STESSL 480 SPORTSMAN BOAT REVIEW

There’s no doubt that well built, thoughtfully laid out runabouts are among the most popular and versatile fishing boats on the market – and particularly in aluminium. Spend some time at one of Adelaide’s three major suburban ramps on a calm, sunny Saturday morning and it’s a fair bet that the majority of boats launched with be alloy runabouts in the 4.55m size bracket.

Queensland-based Stessl Boats offers the Sportsman range of runabouts, which vary in size from 4.4-5.4m. All are presented in typical runabout configuration, with helm to starboard behind a three-piece windscreen with lean-through dash. It’s a time-proven design that lends itself nicely to general purpose use, and offers plenty to a family or couple of fisho’s chasing whiting, squid or crabs according to season.

Stessl’s 480 Sportsman slips nicely into a size bracket that’s easy to tow, easy to launch, and very cheap to run. It’s intended to operate with outboards in the 60-80hp class, and the model we were given to test had been fitted with a new Honda BF75 four stroke – which turned out to be a sweet choice for the hull.

The Sportsman is built with 3mm aluminium all round, providing ample strength and keeping weight to an acceptable level. It weighs around 470kg dry, which means it can be towed comfortably behind a small SUV or family sedan. As is the case with all Stessl models we’ve tested over the years, the Sportsman’s fittings, deck hardware and general construction are first class; you don’t enjoy the sort of success this company has achieved over half a century without getting things right and keeping them that way! I don’t think there’s another manufacturer in the country that offers a standard features list as comprehensive as Stessl does with its Sportsman range. I guess that with a builder that’s been around as this one, you expect a high level of fit out – and that’s precisely what you get. Full carpeting is included, as are a folding ladder, sub-floor storage locker, bilge pump, transducer bracket, tinted windscreen and a Gussi sports steering wheel. There are plenty of optional add-ons available, too, depending on individual requirements and budget.

As mentioned, Honda’s incredibly popular BF75 seems close to the perfect fit for the Sportsman 480 hull. It’s an in-line four cylinder, single overhead cam engine with capacity of 1.5 litres that has been part of Honda’s four stroke range for many years now. It weighs in at around 160kg, which is no problem for the 480 hull and transom.

As is the case with most modern runabouts, the Sportsman offers maximum cockpit space without compromising comfort at the helm. Loading the kids on board or a couple of mates for a day on the whiting presents no problem. Full length side storage pockets will eat up longer items, and a drop-down aft lounge provides handy seating for extra bodies. That sub-floor locker is very handy, either for storage or to hold the catch if so desired. It’s self draining to assist with clean up if you opt to use it as a fish box.

Up front there is a pair of low swivelling bucket seats, a stylish moulded fibreglass dash (with drink holders), and a twin-tiered helm station that easy accommodates a mid-sized display unit, a bank of toggle switches and the required gauges. The lean-through set up (via an opening windscreen centre panel) facilitates convenient foredeck access, and the anchor well is easily spacious enough to handle an electric winch. The test boat had been fitted with a well-made and sensibly positioned canopy.

Stessl offers the 480 Sportsman with an 80 litre subfloor fuel tank, which seems about right for a rig of this size and application. You’ll travel a long way on 80 litres with the fuel-miserly Honda 75 on the back, particularly in favourable conditions and with moderate loads on board.

Thanks to the 480’s generous beam and the Delta pressed hull design, its stability at rest is way above average. This hull concept has been a real winner for Stessl, and is now also available in the

Warrior, Truck and Apache models.

The test boat, provided by Pacific Marine, was finished in black with striking burnt orange and yellow graphics. This paint job was an option, as Stessl markets its standard version with white hull and slightly more subdued decals and striping. Naturally, you can order this boat to suit your needs, which may even mean unpainted if, like me, you tend to knock things round a bit!

A couple of years ago I had a run in the 480 on the Gold Coast – on that occasion in a boat fitted with a 60hp outboard – and was keen to see how it would perform with a little more ‘grunt’ on the back. I had thought previously that this rig needed more power to perform as intended – a prediction that took just a couple of minutes on the latest run out of North

Haven to confirm.

With a couple on board, the 480 hull fairly leapt out of the hull with 75 horses out back. In sheltered water behind the Outer Harbor breakwater I was able to push easily to a top speed of around 30 knots at 5800rpm, dropping back to a comfortable and economical cruise of 24 knots at 3600rpm. The Sportsman hull is quite responsive to trim, and is also a snack to drive in good conditions; there’s no doubt an inexperienced boatie could jump into this rig and feel safe and comfortable from the outset.

Outside of the harbor we were greeted by 15-18 knots of north-westerly, which was certain to test the hull. We did throw a bit of spray about while running across the silt ground, but the Sportsman copped the building sea pretty well. With the bow trimmed well in, I was able to hold at 18-20 knots without excessive banging, and the ride across and with the sea was about as good as I’d anticipated. There’s no doubt the Delta hull works well in all manner of sea conditions.

All things considered, the Stessl 480 Sportsman/Honda BF75 combination is an excellent all-rounder at a reasonable price.