If you’re a local to the waters of Durban and northwards, chances are you know exactly what an Ace Glider is. The range has become very popular with anglers over recent years in the area and caters to all types of shermen, no matter whether you’re a drop shotter or marlin hunter.
Built in the heart of Kwa-Zulu Natal, the Ace Glider range consists of the stout 530, 630 and huge 750. This month, we get the chance to review the newest addition to the family – the 750 Enclosed. What makes it so exclusive? This is the first ever Enclosed version to hit Cape Town waters and promises to be something unlike the range has seen before, boasting the all-new, optional flybridge section.
Deck layout
Allow me to begin with my own personal taste; I’m not a fan of the seating on the bow. Ace Glider is an angler’s sportfisher – and for the amount of times I’d actually use the seating, be it for the family or throwing a spoon or jig, my tastes would be more along the lines of doing away with it and rather creating a bit of storage space in the bow or allowing the current cabin to be a little bigger than it currently is. But, be that as it may, it is what it is and it is probably what makes the Ace Glider such a unique range. This styles seems to be quite popular in Durban though and what is nice about the seating is that it’s great for the kids if you’re on a bit of a day trip; it gives you usable access to the very front of the bow for whatever you needs; and it allows the ladder to the upstairs flybridge seating to be out of the way from the hustle and bustle at the stern when there’s good fishing on.
As for the rest, it seems that a lot of design and thought has gone into this craft – for everything from amenities to storage!
The 750 Enclosed has got the upstairs flybridge seating area. This is usually where it all goes wrong for boat builders and the added weight high up ends to make the boat roll. We unfortunately didn’t have too much of a swell on our review day to really test out the full effects, but from what I could feel, it seems like the wide beam takes into its stride the extra weight up top. The seating at the flybridge offers plenty, allowing four to face forwards and backwards while feeling secure with the wrap around stainless steel work. There were also electronic spot lights fitted front and back on our review model and you’re sure to get much use out of them. Inside, you’ll find that this Ace Glider is kitted for the Cape.
