Trailer Boat
 Trailer Boat - December 2006 |
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TRAILER BOAT DEC 2006
BAR CRUSHER 640HT
First impressions are often the ones that stick. And, from the moment you jump aboard the Bar Crusher 640HT, you see things that look good and as though they'll work. Yep, there really is a lot to admire about this boat, especially the oversized windscreen at one end and the enormous amount of fishing room at the other.
The 640HT's huge five-piece screen and hardtop are first class. Everything about this Bar Crusher is solid. For example, the sub-floor is super stiff with full-depth stringers and cross frames for superior strength and durability, Then welded on top of that is a durable, light, and easy to clean tread plate aluminium floor. Carpeted? No way. This is a workboat.
And it will work fairly comfortably, too, due to its unique water ballasted construction method with allows the boat to be build with a deeper vee (in this case 18 degrees of deadrise) than other aluminium, boats and still maintain excellent stability and a softer ride while underway.
Working from the Suzuki 200 four-stroke, which is mounted on a pod incorporating a full-width tread plate platform, you can get abroad via a portside transom opening with a simple lift out panel. A removable Teflon berley pot is inserted through the platform on the starboard side. A black aluminium baitboard features three small rodholders and a Teflon cutting board insert. The livebait tank in the transom is a good size and has an acrylic cover. A full width transom seat swings up to get out of the way when the action's on and it also serves to protect batteries and oil bottles high on a shelf under the transom. And the underfloor fish bin behind the 300lt fuel tank is enormous.
The 640HT has a fully enclosed cabin accessed through twin black timber doors. You have to step over the fuel filler cap on the floor, which would be better off being recessed. You step down into the white painted cabin. There are blue vinyl bunks, small parcel shelves, a tread plate floor and a slide out panel that hides the wiring behind the instrument panel. A side glass hatch on gas struts gives good access to the bow and the Maxwell HRC-6 windlass and open anchor rope well. The Sarca anchor sit neatly in place on the bowroller between the solid split bowrails.
The trick to getting the HT to perform at its best is to give plenty of engine trim out. With its nose up the boat flew to 80km/h at 6000rpm and cruised at 50km/h at 4000rpm. But put the nose down and the boat becomes quite sluggish and the steering quite heavy. Our test was conducted in about 10 kts of wind and the boat performed very well through all manoeuvres, especially jumping out of the hole.
There's no doubt Bar Crusher is throwing out a challenge to other manufacturers of six metre fishing boats with the 640HT. It's built well and is highly practical.
