Moda Marine BV7000 Black Diamond

I DON’T think I have ever encountered a more aptly named boat.
The Moda Marine Black Diamond BV7000 oozes satisfaction as I found out on a recent test run with Shane Darlington, the designer and builder of this boat and owner of the
business. My first encounter with the Black Diamond was when I arrived at Shane’s factory in Clontarf on Brisbane’s north side for a spin around Deception Bay and saw the boat on the trailer awaiting its maiden voyage.

The trailer was designed and engineered specifically for the boat and shares the same superior level of construction. The high gloss paint job on the Black Diamond demands to be looked at, which was evident at the boat ramp where many heads were turned and comments made.
Shane reversed the Black Diamond off its trailer and motored the few metres to the jetty where he asked me to remove my shoes before coming aboard, a necessary precaution in maintaining the pristine interior for the new owner who was taking possession the following day.

Interior 

Stepping inside, the first thing I noticed was how uncluttered it was, with much of the fitted furniture designed to perform a dual function of seat and bed, with backrests folding down to provide additional length in the bed mode.
The extended roof offers a greater level of sun and rain protection and with the addition of an insect screen suspended from theroof, occupants can enjoy a good night’s rest without fear of being attacked by sandflies and other annoying critters that seem to serve no other purpose than to keep you awake at night.
The forward cabin is of a conventional configuration with plush fitted cushions throughout and a chemical loo in the centre of the cabin covered at night to form two comfortable and generously proportioned berths.
The interior of the hull in the cabin is covered in sound-absorbing carpet to both reduce the noise of water slapping on the side of the hull and enhance appearance.

The helm
The helm layout is well designed with all controls at the skipper’s fingertips and a sun visor over the screen of the chart plotter.
All-round vision from the cabin is excellent due to the inclusion of an Australian Marine Windows one-piece windscreen that also adds to the overall clean lines of the BV7000.
The deck is extremely comfortable under foot with the inclusion of SeaDek rubber flooring in a teak colour, which is yet again a functional and aesthetically pleasing addition to the appearance and a noticeable theme throughout the boat.

Inclusions
As this boat is designed for extended trips, other inclusions are an 80-litre freshwater tank connected to the concealed sink and tap with flat, easy-clean food preparation surfaces and ample storage for provisions in a variety of easy sliding draws.
There is also a live bait tank at the stern with an inspection window.
A deck wash and shower are also included.

The ride
This particular Black Diamond BV7000 is powered by a Suzuki 250hp fourstroke motor fed from a 300-litre underfloor fuel tank in a safety cell.
Though it became apparent during the sea trial that the trim tabs needed a little tweaking, the ride was very pleasant with comfortable smooth turns in the less-than-perfect conditions of a windy and overcast day with a bit of chop on the water.
I was far more comfortable than my colleague taking the on-water shots from a 4m open tinnie, but them’s the breaks!