Terhi Big Fun

The increase in bass numbers  generally has opened up what is fast becoming a lucrative niche in the boat  building business. Anglers, purely interested in sports fishing for bass, are  buying up small, highly manoeuvrable, shallow draft, easy to launch craft that  can get them out to the bass grounds in minutes.

These boats are so simple to  launch and work that you can get a couple of hour’s bassing in in the evenings  after work with minimal effort.

The criteria is around 15 to  16ft, low profile in the water, it has to be a fully walk around design with no  cabin structure, especially for fly fishing, and driven from a centre console  position. It also has to be fast. No point working a drift over a reef and then  taking minutes to get back to where the bass are working. Bass might only feed  in one spot for a few brief minutes then move on. You need to have the craft to  follow them if you want to make the most of it.

THE TERHI BIG FUN
The Terhi range of boats are  built in Rymattila, Finland. The interesting thing  about them is that they are mass produced using ABS thermoplastic material  bonding two separate halves together.

The thermoplastic sheets are  thermoformed over cast aluminium molds to produce separate hull and deck units.  The halves are brought tighter in a foaming mold and filled with closed-cell,  non absorbing polyurethane foam which is the bonding agent. At a pressure of  6,000lbs/ft this bonding agent seals both parts securely together to form a  sandwich construction. The ABS material is also UV protected and highly weather  resistant, plus is able to take high impact force better than standard GRP.

The boat is unsinkable too.  Their catalogue shows a boat deliberately cut in two by a chainsaw with both  pieces staying upright and afloat and able to support a fully grown adult. It’s  always nice to have confidence in your boat!

DESIGN FEATURES
At 15ft 5ins, a beam of  6-feet and a draft measured in inches this deep V hull design should meet the  exact format of the inshore bass angler.

She sits low in the water to  minimise your sky line profile, the centre console screen at mid chest height  being the uppermost point.

Looking at the boat from  above her shape is quite traditional tapering outwards from the stern to mid  gunnel, then quickly coming to a point at the bow. The gunnels also flare  upwards at a shallow angle heading towards the stern giving the Big Fun a real  dart shape look about her.

The bow is fitted with a  single T cleat for anchoring and mooring with strategically placed grip treads  either side to safeguard your feet from slipping while at the bow. There’s also  a push in socket to take a steaming light. The anchor well is at the rear of  the bow disguised as a two man upholstered bench seat that hinges upwards for  access to the locker.

You’re further protected  while on the bow with a stainless steel powder coated safety rail running down  each side of the bow to the rear edge of the centre console.

The console has a protective  tinted screen with a powder coated frame around it that doubles up as an extra  grab rail when you’re walking around. In front of the console on deck towards the  bow is a one man upholstered seat with locker storage beneath.

The console top has a dished  area for storage of small items, and has the space to take your fish finder  etc. The wheel is on the left side of the console; instruments to right and the  throttle lever and switch panel further right of these. The round car type  wheel is excellent being from a grippy rubber material that keeps your hands  firmly in control even when wet and cold. You have additional open storage  beneath the console, with a fore extinguisher positioned by your left foot.  This would be a good place to fit your VHF radio on a drop down bracket.

To steer you either stand,  or sit on the full length three man rear seat across the transom. This is upholstered  and is very comfy. This hinges upwards to provide a large storage locker  beneath also housing your fuel tank on the port side and your battery on the  starboard side. Additional safety is provided by a powder coated stainless steel  safety rail running around the transom top.

The deck area again has grip  treads placed in specific areas to give grip when moving about on deck, though  the overall deck area is smoothly finished and might be slippy if covered with  fish slime. The deck is fully self draining too and easy to keep clean.

The stern has step aboard  platforms built in to each stern corner, with a really deep splash well giving  both water protection in following seas, and easy access to the motor. The test  boat also had a dive board fitted, though this is optional.

The Big Fun is also pre  wired for lights and is finished in a beige colour with grey fendering and red  graphics.

OUT TO SEA
I took the Big Fun on test  out from Neyland near Milford Haven and headed eastwards under the toll bridge  heading up the Cleddau channel.

The test boat was fitted  with a 50hp Yamaha 4-stroke unit. Using just enough throttles to initially get  the feel of the boat the response is instant. The boat feels like a dog on a  leash, it’s raring to go.

Piling more power on the bow  lifts and the boat just takes off, levelling out as she reaches planing speed.  Give her a nudge more power and she instantly increases speed. At 5000rpm she  was pushing close to 30mph with two on board.

Easing back the power a  little I put her through some tight turns watching the working stern corner dig  in to the sea and grip like glue holding the boat at a steady angle of turn.  Bringing the wheel right around in a really tight circle and pushing the  throttles wide open made her take on her own wash. I watched the bow lift slightly  and the whole boat just cuts over the top of the waves. It’s a very comfortable  ride.

Back on a straight line  course and batting along I killed the throttle fully back. The boat stops  almost dead in the water, but with minimal after wave coming back on the stern.

The stability of the Big Fun  was proven when like a twit I walked away down the side off the console still  having the kill cord attached and nearly tripped putting all my weight over the  top of the gunnel. She leaned a fair way, after all she is a small boat, but  stops dead way before I got near the water. My own fault, but it proves the  point of stability.

You can fish two easily, one  up towards the bow and the other from the stern. That’s all a small bass boat  crew want anyway. She can though, double up and carry two across the stern, two  at the bow and one in the forward console seat if you want to give the wife and  kids a spin.

WOULD I CHANGE ANYTHING?
I’d probably opt to convert  the forward console seat in to a live well for carrying live sandeel and  mackerel.

I’d also be tempted to paint  the whole deck floor with a non slip finish and in a matt paint to cut down on  glare.

MY VERDICT
I really enjoyed being at  the wheel of the Big Fun. She’s a little cracker for those short fast hops out  to sea to cash in on a feeding spree, be it bass, mackerel, or even for reef  fishing for pollack, plus she’s a cracking platform if you want to fish inside  the estuaries for flatties and the like. Her flat profile with nothing higher  than the console makes her ideal for fly fishing too.

You work load to get  launched and fishing is minimal, and maintenance is much reduced too. You don’t  need 4-wheel drive either, you can use the family car to tow her about.

Whoever named the Big Fun  got it exactly right. Small boats can mean big fun!

STATISTICS
LENGTH: 470cms
BEAM: 185cms
MAXIMUM POWER: 60hp
EC CATEGORY: C 5 persons

CONTACTS
Andy Townsend, Imperial  Leisure, Portfield, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, SA61 1DY. Tel: 01437 761810  Fax: 01437 761820.