Not wanting to rest on his well-earned laurels, exceptional West Australian boat builder Scott Fury has produced yet another outstanding fishing machine, as BARRY WISEMAN reports.

For decades, the iconic Fury 282 centre console has provided the ultimate fishing platform/Rottnest family boat for many local boating enthusiasts.

The Fury CC-E – the Espandere – then catapulted the company to the top of the local boat building chart with this centre console featuring the latest international design and trends.

Since that day in December last year when the first Espandere hit the water interest in this new build has boomed.

This latest Fury 282 CC-E is the second hull out of the factory with the fold-down platform built into the port side. The first went to a customer who actually wanted a dual console configuration, which was another example of Scott’s inventive ingenuity and provided the protection of a cabin plus the versatility of the walk-through bow rider.

This new CC-E has been built to operate off the Dampier coastline, the owner living in the North-West and wanting a day boat with no sleeping quarters. He has access to moorings and chalets in the Dampier Archipelago and fishes the tides.

Seeking as much protection from the Pilbara sun’s harsh rays the usual fibreglass hardtop, throwing shade over a section of the foredeck and the helm station, has been extended farther astern than normal. Measuring some four metres in length the hardtop now protects most of the rear cockpit, plus a canvas awning shades the fish station facilities on the transom.

The addition of the expanding cockpit has added an additional 1.4m x 80cm of work/play space.

Since the first Fury DC-E anchored up in a sheltered bay at Rottnest Island and the port-side wall opened to create a dive/swim platform, the design has attracted much attention. Particularly in family situations, the ankle biters can now access the water via the drop-down platform rather than through the transom door and ladder off the marlin board. Young and old are now away from engine propellers and on his latest vessel Scott has extended the hook-on stainless steel boarding ladder suspended from the platform. It is now a four-rung affair instead of three – easier for us getting on in years too.

The platform also provides a great underwater viewing location for taking videos and photos of your latest hookup or viewing the bottom for broken ground while chasing rock lobster and other marine life. In calm waters and at slow speed, Scott himself has put the platform to such use.

Of course, one of the major advantages of the drop-down port-side platform is when loading the vessel for that next big offshore fishing trip.

It is rated to hold 190 kilograms, but it has been tested far beyond that capacity.

In the case of this new owner, when loading supplies for several days’ fishing and accommodation in chalets off Dampier this side access will prove invaluable. Alongside a jetty or in the driveway at home, being able to load up through a side wall is far safer than using the transom ladder.

The vessel comes with twin 120-litre below-deck kill tanks, however it’s inevitable large ice boxes will be added to the cool storage space to accommodate the spaniards and other pelagics on offer in northern waters. Getting them on and off any vessel is hard, especially through the narrow transom doors on many vessels. Plus the trend towards floating pontoon jetties at club and private ramps now means you have simple ‘walk-on/off’ access to the vessel.

The Fury 282 Centre Console is all about full 360-degree walk-around deck space, a tremendous advantage for anglers, and now this drop-down door option can be used to bring large fish aboard, weather permitting. Often these fish come aboard via the marlin board and transom door. However, in calm waters they can be brought through the side door on the Espandere. In the fold-down position, the platform is virtually at water level.

For bathers and scuba divers, the weight of a single adult provides enough tilt on the port side so you can virtually slide off the platform and into the water. Coming back on board, divers can offload their cylinders, fins and masks before climbing the stainless-steel ladder. The more agile can simply hoist themselves up to sit on the platform.

The Espandere model provides more entertaining and workspace in the rear cockpit and this can be closed in with clears to convert the helm area into a mini-wheelhouse to protect the range of Furuno and Simrad electronics on the dash.

The owner settled on a flush-mounted 12-inch Furuno sounder and the Simrad Evo3s nine-inch GPS and radar system.

Troy York from Pure Decks Flooring has installed Deck Armour EVA high-density flooring to the deck in the bow and helm areas. This Australian-made product comes from Queensland and is aimed at reducing fatigue underfoot, providing an anti-skid surface and looking stylish. Deck Armour is UV stable and suited to Australia’s hard conditions with a temperature rating up to 65C.

Powering this Fury CC-E is a pair of Mercury’s new four-stroke V6 200hp outboard engines, boasting a lighter weight factor of 215kg and boasting improved fuel efficiency.

A great idea is the hinged door on the top of the engine cowling, allowing access to check the dipstick and refill the oil in the engine’s sump. No longer do you have to stand at the back of the boat and struggle to lift the large cover fitted to today’s big motors. Very handy when you are carrying out this task on your own and have no one to help you to lift the cowling off. The older you get the more difficult it can become.

Each motor has an alternator output of 85 amps, providing enough power to drive a huge range of instrumentation, lights and portable fridge/freezers.

Scott said the twin 200hp Mercs on the back of this CC-E made it a 43-knot vessel.

The Zipwake Dynamic Trim Control system, made in Sweden, has also been fitted to the transom. The interceptor blades extend from 30-60mm, compared to trim tabs which often extend 150mm, reducing drag.

The Zipwake blade stroke takes 1.5 seconds, and the company says this outperforms conventional trim tabs by a factor of 10, leading to more effective control of the vessel and better fuel economy. Once the vessel information such as length and weight has been installed into the Zipwake’s ‘brain’ it will automatically control the pitch and roll of the vessel, plus getting the vessel on the plane. Manual operation is also available, however as with many electronic instruments these days ‘auto’ mode takes a lot of stress away.

The CC-E build took around five months and the demand for this new model has Scott and his team working around the clock, especially as they deal with frustrating supply delays due to the Covid pandemic.

Also in the pipeline at the Bibra Lake factory is production of the Fury Smuggler 660, a hull featuring a 27-degree deadrise at the transom and measuring 6.5m. The vessel will have a fuel capacity of up to 300 litres (plus 100 litres of fresh water) and accommodate single or twin engines up to 300hp.

Work has started on the Smuggler, but punters will have to wait with priority being given to the Fury 282 Espandere vessels now on order. One thing for sure is this smaller soft-top day fishing rig is bound to attract much attention when it does hit the water. Locally-built fibreglass vessels can be counted on one hand and the Fury Smuggler 660 will be built with the same perfection all Fury vessels are known for. I can’t wait for the day Scott calls me to meet at the ramp and try one out. In the meantime, it’s full steam ahead with work on the Espandere range.

NUTS & BOLTS

• MODEL: Fury 282 Centre Console Espandere
• LENGTH: 8.58m
• BEAM: 2.69m
• DEADRISE: 18.5 degrees
• LIVE BAIT TANK: 70 litres
• KILL TANK: 2 x 100 litres
• POWER: 2 x Mercury V6 200hp four-stroke
• FUEL: 500 litres
• FRESH WATER: 120 litres
• MANUFACTURER: Fury Custom Boats; 6/7 Coolibah Way, Bibra Lake; www.furycustomboats.com.au; Phone: Scott Fury – 0433 573 545.
• Price: From $260,000. The final expenditure depends on the electronics and other options sought by the customer, and that includes the trailer. Many Fury 282s are penned, however those owners wanting a tandem trailer can opt for galvanised or aluminium.

PROS & CONS

PROS

• The first must be the drop-down platform that gives this vessel its name. The expanding rear cockpit provides greater entertaining, work and fun opportunities.
• The latest 200hp V6 four-stroke engines from Mercury are lighter and more fuel efficient than their predecessors.
• Full 360-degree walk-around deck space for anglers.
• Top quality electronics and radar.
• Zipwake interceptor blades on the transom for greater control in all conditions.
• Deluxe upholstery and bow seating are a safety feature when children are on board.
• Superior build by quality tradesmen.

CONS

• Customised to the owner’s requirements, the review vessel does not come with sleeping arrangements.
• At more than 8m, a large tow vehicle is required.

NOTES

1. The Fury 282 CC-E has forward seating and removable table, covered by a broad bimini for those lazy days.
2. Cushions removed, the bow becomes a casting platform.
3. Luxury seating in front of the console for the ankle biters.
4. The console dash is large enough to take a variety of instrumentation.
5. The rear cockpit has fold-up lounges, creating more space when the fishing tackle is deployed.
6. The Fury Espandere’s portside platform is only centimetres above the surface when deployed.