Opinions on a Redfinn 6000

Folks, i have been looking at new boats in the 17-20ft range. I have read all the reviews and know that the warrior 165/175 seem to be the boat of choice in small boat angling terms. I was wondering if anyone has ever compared a Redfinn 6000 and the 175 or orkney 590. I took a run in a Redfinn 6000 with a 120 hp diesel engine. Did just over the 30 knots, was extremely stable and sat on top of the 20-25ft swell that was running that day when drifting at idle. The boat is pricey and i was wondering if anyone has any first hand knoweldge and opinions on the Redfinn before i decide. The Redfinn isn't finished to as high a standard as the Warrior i would say but she is a great sea boat and the engine burns roughly 4 litres an hour at 20 knots.

hi i don't have that much knowledge on the redfinn i had one spin on one and found it a nice boat the finish isn't as good as the 175 and it didnt seem as solid and it tends to drift very quickly but i think they give you a drough with the boat to slow down the drift a bit .iv had 2 warriors now a 165 and i bought a 175 this year they seem to hold there value and are a great sea boat not to say the redfinn isnt .

hydraulic steering is outstanding on this one

Thanks for the comments, i had heard that the Redfinn had a trendancy to drift fast, probably due to all the foam bouyancy they have added and the finn riders which mak her sit very proud of the water, but very stable with no rolling at all even when two large men stood on one side of the boat. These boats are not well finished as pointed out but i think there sea keeping qulaities make up for this and the addition of the extemely economical mercruiser 120 diesel means you have an ultra reliable boat without compromising speed. Any other 175 owners out there who could give there opinions on this one, i might be looking at a few 165 and 175 warriors this weekend, anything in particular to look out for in a 2 year old warrior.

Only thing to look out for in a 2 year old Warior is the engine Ciaran... Try get a sea trail if you can. Considering nearly half the value of the boat will be in engine, you might want to agree a deal...PENDING a look over by a qualified mechanic, before you part with your hard earned cash. Best couple of hundred quid you will ever spend.

Kev

For an interesting view as to what’s happening in the world of small boats here is a breakdown of the fleet of the Cork Small Boats Festival 2007:

Fleet: 27

Warrior.............15...............55.56%
Seahog..............2................7.41%
Quicksilver .........2................7.41%
Raider................1................3.70%
Explorer.............1................3.70%
Pilot...................1................3.70%
Arvor.................1................3.70%
Orkney..............1.................3.70%
Others...............3.................11.00%

Engine breakdown:

Mariner/Mercury....44.44%
Honda..................14.81%
Suzuki................. 14.81%
Etec.....................11.11%
Diesel...................3.70%

Four-stroke:...........66.5%
Average HP:...........87

While one cannot read too much into the figures they nonetheless give a snapshot of what boats one group of dinghy anglers are using to fish from. Surprising is the single Orkney in the fleet, once one of the more popular makes, and also the average HP of 87, a lot of horses for boats all under 21 feet! One wonders where we will be in years to come as fuel prices keep increasing. The diesel alternative will definitely become more prominent provided engine manufacturers and boat builders can come up with a well-designed package.

Thanks Jim, your figures from the Cork Small Boats make interesting reading, which begs the question, when are warrior going to start producing 18-20ft boats with diesel engines. Jim have you taken a run in a Redfinn, i am convinced that the diesel engine provides much more reliability and economy for a small boat like this, i would like the high freeboard and style of the warrior. I would be interested to hear what your opinion of the Redfinn hull is.

Warrior used offer a 195 with a diesel fitted within the well at the transom. I don’t think they caught on for whatever reason.

I have never been out on a Redfinn. I’ve stepped aboard a couple on different occasions. We studied them carefully before we bought our first Warrior. At the boat show (Southampton) a couple of us stepped aboard and were not impressed. The design of the cuddy/driving position was poor, it didn’t seem to be designed with an angler in mind. With just two guys on the side it listed crazily.

I would point out that it was the 6000 we looked at. I think (I am open to correction here) that they then brought out a 6007 with the “finnriders” fitted. These pods appear to have solved the stability issues. I think they now have a 6008 model. From what I’ve seen on the web it has a better designed cuddy and the “finnriders” are built in. It certainly looks a better boat in the pictures! I’ve never seen one in the flesh so cannot pass comment on this new model.

The 6008 weighs in the same as a 165 (550kg). A 165 is 16.5 feet. The 6008 is 6 metres or 19 odd feet. The 175 is a full 200 kg or 30 stone heavier for 17.5 feet! Weight matters in small boats! Of course the Redfinn might run on less fuel but that probably because it is light!

As I say I’d love to have a blast in one but haven’t seen one around. While I would agree that the diesel economy, and as important to us the range, would be great I don’t know if could be classed as any more/less reliable than a modern 4-stroke.

I will say it again; all boats are a compromise of some degree or another. One man’s food can be another man’s poison! It all comes down to what you want to do with it your boat. :wink:

Thanks Jim, plent of food for thought there again. I had suspected that the fin riders were a bit of an afterthought, and i would agree that the helm position isn't suitable for anglers although i found the panoramic visibility through the wide windscreen very good when i test the boat. There was certainly no listing with the fin rider model, although the fiberglass on the gunnels did sound a bit light and noisey when you leant on it. The freeboard also was a little low for my liking but the grab rails made up for it a little. Thanks for all the comments on the post, i have some deciding to do, i would rather buy new regardless, then i can't blam enayone else for problems with engine or boat and there will be a warranty to back these things up.

Ive had one of these since 02 and many of the previous comments Iwould agree with,when I first bought it,it was without the Finnriders and the stability was poor,especially in a following sea,Ihad the Finnriders fitted when it was 2 years old and they sorted out the stability problems immediately,Iwould have to agree with some of the concerns regarding build quality however,recently the electrics died completely and when I investigated the problem afterwards I found that the main power cable from the battery to the engine had a join in it at a part of the hull that frequently has a few inches of water ,and was eventually guaranteed to corrode and fail,fortunately this happened at the mooring and not out at sea,the way the cables were joined was a fairly cowboy job to be honest especially in a corrosive/marine environment.Also when I bought it first the boat came without a windshield wiper,which is essential in a boat with a cuddy.My boat is fitted with a Yamaha 60 4 stroke which has proved to be 100% reliable from day one and averages 20 to 25 Litres for a full days fishing and has never given any trouble.I would have to say that from a fishing point of view the design is excellent,although the fitting of the Finnriders has made the boat difficult to steer in tight spots like harbours etc.

i saw a raider at the fishing show in swords this year with a front cuddy as opposed to a half and half style. this gave the appearance of huge deck space which is a big plus for fishing. some like to be able to get in out of the rain and if the cuddy is full of gear this is not an option. but if you are wearing good gear rain is not a problem. if you buy new from the factory dont skimp on the extras as they will be cheaper and better installed (probably) than if you diy it a year or two later. warrior offer a lot of extras. redfinns do great deals on ex-demos. all these boats cost a lot of money and its worth getting a spin or demo on them b4 making up your mind. a cheaper alternative is the wilson flyer. the redfin with diesel sounds like a good package if you use it often or want to go far off-shore but you pay a premium for a diesel engine.
hope this helps

I have a Raider 18 Cuddy like the one you are describing and find it to be an excellent boat. As was said above, no boat is perfect as one thing is a trade off for another. The Raider is an excellent all rounder. It has a huge deck space that will fish 4 propperly and handles a rough sea very well. It is a fast boat and well able for off shore work and is the best i have personally seen on fuel economy. The warrior 175 is a heavier boat with an excellent reputation and my thoughts are from what i have seen of them that they are about as good as you will get handling rough sea. The build quality is excellent and it is true that they do hold their price well. One thing is for certain, You will not go wrong with the 175. On the downside though they are expensive. You do get a lot of extras though for what you would probably add to your boat later anyway though. Another downside is that they are a heavy boat to launch and tow. You really need a 4x4 for a 175 from what i see and have been told. Also the fuel usage would not be quite as good but again reports tell me that the 175 is an animal that will plough through big waves at full speed where other boats would need to slow down.

It is horses for courses. The 175 seems to be the top end small fishing boat if you can afford it. The Raider is a good alternative i would argue is on par with the 165 but with more space.

Hope this helps a bit