Radian Marine is a new name in the New Zealand market, based in the Hawkes Bay. Founder Tom Brien has a degree in Transport Design from Massey University and prior to starting Radian had gained extensive experience in the boatbuilding industry, both in New Zealand and overseas. Norman Holtzhausen meets man and boat.
Tom has been working on the Radian range of boats for some time, refining various elements and trying out aspects of the construction. The Radian logo comes from the angle that a boat’s wake makes on the water, and the name reflects an engineer’s preference for calculating angles in radians rather than degrees.
Tom felt that traditional boat layouts had a huge amount of wasted space. By integrating the latest hull designs from Europe and the USA with some new, innovative fixtures he believed he could maximise the usable space. He has been experimenting with several aspects of the design and was not afraid to try out different things until they worked. For example, he mentioned that the helm seat pedestal was rebuilt three times until he was happy with its dimensions and functionality.
First impressions of the Radian 67 is that it looks like a serious boat, even somewhat military. This is enhanced by the grey hull colour and tinted windows, with black window trim and railings and white cabin sides. The reverse rake on the windows and stealth-fighter type angles on the cabin sides further enhance this look. It is immediately clear from the side view that the boat has three distinct areas – the foredeck, cabin, and the cockpit. And each of these provides the maximum amount of functional space.
The hull is designed to comply with European CE certification standards, with reserve buoyancy built into sealed air chambers. The hull bottom is 5mm marine grade aluminium, with the hull sides 4mm and the cabin sides 3mm. The hull and cabin sides are vinyl-wrapped, so other equally striking colour schemes are possible.
Step aboard and move into the cabin, however, and that military feel is immediately dispelled. The cabin interior abounds with luxurious touches, such as the curved headliner in faux-leather that is machine-stitched like a luxury car. High-grade marine fabrics have been used for the upholstery, all surfaces are carpeted, and the seat bases are powder-coated. The cabin has seating for four, converting into a double berth for overnighting. Under the forward seats are storage lockers, while the two rear seats have a gas cooker and marine head respectively.
One feature that makes the Radian somewhat unique is the walk-through door to the forward deck. The door itself is an engineering work of art, operating in a similar manner to an aircraft door that slides to one side when opened but settles and locks into a recess to create a watertight bulkhead when closed. Although this had a few sharp corners that look to be about forehead-banging-height, Tom says refinements will eliminate
these in the next iteration.
That forward area has high gunwales, so it is safe for small ones to move about in. There is seating for four, together with a pedestal table tucked away in one of the storage lockers under the seats. The drum-style anchor winch is integrated into the bow to hold the anchor flush with the hull, so there is no risk of catching fingers. If the winch needs attention, it can be accessed through a hatch located inside one of the forward seat lockers.
One of the criticisms of bow-rider style boats is the inherent danger of taking a wave over the bow, and the Radian mitigates this risk in two ways. Firstly, the sides are very high in the bow, lifting well clear of the water while underway. They also have a wide, custom-made rubber fender all around the boat which further keeps water away, while also protecting the boat from bumps. Should any water come in, huge self-draining vents on either side allow that water to exit rapidly, while rear-facing scoops prevent those drains from taking any water in. The bow is set up for easy access onto the boat over the forepeak, with high, black-anodised rails on either side of the bow and an easy step onto the seats and then over the winch compartment.
The sides of the cabin have multiple folds and angles, contributing to the stealth-fighter look. Tom explains that this provides rigidity in the cabin sides, reducing the need for heavy bracing and allowing thinner cabin walls without sacrificing any strength. Although there are no openings in the side windows, the cabin has a full-width roof window hatch from Cule Marine, which allows in sunlight and fresh air. The steep windscreen and sides mean that almost every inch of the relatively short cabin is usable, unlike most boats with raked windscreens which lose a huge amount of the forward cabin area.
Access between the cabin and rear cockpit is through a more conventional sliding door, although also custom-made to match the cabin angles. The cockpit has plenty of space for fishing or similar activities. The gunwale curves down to the boarding platform – one of the few gentle curves on the boat. A beautifully crafted multi-use table, with a replaceable marine ply bait board, sliding drawer and inset rod holders, protects the Honda 175hp outboard hanging off the back. Batteries, electrics and fuel filter are hidden inside the pedestal.
The transom has walk-throughs on either side, with drop-in inserts to close these off, as well as tandem boarding ladders. These make the boarding platform a logical and functional extension of the rear cockpit, with high grab rails for security. All the grab-rails are black anodised with a knurled finish to provide a good grip. Storage pockets are tucked under each gunwale.
The boat did not have any fish finder or chart plotter fitted, since Tom says the brand and model is often a personal preference. However, a set of Hella Marine lighting bars was fitted along the cabin top, and a VHF radio and Fusion Stereo system was installed. Controls for these, the Maxwell anchor winch – and of course the digital controls for the Honda engine – are all arrayed across the dash.
We quickly slipped away from the wharf and headed out. While we were making our way through the speed-restricted section of Auckland Harbour, Tom told us that certain aspects of the engine setup were still being tested. The engine height and prop size, both unknowns on a completely new boat, were still being tweaked and further speed and performance gains were possible. As part of that testing a hydrofoil was fitted to the motor skeg, although it was still unclear whether this was needed.
The Honda BF175 was as whisper quiet as is usual, and it certainly provided ample power. Despite this being a solid aluminium boat there was little noise transmitted through the hull, indicating that the design has achieved good hull and cabin rigidity. Performance was good and we soon had 30 knots on the dial, although Tom says he has achieved around 33 knots with the current engine setup. It is interesting to note in the video that the boat rides very high – at speed only the rear half of the hull is in contact with the water, creating an efficient and smooth ride.
However that is slightly at the expense of the handling, and we found that the steering became overly light and sensitive. After our review day, Tom says he has lowered the motor one notch, and this has improved the overall handling. He is also looking at fitting Zipwake dynamic trim control tabs, which should also improve handling and stability at speed. These are normal teething issues with a brand-new hull design and easily addressed.
At lower speeds, the boat was comfortable and stable, and we can see this would be a great family-friendly boat. The forward deck remained absolutely dry during all our runs, with spray running well aft of the boat. With those high sides that front area will be the place for family to fish from or just enjoy the sunshine. The cockpit is another great fishing spot, and the boarding platform is sufficiently high off the water to prevent wet feet.
After taking the required photos and video, we headed home. Back at the ramp the boat was loaded onto its custom aluminium trailer, which has low-friction, hard plastic skid rails rather than rollers. These prevent pressure points on the hull and are favoured by several major brands. A nice touch is a flat walkway down the centre of the trailer, allowing feet to remain dry while clipping the winch cable to the boat. The winch post also has a step, allowing easy access to the boat over the bow.
Once out of the water we could see a few of the hidden features of the boat. These include a prominent keel strip along the front of the hull, and a flooding keel section between the transom and motor. This provides an extended planing surface while underway, while not affecting stability at rest. The weld quality looked to be very good, both on the boat and on the trailer.
Overall, this is an impressive boat. The styling is bold and unique and will certainly turn heads. The layout is one of the most practical we have seen, and there is a lot more usable space than on most boats of this size. The handling and performance were impressive for the very first iteration of a brand-new design. Tom says he will continue to develop and improve aspects of the design and layout in subsequent versions, and we can only see this boat getting better and better. Tom already has plans for the next model, an 8.6m version, which will have even more space.
