28.

Trailerboat Fisherman - January / February 2004

BAR CRUSHER 560C

It won't just be the offshore fishing enthusiasts who love the soft-serve ride of this new Bar Crusher -the family clan will appreciate it as well.

Test report by James Hill.

If there needs to be any further proof the line between fibreglass and alloy is blurring these days, just take a gander at the new Bar Crusher 560C. The quality of the ride of these Victorian built plate tinnies is right up there with the fibreglass boats. The at-rest stability is even more impressive and makes this 5.6m tinnie one of the most stable monohulls you're ever likely to dangle a line from.

There's no doubt that Bar Crusher also blurs the line in other areas too. You only have to look at smoothness of the exterior panels and quality of finish to see why these boats are winning hearts. Bar Crushers belong to a new breed of plate tinnies that are now making big inroads into the mainstream market. These boats are no longer the preserve of the hard-bitten fisho, but seriously on the shopping list of family boaties as well.

Brothers Peter and Warren Cleland are the blokes behind this brand and they are passionate fishos. They're also passionate manufacturers and it shows in the fine finish of their craft compared to some other tinnies. The Cleland brothers know what it's like to fish offshore so they include all the important safety stuff as standard, like twin batteries and a battery isolation switch. They also make sure the Bar Crusher comes standard with a self-draining cockpit plus electric bilge pump. Peter Cleland believes boat buyers are at last seeing the value of plate over light tinnies and this is helping Bar Crusher sales. Only last year the company moved into a larger, new factory and added two new models - the 530C and 560C. Key to these designs is the combo of deep Vee bottom and water ballast. One provides the soft ride, whilst the other delivers the necessary stability when the boat is at rest.

Back in September I got the chance to test the new 560 C (cuddy).

Design:

Together with its smaller sister the Bar Crusher 560 C represents a new, more interesting boat package. Compared to the earlier models these new boats are wider bodied and have more fullness in the bow shoulders. These features enhance the interior room and improve the natural stability. While not the widest boat in its class the 560 definitely feels quite roomy thanks to a 2.25 beam. The cuddy is also pushed well forward to maximise interior space and give you lots of fishing room. The hull retains the same sharp bow entry of earlier models as well as an 18 degrees deadrise at the stern. Admittedly this is not as sharp as some of the fibreglass deep Vees, but still sufficient to give a pretty soft ride. The Bar Crusher has a noticeably amount of bow rake and I assume that the "point entry" really allows it to punch through green water when you're taking on dangerous bars. Not surprisingly the original design was breed for the bar, hence the name Bar Crusher!

Looking at the hull more closely you also notice wide spray lip in the bow area and a secondary spray rail in the topsides. The topsides also feature attractive graphics and flow back to a stylish fastback transom. Inside profile the Bar Crusher looks quite sporty, particularly with its low black-framed windscreen and optional targa rod-rack. The windscreen also hinges so you can reduce the boat height for garaging. Like all other Bar Crushers this one comes standard with a self-draining cockpit and walk- through transom. You also get a full-width landing deck and fold-down ladder at the stern. The 560 also has an optional hinged hardtop that can be either raised to form a bimini top, or lowered to form a heavy-weather cover. In the latter position you get less vision, but excellent protection from breaking waves.

Structurally this 5.6 m boat is super tough and features no less than six longitudinal stringers, fully welded to cross frames. You also get a fully welded, checkerplate alloy cockpit floor for added strength and safety. Thanks to a hull weight of 640kg the 560 is quite tow-friendly for six-cylinder cars like the Camry or Mitsubishi Magna. It would also suit popular soft-road vehicles like the Subaru Forster that can tow up to 1500kg. Our test boat weighed approximately 1320kg.

Performance:

Our test venue of Botany Bay was in a bad spring mood as we took off from the shelter of Cooks River ramp. There was literally nowhere to hide in the southerly induced chop and so we just gave the throttle full stick to see what would happen. I can assure you the day was unpleasantly cold, but it was a pleasure to see how nicely the Bar Crusher handled the conditions. Heading upwind the Bar Crusher 560 just lifted up on its Vee and carved a path forward like a small patrol boat. I fiddled with the trim settings, but the hull seemed happiest with the bows slightly raised and lifting over the water.

Obviously an 18-degree deadrise helps to soften the ride in these conditions. It certainly allows us to achieve a higher than normal speed in rough water. I have to admit we were copping a bit of spray at times, especially when we headed off side onto the wave pattern. However, given the relatively small size of the cuddy it was only natural we'd cop some spray. Then again any sensible boaties would have a bimini and clears in these conditions so I couldn't really complain. Certainly the boat handles pretty well in these conditions and showed itself to be stable after the water ballast had been dumped. Naturally it is super stable at-rest, or when moving slow. At these times the water automatically fills the bottom tank via a stern opening and you end up with 400-litres of ballast. There's no doubt that this added stability makes the boat safer and more suited to offshore fishing.

From the helmsman's point of view the Bar Crusher works pretty nicely, particularly when they're standing at the helm. You can see over the low windscreen very easily and the high pedestal seats give you good bum support. In front of the driver is a small console just big enough to contain the motor gauges, wheel and a bank of switches. Because the console is so compact the LCD sounder goes up on the dash and the radio just on the inside face of the console. The pedestal seats are surprisingly comfortable and can be swivelled right around to form fishing seats. They even provided footrests at the back as well as front of the seats so they can be used in both directions.

Power:

The Bar Crusher is rated to 140hp, however we were pretty happy with the 115 performance on the day. You might step up to a 130hp or 140hp if you want more high-end speed, or capacity to carry very heavy loads - like a group of scuba divers and their tanks! Our 115hp Yamaha two-stroke test motor did a pretty sterling job for the conditions and gave us the following GPS speed results: 4500 rpm 26 knots 5500 rpm 33 knots Possibly a four-stroke motor might be worth considering, especially for extra long fishing trips. Since the 560 comes with a generous 150-litre fuel tank you have great capacity for long-range efforts. Even without a four-stroke you could achieve quite reasonable fishing range. I guessimate the Yamaha two-stroke would provide a safe range of upwards of 120 nautical miles with speeds of 20 - 22 knots. And that's allowing for a fairly decent safety-margin in case of emergencies.

As noted the Bar Crushers come standard with good safety features like dual batteries, fuel water filter and a battery isolation switch. You also get navigation lights a 12-volt power outlet on the dash for extra accessories. Deck Layout: Starting at the pointy end the 560 features a clever bowsprit and anchor system that allows you to carry the "pike" safely on deck. There's also an open-topped anchor locker and large forehatch for safe, easy access to the anchor. The small cabin provides cushioned seats for two, or three adults to sit below in comfort. The cabin is easily accessed from the cockpit because of the cut-away bulkhead and provides under-bunk and side shelf stowage. While an in-fill cushion turns the cab into a small berth I think most skippers will just use it for stowage. With that in mind I'd suggest net stowage bags to keep all the loose gear like life jackets tidy and contained. Moving into the cockpit you find further stowage opportunities within the pedestal seat boxes and long side pockets.

The cockpit also provides a great fishing space with its flat side decks, raised side pockets and stern cutting board. Fishing needs are also well catered for with a fully plumbed live-bait tank and four rod holders. A particularly clever feature of the Bar Crusher is the rear folding passenger seat. This alloy bench also doubles as a raised casting platform, presumably for calm inshore water fishing! The transom walkway is another excellent feature of the Bar Crusher and will increase its appeal for general family boating.

Summary:

Bar Crusher wanted to grab mainstream market attention with this new model and I reckon they will succeed. The Bar Crusher 560 hits a competitive price level for a boat this size, whilst also maintaining serious offshore capacity. You have to admit fishing is the key attraction, but all that stability and practical interior also puts the 560 well into contention for family cum-fishing buyers. I suspect Mum would like to see a few more cushions and soft carpeting, but with the right additions there's no reason why this tough tinnie won't be welcomed into the family driveway.

Clever technology certainly is the heart of this design, but so too is the robust plate alloy construction. What this means is a boat that will last so long it come become a real family heirlooms! If you havenÕt had a ride in these innovate tinnies, may I suggest you take the opportunity soon.

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.