Eclipse 680

For me, when it comes to good fishing boats, there are three boxes which need to be checked: family-friendly, fishability, and it must be trailerable. The Eclipse meets these criteria and goes on to tick a good few more of the right boxes. Let’s see what this all new offering has in store.

- Dean Castle

Prior to the discovery of natural offshore gas fields in 1969, the Garden-route town of Mossel Bay was rather dependent on fishing to keep its economy ticking over. With the art of angling burning deep in the veins of this coastal haven, it’s perhaps not so surprising that a quality sports fishing craft would eventually be born here. Enter the Eclipse 680.

While you may see some similarities in design to other craft available on the market, it’s important to keep it in mind that this is actually a 100% all-new craft from the water up – and I say that with a considerable amount of certainty after seeing the builder’s pictures illustrating the build process from scratch as proud evidence.

Deck layout

 The beauty of a catamaran is that you can get a big-boat feel in a small-sized package – and this proves itself onboard the Eclipse 680. There’s an abundance of space allowing for multiple hook-ups if the fish are on the bite, and contriburtes to an uncluttered look. The designer of the Eclipse is an avid angler, so it’s only natural that the layout is functional to cater for a good fishing experience.

It must be said that if this craft has one fault, it’s that the attention to detail is about the same as various other manufacturers. While the fibreglass work is top-notch, some small fitment issues on our review boat could be slightly improved upon. However, considering the factory is still settling into their groove, I’m expecting import quality from this manufacturer as they gear towards being in high demand.