Ocean Master Enterprise 5.4 and Triton 4.9
Bernard Clancy has a look at two entry-level boats from the smaller end of the Ocean Master range
MASTER PAIR
The Ocean Master Enterprise 5.4 and Triton 4.9 are two of the smaller models in the company’s range but they are both good little boats, sharing many of the design and build features of their bigger brothers.
But let’s look at the bigger of the two boats first, the 5.4 m Enterprise.
Essentially this is a scaled-down version of its bigger brother, the 5.9 which we featured in these pages some time back. It’s a nice entry-level boat for someone who wants something a little bit better than the run-of-the-mill.
INSIDE THE ENTERPRISE
Headroom in the cuddy is a little tight but that is to be expected in a boat this size. Most of its competitors couldn’t compete in this feature. Parcel shelves are wide, not lined but flow coated cleanly. There is storage under the short V-bunks covered by black vinyl. Great for kids.
The front hatch is large enough but has no gas-strut lift, however, it has a smoked acrylic insert and with similar side windows, there is plenty of light inside.
Access to the anchor hatch is easy and like its bigger brothers, the anchor set-up and storage is good with a stainless steel channel leading from the anchor to the well. There’s enough room in the rope locker to install a drum winch and the split bow rail looks good.
Entry to the Enterprise 5.4 cuddy is a little tight from the cockpit, being up on to a step which is perhaps a little high or unnecessary, really, in such a tight space. However, this is a common design feature throughout the Ocean Master range.
Twin bucket seats on pedestals are comfortable and there is plenty of dash space for instruments and radios, a real plus for a boat this size. The test boat was fitted with a Humminbird 787cx2i color sounder.
The four-piece curved windscreen has a strong grabrail attached and a light bimini sits over the top with six rod pots on the trailing edge. The bulkhead has stainless steel cupholders as well as a grabrail across the top of the cuddy entrance. A small glovebox on the left is nice for the wallet and glasses. Strangely, the test boat was fitted with a stainless steel footrest for the passenger but none for the driver. An oversight, one would imagine, in the haste necessary to prepare this boat for the Melbourne Boat Show.
COCKPIT CREDENTIALS
The cockpit is a good size with big two-tier side pockets in the moulded sides; the top pocket for bits ‘n’ pieces and the bottom for rods. The pocket on the port side, in fact, extends into the cuddy through the open bulkhead.
A huge underfloor bin in the Enterprise 5.4 is located between the seats and has a very solid lid. Two stainless steel grab handles are moulded into the sidepocket coverings for passengers on the rear bench which feature quarter seats, stainless cupholders and a GRP table in between. The bench folds down neatly to provide not only more fishing room but padding to lean on when fighting a tough fish.
Non-skid panels on the gunnels only go forward to the bow and, strangely, not aft where people often put their feet while climbing aboard. There are four stainless steel rodholders with rubber inserts in the gunnels and a couple more across the top of the outboard, but they’re more for the baitboard.
Both the cuddy walkway, storage bins and cockpit floor are covered with a silver-flecked black marine carpet.
TRANSOM TRICKS
The transom treatment is really good with a livebait tank on the starboard side and a shallower bin on the port. The livebait well is plumbed with the water intake at the bottom, not the top, so your bottom swimming fish shouldn’t die. A flap in front of the motor folds forward for tilting the outboard when travelling but is hardly needed. Another plus is the fuel filler being in the engine well.
The test boat was fitted with boarding platforms, grabrails and a swing-down stainless steel ladder on the starboard side.
It was a tough job testing the Enterprise 5.4’s manoeuverability due to the Yamaha 100hp four-stroke lacking power steering. Not having the arms of a world championship wrestler, it was just too hard. Hydraulic steering is a must, not just for this boat, but for just about everything over 4.5m, in my view.
For the record, we managed to achieve 60kmh at 6000rpm and 33kmh at 4000rpm in straight lines, and the boat handled the too-calm conditions well.
Enterprise 5.4
HIGHS
- Radio mounted in dash
- Long portside pocket
LOWS
- No non-slip on gunnels
- No hydraulic steering
ONTO THE TRITON
The Triton comes into another price range altogether, being basically a genuine entry-level boat. Built to the same high level as its bigger brothers, the Triton has a reinforced bow rail, bowsprit with roller, and a large hatch providing access to the cuddy which has a carpeted crawlspace in between flow-coated open bins either side.
The bulkhead is only closed in front of the driver which allows for a terrific dash setup on a boat this size. Instruments and a Humminbird 141C Fishfinder are central to the skipper’s vision with the radio mounted centrally but still within easy reach.
A grabrail is moulded into the dash along with a special moulding for a compass. There’s also a grabrail across the four-piece windscreen. A glovebox is on the left in front of the passenger as well as a plastic cupholder. The bucket seats are quite serviceable.
Sidepockets are similar to the bigger boats, with two levels, one for odds ‘n’ ends and the other for rods. Padded blue vinyl partially covers the pockets.
The floor is carpeted in navy blue as well as the cockpit side of the engine well. A flip-down door on the well adds interior space. Two rear quarter seats sit on pedestals and swing down for additional room when not needed.
There’s a plumbed livebait well in the starboard quarter and a smaller hatch on the port side. Not many boats this size offer a livebait well.
The fuel filler is in the engine well, where it should be for the underfloor tank. Gunnels have strong pop-up stainless steel cleats, two quality rodholders and good non-slip patches. The bimini was functional but had no rocket launcher.
The 70hp Yammie pushed the boat along to 54kmh at 5500rpm and cruised along at 37kmh and 4000rpm.
The Triton 4.9 is a tidy little boat which will attract a lot of attention at the price.
Triton 4.9
HIGHS
- Flip-down door on the engine well
- Dash layout and moulding
- Fold-down rear quarter seats
- Livebait well
LOWS
- Hey c’mon. Whaddya want for 30K?
| OCEAN MASTER ENTERPRISE 5.4 CUDDY | OCEAN MASTER TRITON 4.9 | |
| HOW MUCH? | ||
| Price as tested: | $54,990 | $35,925 |
| Options fitted: | Cockpit carpet, folding rear lounge with table, dual boarding platforms, boarding ladder, VHF radio and aerial, Humminbird 787cx2i colour sounder, stainless steel rocket launcher and bimini, tandem trailer with white alloys and LED tail lights, 100hp Yamaha EFI four-stroke engine upgrade, switch panel, and bilge pump | Underfloor 60lt fuel tank, two-tone hull stripe, cockpit carpet, stainless steel bowrail, marine radio and aerial, Humminbird color sounder, bimini, LED trailer lights, 14in wheels, 70hp Yamaha engine upgrade |
| Priced from: | $43,817 | $30,594 |
| GENERAL | ||
| Material: | Fibreglass | Fibreglass |
| Type: | Cuddy cab | Runabout |
| Length overall: | 5.4m | 4.9m |
| Beam: | 2.3m | 2.1m |
| Deadrise: | 19° | 16° |
| Rec. max. HP: | 130 | 90hp |
| Weight: | Approx 750kg (hull); approx 1350kg (on trailer) | Approx 550kg (hull); approx 980kg (on trailer) |
| CAPACITIES | ||
| Fuel: | 110lt | 90lt |
| ENGINE | ||
| Make/model: | Yamaha F100 | Yamaha 70 |
| Type: | Four-stroke outboard | Two-stroke outboard |
| Rated HP: | 100 | 70hp |
| Displacement: | 1596cc | 849cc |
| Weight: | 176kg | 105.5kg |
| Propeller: | Yamaha stainless steel 13 x 19in | Yamaha aluminium 13¼ x 17in |
| SUPPLIED BY: Ocean Master Boats |