We recently attended a ‘try before you buy’ day at Raby Bay where visitors were given the opportunity to jump into a Bar Crusher boat and test it out on the water. It was a great day with light winds creating just enough chop to give visitors a bit of a chance to see how the rigs really preformed.

Four models were on test but it was the 610 HT (hard top) that we jumped into and took for a spin in the Bay.

For starters the boat was presented brilliantly. Everything about the rig was well finished and bespoke of quality. This rig was set up for fishing and you could tell. From the 20-odd rod holders scattered about the rig to the cutting/bait table over the motor that had a drain that led straight to the berley muncher on the rear boarding platform, this rig was ready to fish.

Internally the boat was rigged out fairly simplistically. The cabin was large enough for 2 people to lie down in and the middle cushion is removable leaving a perfect location for a Porta-potti. Underneath the other cushions was all the safety gear – well within easy reach if ever needed. The entry into the cabin was large and up front a hatch gave excellent access to the anchor well. On a rig this big I would have an anchor buddy of some sort or take a strong friend as generally you’ll be fishing deep water.

At the helm the skipper had access to three digital display panels that could be adjusted to give the skipper the information he or she wanted. There were also controls for the trim tabs, a marine radio and a switch panel. This still left an enormous amount of room for the sounder and GPS of your choice as well as a huge amount of room on the front dash for other electronics if so desired.

The seating was brilliant. Sturdy, comfortable and in the right position. You could drive this rig sitting down but I found it easier to drive while standing. Keep in mind I am pretty short and getting clear vision over the bow was easier for me standing up. On the first mate’s side the seating was similar and both seats were mounted on tackle tray storage boxes. Combined these seat boxes allowed 10 trays of tackle to be stored – enough for any trip.

Other storage came in the form of large side pockets that would take gaffs, tag poles and other fishy accessories. There was also a side pocket on the port side of the cabin to store things like keys and phones out of the weather, yet in easy reach.

The fishing room was spacious and I could see 3 anglers happily drifting baits all day on this rig. If you were trolling I could see a three-man crew working 5 rods very well out of this rig. With the skipper concentrating on finding the fish, the deckie and angler could easily manoeuvre around to make sure everything was kept shipshape out back.

Towards the transom, the Bar Crusher has a fold down rear seat that gives options on space that are important in any boat. For travelling it’s a comfortable seat, for fishing, fold it up and out of the way for more room and easier access to the cutting board and berley muncher. There was also a boarding ladder attached to the rear pod and a rear entry door for those taking a dip or getting underwater with snorkel or dive gear.

This boat was fitted out with a 150hp Yamaha 4-stroke and that is the maximum horse power rating. I like the idea of maximising horse power as you just never know when you’ll need it. We did some hole shot testing and every time, into the chop and with it, the Bar Crusher got out of the hole in less than 5 seconds. That’s pretty good for a 6m boat and this extra power would come into its own on bar crossing or in close when you’re chasing tailor, salmon or bait just behind the breakers.

Speed was no problem either with a maximum of 72km achieved at 5,900rpm. This used about 60.5l/h of fuel, but keep in mind we were really trying to draw every last meter of speed out of the rig. At a cruising speed of 4,000rpm and 43km/h, the fuel use dropped way down to 25l/h and is a more realistic figure to work on given its unlikely that wide open throttles will be used that often.

I really enjoyed blasting around in the 610 in the bay and found that tight turns and a bit of mucking around on boat wakes posed no problem for the boat. I really liked the angler friendly thought that has gone into where things were placed. As a boat buyer you really don’t want to have to think about too much when it comes to lay out – luckily Bar Crusher has done the hard work already.

Although this isn’t a full blown boat test, the day showed me how good the Bar Crushers are and how good an idea it was to have an on-water testing day that potential customers could attend. There is simply no better way to really decide if the boat is right for you.

To check out more on the Bar Crusher range, check out the Bar Crusher website www.barcrusher.com.au.