“Star of the show!”

The year 2010 has already been a year of fulfilling dreams for me. One of those wishes to come true has been to test a Webster 490 Twinfisher on Victoria’s treacherous ocean bar at Andersons Inlet. I have previously admired photos of boats literally flying through this difficult ocean access, at the same time pondering the capabilities of the iconic little Webster.

 Walt Disney was the creator of the song “When You Wish Upon a Star” for his much-loved movie “Pinocchio”, but in this case, the real star of the show is the Webster 4.9 Twinfisher, and my nose isn’t going to grow from telling fibs!

Webster's emboss a little sign on the glove box lid saying “The Perfect Fishing Boat”. I may stop short of the word “perfect” as it’s a huge call, but it certainly isn’t far off the mark in my book, and I certainly aren’t prepared to argue with them.

If you are in the market for a soft riding, stable, strong, impact resistant, lightweight and easily trailerable boat package that has tremendous deck area, comfortable seating, good freeboard, easy anchoring, a great fit out, plenty of accessories, all combined with tremendous inherent safety, good looks, great maneuverability and is easily towed, then look no further.

 Phew! Do I really need to write anymore?

The Webster Twinfisher 4.9 was also available in centre console configuration

 High Flyer

Yes, the little Webster 4.9 Twinfisher certainly lived up to all of my hopes and expectations and gave me much more! This is a package that punches well above its league.

Webster's have been producing boats in Orange, NSW for over 20 years and have always been the quiet achiever. (Note - now defunct) All these years have resulted in a great amount of trial and error that has eliminated some of the early quirks of twin-hull, single-engine construction. To answer the critics – no, the Webster Twinfisher 490 Runabout doesn’t cavitate or suck in spray, and it turns beautifully! In actual fact, its maneuverability would give most aluminium mono hulls a good run for their money.

 I have previously owned a twin-hull boat, and hence, I was expecting the Webster to lean outward in a turn, a characteristic similar to riding a quad bike, for those who haven’t tried it. It doesn’t! The twin hulls actually remain flat and true even in the tightest high-speed turns, with perhaps a hint of inward lean. I don’t know how they do it—but they do!

Who would have even considered a spot for family water skiing or towing donuts behind a twin hull? Well, with the Webster, you can! This exceptional little fishing boat is actually a terrific consideration for a multi-use family package. The all up towing weight is just over 1100 kg and the engine requirement is from 60 – 90 HP allowing easy towing by mid-range family vehicles allowing fuel efficient economy.

Catamarans love riding on the air cushion from the middle tunnel.

Sure Footed Hull

Don’t underestimate the seagoing capabilities of the Webster either. Not only does the hull feel safe and sure-footed in the rough, but it all but eliminates the bang, crash and bone-jarring of many pressed aluminium boats of similar hull thickness. We ran through some quite choppy conditions at a pleasing 16knots at 3500 RPM, something I guarantee you wouldn’t be doing with many competitor's mono hulls. I have since experienced some quite extensive coastal voyages with the comfort of knowing the underfloor fuel capacity is a huge 100 litres from the twin 50-litre tanks.

Our test boat was fitted with an 80 HP Yamaha F80B, 4-stroke EFI engine, which gave excellent performance and certainly seemed to match the package very well, especially if you are considering carrying the weight of a family with all their paraphernalia or three big fisho’s. The package is ideally suited as a dive boat as it will get large payloads up and out of the water, hydroplaning on the air cushion quickly and easily.

Tim and Peter from sole Victorian Dealers, Inverloch Marine, were absolutely buzzing (and a little red-eyed!) as they had just returned from the Queensland launch of the new Yamaha F70A 70HP four-cylinder, four-stroke engine that seems to be an ideal alternative. It reportedly delivers extraordinary power-to-weight figures with a total mass of only 120 kg, which is 35 kg lighter than its closest 4-stroke competitor and 25 kg lighter than the Direct Injected Evinrude ETEC. The new 70HP also features Yamaha’s ECM micro-computer engine management and  multi-point fuel injection, but best of all for the Webster is that it weighs a massive 50 kg’s less! A test run in that combination is on my new wish list but it seems that I will have to wait until June/July for the Australian Dealers to get stock.

This stable and roomy little Webster 4.9 was more than adequate on the treacherous Inverloch bar

On The Bar

Out on the Inverloch bar we found a solid one-and-a-half-metre swell combined with a ten-knot cross wind that intensified quickly while we were seaward. The swell stood up steeply with the fast run-out tide, making conditions a little tricky in the 400-odd metres of sandbars and breaking water. The Webster 4.9 took it all in its stride and confronted every challenge with an attitude that reached out for more.

Tim took the helm and showed me what the Webster twin hulls are really capable of by launching the boat off the back off peaking waves and surfing down the face of others. The boat loved it, and so did I! This package has tremendous sea-keeping abilities and a huge amount of inherent safety with the twin fully sealed, pressure-tested sponsons. The Webster doesn't seem to get the “digging in” of a sponson that can be quite off-putting in many cats, and it is best driven by shouldering a slight angle over swell to eliminate the face of the wave hitting the flattened tunnel surface.

 All cats love to get up and run and the Webster shot up on the plane immediately the power was applied. Many cats can also bang down hard onto the big flat surface in between the sponsons, however the Webster has terrific buoyancy as well as a high tunnel that seems to eliminate this trait.  The high tunnel, strake and the rear wedge design all but eliminate spray from the bow and stern. You need to wear a raincoat in some cats but not the Webster.

I am happy to say that the Webster 4.9 would be one the best riding production aluminium boats in the under 5 metre class. It was quite fitting that we should pass a smaller 4.3 metre Webster on the bar as the wind picked up to 15 knots!

I must admit that I expected a great ride, but I thought that maneuverability would be its downfall due to twin hulls and a single engine. It's not! At rest and at low speeds, the Webster is exceptionalably stable and surprisingly manoeuvrable. As a whiting and bream fisherman, I also expected quite some hull noise with the water slap under the flat sections under the hull. This wasn’t apparent either; in fact, the package is very quiet at rest.

Websters wonderful layout

The Layout

Another big winner for Webster is the huge deck space created by the square nature of a cat. You won’t fall out when everyone rushes over to one side to gaff or net a fish due to the stability of the twin hull. The combings are at a good height of approximately 600mm, or just above knee height for me. This could easily be raised even further with a couple of work rails as an option, although not necessary for most. The full length side pockets give nice deep toe holds that are important for personal stability in a sea, and there is plenty of room for extra fishing rod holders or SCUBA tank racks. The package would also handle the added weight of a compressor with ease.

 The transom is well designed and features a large live bait, also a very handy side door as standard. There is very little distance from the inner transom combings to the end of the engine making the boat very fishable. The battery is securely locked away in in its own centrally located and easily accessed compartment, and the deck drains to a small sump with a bilge pump. From the rear, a nice sized engine well and boarding platforms are on both sides. The port side allows good access through the door, and personally, I would mount a detachable burley pot to the starboard.

The Twinfisher transom service divers, fisho's and family boating.

There is certainly no shortage of storage either. A large kill tank/storage box is centrally located in the big carpeted deck. It has a swing up, upholstered and padded lid which is terrific for all sorts of applications including sitting close to your rods for quickly responding to finicky fish bites. The only downfall is that there is no restrictor chains so you have to hold the lid open. This will eventually break the hinges. The trim quality of the upholstered lid could also be modernised to current standards.

 There is more storage in the seat support boxes and again in the large cavity that is formed under the wide bow. The seats are neatly presented shell style pedestals with swivels and handy storage pockets for mobile phones etc.

If you see one for sale, then grab it!

The Helm

Webster's helm position is comfortable, and the compact dashboard is simple but effective.  Our test boat was fitted with a small Lowrance X52 depth sounder that would be suitable for a base package, however a keen fisho or diver would undoubtedly opt for a larger, more expensive unit. Space would be a consideration for some of today's large screen displays. A combination sounder/GPS/plotter unit would be my option.

The dashboard also features twin Yamaha multi-function gauges, a waterproof switch panel, Hi-Drive hydraulic steering and a combination spoked steering wheel that I liked but my wife didn’t! (I thought it was strong and practical, but she said it wasn’t pretty! – Women!!!)

The passenger dash is where you find the 27meg marine radio, the lockable glove box and a welcome grab rail. There is a cut-out in the centre of the dash for the lean-through opening windscreen. Whilst access for anchoring is easy, I would take Tim’s suggestion and fit a suitable bowsprit for the anchor of choice. For me, I would probably fit a SARCA or similar, however a pronged anchor would suit divers and those anchoring in heavy reef areas. The anchor well is also set up to fit a “Stress-Free” winch as an option. Should you ever have to climb out on the bow for mooring, there is a handy short bow rail that encloses the checker plate foredeck.

Webster finishes off this compact little boat with a perspex windscreen with a strong, brushed aluminium frame, as well as a bimini canopy with side clears and an aluminium rocket launcher combination. This can be upgraded to stainless steel if required, which is another option that I would strongly consider for added security in a difficult sea. It also gives a peace of mind when carrying larger game reels. After all, I can see many a marlin, tuna or shark captured in a Webster 490 Twinfisher in limited offshore sports fishing.

Crinkle Cut or French Fries?

The big new feature available to Webster's is the customer choice between clinker or smooth side walls. The manufacturers claim the same strength in either, and the price is the same. Again, it's a personal choice. I would have thought that the clinker sides would be slightly stronger and wouldn’t show the inevitable scars as much as the smooth, but the latter looks great, especially in the dark tones and decals of the displayed boat.

Add a boat catch to perfect this fine package.

Our test boat also came packaged with an Easytosingle-axle trailer that has been well refined for driving on and off. As I said before, we had a big runout tide running right across the end of the boat ramp, but trailering was made easy with the skids and sidebars.

The Perfect Fishing Boat?

There is an old saying that goes, “There is no such thing as perfect!” Well, I reckon that the Webster Twinfisher 490 Runabout goes pretty close to its claim of being the Perfect Fishing Boat – for my ideals anyhow!

Furthermore, it has wide appeal as a flexible family package or dedicated dive boat. It is well priced and enormously economical. Performance, safety, seaworthiness, and stability are outstanding. It gets a big thumbs up from me.

Well what do you know, my nose hasn’t grown one bit!

 

At A Glance

Type – Raised Runabout

Ride – Excellent

Fun Factor – High

Overall Comfort – Good

Tow Vehicle – Medium family

Economy – Excellent

Value For Money – Very Good

 

Likes

  • Well presented

  • Seaworthy

  • Soft Ride

  • Easy to tow

  • Big fuel capacity

  • Large deck

  • Fishable transom

  • Premium quality construction

 

Dislikes

  • Seat box trim

  • Cockpit combings not padded

  • Only 2 seats- none at rear.

(Note – all are available as options)

 

Performance

RPM

Speed (Knots)

Comments

3300 RPM

10 knots

Just on plane

3500 RPM

12.5 knots

 

4000 RPM

15.4 knots

 

4200 RPM

20.7 knots

Engine works nicely

4500 RPM

22.5 knots

 

5000 RPM

25.5 knots

 

5600 RPM

28 knots

(WOT) rides beautifully

 

Standard Dealer Package

  • Two Box Seats with Storage & Seating

  • Fish Box Seat

  • Plumbed Live Bait Tank - Starboard

  • Rear Door - Portside

  • Anchor Well/Bollard/Bow Roller

  • Two Long Side Pockets

  • Two Rod Holders

  • Fitted Windscreen with opening hatch

  • Glove Box

  • Drink Holder

  • 100L Under Floor Fuel tanks, 50L each sponson

  • Fully Powder Coated

  • Carpeted Floor

  • Choice of decal colour

  • Hydraulic Steering

  • Fully powder coated hull

  • Bow and gunwale rails

  • Battery box and isolation switch

  • 2 pressure tested, air tight sponsons

  • Side pockets

  • Deluxe seat upgrade

  • S/S Bait Board with rod holders

  • Drive on kit

  • Navigation Lights

  • Switch Panel

  • Lowrance X52 Depth sounder

  • Marine 27meg radio with aerial

  • Bimini, side clears and aluminium rocket launcher with bimini boot.

  • S/S telescopic ladder

  • Bilge Pump

  • Victorian registration

  • Safety equipment for 5 people.

  • Easytow Custom single axle trailer

 

Optional Extras (not fitted to test boat)

  • Seat Upgrade

  • 3/4 Rear Lounge

  • Front Step inside of boat up to anchor well

  • Electric Motor Mount 

  • Tonneau Cover

  • Storm cover

  • Dual battery system

  • Electronic and anchoring upgrades

  • Deck wash

  • Ski hooks

  • S/S windscreen grab rails

 

General

  • Type: Twin Hull

  • Material:  Aluminium

  • Length: (overall)  4.9 metres 

  • Beam: 2.0 metres  

  • Weight : 460 kg  (est. dry)

  • Bottom Thickness: 3.5 mm

  • Topsides: 2.5 mm

  • Passengers: Max: 5

  • Fuel:  100 lt Approx

  • Rec. HP: 60-90 HP

Engine

  • Model:  Yamaha F80BETX, 80 HP 4 stroke EFI engine

  • Type: 4-Stroke, 16 Valve DOHC Direct Action In-line 4 cylinder EFI

  • Rated hp : 80 HP 

  • Displacement: 1596 cc

  • Weight:  170 kg 

  • Gearbox ratio: 2.31:1

  • Propeller: 16” S/S  

Boat supplied by Inverloch Marine.

Manufactured by (now defunct) Webster's Twinfisher Enterprises.

 

Ready to Set Sail? 

Find your dream boat online at Only Boats! We have great deals on boats for sale, including used boats and new boats. You can shop other available catamarans, fishing boats, or our wide selection of aluminium boats for sale. If you're unsure where to start, try our used boat buying guide. You can also check out our used boat buying guide.

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Smooth sailing starts with the right boat. We’re here to help you find it!

This article was written by John "Bear" Willis, with photos provided by Bob Carter. It previously appeared at TradeaBoat.com.au, now powered by Only Boats.

 


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