Horizon 485 SunRunner boat review

A RECENT stormy day saw me on the water in the Tweed River checking out the latest iteration of the Horizon SunRunner, this particular boat being the 485 model that measures 4.9m from bow to transom.

First impressions were that it was a good-looking rig, especially from a side-on profile. The SunRunner is a runabout but initially gives the impression of being a cabin boat, with a raised foredeck and ‘cabin’-style structure as well as an elevated seating position at the helm. That side-on profile is quite a sleek one, with a ‘swept back’ design theme carrying through from the bimini to the optional rocket launcher and bait board.

Having already jumped in a Horizon 485 Scorpion Cuddy powered by a Yamaha 60hp four-stroke, I was eager to see how this same size but slicker-styled and lighter rig would perform with 90 of Yamaha’s finest horses bolted to the stern. Very well, as it turned out. The 1.8-litre, single-cam Yamaha F90LB proved the perfect partner for this sub-5m rig, winding out effortlessly and bringing the 485 SunRunner onto the plane almost as soon as the throttle was touched.

This thing seriously accelerated out of the hole, and previous Yamaha testing of this outfit showed a 0-40km/h time of 4.95 seconds, achieved in 31m, which is downright impressive in my books. I love having plenty of power behind a boat as long as it doesn’t impact too heavily on fuel usage, and though 90hp is the maximum allowable for the 485 SunRunner, the boat’s light dry weight meant the 90hp Yamaha wasn’t raising a sweat while punching along.

And it goes without saying that even at speed the motor was barely humming, making for easy conversation to be held throughout the boat. Flat chat, the setup recorded a top speed of 63km/h at 6000rpm while using 38.95 litres of fuel per hour (1.63km/L). Throttling back to 3500rpm saw speed almost halved to 34km/h, but fuel range improved markedly to 11.25 litres per hour (3.02km/L).

An 80-litre underfloor fuel tank as standard results in a cruising range of about 230km, based on 95 percent fuel capacity, making this medium-sized boat a viable big bay or even offshore fishing proposition. Indeed, high sides, solid 3mm construction, Horizon’s Hydro Lift hull and plenty of fishing space enhance the idea of the SunRunner as a fishing weapon, but this is a boat built with the family fisho firmly in mind.

A fully carpeted floor from stem to stern, a very comfy seating arrangement including fold-away rear lounge with padded backrest, grab rails all round at the helm and a great under-dash storage arrangement as well as underfloor storage mean the 485 SunRunner will readily cater to the family boater as well as the hardcore fisho. At the helm, the comfy seats provide a great view of the water through the sleek curved windscreen and the dash area has loads of space for flush mounting today’s big-screen electronics.