FISHO recently picked up our new estuary project boat, a CXC 4.3 built in Queensland by Enlightened Boating. Powered by a 60hp Mercury Command Thrust tiller steer and sporting Raymarine electronics, a MotorGuide Xi5 bowmount, a Micro Power Pole and seated on a custom CNC alloy trailer, this slick little vessel is a unique and interesting sportfisher.
Made from resin infused Diab high density foam sandwiched between outer layers of fibreglass and glistening white gelcoat, the boat is both light and strong. It weighs less than a 3.7m tinny yet delivers a ride much bigger and heavier boats would struggle to achieve.
Notable features of the boat include the deck layout featuring a full length rod locker and front casting platform with copious underfloor storage. Just in front of the casting platform is a massive live well that would easily hold a metre-plus king, jew or barra. Hopefully we’ll soon put it to the test …
The front deck and rod locker feature non-slip Sea Dek flooring with the front deck emblazoned with a laser cut Fishing World logo.
We’ll publish a full review of the boat – including an online video – in the February issue of Fisho. For the boat’s maiden fishing trip, we competed in the Basin Lure and Fly Flathead Classic on the weekend. On the pre-fish, Team Fisho’s Ken Smith landed a nice 72cm lizard to blood the little CXC. Unfortunately we couldn’t find any big fish for the actual comp, weighing in a bag of five average sized specimens plus assorted bycatch.
The boat performed excellently, being very stable at rest and powering through the chop generated by a breezy nor-wester. The 60hp four-stroke Merc – the max HP for the hull – delivers blistering performance at WOT. More importantly, it provides an efficient cruise. Even at full noise, the CXC rides much better than comparable tinnies with none of the bangs and thuds associated with small alloy boats in choppy conditions.
Enlightened Boating’s Geoff Hall with an example of the Diab foam – which is used in super yachts and military vessels – as used in the CXC boats.
The process used to make the various CXC models involves vacuum infusing high density Diab foam with special resin. The infused foam – which is light and incredibly strong – is then “sandwiched” between layers of fibreglass and gelcoat.
Build quality is excellent with obvious attention to detail by Enlightened Boating’s team of boat builders and shipwrights. These boats are handmade, not mass produced, so you can incorporate customisation and high end workmanship into the build process. We still need to fit a few minor things, including a networked Raymarine sounder/GPS at the bow and a couple of rail-mounted Scotty rod holders, but basically the boat was delivered ready to hit the water with all pumps, lights and other accoutrements factory fitted.
Enlightened Boating boat builders Adam McQueen and Troy Brough ready the Fisho CXC for its maiden voyage in the Caloundra River.
Geoff, Adam and Enlightened’s sales manager Gavin Marsh take a spin in the soft riding 4.3.
Stay tuned for full details in the February issue. So far, however, we’re pretty confident in saying that this little boat is an absolute ripper and should be an outstanding estuary/impoundment/inshore sportfishing machine.
To find out more about these nifty and extremely well made boats, contact Enlightened Boating on 07 5499 3155, enlightenedboating@gmail.com or via Facebook at www.facebook.com/enlightenedboating. The company makes CXC models from 3.7 to 4.8m (Fisho got a sneak peek at a new 5m model as well) plus a range of Ezy Topper models.
Ken Smith blooded the Fisho CXC 4.3 with this 72cm flattie caught in St Georges Basin last weekend.
