Haines signature 470df good hull?

[diver dan]

Hi, I've just bought a Haines Signature 470df with rotten transom and I'm wondering if anyone has been in one of these hulls? I wanted to rebuild it myself but just want to make sure its a hull worth rebuilding. How does it stack up when compared to the old V16 and V17 HH?

Regards, dan

[NTMID8]

Dan, i have the 470f (same boat really) hull rides beautifully, very very soft, no ugly gremlins. It is a little tender at rest, but rides a following sea nicely.

[diver dan]

Thanks for the info, sounds like a worthwhile rebuild then. I'm not worried about being tender at rest as I dive anyway. Just want a soft ride!

[NTMID8]

Very soft ride, they are light and ride over the slop nicely. I often fish with other boats and when the conditions turn crap i leave most of them for dead as it continues to ride nicer without banging on every wave

[diver dan]

My friend said it would ride nowhere near as well as the older V17's because the signatures are a much lighter hull. I did some research and the V17L's weigh 440kg and the 470df weighs around 400kg. Considering the V17 is a bigger hull, 40kg doesn't seem to be a big difference to me?

Also, does the 470df have a constant deadrise of 22.5 degrees or is it variable?

[NTMID8]

Constant deadrise, i cant comment on the v17 as i have never been in one. For its size the signature is a very nice hull.

[20lbsnapper]

Hey Dan, had one for the last 2 years, just sold it, racked up 300 hours in that time. From my experience it was a very capable small hull, at first it felt small but once you get used to it, it was amazing what it could do, we ran it out of Gladstone and Airlie, doing 100 to 150km round trips sometimes heading out in 1.5m to 2m seas at 15 to 20knots, when it is rough you just had to back the speed out, ours had a 60 df Suzuki and cruised at 40km (20 knots) at 4800 rpm. If I was in your shoes I would say yes rebuild the transom but beef it up to run a larger engine say 90 etec that way on the clam days you will have a rocket and if you do any bar crossings you will have the power.

[diver dan]

Thanks for the info Shane, I've got a 75 2 stroke merc to on it for now. I'll be doing the transom in glass and coremat so it never rots again!

[diver dan]

I live just north of Airlie as well so good to know the hull can handle the slop we get up here! a 2m sea up here is very different than a 2m sea on the goldcoast.