OUTBOARD brand Evinrude last year released its much-anticipated Generation 2 E-TECs. The event, which was held in the USA, saw a large gathering of marine dealers and media converge on Milwaukee for the unveiling. Australian tinny giant Quintrex, which works closely with Evinrude, jumped on-board for the launch and sent over one its latest flagship models – the 690 Trident. On the Quinnie’s return, Boat Fishing had the opportunity to take a ride and fish from the “Green Machine” on Sydney Harbour.
Quintrex’s Trident has been a popular model for the company since its launch in 2013; there was also an update to the range in 2014. The company recognised the ever growing demand for a large offshore plate boat and released five models in the range. The are the 610, 650, and 690 cabin plate range, plus a 650 and 690 Hard Top. The “Green Machine” tested here is a 690 cabin configuration.
Sydney Harbour
I met Evinrude’s Riley Tolmay at Sydney’s Rose Bay boat ramp. Riley was keen to show off the performance of the new donk while chasing a few fish around Sydney Harbour. The wind was howling outside the heads and even the protected harbour was a good test ground for the Trident and E-TEC G2 combination. We threw a few lures around after hearing reports of schooling rat kings amongst the moorings. While the kingfish didn’t show up, several schools of tailor kept us occupied while we shot a few photos. While it was fun chasing these fish, it’s obvious this wasn’t the intended purpose of the Trident. Quintrex has designed the Trident as a dedicated offshore fishing boat with all the standard features you’d expect in this rugged looking hull.
Fishing friendly features
At the transom there’s a small cutting board and standard size livewell with a clear viewing window. There’s also a standard fitted berley bucket and a walk-thru door. The Trident features a fold down bench seat and storage for a battery and excess gear behind a carpeted section. There’s a deep kill tank under the checker plate floor and the fuel tank is 160 litres. The gunwales are nice and wide and the sides are a generous height for fishing offshore in rough conditions. There are abundant rod holders in the gunwale together with rocket launchers installed on the cutting board and bimini.
Moving forward and Quintrex has installed comfy bolster seats for the driver and passenger. The helm was clean and had a Lowrance Gen2 HDS fitted. There’s also space for a stereo, marine radio, gauges, etc.The cabin has plenty of space for your gear or the kids and there’s a walk thru door giving easy access to the bow. Quintrex labels the Trident a “plate” boat with 5mm bottom sheets and 3mm side sheets.
Performance & fishability
While the protected waters of Sydney Harbour aren’t the ideal testing ground for an offshore boat, I have been fishing offshore in several Tridents in the past. The Trident features Quintrex’s well-known “Blade” hull. The Blade hull is basically the company’s name for its hull shape. A sharp entry and 20 degree variable deadrise ensures a soft ride while remaining stable at rest. The balance between ride and stability isn’t always easy, but Quintrex has done a good job with this boat. The Trident feels at home fishing offshore in choppy conditions and the ride home is always comfortable.
The G2
The performance and features of Evinrude’s Generation 2 E-TEC goes well beyond its bold new design. Performance and fuel economy are key features of the new donk. Evinrude claims the 250hp tested is the most economical outboard of its range, which includes four-stroke and other direct injected two-stroke outboards. A recent long range offshore test by Evinrude revealed the G2 was doing on average 1.5 km per litre. Evinrude claims that makes the 250hp 25 per cent better than its closest competition.
Boat Fishing found the power and acceleration of the test G2 to be impressive. Jumping on the plane was done with ease, but it was the mid range performance that stood out. At 3000-4000 RPM, a slight push of the throttle would see the Trident catapult forward with a rapid increase of speed. Unfortunately we didn’t have a GPS on-board to record WOT speed, but it was easily in excess of 40 knots; more than what’s needed for this style of boat. So again, Evinrude claims best in class power and torque for the 250hp G2 engine.
Other features of the G2 include auto trim which allows you to trim the boat without touching any buttons – a great feature for those new to boating. The outboard comes with integrated hydraulic power steering, so you can opt for a power assisted hydraulic steering system or a regular hydraulic system. Being integrated into the engine, it means you save on installation of hydraulic steering at the time of purchase. The G2 has an increased 500 hour and five year no scheduled service period. And there’s a five-year warranty.
Colour
The Trident stands out with its vibrant green paint job and matching green E-TEC. The colour matching is part of Evinrude’s latest offering. The G2 motors are available in five standard colours. The engine ships without colour and the dealer can customise the engine at the customer’s request. Colours include: black, blue, white, red, and silver. There are also 14 different colour panel accents for customising your engine.
Evinrude can work with manufacturers like Quintrex on colour schemes, which in this case has produced a really smick looking boat with a bright green engine. Sure, colour matching won’t catch any more fish and your mates may give you a hard time, but trust me, this boat turns heads on the water. The combination of Quintrex’s latest offshore boat with the E-TEC G2 has produced nice package. It performs well and looks great. Offshore fishos will value the well designed fishing rig while appreciating great fuel economony and engine performance.
Find out more at www.quintrex.com.au and www.evinrude.com.
