Sea Adex Armour 45

So what better way to get a serious fishing rig than by having a hard-core fisho build it. This is what the team at Sea Adex has done with its latest Armour range.

The Armour range comprises Sea Adex’s flagship boats, or as described by Adam and Rex (owners of Sea Adex), their true battle ships.
While these boats are not intended to be shipped off to war, they have been built extremely tough to handle the often punishing environment you want to fish in. Currently three different sizes are offered in the Armour range, with boats available in 4.5m 5.5m and 6.5m lengths.

Our test boat was the 4.5m Armour centre console fitted with a 100hp Mercury four-stroke. However, the boats are also available with a side console, cuddy cabin or full hard top design, so you can pick the one that suits you best. Now what makes this 4.5m boat stand out from the crowd?

First, I think it would have to be the finish and attention to detail. Little things such as fully welded gunwales, a large anchor well, ample rod storage, plenty of headroom under the solid targa and a clean layout make this boat easy to use and very functional.

As mentioned, owner Adam is a keen fisho, so he has designed this boat to be fished from, and that is apparent once you are on board.
The beauty of these custom-built boats is you can add or take off any feature you wish. Since this was a demo model and on show, it had been tricked up to allow people to see what can be fitted into it. Rest assured, plenty can be.

With an overall length of 4.7m I would not regard this as a big boat, however as we dashed across a smooth Moreton Bay, the high sides, solid constriction, impressive targa and level foam flotation would give you a sense of security if the weather was to get rough. And I guess this is where the Armour is aimed.

It is easy to handle at the ramp, small enough to fit down the side of a house, fishable solo, two or even three up, packed with creature comforts and will get you back to the ramp safe and sound when conditions turn nasty. Having that peace of mind and knowing you can handle a mix of conditions is reassuring, particularly in smaller boats and especially if you are looking to fish a little farther afield.

In terms of performance, the Sea Adex Armour 45 is rated to a maximum of 100hp, which considering the solid construction is what I’d be putting on it. To give you an idea of how solid, the hull plates, side sheets, girders, bulkheads and deck plates are 4mm 5083 aluminium.
It also has a fully sealed self-draining deck.

The hull design incorporates an impressive 23-degree constant deadrise, ensuring you cut effortlessly through the chop while the reverse chine provides lift and deflects spray. On the test day, conditions were calm and there was only some boat wake to put the boat through, though Rex and Dan found a barge wash to hit at speed and the Armour performed very well, landing and tracking smoothly after getting a bit of air.

Running through a series of turns, the hull stuck very well and ran true to the direction it was pointing. In fact, it was a fairly easy boat to drive and did what I expected it to. As mentioned, this boat was loaded with features including a 60-litre freshwater tank and shower head, which is stored under the centre console.

Large tackle trays have also been built into the side of the console. I actually prefer to use tackle trays these days rather than a tackle box because you can easily bring the specific gear you need. This design makes them easy to get to and keeps them out of the way and off the floor.