Anglapro Sniper 444 PRO with Yamaha T60 4-stroke

We love it at Fishing Monthly magazines when we get to test a boat and also interview the owner of that boat at the same time. It’s different from a dealer stock boat because you get to talk to the person who loved the boat, bought the boat and made all of the decisions when it came to fitting it out.

In this case it was former Fishing Monthly staff member Rob Gaden Jr who dragged his pride and joy down to the ramp for us. It’s an Anglapro Sniper  444 PRO with a Yamaha 60 hp 4-stroke on the back. The motor is a T (not an F) model, which means that it’s fitted with a larger gearbox that opens up the range of propellers that this boat can use – including the soft-changing Yamaha SDS props.

One of the decision points - does it fit in the garage? Yes (just).

Comfortable seats are a must, and there are a couple of mounting options to optimise comfort and weight distribution.

Here’s the money shot - plenty of space to move and cast 360 degrees around the boat. That’s what you need when you own as many lures as Rupe does.

You can isolate your cranking battery without having to get in the boat.

There’s a neat live bait tank in the rear corner.

With a top speed of 53km/h, the 444 is economical at all rev ranges. The best economy delivers 4.1km per litre of fuel burned.

Access to the battery and bilge is through the rear hatch.

A full-height splash well will give Rupe the confidence to duck offshore on a calm day.

There’s plenty of side pocket space for your gaffs. Rupe loves a good gaff shot.

There are two schools of thought with an open front anchor well. Some people love them and some say they’re a waste of casting deck.

The underfloor storage will hold plenty of gear, but it isn’t dry in a rainstorm.

There’s plenty of console to get behind, but we think that Rupe needs to work on a better rod storage solution.

Elevated front casting decks provide great underfloor storage options.

The little, big boat! Rupe’s Anglapro has a 200km theoretical range at 50c per kilometre!

Not many 444s would leave the factory without a bow mount electric bracket. They’re nearly a mandatory accessory nowadays.

The helm is pretty standard for a tinny like this. There’s a receptacle for the keys and phones as well as ample space for gauge and sounder mounting.

Transom transducer mounting blocks are a great way to protect the integrity of the hull.

A moderate transom vee delivers the best combination of stability and water cutting ability.

The Yamaha T60 is a HT model, which means a High Thrust gearbox which is oversized from the standard model.

Obviously, Rupe (Rob’s nickname) loves his fishing and boating in more enclosed waters, chasing any fresh or salt water predators that he can get to eat his lures. He also has a young family, so the platform had to be suitable for his wife and his three daughters.

“To me, this boat is a great all-rounder,” Rupe said, “and it is so cheap to run I am more worried about the fuel going off then running out of fuel.”

This boat has the optional 50 L underfloor fuel tank, instead of the standard 25L remote tank. It’s one of the several options that Rupe has added to the boat.

Others include some splash guards around the front chines, a concealed Yamaha side mount control, welded cupholders and, of course, a suite of electronics to suit his purpose.

Rupe went for the Humminbird/Minn Kota ecosystem because it was available and in stock at the time he put the boat together. We all remember the times only a few years ago when stock was really hard to get. If Garmin rather than Humminbird gear was available, that’s the way he would’ve gone. 

It was also fairly important that the boat fit in Rupe’s garage.

“It only makes it by a couple of inches and you have to have the steering at full lock, but it does make it in,” Rupe said. He was also quite adamant that he loved his boat more than his old four-wheel-drive. The old fourby got to live on the street. 

The range on this small boat is amazing. With the underfloor fuel tank and at a decent cruising speed of 33km/h at 4000rpm, this rig delivers 4.1km/L burned. That’s a near 200km theoretical range. Even if you want to drive around at wide open throttle you get 53km/h and 2.7 km/L. It’s a cheap boat to run. 

What does Rupe like about the boat? He likes the amount of space that you get with the side console, and the storage that you get under the raised front casting deck. He likes the power of the T series Yamaha and he likes the dryness of the rig, especially on the rougher days in southern Moreton Bay. 

What did I not like about the boat? His rod storage options. He needs to put in something to keep the rods out of harm’s way and well organised. It is a small modification to make on a great looking rig.

If you are looking at a rig like this, somewhere in the mid to high $30,000 mark will get you the boat motor and trailer package. Set your own price limit for electronics.

Rupe was lucky enough to have an Anglapro/Yamaha dealer right near his house, but you can check their website on www.anglapro.com.au for your local dealer. You can also scan the QR code hereabouts to see the video version of this boat test and the boat in action.

Specifications:
Length 4.4m
Beam 2.08m
Depth 0.975m
Bottom 3mm
Sides 5mm
Max HP 60
Capacity 4 pax
Hull weight (base) 380kg

Performance:

RPM Speed (km/h) Economy (km/L)
600 3 4.8
1000 5 3.4
2000 10 3.0
3000 14 2.1
3500 28 3.8
4000 33 4.1
4500 39 3.4
5000 43 3.2
Wot 6000 53 2.7