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Yellowfin Extended Cabin range review

THE latest Extended Cabin range from Yellowfin marks the brand’s 40-year-old boat brand anniversary. The latest models – the Extended Cabin YF-70 and YF-76 – are a relaunch of Yellowfin’s Southerner range and are loaded with new innovations and plenty of clever features.

Yellowfin product analyst Nathan Shaw says the switch from Southerner to Extended Cabin reflects the demand for these boats all across Australia. And as the name suggests, the latest iteration features a more spacious cabin area. Importantly, as Shaw pointed out at yesterday’s media launch on the Gold Coast, the roomier cabin isn’t at the expense of fishing cockpit space. The cabin is higher and wider and still allows for generous fishing space where it counts.

The hard top configuration and increased room makes it a perfect option for serious offshore fishing where protection from the elements is a must. It allows all of your crew to stay safe and dry under way and plenty of space for the family to stay dry or protected from the sun on those family outings.

These models are built for game fishing and feature the essentials offshore fishos expect in a modern boat.

Starting at the transom, we find a live bait tank with a clear window, while in the centre of the transom, Yellowfin has installed a neat cutting board without taking up too much space. Under the cutting board there are tackle boxes and storage for terminal tackle etc. There are also some rod holders here for bait fishing or holding gear while rigging or cutting up bait. 

On the starboard side there’s a walk-thru door for convenient entry and exit from the boat.

The floors and gunwales are lined with EVA Matting and the same matting is also placed to key areas such as side decks, side panels. It’s a handy product that’s grippy, cool and reasonably soft under foot. This is the first time Yellowfin is offering EVA flooring as standard, a decision based on customer demand.

There’s plenty of space for fishing in the cockpit and some additional storage in the side pockets and more storage under the two seats. The starboard side has a hatch that holds containers and the port side has an ice box that slides in and out under the seat.

Each one of these seats also has a rear facing section wit a cushion for passengers. It makes long hauls far more comfortable with everyone onboard having a seat.

The Extended Cabin range has a newly designed dash with enough space to accommodate a 19” and 16” sounder side-by-side. Ample dash space is a must these days with the availability of larger fish finders and chartplotters. It’s great to see boat brands such as Yellowfin recognising the trend and producing boats with enough dash space for high end gadgetry.

Finally, moving towards the bow and Yellowfin has included a trolling motor bracket. It was only a few years ago when these were just installed on smaller open tinnies and punts. The evolution of high end trolling motors designed for offshore fishing has opened up a new purpose for this handy technology and boat manufacturers have followed suit. Deepening on the type of fishing you’re looking at doing, having a trolling motor makes a boat such as this more versatile and capable of catching a wider variety of species.

Hull design

The latest Extended Cabin models feature Yellowfin’s Offshore HD Hull. This design, shared across other Yellowfin models, uses 6mm plate bottom sheets and 4mm topsides and features a sharp 19 degree variable deadrise, while a Reverse Chine deflects spay away from the boat and helps with stability.

The design, according to Yellowfin, creates a boat that is stable at rest, while allowing for a smooth ride in the choppy water.

Under the floor and the full Yellowfin range is built with an internal sub frame, milk crate structure of longitudinal and latitudinal ribs for strength and to help shape the hull.

Each boat, according to Yellowfin, is built with vertical stringers, each being 6mm thick and 5mm horizontal ribs for maximum strength. This is then completed with a fully welded checker plate floor.

I should also mention the Extended Cabin range is a self draining floor.

The entire range is built with an internal sub frame, milk crate structure of longitudinal and latitudinal ribs to reinforce strength and help shape the hull.

Standard features

The Extended Cabin comes standard with a fully sealed, self-draining deck, long-range fuel tank, U-Dek flooring, offshore compass, ZipWake trim tabs, wireless phone charger, trolling motor mount, transom cutting board, new Yellowfin seats, new seat boxes and a Garmin electronics package consisting of a GT54 transducer and 5” MFD.

As for power and fuel, it has a maximum horsepower of up to 300HP, and a fuel tank size of up to 380L.

Fishing edition features

Yellowfin has also introduced a special Fishing Edition for those wanting a fully spec’d option. The Fishing Edition features additions such as a Deluxe Bait and fishing station, roller door, Icey Tek 75L Split Lid Cooler, Garmin marine radio, additional wireless phone charger, Yellowfin fish cooler bag, side coaming cushions, dual suspension seat upgrade, underwater lights, dual wipers and Exploding Fish rod holders, and more. Plus, the Fishing Edition has a unique signature yellow stripe paintwork and steel grey U-Dek flooring and trim.

Initial thoughts

Yellowfin has produced a cleverly designed boat with a generous number of standard features, not to mention the fully spec’d Fishing Edition with all the bells and whistles.

With the option of the YF-70 or YF-76, both sizes make ideal options for serious offshore fishing. With only a gentles breeze and moderate swell, the boats performed well offshore. The heavier sub-floor structure provided a smoother ride and the 19 degree deadrise helped cut through chop. Some familiarity with trim tabs will help given the size and design of the boat to ensure a smooth and safe ride.

For more information about the Extend Cabin range, check out yellowfinplateboats.com.au.

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