11.

Trailerboat Fisherman - Nov / Dec 2001.
Courtesy Marine Publications P/L.

BAR CRUSHER 670 HARDTOP (THIS MODEL NOW CALLED 640HT)
Pics and Story James Hill

There is no doubt Bar Crusher is a clever marketing concept and the latest offering will indeed see you right when it comes to bar running. Almost by association you assume the Bar Crusher is a plate alloy boat, and you would be right. Although the Bar Crusher boats use some clever New Zealand boat building techniques MD Peter Cleland says they are designed and built in Australia to satisfy local requirements.

Over time Peter expects the Bar Crusher to become even more Aussified, but they will always maintain the key design feature - a very soft ride in rough water. That is achieved by combining a deep 19-degree bottom with water ballast. While the deep vee provides the smooth ride, the water ballast provides the stability when the boat is not moving fast. Usually a deep vee would make a tinnie too tippy, but water automatically rushes in to give several hundred kilos of ballast. The weight is low down so it makes these boats brilliant fishing platforms. Without the water ballast the Bar Crusher would be quite unstable at-rest so the whole idea works very nicely. It is also interesting to note the water tank runs the full length of the keel so it provides a very even spread of ballast. This means you can walk around the bows and hardly upset the boat's stability. Not that you have to walk to the bows because all the Bar Crushers feature great anchor access via big side-opening cabin hatches. You might wonder why the boat does not need the water ballast at speed, but the strong water pressure on the boat travelling at speed tends to make it much more stable. In practice the boat suffers at touch of instability in the initial take-off period, but settles down very nicely once it is on the plane and moving fast.

So far we have seen a Bar Crusher in 550 and 610 lengths, but now the company has released a ready impressive 670 hardtop cabin model for bluewater fishing. This is a really great fishing rig, a boat you could easily take on a marlin or any big sportfish. It has a huge cockpit with checkerplate floor and the freeboard depth to let you tango with a mako or marlin to your heart's content. Tough plate alloy sides and bottom ensure you will not be torpedoed by an angry beast, or by the rocks. There is also built-in buoyancy and a high volume electric bilge pump as standard. Another great safety feature is a twin battery/isolation system that ensures you always have plenty of cranking power for the motor.

Being a single engine boat the 670 will be quite economical to run as big boats go. Economy is very much an issue on everyone's lips these days and it is nice to know this rig will be quite happy with a 150hp sized motor. Recently the boat was factory tested with a Yamaha 150 Z150 HPDI clean-tech motor that achieved some very promising figures. By that we mean figures that will not scare you away totally by the cost of fuel. Running at an average cruise speed of 22 knots/3500rpm the boat was drinking only about 20-22 litres, which is not bad for a boat this size. Out of interest the fuel consumption was 30-litres at 4000rpm, or 45-litres at 5000rpm. The 150hp seems to be a good all round engine choice, though the 75hp size would be suitable if you wanted some extra grunt. By the way, there is some 300-litre capacity in the floor fuel tank so you should not run dry too quickly. Family Cruiser The combination of hardtop helm station and generous-sized cabin also makes this a potential family cruiser.

The protection of the hardtop opens the boat up to all weather operation and improves comfort in the colder months. The standard model (featured here), offers a comfortable cabin with plenty of sitting headroom over the full-length bunks. You can sleep comfortably below with the added benefit of a double-berth infill. The standard boat is well presented as allow boats go, but Bar Crusher admit they could do more to make it more 'chick-friendly'. That is why they will soon release a deluxe version with lots more upholstery, carpeted floors and a few other goodies. There is already an optional WC, but the builders might also throw in some extras like drink holders, champagne-holders and CD stereo in this new version. Boats naturally get better with size and that is certainly the case with the new BC. It is the most comfortable so far and will put serious pressure on 'glass boats if the deluxe model is not too expensive. Some interesting features of the design include the extra pocket stowage under the helm as well as cockpit sides. There's also a clever slide-away rear seat that can double as a raised casting deck. Other clever ideas include a dual-purpose post for water-skiing or cutting board support. You also get six rod-holders, fully plumbed live-bait tank and through-hull transducer. The hardtop also provides a six-pack rod holder, carriage-rack for securing crab pots or supporting a crew member while he does some fish spotting. A self-draining anchor locker and split bow rail are all part of the deck hardware that includes navigation lights, stern grab/boarding rails, rear folding boarding step and mooring cleats.

Bar Crusher currently are sold through a dealer network so give the builder a call for the name of your nearest dealer.

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.