It’s been a goal of mine for some time to buy a waka (water craft) and explore the Hauraki Gulf. Fishing of course is on the menu, but more than that I find time on the water a kind of therapy. The fresh air is cleansing, clears the mind and soothes the soul and makes me feel aliv, more connected to life, to something greater than myself. To something magnificent and awesome - the ocean.
On my quest for a wicked waka I found myself at the Hutchwilco Boat Show in May (2022). Talk about exciting times! I had tried jetski fishing once and absolutely loved it but had barely been out on the water for the last three years. Wifey gave the budget a green light so whoop whoop we were shopping!
Easily the Sea-Doo Fish Pro was the ski for me, tick!. Next on the list was a trailer. To be honest with the shiny allure of the Sea-doo I hadn’t even given this a thought. Then I ran into my mate Tony Orton, who has been a real fishing and boating mentor to me over the years and he said to check out the GFAB trailers around the corner, describing them as ‘stunning’. Now, I trust that Tony knows his stuff and doesn’t compromise on quality. He has a lifetime of experience on and around the water so if he says it’s good...
Around the corner we go and BOOM! Sexy as GFAB trailers are everywhere! I never thought I would describe a trailer as sexy, but hey they are, so there you go. My first thought was that they would be way too expensive and boujee for me. The more I researched them though I was pleasantly surprised at the price and easily convinced the extra investment was worth it.
Feedback from ‘on the line’ was that the GFAB trailers were premium quality, reliable and not so quietly they are pretty bloody stunning aye! From a practical perspective I was looking for something really easy to use by myself. Easy launch and retrieve. Tick.
It’s fully rollered so it’s pretty effortless to push off and pull back on this trailer. I love the Corner Posts so when I’m backing I can see where it is… it doesn’t disappear… that’s really handy (thanks for that tip Andrew Hill).
It has a lightweight aluminum frame that’s recyclable - green tick - and is a really solid build. Tick tick tick.
I love the “baby mags” - 13” low profile high capacity tyres on satin black alloy rims. So cool!
For peace of mind I added the spare wheel and Non-slip pads along the fenders of the trailer. I really didn’t want to go ass over down at my local ramp, plus ouch! I was stoked with the result. They are soft, easy to clean and compliment the look of the trailer.
Then there’s the quality Fulton jockey wheel and winch are easy to use, nice, I’m not mechanically minded so appreciate small things like that. Especially amidst the pressure of an impatient and busy summer boat ramp. A big feature for me that I didn’t even know about until I bought the trailer was the sealed wheel bearing. Salt water and trailer wheels don’t go well together as we all know, so the
wheel bearings wear out often and have to be regreased. GFAB have introduced a closed system so (somehow!) this area is protected from salt water wear and tear. This means less maintenance and cost which is great.
So overall I choose my GFAB because it has a good reputation for quality, ease of use and cool looks. I absolutely love the white single jetski trailer that cradles my Sea-Doo Fish Pro. It really does seem like they were meant to be together… and with me.
Mandy Kupenga