Rodman 410 Walkaround: Sea Trial
Rodman 410 Walkaround: This European sportfisher seems custom-built for Western anglers.
October 9, 2003
The 410's roomy cockpit is large enough for a trio of anglers to fish without getting in each other's way.
When you hear the phrase "European yacht," your mind probably turns to those sleek, curvy sportyachts that are always tooling around the Mediterranean with a bevy of "beautiful people" at cocktail hour. However, not every boat crafted in Europe fits that mold.
The new Rodman 410 Walkaround, built in Spain, is built with more serious business in mind. It has the no-nonsense look and the classic lines of an offshore sportfisher — along with a hull that can slice through the worst slop the ocean can throw its way and still keep on going, as if asking for more.
Frankly, the Rodman 410 Walkaround was a lot more boat than we expected when we took our first look at the dock. You simply cannot fully appreciate this seakindly sportfishing yacht without going out in it — preferably on a day with a little rough water.
Spanish Flyer
The Rodman Group, the company that builds this boat, has constructed more than 10,000 vessels over the past quarter century — including military vessels, high-speed patrol boats, ocean research vessels, high-speed ferries, commercial fishing boats and workboats, along with pleasurecraft. Based in Vigo, Spain, the company is experienced in building tough, high-quality yachts and ships.
Rodman was the first company in Spain to achieve ISO 9001 quality certification for "design and building of patrol boats, fishing vessels, special craft and sporting dinghies" — and it was the first boat builder in its class in Europe to achieve ISO 14001 certification for low environmental impact construction processes. All of Rodman's yachts are built with Lloyds Certified Construction, with inspectors at every phase of the process working to prevent defects and ensure the highest quality.
Each boat is individually inspected at the factory to ensure that it meets Lloyds standards, then is put into the water for full testing: Usually, each boat spends three hours on the water during a sea trial inspection. Then, the boat is hauled out, shrink-wrapped and shipped to the U.S.
Because of that emphasis on quality, each Rodman yacht comes with a two-year warranty that covers everything on the boat. In addition, there's a five-year hull warranty.
Ready to Ride
We tested the Rodman 410 Walkaround off Long Beach, California on a spring morning, in lightly choppy seas. Greg Jampolsky of Lager Yacht Brokerage of Sausalito provided our test boat, which was equipped with twin 430 hp Volvo Penta diesels.
Jampolsky pointed out that Rodman's heritage as a builder of military vessels and patrol boats shows in this beefy midsize sportfisher. "Structurally, everything on this boat is built bigger than it needs to be," he said.
The 410 has a big, deep keel, like Coast Guard rescue boats. "Because of that keel, the boat tracks like a sailboat," Jampolsky said. "You can head right into the wash of another boat, and the bow doesn't even move around."
We tried that — and Jampolsky was right. In fact, we tried a lot of maneuvers during our sea trial, including hard turns at speeds well over 26 knots. In all, the boat was remarkably responsive to the helm and gave us a solid, comfortable ride throughout our sea trial.
Big rudders give the 410 the ability to turn on a dime, remaining stable and upright without leaning into turns.
The boat comes with trim tabs, but it really doesn't need them, thanks to a seakindly hull design that maintains an optimum running attitude. We shot out of the hole fast and quickly achieved a cruising speed of around 26 knots, at 2,200 rpm.
We reached a top speed of 31 knots, at 2,500 rpm. However, in the company's own tests in optimum conditions, the boat reached a top speed of 34.7 knots.
Throughout our test, we were impressed by the quietness of the boat. At 25 knots, we enjoyed normal conversation at the helm.
We ran the boat from both the flybridge and the inside helm, and both offered excellent visibility. Our test boat had Volvo Penta electronic controls and electronic engine instrumentation, and a bow thruster. Three forward wipers are standard at the inside helm station's big windows.
The cherry wood helm console offers a built-in stainless steel footrest and is backed with a double-wide helm seat. Switches and controls were easily accessible.
On our test boat, a Raymarine Pathfinder RL70C radar and a Raymarine RC425 chart plotter were installed atop the inside helm console instead of flush with the instrument panel, which made for better readability.
Fishing Friendly
The 410's roomy cockpit is large enough for a trio of anglers to fish without getting in each other's way. Four rod holders are built in, and additional holders can be added optionally.
Thigh-high coaming pads make for secure and comfortable fishing, as do the boat's skid-resistant fiberglass decks — in the cockpit and the walk-around areas.
Big fish boxes are built into the cockpit deck, concealed beneath securely closing hatches. The fish boxes are removable, and can be lifted out like giant dishpans.
Other hatches in the cockpit deck conceal the boat's lazarette, which provides ready access to running gear.
A tackle center is provided forward, adjacent to the saloon door. You'll find a compartment with built-in tackle drawers, a concealed sink and an area that is pre-plumbed for an optional baitwell.
The cockpit is self-bailing and features both secondary scupper ports and side scuppers, for fast draining ability.
In addition, you'll find big beefy pop-up cleats, a hot and cold shower, a secondary washdown, outdoor stereo speakers, Halogen overhead lights and a Henderson pump station diaphragm pump, accessible next to the saloon door.
Canvas enclosures and covers are easy to put up and take down, thanks to a unique system utilizing a shock cord held in place by pegs, instead of those seemingly endless lines of snaps.
The boat's wide, rail-protected walk-around decks make it easy to walk forward and aft with your feet side by side, instead of one foot in front of the other, as on many other boats of this size.
Forward, there's a bow pulpit with an electric windlass, anchor roller and self-draining chain locker.
Steps from the cockpit lead to a roomy, fully equipped flybridge with a comfortable helm seat and a forward U-shaped settee for guests.
The radar dome on the stainless steel arch of our test boat seemed a tad low (it's supposed to be well overhead, for maximum safety). It would be fine when you're seated at the flybridge, but low if you stand up.
Access to the engine room is through the saloon sole. The compartment is compact, but it offers a stainless steel non-skid sole between the engines and easy access to all key components. Both the engines and fuel tankage are located at the center of the boat, for weight and performance reasons.
One thing we noticed is that every piece of gear in the engine room was big and beefy — from the engine mounts and stringers that the powerplants rest upon to the sea strainers and fuel filters.
Cowlings on the sides of the boat, with extraction fans, provide optimum ventilation.
We're Going In
Our test boat had an optional teak and holly sole, which added a traditional nautical feel to the bright and airy saloon.
A roomy U-shaped settee, abaft the helm seat, can easily convert into a full double berth for guests. The settee is fronted by a cherry wood table, which transforms from a snack table to a full-size dining table with a convenient pull-out design.
Many practical extras are included, such as a port for a fire extinguisher nozzle, for extinguishing an engine room fire without opening the hatch, for use in an emergency. Even components that you might expect to find buried deep in the engine compartment are easily accessible. Air-conditioning system coils are in a compartment under the saloon settee, and the battery charger is accessible under the nearby helm seat.
The boat's compact galley is located a step down from the helm and saloon. Even though it is small, it offers abundant stowage.
Along with a Corian counter, the galley has a stainless steel sink with a Grohe faucet, a two-burner range (the one on our test boat was a smooth-top ceramic model), a refrigerator/freezer and a Samsung microwave oven.
In the companionway leading to the head and staterooms, there's a well-labeled electrical panel.
The forward master stateroom offers a large double berth that is reverse positioned, for maximum utilization of the cabin space. It also has a lighted hanging locker, an overhead hatch with blinds and reading lights.
The adjacent head compartment offers a Jabsco head, a vanity with sink and a stall shower.
Twin berths are provided in the portside stateroom, which also has a hanging locker and access to the boat's massive electrical panel, forward of the helm console.
The installation is clean, with neat wiring, well-routed and labeled. It is designed for easy "plug and play" installation of new electronic gear, Jampolsky explained.
If you're looking for a serious sportfisher with serious performance and sea handling ability, yet enough interior comfort for weekend cruising, the Rodman 410 Walkaround just might fit the bill precisely.
Rodman 410 Walkaround Specifications
| Length | 43'6" |
| Beam | 13'10" |
| Draft | 3'1" |
| Weight | 24,912 pounds |
| Fuel capacity | 338 gallons |
| Water capacity | 113 gallons |
| Sleeps | 4 to 6 |
| Propellers | Radice S-8 24" x 31" four-blade |
| Base price with twin 370-hp Volvo Penta diesel engines | $276,642 |
Performance
| Top speed | 34.7 knots |
| Miles per gallon at 26-knot cruising speed | .96 |
| Estimated fuel cost for 100 miles at 26-knot cruising speed | $184.38 |
| Range at 26-knot cruising speed | 253 miles |
(Estimated fuel cost based on a fuel price of $1.77 per gallon.)
Standard Equipment
Two VHF radios; compass; trim tabs; AM/FM CD stereo system; cherry wood interior joinerwork; 316 stainless steel deck fittings, rails and hardware; electric windlass; self-draining cockpit; overhead lighting in cockpit; padded cockpit coamings; Corian galley countertops; stainless steel sink; refrigerator/freezer; microwave oven; two-burner cooktop; Jabsco electric head.
Options
16,000 or 32,000 Btu air conditioning; 6.2 or 8.5 kw auxiliary generator; bow thruster; trim tabs; deck washdown system.
Construction
Hand-laid fiberglass hull built to Lloyds Register/ISO 9001 specifications; deep-V in bow with molded spray rails; sections of 23 degrees amidships and 13 degrees at stern, optimized propeller tunnels for increased efficiency; keel to protect propellers. Construction utilizes isophthalic gelcoat and resin; balsa core in topsides for rigidity and strength; laminated GRP frames, girders and engine foundation; reinforced propeller strut attachments.
For More Information
Rodman USA/Intercontinental Yacht Sales
303 Main St.
Port Washington, NY 10050
www.rodmanusa.com
Lager Yacht Brokerage Corp
Sausalito, CA
(415) 332-9500
fax (415) 332-9503
www.yachtworld.com/lageryachts
