Little boat's a big winner

Napier boatbuilders Profile Boats have completed a David and Goliath feat, winning the prestigious Boat of the Show Overall Winner Award at the Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show.

Their winning entry was a 5.85-metre open boat, the Profile 585 Centre Console, the smallest to ever win the Overall Winner award.

The little Profile earned the right to compete for the top prize after winning Boat of the Show Aluminium Fishing Boat Under 6 Metres category.

The Profile 585 Centre Console was then pitted against the nine other category award winners in the GRP and Aluminium Fishing Boat, All Purpose and Sports/Ski boat divisions.

The other winners included several of New Zealand's top aluminium and GRP (fibreglass) boatbuilders and vessels from both France and Australia.

Despite easily being the smallest boat in the final contest, the Napier designed and built Profile earned the highest scores from three independent judges, narrowly beating an 11m creation from Otago's Milton.

Brian Firman, who owns Profile Boats and Firmans Marine, said the winning design was a team effort between boatbuilding staff and TV fishing guru Adam Clancey, who had definite needs for both salt and fresh water fishing.

"Getting the ergonomics right was very important," Mr Firman said.

The winning entry was the first centre-console boat placed on Profile's proven hull, but the decision to make the hull heavier for the prototype may have made the winning difference.

"It rides extremely well. The boys in Auckland raved about it," Mr Firman said.

Profile Boats makes a wide range of aluminium boats from 4.65m to 9m from their Prebensen Drive yard. They can be found cruising waterways throughout New Zealand and the first of their 9m models has been bought by a Perth boatie and was due to be shipped straight after the boat show. A Hawke's Bay boatie at the Auckland show has ordered a Profile 585 Centre Console.

The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show is New Zealand's largest and most popular boat show. Held each year in May in Auckland, the show features boatbuilders and other marine exhibitors from around the country and attracts more than 30,000 paying visitors.