Built down in Ford near Arundel, Sussex, Orkney boats have been a favourite with sea anglers for donkey’s years and are one of the commonest small angling boats seen bobbing on the moorings inside our harbours and marina’s. They are also often the first boat bought by a newcomer to dinghy fishing.
I’ve never actually owned an Orkney myself, but I’ve fished on more than a few that mates have owned over the years, so I already felt I knew the Orkney 520 I was about to test pretty well.
She was waiting and ready for the slipway when I arrived in Swansea at the Cambrian Boat Centre. With a weather forecast suggesting a later increase in the already brisk force 4 east wind, I figured I’d just got time to look her over before heading offshore.
DESIGN FEATURES
This new 520 differs slightly from the older type I’m more used to. The semi-displacement hull is more vee shaped nowadays and with more beam at the waterline. This modification is said to give greater stability at anchor and improves the overall speed and sea keeping qualities in heavier seas.
All hidden cavities are filled with foam buoyancy, and the deck is formed to the hull, keel and deck structure during the actual moulding stage which improves the overall strength of the hull in relation to actual weight.
Taking in the stern first you have ample room for fitting an auxiliary engine bracket along side the main engine. What you immediately notice though, is that the splash well is not that deep, nor wide. I made a mental note to check this in a following sea during the test.
A couple of feet back from the stern on the gunnels you have a T cleat either side for mooring off. Built in to the stern corners are large locker seats with plenty of storage space underneath.
The gunnels on the 520 only come up to lower thigh height and I’m an average 5’ 10” high. There was no safety rail on the test boat, and I’d be inclined to fit at least a 6-inch stainless steel safety rail to the gunnel tops, just in case anybody ever slips on deck, or leans too far over when trying to tail a tope or other big fish.
Looking forward you have two locker seats, the one on the starboard side being the helm seat. These are large enough to hold small tackle boxes and smaller boat gear items needed for quick access.
The wheel is a car type, stainless with a heavily grained plastic covering that is ideal when the hands are cold and wet as it gives you a surface area that maximises your grip at all times. The steering console also has room for a switch panel, with space for a compass on top. There is no locker space underneath, the below console area is open.
Most boaters choose to fit their VHF, GPS etc, either directly in front of the helm seat under the cabin top, on to one side at an angle.
The cabin seating has room for maybe four. The middle seat hinging upwards to free up standing room for getting access through the Houdini hatch to haul anchor. Also between the hinging seat and the Houdini hatch is a spacious anchor locker.
The cabin windows are fitted in with rubber inserts. More experienced boaters would prefer these to be cut oversize and bolted in for extra strength.
The cabin top has stacks of room for a stainless steel gantry to carry your VHF aerial and steaming light stack to give them extra height if need be, though many just fit their aerial, steaming light and GPS receiver directly to the cabin top. The upper side edges of the cabin also have small moulded in areas designed to take your navigation light, though these were not fitted to the test boat.
Up on the bow you have an open anchor locker, with an alloy T cleat and alloy bow roller.
The test boat certainly looked smart finished with a blue hull and white top side, with black fendering, though I think the Orkney standard colour is all white, alternative hull colours being an extra.
HOW THE 520 PERFORMED
You can tow these boats with a typical 1600 to 2-litre family car and you’ll barely notice you have the boat at the back. They are also very easy to launch and retrieve. A mate of mine works his boat completely on his own, which gives you some idea of how effortless it is.
Nudging out from the lock it was only when we rounded the breakwater that I realised just how strong the wind was. Checking the horizon it was pretty bumpy out there with plenty of white tops. We went with the wind heading west.
Babbati, the test boat, is fitted with the classic Yamaha 25hp 4-stroke unit and opening the throttle the acceleration comes in progressively all the way through the range, but don’t be deceived because this is a nippy boat that quickly reaches her cruising speed. In the conditions I had I couldn’t really wind her up, but I’d guess she’d easily cruise around 14-knots with the 25hp and be pushing about 20-knots flat out. Fuel wise about 3 and bit gallons an hour at average working speeds would be somewhere about right. These figures are a guess on my part, and are not quoted figures.
I spotted a patch of heavier sea and made a bee line for it. Swinging the bow back in to the wind and heading in to the waves, some of which were over 3-feet, the boat tends to cut through with minimal effort, though you do get some wind blown spray coming back over the cabin top and into your face when standing. And stand I had to do, as the water was full of floating debris including logs and sticks from a recent flood. If I’d been sitting down I’d never have seen them.
Remembering my mental note about the shallow splash well, I swung the boat around and with the waves. In a following sea she’s fine, but if you absolutely have to reverse in to a series of waves, and trust me sometime circumstance will dictate you need to, then the water bulb can creep high up in to the splash well. I was putting the boat in a deliberately bad position, but it’s something to bear in mind if you’re caught in very rough seas.
Coming around again I made the hull quarter the waves, which she does superbly. She’ll lift a little at the bow, tilt slightly to one side as the wave hits her almost beam on, but rights herself immediately the wave passes underneath. You need minimal wheel correction to keep on course.
I also cut the power and watched how she drifted. She tends to sit bow slightly off the wind, but drifts pretty straight, and she’s stable, so makes for a good platform if you drift for bass or plaice over sandbanks.
Once more coming around to face the waves, I waited for a biggie, came over the top and into the trough, eased off the power and turned her fully around. She proved very predictable with no tendency to over lean in what is a nasty manoeuvre to have to make in what was a very short sea.
In calmer seas, if you gun the throttle and want to make a tight turn, the boat will lean in to the corner direction, sit the inside corner quite deep, but stick like the proverbial to a blanket. She also stops pretty quickly if you need to make an emergency stop when cutting back hard on the throttle.
Leaving the wheel to one of the CBC lads, I walked about on deck while we were moving. She does lean to one side a bit when you shift both your combined weight to the one side, so again care is needed when you move about, especially if you’re a bit of giant. This is not a criticism of the boat, just commonsense boating procedure.
This also applies if a big fish needs the attention of two of you on the one side of the boat. Two of you leaning on the same gunnel will make the boat lean over a fair way, but still leaving you plenty of safe freeboard.
WOULD I CHANGE ANYTHING
I’d certainly add at least a 6-inch safety rail to the gunnels for added safety. I personally feel the gunnels as they are are too low and it’s so easy to slip on a small boat, or be thrown to one side while underway.
The windows held in with rubber inserts are okay if you’re estuary fishing. If you buy this boat to go to sea some distance offshore, then I’d fit oversize windows and bolt them in.
The seat lockers are bloomin’ hard on your backside when sat to steer. You’ll need at least a cushion or better still fit swivel seats.
When you’re sat on the seat lockers, there was nothing to hold on to for added security. If I bought a 520, I go for grab rails positioned just rear of the side cabin window on the inside edge. This especially applies to the port side where the passenger sits.
The Houdini hatch is quite small. If you’re a big lad or lass, then you have to access the open hatch first sideways on, then twist your shoulders round to get yourself through for hauling anchor.
The deck on the test boat was stippled finish for grip, but painted white. The test day was sunny and you do get quite a bit of kick back in to your eyes. Painting the deck a matt blue or grey would cure the problem.
I know this sounds a long list, but they are only niggly things, and I am a bit of granny when it comes to safety afloat. It’s also fair to say, that this is a customer owned boat and the fitting out may well be to a particular standard requested by the customer for personal use.
MY VERDICT
The Orkney 520 is a proven hull, with excellent sea keeping characteristics, and a good turn of speed. She’s forgiving if she is your first boat and treats you gently when you make a basic mistake. She’s also economical.
I see her as an excellent choice for the crew that wants varied fishing inshore working up to say 8 miles out in good weather targeting bass over sandbanks, reef fishing, bassing close to shore and estuary fishing. If you do get caught out in deteriorating weather, just throttle her back, read the waves and keep her bow on, and you’ll be home without drama.
You could also go for the bigger Yamaha F30 30hp on the 520 which will push up your top speeds to something in the region of 24 to 25-knots and lift your cruising speed to about 16-knots. Nice to have the option and you don’t have to use the all the power on the day.
DIMENSIONS
Length Overall: 16-feet 11-inches
Beam: 6-feet 1-inch
Dry Weight: 340kgs
INFORMATION
If you need further information on the whole Orkney range, or want to arrange an Orkney boat test, or check out alternative Yamaha engine packages or electronics, the Sales Director at Cambrian Boat Centre is Robin Vaughan on 01792 467263, or Fax 01792 467263. You can also e-mail Robin at robin@cambrianboats.co.uk or check out the full Orkney boat range on their website at www.cambrianboats.co.uk
