The FC 635HT is a ‘pretty boat’ at rest and underway with the ability to provide a soft, dry ride.
The wide, flat chines effectively deflect spray, keeping the ride dry and predictable even in a bit of a slop.
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The cockpit is very roomy and it screams, “trailer boat game fishing!”
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Approaching a boat review, there are a handful of thoughts that keep imposing themselves ̶ thoughts such as preconceptions that create a bias, the impact that first impressions have and the knowledge that at the end of a day spent with the vessel, a lasting impression will have been made. Along the way, there are also the inevitable pleasant surprises, questions and discoveries made. With these things in mind, I was to meet the team and acquaint myself with the FC 635HT at Pier C at the bridge marina in Tauranga on what had turned out to be a fine spring morning.
The raised forward shearline and the blending of the hardtop at the deckline without any cuddy structure make for a pleasing appearance, performance, volume and a very useful forward deck.
The first impression and the last… “what a pretty boat”.
Casting and jigging from the forward deck is safe and easy and stability at rest is excellent.
 Not only does the 635HT look good bow on, the hardtop is actually the same width as the hull, contributing to a very roomy interior.
Underfloor floatation, a 180 litre fuel tank and storage lies beneath the tread plate floor.
The cleverly incorporated ‘dry riding gunnel system’ extends beyond the hull sides and prevents spray rising above the gunnels or deck.
The duckboard and engine mount arrangement, lots of area, a foldaway boarding ladder and great handholds.
The infills in place provide comfortable berths for overnighting and include extensions to accommodate taller people.
Even with a large chilly bin in the cockpit, the fishing space is ample for a crew of up to four.
The gunnels incorporate the best design features of pontoon boat design, employ foam filled chambers and manage not to rob cockpit space. They look good too.
The flat forward deck, tall pedestal seating and wrap-around windscreen provide excellent visibility. Note the roof vents which provide both natural light and effective ventilation without the need for opening side windows.
The helm station is well set up with components easy to see and use. The dash tray between the seating pedestals and the windscreen is vast.
The transom provides ample storage options and the step through has a slide which is stored on the transom structure and is easily accessed.
The ‘dry riding gunnel system’ provides an adequate walk-around past the hardtop while the fuel filler and breather reside in a convenient location well above the wet zone.
The passive live bait tank automatically provides a flow-through of water while providing additional structural strength to the transom structure.
Plenty of storage, plenty of room and plenty of comfort.
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I have owned and operated fibreglass boats for 35 years, so there was a preconception I was holding in check, and I wondered how the 635HT would ride and how my back would be by day’s end ̶ and I wondered where would I end up when it came to a lasting impression made?
As I made my way down the pier, I found the berth I was looking for, primarily because a smart 6.5 metre aluminium hardtop was tied up across from the launch I was seeking. The first impression had been made ̶ with a shiny black painted finish on the hull, contrasted by the gleaming white hardtop with its stylish wrap around windows and appealing raised forward shearline ̶ the thought that occurred was, “My word, that is a pretty boat”. The thought came unbidden and surprised me, so I worked on coming up with something a bit more rugged and masculine. Perhaps “elegant” and “appealing” would do. I was invited aboard our photography boat for the day by Ross Christensen, who is the Managing Director of FC Boats. I had a list of questions I wanted to ask Ross as we prepared a plan of the day’s activities. I could tell that sitting and talking wasn’t exactly making him comfortable, but I wanted to hear first-hand some of the FC Boats story and the thinking behind the design, innovations and the brand itself. FC Boats have now completed their 1000th boat, which is impressive, given that they began production in 2011. Incidentally, back in 1992, about half the trailer boats around were alloy boats, and that portion of the recreational trailer boat fleet has now grown to around 80%. The reason is primarily because alloy boats offer improved durability, towability and ease of customisation at the build stage of production. The letters “FC” raise the obvious question, what do they stand for? Actually, nothing more than that there is some common DNA, with respect to people and origins, which exists with Fish City, a fishing retail chain well known and solidly established for 27 years. The two entities are now quite separate and FC boats are currently built in Hamilton. Back in 2011 Ross says, it seemed obvious that a fishing retail chain should also be selling recreational fishing boats, and that they should be practical, high quality and economical to purchase. Ross wasn’t convinced that he could find a product which fitted his expectations and exacting standards. But he decided that a leap into an already crowded market was justified, and he and the family owned and operated business were confident that they could establish a niche for small fishing boats which were clearly better quality and would sell for a better price than competitors. I suggested that isn’t a particularly sound business concept ̶ better for less. The response was that both principles reduce the margin, but that the Christensen’s were sure it would work. They entered the market with a 4.3 metre open fishing trailer boat option. Ross had owned, operated and raced boats for a long time, and had an engineering background, so he knew what the market was looking for, and what design features and characteristics would appeal to recreational fishers. A proven marine architect / designer was enlisted, and a reputable boat builder was engaged. Each advance in design and innovation was the result of astute ‘cherry picking’ of concepts and improvements ahead of production of the expanding range of models ̶ which now includes 16 boat packages ̶ runabouts, centre consoles, cuddy cabins and hardtops which range in size up to 7.05 metres. Design and manufacture are all in-house in the production facility in Hamilton in 2019. Ross quoted the famous artist, engineer and inventor Leonardo da Vinci, “Simplicity is the purest form of sophistication.” As the FC 635HT gently tested the lines, in the tide just across the pier beyond the transom of the launch we were sitting on as we chatted, attention became focused on the hardtop model itself. It is constructed from Lloyd’s certified high tensile 5083 grade alloy, darker in appearance than the more commonly used 5052 grade alloy. The hull is 5 mm plate, while the sides and hardtop are 4 mm. The windscreens in the hardtop are striking ̶ they are tall and curved, and made from toughened safety glass, as are the side windows. There are no opening side windows, but ventilation is cleverly provided by two roof top vent hatches, which not only provide excellent airflow, but are an additional source of natural light from above. The raised forward shearline not only looks great, but also provides internal volume, depth up front and an increased ability to deflect spray. The hardtop is cleverly integrated at the forward deck level, without a cuddy structural component, and results in a large front deck entirely suitable for casting or jigging. The solid forward rail is appealing with its curved uprights. Access is gained by passing the hardtop on the substantial gunnels, which progress from adequate to ample as you move forward. The ‘FC dry riding gunnel system’ is a very clever design feature which we’ll tackle in a moment. The entry at the water line is fine, with a deadrise of 40° reducing to 19° at the stern. Any tendency towards instability is compensated for by the flooding, auto-stabilising chamber, but the concept has been enlarged upon, to provide an addition advantage when it comes to achieving a surprisingly soft ride in a sea while underway. More on that in a moment, too. The overall length of the 635HT is 6.5 metres with a beam of 2.5 metres. There is some magic involved in providing a very roomy interior and cockpit, while building in the best concepts from alloy boat pontoon design. Whereas pontoon design utilises air-filled chambers which are integral to the hull construction, and have a tendency to rob cockpit and cabin space, in contrast, the FC 635HT design has broad cockpit gunnels to a depth of around 350 mm, which are foam-filled, providing one part of a dual buoyancy system. The other part of the system is under the welded tread plate floor. The transom is nicely finished with a step through on the port side, past a bait station with rod holders. There is tidy storage within the transom for batteries, deck wash pumps and accessories, and beyond that, a well-laid out engine bracket incorporated into an ample duck board, with solid hand holds and fold-away boarding steps. The ‘passive live bait tank’ is a structural component giving increased strength to the transom and a connection to the floor, and will take care of water circulation itself through a transom bung and a through-hull inflow inlet. Under the floor, a 180-litre fuel tank is incorporated with the waterproof filler and breather, conveniently situated on the exterior of the hardtop, well above any wet zone. From above and from front on, the generous beam and surprising volume are apparent. Inside, the layout provides plenty of cockpit space; it screams “trailer boat game fishing”. There is plenty of storage along the inner hull sides, the hardtop sides and on the huge expanse of dash space inside the windscreen. The seating pedestals provide storage or chilly bin space, as well as seating; four aboard are comfortably catered for. The cabin space has fabric upholstered infills for overnighting, and extensions so that there are no feet overhanging the berths, and they are easily as comfortable as the berths in the boat I currently overnight aboard. The 635HT I spent the day on was equipped with a flushing toilet forward under the berths in the cabin, and I noticed there was a cabin curtain provided for privacy. The hardtop and the cabin space are carpet-lined, and quiet while running. The helm station was well-planned ̶ all controls came easily to hand, and the hydraulic steering was effortless and positive, while the navigation / fishfinder display was effectively positioned along with switches and gauges. The best features of the helm station (and I know this because my wife wanted to know, when I was enthusiastically describing the 635HT at home) are that visibility is excellent across the flat forward deck and through the tall curved windscreen glass. The excellent seating, which has rotational adjustment as well as forward and aft sliding adjustment and sturdy foot rests, also contributes to good visibility, ergonomic fit and the comfort of the captain and mate. I know that fully-adjustable ‘Shockwave’ dampened seats are available as an upgrade option. While we navigated the ruffled half metre sea outbound from Tauranga to Okupara, I was intrigued to observe at work, the features that contribute to an impressively dry ride. Let’s face it, the convex hull shape of alloy boats hasn’t delivered a dry ride historically, but increasingly, design features have evolved to mitigate that aspect of performance. There are plenty of these features incorporated into the build of the 635HT. For example, the flat chine is slightly downturned, and progresses from narrow to quite broad as it progresses from bow to stern. Not only does this provide excellent stability when cornering and negotiation wakes, slop and swell, but also, it was fascinating to see the chine effectively deflecting water, and preventing it from wetting the hull sides underway. The other unique design feature is the way in which the gunnel is designed and built; it has a name; the ‘FC Dry Riding Gunnel System’. The gunnel and forward deck actually extend outward from the hull sides, from a modest degree aft to significantly wide as the shearline rises and progresses toward the bow. There are multiple advantages to this. The obvious one is that there is an additional physical barrier to prevent spray rising above gunnel or deck height. I was very impressed by how dry the hardtop and windows remained, and I was able to lean, thighs against the gunnel, underway, at sea and take photographs without spray ever threatening the camera. That was truly remarkable. The potential ugliness of such a feature is well-hidden, and contributes to forward deck area beyond the hull dimensions, hence the huge forward deck. Finally, it means that while still providing a walk-around, the hardtop is actually as wide as the hull, whereas in other designs I’ve observed, the hardtop or cabin dimensions remain well inside the hull dimensions. That is part of the magic in producing such generous internal volume. After spending some time watching the 635HT at work ̶ in the harbour, at sea, under way and at rest while fishing ̶ it was my turn to spend time aboard and to take the helm. There were two things in my mind as a fibreglass-hull enthusiast ̶ stability and ride. Flooding chambers in the keel of alloy boats have become accepted and expected, as a way to provide stability at rest, by providing a low centre of gravity and additional perceived weight to the hull at rest. The stability chamber within the 635HT is automatic; it fills at rest and drains underway, without manual input. It fills and drains rapidly because there are relatively large inlet / outlet apertures, but there is also a clever incorporation of relatively large vents under the bowsprit to aid inflow and drainage. Stability at rest was excellent, and the chamber emptied rapidly as the boat came up onto the plane. Under way, the chine design ensured the total lack of bad manners or surprises in a bit of slop. It also performed well while I was trying very hard to get the hull to misbehave by doing things you shouldn’t do with a powerboat while crossing the wake of our companion launch, a substantial 42 foot vessel, at 20 knots…. So, stability gets a big tick. Having spent years operating one of the softest riding fibreglass hull designs available in New Zealand, the next part of the assessment was going to be interesting, as claims to possess a ‘soft ride’ are always relative. But the FC 635HT has another trick up its sleeve. There isn’t one flooding keel chamber; there are two. They are separated into two sections by the forward bulkhead and the forward section can be closed at rest, so that the forward chamber remains full under way ̶ with that low centre of gravity achieved well forward, along with the additional weight, under the helm station. It has the remarkable capability of dampening the ‘liveliness’ of the hull, and quite perceptibly softening the ride in a head or quartering sea. I was thinking that it was a better ride than I had anticipated, as we ran into a head on sea of three quarters of a metre at 20 knots. It was then that Ross suggested we empty the forward chamber; he reached down and opened the sliding gate valve and the chamber began to empty. With the passing seconds, the noise and the crashing increased until after a couple of minutes, the re-entry of the hull was certainly hard and jarring. I throttled back and stopped, allowing the chambers to refill, then I closed the valve, and we were on our way again. The soft ride was restored. I caught myself shaking my head in quiet disbelief; it just did not feel like an alloy boat underway at all. “Impressively soft ride” got a tick. The FC 635HT is designed to be paired with a 150 horsepower, four stroke engine. The test boat was fitted with a Mercury 150, 4 cylinders and a 3.0 litre capacity, standard on the package when sold. It was comfortable at 18 knots in the three-quarters-of-a-metre sea, maintaining the plane easily, and the ride was still comfortable at 22 knots at 3200 RPM. The hole shot was good, but tweaking of the propeller pitch might be needed depending on load and application. Economy was good at around one nautical mile per litre, and as Ross took the helm and simply opened the throttle wide, we managed around 32 knots in the prevailing conditions. If I was to buy a 635HT, I don’t think I’d be messing around with other engine combinations. One of the huge advantages of aluminium plate trailer boats is that each vessel can effectively be custom built. Unless of course you just want to buy one off the showroom floor… but that hardly ever happens. There are endless variations that can be easily accommodated ̶ rod holders, bait stations, electronics suites, sound systems, toilets, forward berths, seats, lighting, anchors and winches, cockpit floor coverings, deck coverings, upholstery and cabin lining ̶ the list is endless. I have never used an anchor while fishing in the deep south of New Zealand, and I’ve never needed a winch, but I would consider the permanent fit of an electric trolling motor, a Minn Kota for instance. That sort of option could be simply accommodated at production on a model such as the 635HT. The overall finish of the FC 635 tested was very good. The welding was consistently good and aesthetically pleasing. Deck finish, accessory fitments and upholstery were well finished. The paint finish was also excellent. The engine, controls, gauges, electronics and helm were very well-fitted as well. I found nothing to detract from the overall impression made. My lasting impression? I thought I was a ‘dyed in the wool’ fibreglass boat owner and would never be anything else, but something has happened. For the first time in 35 years, I found myself seriously thinking that I might consider ownership of an alloy boat, and it happened because, for the first time, I’d found an example that convinced me that my prejudices have been overcome by clever design and quality manufacture. I even said so to my wife and now she wants to spend a day aboard an FC 635HT. That is all a surprise to me. The overall finish, elegant look and the practicality of the hardtop design have enormous appeal. The FC 635HT represents both quality and value, and impressed as a safe vessel and a capable performer. It is a ‘pretty boat’ as well. I think I’m ready to live with that impression too. The FC 635HT as tested, $109,000 |