Trailer boat

December 2005

Back To Reviews

Bar Crusher 640C

The largest and biggest in the Bar Crusher range is the 640C – a polished craft similar to its smaller brothers but with more space.

The Bar Crusher range is identified by its effective water ballast system.

A 400lt tunnel runs along the keel, open at the transom, lowering the at rest weight so the submerged chimes work as stabilisers. The water drains when the boat moves forward.

The 19 degree vee-hull of the 640 has a sharp entry for a tinnie. A central 300lt fuel tank and the underfloor kill tank designed for a couple of decent- sized tuna or dive bottles, give best weight distribution. The foredeck is steeply raked towards the small, high windscreen which unclips and swings over the wheel. The windscreen, hardtop and clears set-up is unique to Bar Crusher. The hardtop bolts to the top of the windscreen or swings up on gas struts to double the helm vision.

Twin fully adjustable swivel Reelax seats with armrests sit on open fronted storage boxes with foot rails and rubber-covered footrests for driver and passenger. The high carpeted dash has a Navman Fish 4500 and Tracker 5500 GPS. The VDO instruments (mph tacho only, trim, rpm, and fuel) are mounted centrally. Trim tab controls and a switch panel are to the right of the Teleflex helm.

The cockpit is enormous – wide gunwales have four aluminium rod holders per side and a couple of non-slip panels. Side pockets are long, wide and carpet-lined. A small lip surrounds the open bilge to stop fish sliding in. The stern slops to a full-width swim platform which mounts the Suzuki 200 four-stroke outboard. A solid, hinged, swing down two step boarding ladder accesses a port side walkthrough space in the transom.  A burley pot to starboard lifts out for washing. Boarding grab rails continues over the transom to form rear quarter gunwale rails and doubles as tie-off points, there are no rear cleats.

The central Telfon-insert aluminium bait board has three rod holders. The starboard transom features a deep, hinge-out live bait tank. Central twin batteries are protected by a swing-down, full width rubberised rear seat. Raised, the seat doubles as a door for the walkthrough.

Vinyl covered vee-bunks in the cuddy are the only creature comforts, headroom is good and there's plenty of under bunk storage.  A large side-opening hatch provides access to the anchor – there is no side-deck access. The anchor is in a bowsprit-roller combination flanked by a solid split bowrail. An open anchorwell is for rope only although a reef anchor could fit. There are twin bow bollards.

We clocked a top speed of 70.5kmh at 6000rpm while cruising was a comfortable 43kmh at 4000. Trimming the motor right out produced the best manoeuvrability, with stability through turns and high speed sprints without getting skittish. The sharp-hulled Bar Crusher was a comfortable boat to drive hard and behaved well. The boat stayed level and smooth during reversing and with the rear door shut.

The range is made to work, and this handy craft does just that.