REVIEW: Bar Crusher 610C
Alloy boats have so many advantages and the 610C Bar Crusher is a fantastic example of a fishing package that pretty much does it all. Lee Rayner takes a closer look...
From 50cm of water in the estuaries to the continental shelf miles out to sea, this boat is up to the task.
On the trailer the 610C is an impressive looking package, especially when you carefully look at all its features.
With 4mm plate alloy bottom and 3mm alloy sides, these boats are built like the proverbial outhouse and the crew at Bar Crusher make use of alloy in the best way possible.
The extremely sharp and high nose allows Bar Crusher’s Wave Slicer hull to cut though the water like a knife.
The large chines running right to the nose help to deflect any spray back down into the water. From the bow, the chines run all the way to the transom, giving added stability on the plane and at rest.
Water Ballast
The Quickflow Water Ballast System helps make these boats so popular. The self-filling ballast tank adds extra weight to the hull down low while at rest, which serves to sit the hull lower in the water and increase stability. To empty the ballast, it’s a simple matter to get the boat on the plane and the tank will empty itself.
The other neat feature I really rated on this hull was the addition of a hydraulic flap that allowed the ballast tank to be shut off, stopping water getting in or out. If extra weight is needed in the hull, especially when punching through rough weather with a light cargo and small fuel load, the flap can be shut to hold ballast water to add extra weight to iron out the ride.
The addition of trim tabs also allows tweaking of the hull to get a perfect ride but as Matt Urzia of Bar Crusher showed, the boat performed extremely well even when not using them.
The rear of the boat is well thought-out, with a recessed berley pot mounted in the port side rear step. The starboard side housed a very useful and well-built dive ladder. This leads onto a wide, easily removable transom door that makes entry and exit so much easier on the trailer and in the water.
Fishing Features
Inside the boat I instantly noticed the rod holders and their excellent positioning. I say this because so many boat companies rave about their hardcore fishing boats but often don’t get it right, with rods sitting at bad angles and wasting space.
On the 610C, whish isn’t a huge boat, the rod holder positions allow six rods to be used down the gunnels while trolling in addition to what can be run across the back. It’s a small feature on a boat but one that any serious angler will agree with and definitely one that more boat builders should be looking at.
Across the transom the layout is very basic, neat and functional, with a serious-sized live bait tank in the port corner and the single-pole bait board in the middle that also doubles up as a multiple rod holder.
Below this is a simple fold-down bench seat is so easy to get up and down you would definitely use it. The floor is checkerplate and while it is tough as nails, it’s bright, hard on your feet and noisy when you drop stuff on it. I definitely recommend getting some rubber matting underfoot, which is an optional Bar Crusher extra if you wish.
As for the build of the boat, any join is a full seam weld and access to the areas is very functional with the bilge area easily accessible. In front of that is a large kill tank that will hold a catch of snapper or even a few tuna.
The large open side pockets have heaps of space to hold gear, while the seat boxes have been modified on the 610C to be very functional tackle lockers that hold five tackle boxes in each side, which equates to more than enough tackle for any fishing trip anywhere.
Cabin Layout
The steering console is at a good height and the dash layout has all the required gear with space for more if so required. While the boat felt more comfortable to drive while standing, I am sure many people would find no dramas driving around in the very comfy Raeline seats.
In the bunk area the side pockets have plenty of storage space, while a bunk infill cushion would make it a comfy spot for a little midday siesta. Another bonus is access to the bow, which is fairly simple for anchoring, or I would suggest going along the lines of getting an electric winch as the test boat had – it really does make life so easy.
Shedding some light on the boat is so easy with a full deck-out of Hella equipment on the rocket launcher and some very user-friendly side lights. The waterproof Hella LED lights draw little power.
The fold-down top that makes the rig easier to tow and also brings the overall height down to 2.2m, allowing it to get into most garages. Another feature is the in-floor fuel filler, doing away with fuel hoses running down the side of the boat. It also lets you use a dip stick to get accurate fuel levels.
On The Water
Most tests usually fall on a flat calm day but thankfully we had a wintry, icy blast on the bay with a solid 25-knot south-westerly. Bar Crushers are made for this sort of wave and it was good to test the rough-water performance of a boat without having to make your own waves.
The 610C revels in these conditions, slicing its way through the chop. The sharp entry of the hull responded well, especially when pushed hard rather than being babied through the slop.
And with ample power from a four-stroke, the boat responded like a race car and it also impressed greatly in a head sea. This is often the make-or-break of a plate boat – good boats leap into the slop and cushion down on the next wave. Running with the sea the Crusher also performed very well, with no inclination to bog in at the bow when heading into the next wave. With plenty of power at the stern it was no trouble to pop the nose up for the next wave. At rest it was rock-solid, no doubt helped by the water ballast system. The overwhelming impression this boat leaves is the super way it just cuts through the waves.
Anyone interested in a terrific bay or light offshore gamefisher should take one for a test.
