A new boat is a wonderful thing! Jim Harnwell gives a quick rundown on Fishing World’s latest project boat, a Bar Crusher 620C.
LATE last year I decided to sell Fisho’s long-term project boat, a Stabicraft 659 Supercab. I’d run the boat for more than four years, towed it from one end of NSW to the other, caught some great fish out of it, written a stack of reviews and tests and used it to complete an exhaustive head-to-head test on 200hp outboards. There was no doubt the Stabi had done a great job, and it had proven itself an ideal offshore fishing platform, but it was now time to start out with something new.
I had a range of objectives when it came to selecting a new project boat. The first was that I wanted a vessel that was smaller and lighter to tow and power than the Stabi but which could still handle offshore gamefishing. I have a strong interest in gamefishing but these days I’m just as keen on targeting snapper and kings on inshore reefs as I am trolling the shelf all day. Jigging plastics and metals is definitely a form of sportfishing that I’m addicted to. That said, if the marlin or tuna are on I’ll be out there. So the boat, whatever it was, had to be able to handle typical NSW South Coast conditions of 20-25 knot winds and 2m swells, have good fuel capacity, excellent sport and gamefishing fit-out and plenty of deck space.
The boat also had to have at least a modicum of comfort. As I’ve grown older, I’ve grown softer. I used to have no qualms about pounding out to sea in my old 5m Bermuda Islander runabout, getting soaked with spray and rattling the fillings in my teeth. These days I appreciate the benefits of a smooth ride and a cabin to hide from the worst of the elements. And I also had to consider my wife and kids. The boys, Harry and Jack, don’t mind banging about and getting wet, not so Mel and my four-year-old daughter Suzie. It goes without saying that the new boat also had to be a proven hull with suitable safety characteristics.
And, probably most important of all, it had to come in within my limited budget.
I spent quite a bit of time researching hulls and exploring options. As I wrote in a recent editorial, I was initially interested in 6m+ fibreglass hulls from the Haines Hunter and Seafarer ranges, among others, but had to discount them because of tow weight limitations. I looked at a couple of very classy custom plate boats but had to reject them due to expense. I eyed off a Trophy 2150 with a MerCruiser 1.7 turbo diesel but had to cross it off the list because it, again, was too heavy to tow behind my Holden wagon.
All the while I had Bar Crusher in my wind. My second project boat was a Bar Crusher 5.5 powered by an Evinrude FICHT 115. This was a cracker little boat which I loaded up with auto pilot, fancy electronics and other bits and pieces. I ran it for three years and used it extensively offshore and inshore. Coincidentally, I was recently sent some emails showing the boat having sustained severe hull damage, possibly from being washed up on rocks. It was, unfortunately, a write-off. In the years since I’d sold it to buy the Stabi I’d tested new Bar Crushers and watched with interested how these unique Victorian-made plate alloy sportfishing boats continued to evolve and improve.
During a recent visit to Melbourne I checked out the impressive new Bar Crusher factory with Peter and Warren Cleland, the brothers behind the Bar Crusher name. During that factory tour I pretty much committed myself to a 640 HT, one of the new models in the line-up which features a wraparound glass cabin similar to that on the Stabi. But over the next month or so I began to consider my options and decided to cancel the 640 in favour of a 620C.
My reasons for this were twofold. The first was that the 640 was fundamentally as big to tow and power as the Stabi, albeit much sexier looking with the aggressive bow and smooth lines that Bar Crushers are now well known for. The second was that by downsizing I’d have money spare to buy a tinnie for estuary, freshwater and inshore fishing. Two boats for the price of one – how could I go past that?
The 620C
I ordered the 620C with a “Rich Blue” hull, white topdecks and blue upholstery. The hull is constructed from 5mm marine grade plate alloy with the top sides being 4mm. The hull features the water ballast chamber, deep vee and sharp bow which have helped set Bar Crusher apart from the pack.
Bar Crushers come factory fitted with most standard fishing features so apart from buying a Penn Fathom Master downrigger and a set of Reelax T-Topper outrigger bases with 14-foot white fibreglass poles, there wasn’t much more I needed to bother with.
The bow features a short bowsprit on which sits one of the excellent SARCA anchors. I’ve run SARCAs on my last three boats and wouldn’t go back to a traditional anchor. This anchor is connected to 6m of chain and 100m of rope controlled by one of the Stress Free Anchor Winches, which seem to be on practically every boat I’ve seen in recent times. Stand-by for a review of these nifty Aussie-designed anchor winches – they have some unique features and benefits.
The 620C is fitted with Bar Crusher’s innovative folding roof. This is an alloy roof which pulls down via two gas struts and locks down onto the top of the windscreen, thus prevent spray coming in. I had the same roof on the 5.5 but being a smaller boat I found I couldn’t see with the roof pulled shut. On the 620C I still have to hunch forward to see through the windscreen but nowhere near as much.
Clears on either side of the roof provide further protection from the elements. It’s not as good as the wraparound cabin featured on the 640HT and nothing like the huge fully protected cabin on the Stabi, but it’s much better than the standard canvas and clears you get on most boats. A bolt-on rocket launcher complete with AM/FM aerial, twin Hella LED flood lights and the white light sit atop the roof. The whole assembly can be easily folded down for storage.
The VHF and 27 meg aerials are positioned on the side of the cabin and are easily raised and lowered. The cabin itself features underbunk storage, an infill, side pocket storage and a good sized alloy hatch. I’m 1.83cm tall and can lie down in the cab quite comfortably. I wouldn’t like to spend a night in there but it is fine for a quick nap or rest. Kids or small adults could easily curl up for a sleep. You can get optional bunk extensions if you plan on regular overnighting trips. LED strip lighting is positioned inside the cabin, just in front of the entrance way. My GME 406 EPIRB is mounted in easy reach on the outside of portside side pocket with a 1kg fire extinguisher mounted underneath. I’m going to get a section of marine ply or polyethylene sheeting to make up a removable door for the storage space under the infill. As it stands now, any items put under there can easily slide out.
Just in front of the cabin is the easy access fuel filler to the 190l underfloor tank. Bar Crushers don’t have the standard gunwale fuel filler – instead you fill her up direct into the tank. Even thought it’s a bit awkward I like this system because you can see exactly how much fuel you’ve got.
The dash is fully loaded, as they say. I have a GME VHF radio, a Fusion CD/AM/FM/iPod stereo, twin Commander gauges for the E-TEC 175, controls for the Lenco trim tabs, controls for the Stress Free winch, a switch panel, thru-mounted compass, an adjustable fuel gauge, a GME 27 meg radio mounted beneath and my stainless “captain’s” wheel. The boat came with a perfectly good wheel but I’ve developed a real fondness for the “captain’s” wheels which feature a knob which makes steering extremely easy.
Mounted portside off the dashboard is the eight-inch Simrad NSE sounder/plotter. This is one hell of a unit which I’m only just beginning to appreciate. Much more will be written about the performance of this top-shelf unit so stay tuned. I’m also planning a detailed article on the Fusion stereo, which manages to pump out incredible volume while retaining a crisp, clean sound. The fact that I can load my iPod in it and play all my favourite rock and heavy metal tunes makes it a real winner, in my book.
One point I need to make here is that the wiring in this boat is exemplary. Take a look behind the console and you’ll see an extremely neat and professional job. In fact, my mate Ron “Simo” Simpson, a JB charter skipper and part-time marine electrician, said this was the best wiring job he’d ever seen, apart from his own work, of course. Simo is an insanely fussy bastard when it comes to wiring up boats so this is high praise indeed. Who ever did the wiring in this boat, you are a champ!
Two fully adjustable seats with armrests and plenty of padding are fitted. These seats come fitted on pedestals fitted with clear plastic tackle boxes, ideal for storing terminals, hooks and other oddments of tackle. I mounted the holder for my Boga grips to the portside seat pedestal. It’s out of the way but within easy reach. A large landing net slots up between the seat and the sidewall, again being unobtrusive yet easily accessible.
The control box for the E-TEC is mounted on the cabin sidewall starboard. I plan to upgrade to E-TEC’s new fly-by-wire Icon control system as soon as they become available for the 175, but will have to come up with some sort of binnacle mounting panel to put the unit on. Stay tuned for what I come up with. This is a priority as one notable minus of the helm seat position is that if you turn it to starboard it hits the key on the control box and turns the engine off!
Four alloy rod holders are positioned in each of the wide gunwales. I also ordered two optional side pocket clip on rod holders, mainly to store my game and jig rods when underway. Having them mounted on these holders instead of the deck holders or rocket launchers is safer and protects them from spray. The holders will each carry a couple of 24kg game outfits plus one or two jig outfits. The Reelax T-Topper bases are fitted just forward of the first set of rod holders. I omitted to instruct Bar Crusher to weld in bracing plates for the outriggers and have since purchased two 5mm alloy plates 250mm x 400m in size which I’ve bolted and Sikaflexed in place. This should provide adequate support for the ’riggers.
Nice bright LED lighting strips are mounted into the inner edge of the gunwales, providing excellent deck lighting.
Decent side pockets run down each side and there’s a good sized kill tank (which currently holds my fenders and hose) aft just before the bilge, which holds pumps for the bilge, livie tank and deck wash. A folding rear seat hides the twin batteries and oil container. A switch for the batteries and the main fuse located here as well. I’ll have to be careful to ensure the switch and fuses are protected as much as possible from saltwater.
The rear section of the starboard side pocket features the water separating filter and the hose for the deck wash. I’ve put my gaffs and a paddle in here as well. The opposite side pocket has my sinker boxes, cutting boards for fish cleaning and a mooring rope.
A neat little bait station is mounted amidships. This features a removable cutting board and three rod holders (which are more for storage than they are for trolling). I’ll be cable tying a couple of knife sheaths to the cleaning table – you always need to have a sharp knife close and handy. The cutting board drains via a clear hose into the berley bucket. The Penn Fathom Master is mounted aft portside, and will be used for presenting live squid to big kings under the JB cliffs and for slow trolling slimies for marlin and yellowfin tuna off the shelf.
Rear access with black plastic slot-in door leads out to the marlin board and folding ladder.
I opted for the max horsepower with this boat, going in the first instance for a 175hp Evinrude E-TEC. This high-tech DI two-stroke is connected to the Simrad via an NMEA 2000 interface cable, meaning I have access to accurate fuel and performance figures, which I’ll present in an upcoming edition. Initial testing reveals that the E-TEC is almost insanely fast, especially out of the hole. The prop is an 18-inch Viper stainless three blader.
The E-TEC is a loaner from BRP. I plan on testing its performance, reliability and fuel use for a year or so and then changing to a similar sized four-stroke to assess any differences between DI two-stroke technology and the new breed of four-stroke outboards. The boat sits on a custom tandem axle Easy Tow trailer. These are outstanding trailers with the highest quality AL-KO components, flash mag wheels, Durahub bearing protectors (filled with grease, not oil), excellent galvanising and LED lights. They’re designed specifically for the hull, meaning launch, retrieval and towing is absolutely no hassle. The trailer is fitted with mechanical braking. I have thought about putting electric-hydraulic brakes on but they are often more trouble than they’re worth. I’ll just have to adjust the brakes on a regular basis to ensure they work properly.
As I noted a bit of bounce when towing, I fitted a gal turnbuckle to the ring welded on the drawbar just behind the winch post to enable the bow of the boat to be firmly positioned in place. The transom is made fast to the trailer via two tie-down straps. I’ll look at changing these to turnbuckles in due course.
So far I’ve only had time for very limited onwater time in the new Crusher. Most of the time since I got it has been spent fiddling around, mounting the ’riggers and downrigger and sorting through the gear I’ll store onboard.
Stand-by for the October issue when I’ll provide performance details. In the meantime, www.fishingworld.com.au will be featuring a short video outlining the boat’s features.
