this kind of ride definitely makes the difference when long-distance travel is required to get to the hot spots – especially so when it roughs up.

Fitted with a Yamaha 225 V6 four-stroke, speed is no issue at all. Holeshot? More like ‘hold-on-shot’ as the 225hp is like an angry Rottweiler on the transom. It’s quick off the mark and just as quick getting to WOT of 41.8kts which, I might add, is a comfortable driving speed.

Flying along for extended periods at WOT is not ideal but it is impressive to feel comfortable and in control at such high speeds. If this is up your alley, then enjoy swiping that card at the bowser.

Back down at civilised speeds, the 625 Offshore really shines between 25 and 30kts. Revs are between 3500 and 4000rpm and economy between 30 and 45lt/h which is not bad considering the size of the motor.

STABILITY

Stability both at rest and underway is good, although at low speeds in a tight turn the hull does bank in fairly hard. It’s not actually an issue as the hulls are designed to be driven hard and under power.

To avoid this a simple jab of power in the turn keeps the hull level and maintains stability. It always comes back to a general compromise, especially when it comes to the handling and ride on a boat – they have done a good job at creating a nice balance between all the performance and handling factors on this one.

THE VERDICT

The Haines Hunter 625 Offshore is one hell of a fishing weapon. Matched with the ideal fisherman’s layout, suiting both game and bottom fishing, the 625 Offshore’s spacious and practical layout will easily handle the mates or family without getting in each other’s hair. Besides being the ultimate medium-sized fishing machine, the addition of a few extra seats onboard will transform the Haines Hunter 625 into a great family boat, ideal for a number of uses and one that will keep them on the water rather than off, thanks to the comfort in the ride.

HIGHS

• Ultra-soft ride and rough-water handling capabilities

• Divedoor

• Generous fishability and features

• Build strength

LOWS

• A few extra family seats would do the trick

HAINES HUNTER 625 OFFSHORE SEA TRIALS

Single 225hp Yamaha F225 FETX outboard engine with 17 x 15.5in Saltwater series propeller.

*Sea-trial data supplied by the author.

HAINES HUNTER 625 OFFSHORE SPECIFICATIONS

PRICE AS TESTED

$109,990

OPTIONS FITTED

Electronics, upgraded motor and other special accessories

PRICED FROM

$88,990 (BMT package w/ F200 FETX)

GENERAL

TYPE Monohull 

MATERIAL Fibreglass

LENGTH 6.4m

BEAM 2.4m

WEIGHT 1150kg (hull)

DEADRISE 21°

CAPACITIES

PEOPLE (DAY) 6

BERTHS 2

REC. HP 200

REC. MAX HP 225

FUEL 280lt

ENGINE

MAKE/MODEL Yamaha F225 FETX outboard

TYPE V6 outboard

RATED HP 225

WEIGHT 253kg

DISPLACEMENT 4169cc

GEAR RATIO 1.75:1

PROPELLER 17 x 15.5in Saltwater Series

SUPPLIED BY

PORT PHILLIP BOATING CENTRE

2/10 Wallace Avenue,

Point Cook, VIC 3030

PHONE +61 3 9369 0099

EMAILsales@portphillipboatingcentre.com.au

WEB portphillipboatingcentre.com.au