I have owned many boats from Newcastle to Brunswick Heads to the Fraser Coast. My last boat, which I bought new, was a Stessel Platricx Hull. This boat lasted only a year before splitting the hull. I decided it was time to get serious and buy something tough, something that was soft riding and something that could get me to the shelf and back without breaking my back.
Over a long five-month period I whittled the field of prospective boats down to five – Stabi Craft, Fisher Boats, Noble Super Vee, Bar Crusher and JBS Marine. In the end it came down to two boats that I felt stood out from the rest – the Bar Crusher 610C and the Noble Super Vee 5.8. These two boats were serious contenders.
In the end I purchased the Bar Crusher 610C as it was a little more manageable on the boat ramp and I didn’t have to run as big horse power on the 610C.
I run the 610C with a 140hp four-stroke Suzuki engine and I have had the boat in very trying conditions from glassed out days to 30 knots of SE winds while caught out of the shelf. The boat is soft riding and when coming back off steep waves the boat lands first time with a cushioning effect. In a following sea the 610C tracks straight as an arrow and does not broach.
When heading into a head sea the boat likes plenty of trim. I suggest getting trim tabs fitted simply because if you work the boat in big swells it tends to drop of the plane slightly, but this is due to the extreme deadrise, but with the trim tabs fitted the boat rides extremely well. There is also no cavitation when turning the boat hard making the 610C great for wakeboarding.
At rest the ballast system works extremely well with two blokes standing together on one side, the boat sits very stable.
I tend to do a lot of overnighters and the two front bunks are comfortable to sleep on and in the centre I have made an extra bunk which gives more room to sleep on.
One of the features that I really like on the boat is the front hatch. It is enormous and makes anchoring a breeze. Overall I could not be happier with my Bar Crusher.
Steve
Queensland