LOGAN RIVER MARINE

Logan River Marine stock Bluefin in aluminium, Southern Star in ’glass with the super tough Polycraft boats as the third option.

Something brought to light by the last couple of NAFA boating sections is the number of boating retailers staffed by enthusiastic fishos looking for a place in here. In their own words, they fish, they read NAFA, and they sell boats 'n' stuff. They also want you to come talk to them because they speak your language.

Typical of this breed is Logan River Marine, situated south of Brisbane on your way to the Gold Coast. They're easy to find because they're right beside the big roundabout serving the Jacob's Well/Jumpinpin exit from the M1.

Logan River Marine's Michael Daniels talks Southern Star's brilliant Stealth to a prospective owner.

From owners Corey Tarr and Craig Gordon down to the apprentices, it makes me wonder how the crew at Logan River Marine gets any work done when everyone talks fishing all the time. From beach and rock fishing (not that boats see a lot of usage there!), to cast-netting prawns and crabbing, to bottom bouncing and light game/sport fishing, someone amongst this lot is right into it. The mad keen fishos at Logan River Marine also include the female members of the staff.

They've been around for 25 years and during that time Logan River Marine has always supported local VMR and surf rescue organisations. Corey and Craig make a special point of continuing this because, as we all know, when things go awry these people are the only ones around to bail you out of trouble.

I find it amazing when I visit that although Logan River Marine staff do have specific roles, no one seems to have a set-in-concrete job description. You hear lots of talk in the corporate world these days about ‘family’ and ‘teamwork’, but I don't know too many places where you're so likely to find the greasy bloke in the workshop is one of the owners.

There's real pride reflected in the way things are done here. It's company policy to complete every fitup without any shortcuts. All wiring and connections are marine grade, and motors are never fitted without water separation filters in the fuel line.

Logan River Marine's chandlery includes a tackle shop.

Logan River Marine sells the excellent Bluefin range in aluminium, the indestructible Polycraft in plastic, and Southern Star in fibreglass. These are some of the best brands available in fishing boats today, and Corey was especially enthusiastic about having the former Southwind brand back under the Southern Star banner.

Southern Star's (nee Southwind) Stealth bass/barra/bream fisher has caused quite a stir since its re-release. Remember too, that Southwind was also responsible for remarkable 580 and 770 Longboats, the award winning SF640 offshore sportfisher, and the SF 580 — a notable rendition of the popular cuddy cab fishing/family boat theme.

In outboards, Logan River Marine only sells the new BRP Evinrude and Johnson brands and that leads us to talk E-Tec. Corey was enthusiastic to say the least, but it's Logan River Marine's experience with the technology's long term prospects that I think readers will find interesting.

As Corey put it, they have professional crabber clients who've put over 1500 hours on E-Tec motors already "with not even a sniff of a problem."

Talking commercial fishing might not be popular in these pages, but as Corey said, facts are facts, and the pros are the ones putting up the big hours to test E-Tec's potential longevity.

The team from Logan River Marine regularly use their 5 m Stealth on the ABT circuit. It's a definite case of this mad keen bunch practising what they preach.