REVIEWED: QUINTREX RENEGADE 4.6
As KRIS SWERES reveals, Quintrex’s new Renegade is a simple yet well-designed tinny made for serious fishing.
Most of us have a personal checklist of requirements when buying a boat. Things like adequate seating, flooring, rod holders, storage and affordability will make the list. Very rarely do you find a boat that easily puts a tick next to most boxes and still stays within a working budget. Quintrex’s new Renegade 4.6, which starts at about $21,823, is another tight little package from the Queensland company that, in all honesty, should appeal to many potential boat owners seeking a small versatile fishing tinny. The Renegade range (made in both 4.6 and 5.2m sizes) is a no nonsense rig with varied applications.
The beauty of the Renegade is that it can still be described as a straight up tinny and with that title comes all the advantages of a knockabout aluminum craft. It’s light weight, so you can power it up with a smaller and more affordable outboard; in this case, a Mariner 50hp two-stroke, which provided more than enough grunt on the 4.6m version tested. The boat is also incredibly roomy, yet not so big that you can’t sneak up your local creek or estuary to go crabbing or pumping nippers across the sand flats. And it’s built to a quality Quintrex standard so you can afford to treat it like a good old fashioned fishing boat. The Renegade is built from 3mm alloy on the bottomsides with 2mm sides so there’s no need to treat it with kid gloves!
In my view, the Renegade 4.6 is an ideal entry level boat for fishos on a budget. But you get plenty of boat for your buck. The boat features Quinnie’s unique Millennium hull design. In a nutshell, the Millenium hull creates a sharp entry point to give a drier and softer ride. Importantly, stability is not compromised, Quintrex says. This only adds to the Renegade’s appeal as a fishing boat. In my opinion, the test boat is the perfect size: not too big, not too small. The specs mean it’s ideal for estuary and freshwater applications yet is more than suitable for inshore work chasing snapper or kings on good days. And it should fit comfortably in the average garage.
If, like me, you’re into casting lures there’s a carpeted front casting platform that gives a super high aspect over the water. I noted that the bow could easily accommodate an electric motor. Being based in Brisbane I couldn’t help but think of the front deck’s “cast netting” advantages for when the big banana prawns run.
The Renegade 4.6 SC (Side Console) has high rails both fore and aft so any whiting fishos or estuary bait fishermen out there who like side anchoring have been considered. Standard fit out includes a dedicated anchor well; two side storage pockets also aid in keeping this fishing boat organised and tidy. With electronics being so affordable these days, Quintrex has included a transducer bracket on the transom so attaching your GPS or sounder is a breeze. These sort of features reveal that actual fishos have had a say in the design of this craft.
The simple yet practical side console is set at a good height and has an easy-to-read area for dials. It also features a closable storage hatch and a drink holder. A small tinted windscreen finishes it off and provides enough coverage to keep marine electronics dryish in blustery or squally conditions. At the end of a day’s fishing you can easily just hose the entire boat down ready for its next adventure.
If you want to customise your Renegade a little further, Quintrex has options including Bimini covers, vinyl wraps, under floor fuel tanks, live bait tanks and even hydraulic steering. Leaving them out initially and offering a “bare bones” package helps maintain an economical rig that will help more anglers simply get out on the water.
Remember once you have a boat you can always include extras as the budget or the way you use your boat dictates. It’s such a relief that boat manufacturers like Quintrex gives buyers more say in how they fit out their own boats to suit their personal style.
Judging from the response from dealers, the Renegade 4.6 and 5.2 are recording good sales and solid feedback. In the current slow economy, it’s a great move by Quintrex to offer a good boat within reach of the average punter like me and you.
Quintrex Renegade 4.6
Beam: 2.20m
Bottomsides: 3mm
Length of Hull: 4.65m
Max. HP: 60hp
Weight: (boat only): 380kg
Fit out: ****
Ride/Handling: ****
Fishability: *****
Overall finish: ****
Value: ****
Overall: ****
PRICE AS TESTED: $24,475
CONTACT: www.quintrex.com.au
