6.

Melbourne University Dive Club.
Purchased Bar Crusher 5.5.

Email from Mr Andrew Bearlin in 2000.
Organiser / Club Member

Melbourne University Underwater Club (MUUC) took delivery of a Bar Crusher 5.5m boat. Over the past seven years MUUC has had a policy of rotating its two dive boats every three years. We have gradually moved up to larger and stronger boats through a trial and error process. Back in 1993 we were using a Stacer 454 and now we operate a 6m MAC boat and the Bar Crusher. We chose a plate aluminium boat last year in an attempt to end the frustration and down-time through repeated hull failures we experienced with our three previous pressed metal boats. Frankly, even with custom reinforcing and modification the pressed metal boats were just not up to the job.

To give you some background, MUUC dives every weekend of the year and with 150 members would be one of, if not the, most active non-diveshop affiliated clubs in Victoria. Our boats are worked hard and are expected to perform at the limits of their capacity in safety all year round. Unlike many working boats, our vessels are also trailered an average of 20,000km per year, including long trips to Northern NSW, South Australia and even Tasmania. You can appreciate that an average boat just does not cut the mustard for long with the club and when I say that the pressed metal designs were not up to our demands, you can see why! MUUC went with Bar Crusher last year because we were impressed with the quality of construction and by the amazing ride for a boat of its size and weight. We elected to power the Bar Crusher with the Yamaha 90hp based on previous experience of this very reliable and efficient motor. We chose the 90hp over the 115HP also for the weight saving - we wanted to make it as light as possible so a range of vehicles could two - though in hindsight the 115HP would have been a better choice because when heavily loaded the Barcrusher is a bit sluggish getting on the plane. For most owners though, payload weight is not a factor and the 90HP gives great service. So, how has the Barcrusher performed?

We look delivery of a pretty basic boat. No paint or carpets. We took the bunks, but only installed the starboard one for storage of life jackets and gear such as 02 tanks and the safety gear. We also removed the port seat before fitting wall to wall heavy duty carpet and a set of dive cylinder racks. We are left with a huge working deck given the size of the boat. There is still great storage thanks to the side pockets and the shelf behind the fold-down step inboard at the stern. When doing the custom fitting-out, I was particularly impressed with the thought that has gone into the design. There is built in aluminium conduit for cabling for electronics and the internal framing is strong enough to allow versatile mounting of any heavy gear such as cylinder racks. Overall, the boat comes in at around the 1100kg mark, which makes for easy towing, and even easy beach launch and retrieval at somewhere like the Prom.

The ride of the Barcrusher is the most impressive feature. Through fairly disorganised 1m chop at Wilson's Prom earlier this year it was simply a case of setting 4,000 revs and letting the hull do the work. Our second boat, also an excellent blue-water boat, found the same conditions meant a constant plane was fairly uncomfortable and continual changes in throttle and heading were needed to keep the boat from pounding. This is taxing on the skipper and the passengers and made for much slower progress. A prudent skipper does not go out in conditions that test the design of his vessel, but I have no doubt that the Barcrusher would be up to more if there was a need to make a run for cover in deteriorating conditions.

When we got the boat Warren mentioned that she takes a while to learn to get the most out of it and we found this to be the case. Trim management can be pretty important for getting on the plane when loaded down, but once mastered is not a problem. I have also read that people have been concerned about nose diving in heavy conditions. I can say from experience that when heavily loaded the aggressive hull really cuts through the chop and even with the occasionally inexperienced drivers we have in the club, we have not been able to get water over the nose!

While on the subject, this boat is also surprisingly dry. The deflectors welded to the hull at right angles just above the waterline really keep the spray down to a point where spray created from a bounce over a wave is distinctly unsatisfying!

At rest the boat is pretty stable even in a rolling swell, certainly as good as traditional pressed metal alternatives and probably better, although it is a difficult comparison to make.

I have also become a fan of the large forward hatch, not only because it makes for very easy anchor set and retrieval but also when closed makes a great place to lie back and catch a few zeds in the sun between dives!

Although, in service I would make a point of putting a restraining strap on the door for when you want to leave it open and motor for the best anchoring spot. I have been clobbered by it when it catches the wind more than once! Overall, as a dive platform the Barcrusher has performed well so far. Light and strong and very seaworthy, I would have no problem recommending the Barcrusher to anyone. The only areas of criticism I get from our members is that the sides are just a bit too high to sit on with feet planted firmly on the deck (Émind you, I only hear this from people under about 5'8"), and that when retrieving you need to balance the boat to get it sitting plumb on the trailer.

Oh, and you need to factor in an extra half hour at the ramp to deal with inquiries from interested bystanders.

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.