10.

Fisherman & Boatowner Magazine - Issue #68, 2002.
Courtesy Sea Media P/L Publications.

BAR CRUSHER 670 HARDTOP (MODEL NOW CALLED 640HT)
Story and Photos Jeff Webster

If you have become accustomed to Australia's rather slab sided plate aluminium craft, the new Bar Crusher 670 is going to come across as a breath of fresh air. The styling, interior fit-out, handling and performance of this craft is quite different to traditional Aussie plate boats. Bar Crusher boats are, available in 550, 610 and now 670 lengths.

During the last year or so, quite a lot has been written about Bar Crusher boats. The claims made in the company's advertisements have been quite startling and have raised the eyebrows of many experienced journalists. However, as we reported earlier many of these handling, ride and performance claims are justified. With the new 670 model we had the opportunity to run the boat in some choppy weather outside the entrance at the Gold Coast Seaway. The results were very interesting.

Design

The Bar Crusher 670 is a good looking boat, and the fact that it is quite unlike any of the current crop of Aussie plate boats is, I believe, a benefit. To be successful in any market or any field, distinctive characteristics and unique features are vital ingredients to success. And so it is with the Bar Crusher 670.

The hull of the 6.7m is long, relatively narrow, and remarkably pointed. The stem line has a very shallow angle, while the forefoot or entry is exceptionally fine. From about amidships, the vee angle remains constant all the way back to the transom, where the deadrise is a deep, 20 degrees. You will note there are no planing strakes on the hull, and this contributes to the ride softness of the boat through choppy water. Above the water line, the plate topsides have a couple of noticeable pressings. These, in combination with the topsides striping, make the hull sides look lower than many competitive craft - but this is deceptive because there is plenty of depth or freeboard inside the cockpit (725mm). A key feature of all the Bar Crusher models is the "Quick Flow" water ballast compartment which runs from the keel right forward to the cabin. From the stern of the boat, this ballast compartment is evident by the hole or hollow at the keel. When the boat is at rest, this compartment fills up with water, thus reducing the buoyancy of the hull. As the compartment fills with seawater, the hull settles down into the water, creating a very stable platform. When the boat moves off again, and rises to planing speeds, all the water drains straight back out of the hull so that the performance of the hull is not affected by the ballast system when the boat is running along.

With regard to specific measurements, the Bar Crusher has an overall length of 6.7m, a hull length of 6.5m, and a maximum beam of 2.35m. The bottom and transom is built from 5.0mm plate alloy, while the topsides are made using 4.0mm plate aluminium. The Cabin The sharply angled forward cabin structure of the 6.7m Bar Crusher belies the amount of interior cabin space. Below decks there is enough headroom (935mm maximum) to sit comfortably on the berths. The two berths are arrayed in the conventional vee shape. Two blokes could certainly bunk down here overnight with a reasonable degree of comfort. The only reservation I have here is that the unusually wide cabin side pockets protrude over the berths, and thus restrict the amount of space available when you do lie down on the berths. Mind you, the extra wide side pockets are great for storage. Additional storage space is provided under the berths - although these lockers are quite shallow due to the provision of air buoyancy tanks. Access forward to the foredeck is gained by opening a large forward hatchway.

The hatch pushes out and over to the port side, making it quite simple to climb up through the hatch, standing on the forward cabin berth cushion. From this position, the large anchor well is within easy reach. Interestingly, the test boat is one of few craft I have seen which has an electric anchor winch to make it easier to raise the anchor. It is particularly useful on those occasions when the anchor is difficult to pull free from the sea bottom. Other cabin features include angular cabin windows, provision for a chemical toilet, and a neat wiring cover behind the instrument panel. The Helm and Cockpit The 670 Bar Crusher comes standard with a short hard top and reinforced plate glass windscreen. As a result, the skipper and forward passenger have good shelter from sun, wind, spray and rain. Visibility from the helm is also excellent, thanks to the height of the three front pane windscreen and wide side panes. The dash area is large and covered with outdoor carpet to reduce vibration. The carpet also helps prevent small items from rolling back and forth - although there is a good sized lip at the front of the dash to stop things falling off. As you would expect, there is ample space on the dash and around the instrument panel for the installation of electronics - such as a depth sounder, GPS chart plotter etc. With regard to seating, the Bar Crusher comes with two deluxe Reelax chairs mounted on storage boxes. Importantly, both chairs swivel 360 degrees, and slide fore and aft. As a result, skippering this boat is dead easy as the helmsman is comfortable while standing and sitting before the steering wheel. The storage boxes under the chairs are good for odds and ends, and there is a recess in each box for the mounting of an EPIRB and fire extinguisher. Additional seating is provided down aft, against the transom. An aluminium bench seat is very cleverly integrated into the rear transom. When folded up, the seat forms part of the inner transom wall. To use it as a bench seat, this wall folds down to the horizontal, so that it rests securely over the cockpit side pockets. A vinyl cushion is optional.

This rear seat/transom design really is quite superb, and ranks up there with the best layouts that I have ever come across - simply because when the seat/bench is folded up, it does not restrict the cockpit fishing room at all. The rear transom layout is equally impressive. On the test boat, the full width, angled transom was set-up for a single, extra long shaft outboard, but a twin outboard set-up is also available. The outboard sits on a half pod which is integrated into the surrounding boarding platforms. A boarding ladder is situated on the port side, while a berley bucket is recessed into the boarding platform to starboard. Hand rails on each side of the transom make it easier to board the boat. Recessed into the top of the port side transom coaming is a good sized live bait tank - ideal for yellowtail and slimy mackerel sized live baits. The cockpit in the 670 Bar Crusher is enormous. The overall length (from the cabin bulkhead to the transom wall) is 2.9m. Behind the helm seat boxes back to the transom, the distance is 2.03m long x 1.93m wide. The cockpit floor is fully welded, checker plate aluminium.

Side pockets also extend the full length of the cockpit. These are well above the floor, and are 215mm wide with a depth of 100mm. The side pockets continue down the length of the cockpit, and then meet up with a full width platform under the transom. The battery and oil tank etc. are housed here, where they are well protected from the elements. One of the noticeable features of the Bar Crusher in the cockpit area is the enormous width of the side coamings. These average 320mm in width, and are around 730mm above the cockpit floor. There is truck loads of space for the installation of rod holders, gunnel mount outrigger bases, downriggers, etc. Other features in and around the cockpit include vinyl upholstered padding along the rear transom wall, and a good sized underfloor kill tank (which can be drained while running along). Options include a lift out rear cutting table (which can be swapped for a ski pole), and a rocket launcher on the trailing edge of the hard top. All up, the cockpit and transom layout in the Bar Crusher is spot on for offshore sport fishing. There is plenty of space, good cockpit freeboard, and everything is located right where it should be for maximum user friendliness.

Performance

The test boat was powered by a single 150hp Yamaha HPDI outboard. This pushed the boat to a top speed of 34.75 knots, recorded using a hand held GPS. This is quick enough for most applications, though I was expecting the rig to be a little quicker with a V6 on the transom. Having said that, we do have to keep in mind that the Bar Crusher has a very deep vee hull, and there are no planing strakes which can often create more lift underway. To achieve maximum performance from the Bar Crusher/Yamaha 150hp combination, I would like to see the Yamaha fitted with a four blade stainless steel propeller with a relatively small diameter, but 17" pitch. The prop fitted on the day, a three blade alloy with 15" pitch, provided excellent acceleration, but may have limited the top speed potential. The fitting of a four blade stainless propeller may also have allowed the boat to gain more positive trim. With more bite and grip in the water with the four blade, I believe it would be possible to trim the bow of the Bar Crusher further out or up, reducing drag, and increasing rpm and top speed. In reading the above, note that these comments refer only to the test boat fitted with the single Yamaha 150hp outboard. Other engine and propeller combinations will perform differently again.

Handling & Ride The Bar Crusher 670 ,like its smaller stable mates, is an exceptionally soft riding boat. Running into short, sharp chop, the ride is very, very good - as good as most fibreglass rigs, and better than just about all other aluminium monohulls I have tested.

Like most deep vee hulls however, it is important to run the Bar Crusher head on into the sea for maximum comfort. If you run at an angle, waves can slap against one side of the hull. Similarly, the hull must be kept in contact with the water. When the boat becomes airborne, the ride must firm up because the boat is falling down from height. Of course, these comments can be applied to just about all planing powerboats. I make them here only to stress that while the Bar Crusher is exceptionally soft riding and sure footed, it is not infallible.

Offshore, the Bar Crusher handled the lumpy test conditions with ease. The Gold Coast Seaway had an incoming tide which flattened the entrance, but there was a good south east wind blowing which crated bouncy, mixed up seas a mile or so off the breakwall. Out here, I played with the Bar Crusher for some time, noting again the softness of the ride, but also the way the boat handled itself at moderate speeds. To my mind, the best feature of the boat was that you could run slowly - at speeds between 15-18 knots with remarkable comfort. When you intend to travel 15-20 miles out to the fishing grounds, it is how the boat performs at medium cruise speeds that is important. Anyone can blast across the sea at 30 knots for a short period - but try doing that for an hour and a half. As most experienced offshore anglers know, running at sustained high speeds is simply not practical, or comfortable. Running at low planing speeds up to a good cruise of 17 - 18 knots, the Bar Crusher was in its element. It was soft riding, stable and easy to drive. Running out to the Shelf at these modest speeds should be a breeze, even in quite rough seas - thanks to the fine entry, and the fact the boat maintains a level running attitude without a discernible planing "hump". When running into a big head sea, you can travel slowly without the boat falling off the plane.

Overall, in the handling and ride area, the Bar Crusher is an excellent package. I was not overly impressed with the engine/propeller combination, but this is a minor thing, and some experimentation with different props should solve this problem. Other than that, the Bar Crusher is a superb offshore sport fisher. Conclusion In closing, the Bar Crusher 670 is a worthy addition to the field of trailerable sport fishing craft. It rides superbly, handles well, and it is very stable at rest.

The Bar Crusher is also well built, well appointed, and the finish is very good if not brilliant. The boat is also distinctly different to the rest of the pack, and this, to my mind, is a decided advantage.

Legal Note: The statements, observations and opinions expressed in the above excerpts are those of the boat tester and were formed after inspection and testing of the Bar Crusher boat described in the test. The opinion is provided by the author of the test and not the directors of Bar Crusher boats.The information in these excerpts is offered to assist prospective buyers to do their research. Bar Crusher Boats confirms that the information above may contain factual errors and no responsibility is taken for it's accuracy or completeness. Please refer to the legal notice by clicking on the words "Legal Notice" at the bottom of each page.