After 15 years of fishing up to 7 times a week either off the bank or kayak, occasionally scoring a ride with a mate, and 6 years of photographing all of Richardson Marine's boats through my marketing role; it was about time I finally ordered my own boat! As I fish for just about anything I can, and in any weather condition and locations; I needed a hull that could sneak up tiny creeks chasing bass and estuary perch, operate in knee deep water when chasing duskies or hitting an unexpected sandbar yet also be capable to head offshore chasing snapper and tuna. The 420 Renegade tiller steer was chosen - meeting the requirements and budget perfectly. Luckily, I'd seen thousands of boats come through the roller doors over the years so I knew exactly what I needed - although unfortunately not all of it fitted the budget for now!
From factory, I ordered the unpainted Renegade with the 50L fuel tank (a must!), electric motor bracket and fully welded top decks & gunnels. The underfloor fuel tank is a game changer for a 420 Renegade - not only does it double your available capacity from a 25l portable tank, but it also means the previous fuel tank hatch is now spare for a huge battery bay with fuse blocks and easy access to underfloor pumps. It also gives me up to 150km cruising range. I arranged for an Easytow Flexi 4.6m braked trailer instead of the factory Telwater trailer - coming in at similar price but with Fulton componentry, Boat Buckles, Australian steel, a neat drive-on design and made locally in Heathcote Victoria. A braked trailer may be overkill for a boat of this size but I wanted reassurance for hilly roads, tracks and also a boat loaded with gear on a multi-week trip.
The Suzuki DF50 tiller steer outboard was my only consideration for a motor. I've seen how bulletproof, well made and efficient these things are. 50hp is maximum for this hull - I've seen people run less (bad idea unless you want to go slow and run un-loaded) or more (bad idea if you like your hull warranty). It hits 50km/h loaded with all the fuel and gear which is heaps for me. The one thing I did add to the engine was a gateway kit which links through cable to my sounder, and provides all my engine and fuel data through the screen - I wouldn't ever own a tiller without it. Especially as Quintrex no longer factory fits a gauge to the underfloor fuel tank meaning there would be additional cost to fit one - so that cost may as well go towards an electronic system!
A few years ago Quintrex did add a basic electrical system to these boats with pumps, switch panel, nav & anchor lights and a battery switch - which covers the basics but not what I needed. So on went a re-wire, with an added fuse block and bus bar, circuit breaker and bigger backlit rocker switch panel cut out to replace the original. On the bow I added a Stedi cube flood light which was a no brainer for night drives coming down the river from an evening on the perch or mulloway.
The only choice of electronics was Garmin - going for an Echomap 95SV UHD2, running the standard factory fitted GT54 transducer. This unit comes pre-loaded with charts, and is super easy to use either standard or tuned for both down and side view. The Navionics mapping is super detailed with excellent coverage and the screen also displays my engine data, plus is linked to my phone via Active Captain. This is mounted to the gunnels via a Ram swivel mount so the screen can be viewed from any direction in the boat, and has a Berleypro screen visor fitted. I'd never own another bracket mounted screen without one; it makes reading in sunlight so much easier, and cools the screen (and allows for a lower backlight), reducing power consumption. Livescope down the track!
I'm a sucker for fishing gadgets so there was all manner of accessories fitted around the boat. A Minn Kota Powerdrive 55lb 54" went up on the bow, powered by a 100ah VoltX lithium battery. I haven't had this run flat yet, even after 2 full days fishing, but I have had times offshore when the electric shaft has been a little short. Luckily currents don't run hard down here but on East Coast trips I've had the Minn Kota working hard in run out tides. If budget allowed, I'd swap this out for a Force Kraken 63" without hesitation, but the MK works just fine for now and 98% of my fishing. I also have an 8lb sand anchor for safety requirements but have never actually used it now that I've got a Minn Kota with spotlock. For crater lakes trolling and dropping my berley pot I added a Scotty Lake Troll downrigger - cheap, easy to fit and very handy. Around the boat I also fitted Railblaza starports and rod holders, plus a removeable Railblaza fillet table (so handy!), and a Railblaza triple rod stow for rod and lure storage and an additional Berleypro Sidebro for lure and scent storage. One of the best additions was a First Light tool holder, 3D printed specifically to suit a Gerber pliers and scissors set. This makes quick snips or de-hookings on the water a breeze as my tools are always in the same spot and reachable from anywhere in the boat.
Overall, the package has performed flawlessly over the first 6 months and 40 engine hours - embarking on a two week hardcore trip up the east coast not long after handover - and catching hundreds of fish since. First fish in the boat was an 83cm topwater Murray Cod in early spring from Rocklands (no Livescope needed) - so that's a good sign in my eyes! Couldn't recommend this hull enough for anyone after a versatile and stable boat under 4.5m and $40k retail for a fully kitted on-water package.