DAVEY’S BIG DAY OUT

Davey Marine just went next-level with its customer service. Their blue-chip customers were invited down to Refuge Cove for a fully catered weekend of swell jumping and horsepower thumping. The rigs that rolled into the ramp at Port Welshpool, Victoria, would put any boat show to shame. There was a supremely appointed Haines Hunter 675 Hardtop from Tathra, owned by John McGilvray. Edencraft was well represented with Black Label, a pod-mounted Formula 233 with twin 250 Hondas. Owner Chris Casey had converted the rig from a “Malibu-style, go-fast boat” back to a gamefishing beast. Praise the Lord! Other Edencrafts included Aaron De Groot’s 400HP APX Suzuki-powered 233, Eden Raft. Aaron was determined to win the high-jump category. Alongside Aaron was Matt Jones highly specced, Suzuki twin-powered 280HP 6m Offshore.

A few veteran rigs from the Battle of the Big Vee rolled down for old time’s sake. Matt Webb showed he could still wave-slay it with the best in his Edencraft Formula, Salty Dog. Ziad Mesto dropped in after dropping another $20k on Westgate, his Cam Strachan-built Formula. Sadly, Ziad’s mate Mohamad couldn’t make it. Dang, we were looking forward to midnight lamb cutlets by the fire accompanied by stories of shotgun incidents.

Big Vee winner, the Bass Strait 24 Offshore owned by Dan McLeod, didn’t make it, either (sold for top dollar), but he climbed aboard his brother’s twin rig. John Woollard towed his black 6.5 Smuggler down the coast. The boat has undergone a full makeover and features an E-TEC 250HO. It pranced around the cove at full noise to steal the show. You can read all about it on page 82.

The Davey Marine alloy class was represented by Salt Shaker, a 30ft Sailfish. And Adam Davey brought along his Blackdog Cat, a 5.1m cuddy powered by a 100HP Honda. The tin cat was perfect for nosing into the rocks to launch landing parties to recover lost drones.

Adam said the weekend will become an annual affair, although the location may change. “It’s a perfect chance for like- minded boat owners to get together and use their boats in fair-dinkum waters.”

To book your ticket next year, all you need to do is buy a turn-key fit-out from Davey Marine and throw in a couple of hunji for catering, which, by the way, was exceptional. The Captain’s crew dined on chilli and coriander creamy chicken with rice while waiting for a ride on the next rig.