If you want a more relaxing experience than provided by a tinny, with good shade from the sun and wind, the Whittley FF 1650 OB boat is a user-friendly and adaptable choice. It’s the smallest in the Whittley fleet, yet it can go toe-to-toe with much larger hulls.
This model could be described as a garage-friendly alternative to aluminium runabouts, providing a safe and comfortable ride that few boats in its size class can match. From a proven pedigree, at 5.4 metres in length and 2.2-metre beam, the boat features a cuddy cabin berth in the front with infill cushions and is based on the original John Savage Centurion pedigree hull design.
The modern black sports dash can be fitted with an upgraded 6-inch sounder. The hull is lined with premium rubber flooring throughout, and two removable rear quarter seats create a large fishing area incorporating factory fitted rod holders, with an optional upgrade of alloy rocket launchers. The foam-filled hull boasts moulded rear boarding platforms on either side of the engine well and a swim ladder for watersports.
Young families really love this boat because they can position the kids up front in the shade, while dad and mum fish off the back. The cabin has a very large forward hatch which allows easy access to set your anchor, or you can install the optional remote electric anchor winch.
The FF 1650 is a great little adventure machine for exploring backwater creeks, yet it’s equally at home on larger bays, and the odd trip offshore is well within the scope of its capability. This is a great planing hull, riding high on the waves, making it safe and reassuring even when conditions turn nasty.
The affordable family-focused fishing package can be powered by Mercury outboard 90 command thrust engine. The performance far exceeds that of an aluminium tinny, with a 2.1 L, 4-stroke, 90 hp outboard giving you a 53 km/h top speed at 1.7 km/L. At its most economical cruising speed of 38 km/h at 2.4 km/L, this boat has a range of 150 km on a full tank, which is adequate for any day trips you want to plan with family and friends.
Whittley builds a range of affordable fibreglass familyoriented boat packages. Supplied on a single-axle trailer with front & rear deluxe ratchet straps, this lightweight pack is easily towed behind a family car. Ideal for people starting out in boating, the FF 1650 OB is easily manoeuvred to fit into the family garage, and the canopies drop down to ensure the height does not exceed that of your carport or roller door.
Optional extras include a live bait tank, deck wash, fusion stereo system, extended bimini, canister style toilet, removable table, vinyl cabin divider, and storm covers.
The FF 1650 OB boat-motor-trailer package starts at $64,990, drive away from Whittley QLD Coomera.
To find out more, call Laurie Jackson at Whittley Sales QLD Ph: 0409 830 078 whittleyboats.com.au
Neville Whittley, Managing Director oversees the entire manufacturing process and son Alan Whittley is the National Sales and Marketing Manager, overseeing the customer experience thru a factory owned dealership network across the country.
SUPERIOR BOAT CRAFTSMANSHIP
Since 1953, family-owned Whittley Boats has been committed to designing and building high quality, legally trailerable, Australian-made fibreglass boats. With over 30,000 boats built, the Whittley Marine Group remains committed to crafting boats from its factory in Melbourne to take Australian families boating. All models are backed by a 5-year structural warranty and are supplied turnkey as boat, motor & trailer packages and sold exclusively via the Whittley Marine Group’s factory owned dealer network, across the country.
Remaining faithful to their core values, Whittley Boats is always evolving – using new materials, the latest building techniques, and purposebuilt premises to make your new boat buying experience a memorable one. New technologies have enabled Whittley Boats to continuously improve quality, efficiency and consistency with in-house design, hull manufacturing, timber and glazing, trimming and canopy works.
When you purchase from Whittley Boats, their superb quality-controlled factory, and national-wide service support team, are with you every step of the way, bringing over seventy years of boating knowledge to every boat package. Whittley is Australia’s only boat builder that builds, sell and service the products nationally. As it approaches its 70th year, the company shows no signs of slowing down its dominance of the fibreglass trailer boat market.
Published in print January-March 2023
