Trophy 2352 Walk Around Review

ANDREW RICHARDSON heads offshore in a sexy sportfisher the Trophy 2352.

The 2352 is one of the larger vessels in the Trophy Sportfishing Boats 10-model Walkaround range. They’re targeted at the inshore and coastal sportfisher market.  The Trophy Pro 2352 will keep any fisho grinning, with plenty of usable deck space and loads of stowage including large ice chests, live bait tank and fish wells. The craft has good stability, high topsides, padded inner combings and some nifty (partly concealed) port and starboard rod stowage racks. 

One stand out feature was the dedicated cockpit hatch-accessed battery stowage, making a battery switch a simple task. Trophy’s hand-laid fibreglass and Vinylester skin coat hulls are supported by a 10-year structural hull warranty, reinforcing their established good reputation. When it comes to developing the ideal fishing platform the question is: how far do you go in pursuit of the ultimate weapon ? Well, the boys at Trophy kept creature comforts like the transom door and the swim platforms, so they didn’t get too carried away, but even so, the Trophy can still back up at seven knots. The water that did get in was quickly dispersed by the four 50 mm cockpit drains and the large capacity bilge pumps.

The 2352 we reviewed was powered by a 200 hp Cummins MerCruiser diesel package with a Bravo 3 twin-prop stern drive. It’s a step up from the base model five-litre petrol MerCruiser package often offered. The just-launched rig delivered a mid 20-knot cruise speed and a 30-knot top speed. This was a welcome increase in top speed compared to some of the recently tested smaller, diesel-powered Trophys. 

The 2352’s open and airy driving position offered good all-round visibility and the included optional hardtop provides enough protection to keep any group comfortable all day long. The engine revved freely, allowing the hull to pounce onto the plane quickly, it was then happy to settle back for more efficient long-range cruising.

With so much quality space, the Trophy 2352 might work well as a crossover between fishing and family cruising in Australian conditions. The simple accommodation and exposed head down below are basic but the kids love the bow seat and the wide walkways are protected by high topsides. The padded inner combings are perfect for Australian conditions and they’re easy to clean at the end of the day.

If fishing is all you’re interested in then the Trophy is spot-on, right down to the drink holders located adjacent to each rod holder. The 380 litres of fuel will give you the range to get out far as you want and the healthy turn of speed will get you out of trouble if conditions get messy. The hull’s 20-degree deadrise carves through the chop and gives the craft a big boat ride that responds quickly to trim tab adjustments.

The seven metre, 2.5 tonne vessel can be trailered but is also large enough for a mooring. There is plenty of room to customise this craft but most would be happy with the hardtop rig as she is. It meets the needs of both fishermen and families very nicely.
The vessel, as tested with the diesel engine and hardtop, is currently $116,690 without trailer. The vessel’s pricing with hardtop starts at $92,990 with a 220 hp, 5 lt Petrol MerCruiser. There are various engine packages between these two options.