29/07/2025
Buckle up, shipmates — it’s time to jump aboard issue 39 of The Captain.
Our cover story sees the crew copping a battering in an angry Bass Strait as we put an armada of East Coast Boats Outlaws to the test — including the new 765. Spoiler alert: despite the rugged conditions, these bad boys pass with flying colours.
A couple of major missions are also on the agenda. With Tommy Trembath at the helm, we ride a 6.8m Merino Hybrid north through the Torres Strait in search of PNG black bass — only to discover it’s all about the journey, not the destination.
Up in Port Stephens, we link up with Roger Veitch to marvel at the slick new Veitch 23 Hardtop. Then it’s back to Pittwater for a rendezvous with Chris Kemp, who’s got a brand-new Carbine Magnum 24 he wants to show off.
We also check in with a pair of resourceful Aussie nomads and the 79 Series/Stabicraft 1450 combo they call home on their trip from Tassie to the Top End. While we’re in a Stabi frame of mind, we put the 2050 Treker through its paces to see if a boat designed for the American Pacific North West can do the business in Aussie waters. Tick.
Now, you might think a boat vs car shootout has no place in the hallowed pages of The Captain. Not us. That’s why we ran a Haines Hunter 620 Patriot head-to-head with a Suzuki Swift Sport in a race across — er, and around — Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula.
Still not done. Brendon McDonald talks towers of power as he runs us through the saga of his Boston Whaler 305 Conquest refit. Dr Adam Smith profiles record-breaker Nikki Watt. Hadley Deegan gives us the good oil on how to fine-tune your rig, and Drew Mudaliar asks: where have all the kingies gone?
Oh, and the best bit? Subscribe now and get a free Shimano Ocea 175HS Head Dip stickbait (RRP $49.99). Only while stocks last.