A cut above the rest: By Dave Lewis It was clear from the start that the Osprey 24 is not just another bluewater posing machine. It's a boat built with something other than 12 hours of unbroken sunshine in mind. That's hardly surprising because she is built in Canada and put to work much further north in Alaska. When asked to test the Osprey 24 I jumped at the chance. This little beauty was the newly-acquired pride and joy of Dr. John Tisdale. He's a, wait for it, vasectomy specialist, who I had met earlier in the year….not professionally, you understand! John had promised to take me for as day's bass fishing to show off the boat. As weather conditions in Alaska make our own mild winters look almost tropical, it is not surprising that the boat needs special treatment. Not least of which is an ability to withstand months of sub-zero temperatures coupled with the damp wood-rotting climate typical of northern latitudes. I could see all these factors had been taken into account. The Osprey has no wood below the waterline or in the transom. Strength and rigidity is provided by a longitudinal foam and fibreglass stringer system with built-in transverse members. An incredibly strong, maintenance-free structure is achieved by using high density foam completely sandwiched in glass. Features include a solid hull bottom made up of 12 layers of fibreglass, plus foam for flotation. Vinylester resin is used to reduce the chance of hull blistering osmosis. The hull up to the waterline is one to two inches thick. There is a further one or two inches of foam laminated into the sides of the hull above the waterline and cabin roof for heat and sound insulation. Each boat is built to individual customer requirements and specifications; none are made for stock. Yamaha turbo diesels are fitted and sea trials arranged in Southampton for customers to familiarise themselves with their boat before delivery. At this stage all ancillary equipment radios, fish-finders and navigators - are also fitted. John's Osprey boasts a fully lockable walk-around cabin, which is plenty big enough for four anglers to sit in comfort. The cabin features a galley with wash basin and supposedly a cooker, which we were gutted to find out had yet to be installed! The helmsman's position is to starboard and commands excellent all-round uninterrupted vision through alloy framed windows, with easy access to all controls and instruments. Plenty of stowage space is available within the main cabin and a second cabin fitted forward, which features a full-size double bunk. Safe access to the bow is achieved easily on a wide walkway on either side of the cabin. The Osprey is certainly a boat on which you could live and fish for several days in comfort. The self draining aft fishing cockpit is huge with a substantial amount of freeboard and there is plenty of individual deck space. I wonder whether I would find the raised engine box obtrusive, but it turned out to be more of an asset; it proved to be a great platform for placing tackle bags and other equipment which in turn left the deck free of clutter. Four flush-mounted stowage boxes on the main deck are ideal for fish or general equipment and another great little feature is a built-in tackle centre with Plano accessory boxes installed in the rear of the cabin bulkhead. Why is it that British boat manufacturers refuse to incorporate such basic, yet useful, features in their boats? Rod stowage racks and holders are also available. A broad boarding platform is fitted outboard of the transom, on to which John has had fitted a huge aerated live bait tank. Another highly practical feature is a transom access door. We found it very useful when boarding the boat, which was kept on a wet mooring. Hopefully one day this might be used to land a big fish. Chugging south from Falmouth, Devon, towards the open sea we made good use of the warm cabin with its hot air blowers and screen demisters – yes, she has those too – to shelter from the bitterly cold weather outside. Once in the open sea, John pointed her bows towards the east and our first mark off Dodman Point the throttle was then opened up. An easterly breeze was kicking up a slight chop which was barely felt as we skimmed across the surface at about 35mph. The 4.2L, 240hp Yamaha turbo diesel engine provides a maximum speed of 48mph and with a 150 gallon tank gives a cruising range of 1,000 miles. John is certainly spoilt for choice, when weather conditions allow, with countless wrecks the Channel Islands and France all in comfortable range. After a few minutes at sea, I notices the boat was cruising with a slight list which was caused by the uneven weight distribution of four adults. “No problem,” said John as he smiled and reached down to a set of controls near the throttle, “I’ll just adjust the trim tabs”. This instantly corrected the list and throughout the rest of the day it became apparent that by using a combination of speed, engine and trim tab adjustment a comfortable ride could be provided in any sea condition. It got noticeably rougher as the day went on and the wind and run of tide steadily increased, but this did not deter us as the boat cruised and drifted in total comfort. As far as fishing was concerned, it was a classic case of “You should have been here yesterday”. The wind was light and from the west and big bass were apparently throwing themselves on to just about any lure or live bait you cared to offer them. We saw no big bass, in fact we didn’t see any bass and our sum total of fish caught during the best part of six hours’ fishing was two small Pollack, a pouting and a poor cod. John invited us back on a promise of spectacular fishing on near-virgin wrecks and a possibility of a night in the Channel Islands; an offer I intend accepting. Dave’s Verdict I was very impressed with the Osprey, she’s certainly my kind of boat. My only criticism would be she’s a bit plain and mundane to look at compared to some of the more sportier boats I’ve tested. However, it must be said that when it comes to being a safe, stable and practical boat, the Osprey 24 is certainly up there with the very best of them.

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