Rodman 800 ★★★★

2002 £45,000

The big news about Rodman is that the Spanish yard is a serious commercial boatbuilder, making seriously rugged offshore fishing vessels, pilot boats and rescue craft. You feel that when you go aboard its leisure offerings, it’s like no-one remembered to turn down the volume. They’re absolutely rock solid.

INTERIOR

The flip side is interiors that feel somewhat more utilitarian than the Prestiges and Sealines of this era. But that doesn’t make them any less functional. You get a dinette rather than sofas in the light airy wheelhouse (which feels a better description than ‘saloon’). The galley is on the lower level and being a smaller boat than the others, there’s just the one cabin with an offset double (although the dinette converts to form a further double).

EXTERIOR

That flybridge is an option – the 800 was also available as a pure wheelhouse boat. Wide bulwarked side decks that give a walkaround feel and a large open cockpit with rod holders built into the coaming are further evidence of a boat designed to be used. Cockpit seating consists of a couple of lift-up squabs – this is more sportsfisher than comfy cruiser although there is space for a couple of director’s chairs and a table.

PERFORMANCE

Interestingly, Rodman offered the 800 with a single Volvo Penta KAMD 43 230hp diesel, which probably worked better in the lighter non-flybridge guise. The boat you see here has a pair of Volvo Penta TAMD 31P 150hp diesels which should lift the speed into the mid twenties.

SEAKEEPING

Whether single or twin, all Rodman 800s are straight shaftdrive, which in the case of the latter affords phenomenal close-quarter handling. At speed, in rough weather the commercial origins shine through via a fuss-free ride that rarely slams, although it picks up plenty of spray in the process.