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Streaker in Command: Streaker 635 Commander
  |  First Published: December 2007



The Streaker boys have been building boats for several years now and know what boat owners want. Whether you want a boat for a bit for fishing and cruising, or you are a mad keen fisher, they have several models to choose from. You are sure to be able to find a boat that suits your needs.

With a definite trend in the boating market towards big trailerboats, Streaker have just recently launched the big brother to their extremely popular 585 model. The Streaker 635 Commander is right at home chasing snapper in Port Phillip or Western Port, but is also comfortable on the offshore waters chasing marlin and tuna.

First Impressions

As soon as you see the 635 Commander there is no mistaking it’s a Streaker, with that steeply angled and sharp bow, combined with the heavy flare along the top of the gunwales that helps give them their distinctive look. Rather than just stretch out a 585, the crew at Streaker have redesigned and slightly reshaped both the hull and top deck, to come up with this new boat. However, as the saying goes “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”, so they have also kept the features that make all Streakers a great boat.

From the outside the Commander’s shape and lines all worked nicely, giving the boat a slick and sleek look. The rounded windscreen sits at the right height to offer a clear view whether sitting or standing. If I had to find something that I didn’t really like on the boat, it would be the fact that there is only the single zip pocket in the front clear. With it being in the middle of the windscreen, it means that if you want to look through it while driving then you need to move into an odd position.

Internal Layout

Inside the boat, the forward bunk area is similar to that of the 585 model, however with the 635 being a much bigger boat it enables the bunk area to be bigger and even more useable. Side pockets keep everything tidy while the carpeted walls and ceiling gave it a nice look. The roof-mounted fluoro light behind the steering console also offers plenty of light when needed.

The split bunks offered great access to the front hatch and bow of the boat, not that you really need to go there with the boat having an electric anchor winch. Under the bunks there is more storage space, and if you are planning on spending a fair amount of time on the water then it would be worth investing in the bunk infill. This really turns the bunk into a bed.

Back in the cabin, storage is at a premium. There is an icebox in the floor, mounted between the driver and passenger seats, both of which sit atop seat boxes that offer further storage. The passenger seat box also doubles as a mini table and houses a small gas cooker inside it.

In next to the passenger seat there is also a small sink with a tap and nozzle, so you can make use of the freshwater tank in the boat.

The console area on the 635 Commander is quite large, and angled to offer great viewing of the gauges and other electronic bits and pieces (such as the anchor winch switch, CD player/ stereo, and marine radio). The only thing it didn’t allow space for was to flush mount a sounder or GPS unit into the dash, so instead it is mounted on the top of the dash at the appropriate angle.

Moving into the work area –where the fishing is done – the moulded side pockets offered ample storage for nets, gaffs and associated gear. There is also under-gunwale lighting in the form of small, round, frosted LED lights, and fully recessed stainless steel, upright coaming racks, which make ideal rod storage. The port side also hides the hose adapter for the deck wash hose, keeping it neat and out of the way.

In the back of the boat there is plenty of room for fishing, as this is what the boat is made for, with six angled rod holders in all the right spots for trolling. There is also a fully moulded fibreglass bait board, stainless steel snapper rack rod holders, and a fully circulating livebait tank in the rear port side (plus another one that could be hooked up to a pump, but just makes a great storage tank on the port side).

For a change of pace when fishing takes a back seat (pardon the pun), when cruising then it’s simply a matter of putting in the rear seats that slot in between the gunwales and the recessed engine well, offering plenty of comfort.

Batteries and battery switches are hidden behind a curtain that is held to the transom with press studs, keeping the whole package neat and tidy.

Out the back of the boat, the rear platforms offer easy access in and out of the boat whether on or off the water, and the recessed boarding ladder is in line with the tidy layout of this boat.

On the Water

With a 20 degree deadrise and the full length running strakes, the hull cuts through the water nicely, holding securely in tight turns and planing exceptionally well at low speeds. With the test boat running a 225hp four-stroke Yamaha engine, the boat effortlessly planed at 14kmph at a measly 2100rpm.

As for the overall ride of the boat, on the day of testing Port Phillip Bay had really let us down, with less than 5 knots of wind. We had to make our own waves, so a series of tight turns had the Commander cutting back though its own wake, which it just ate up with no fuss. It was a very gentle ride that saw the big hull performing like a smaller boat. Even in these calm conditions, it was nice to be able to tweak the boat for a perfectly smooth ride with slight adjustments of the trim tabs.

The big 225 Yamaha was spinning a four-blade Solas propeller, which had the boat performing well through the entire rev range, with speeds of 26km at 3000rpm, 43km at 4000rpm and an impressive 81km with the engine at 5800rpm.

Overall the boat is a neat package that has had a lot of thought put into it and is sure to impress.

Facts

SPECIFICATIONS – STREAKER 635 COMMANDER

Length: 6.8m tip of bowsprit to back of boarding platforms

Overall length: 8.1m including motor and trailer

Beam: 2.5m

Windscreen height: 2.45m

Deadrise: 20 degrees

Weight (boat, motor, trailer): 2200-2400kg

Fuel capacity: 228 litres

Maximum HP: 225hp

Price as tested: $91,900

Reads: 2614

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