REVIEW: Bar Crusher 670HT (+ VIDEO)
As Steve Morgan reports, if Bar Crusher were to order an ideal day for testing a couple of their revamped hard top models, then Port Phillip Bay delivered it in spades. Solid westerly winds turned the bay into a washing machine that only the brave dare venture into...
We met Warren Cleland and Matt Urzia at the ramp at the 'Patto' [Patterson River boat launching facility]. They were chomping at the bit to show us the new improvements to the design, and also to get busy on the waves. They did both with style. Their ads don’t lie – the Bar Crusher team sure like testing their hulls to the limits when conditions get nasty.
Bar Crusher’s sales manager, Matt Urzia, has done plenty of time in these boats and proudly took us through the tweaks that make one of their most popular boats even better.
“We’ve kept the 670 hull exactly the same – if it’s not broken, don’t fix it, but there are a few changes we’ve made above the waterline that help make the 670HT an even better fishing machine,” Matt said.
Firstly, there’s a major redesign on the dash, where you can now see the flush-mounted helm electronics from the cockpit of the boat and, in particular, the rear workstation. With the size of the units people run nowadays, this makes a lot of sense. You want to be able to see when the fish are coming through without having to leave your fishing position or by relaying the data.
Next, the diameter of the handrails has been increased to 32mm. It doesn’t sound like a major change, but they look better, are easier to hold onto and are more practical, especially the ones on the hard top that you use to move around the cabin.
The hard top itself has also been improved, with a design that externally keeps the standing passengers drier while running on wet days. Internally, there’s now plenty of real estate to mount your radios and stereo systems above the windscreen. It’s a neat solution.
The side sliding windows are in the right place and open the right way for best ventilation and user comfort. Another small improvement is the rounding on the internal gunwale edges with a 45° angle taking the sting out of the thighs. Bar Crusher calls it the Game Lock coaming. It’s these small things that improve the experience on the water.
Out on the water, the day proved as nasty as promised, with a proper breaking bar on the Patterson River mouth and some rolling chop that made the process of deriving performance stats impossible. Taking the pictures and video was exciting if not impossible.
Driven right, the Bar Crusher handles the punishment. Land with the vee level and a tail-down attitude and there’s a softness that feels more like glass than alloy. Amazingly, we had company on the test day. A boatload of uber-keen anglers rolled past and of course, they were in a Bar Crusher.
We asked Matt if he’d organised this as a publicity stunt, but he denied all knowledge. Last we saw of them, they bounced over the horizon with aspirations of snapper glory…
CLICK HERE to watch the video review.
Key points:
- Bar Crusher’s latest iteration of their popular 670HT keeps their proven hull design identical and makes improvements above the waterline.
- You can see the Quickflow water ballast system that fills when the hull is at rest, increasing stability. The custom built Easytow trailer makes this rig launchable by one person.
- Bar Crushers have a reputation for being able to take on nasty water. The test day was no exception and the 670HT took it all in its stride.
- There’s plenty of cockpit space and four persons could comfortably go out for a fish. Small improvements, like thicker, 32mm grab rails and a more rounded internal gunwale (Game Lock coaming) are derived from dealer and customer feedback.
- Improvements have been made on both sides of the hard top. Externally, the new design will keep passengers drier, while internally it allows for better mounting of radios and stereos above the windscreen.
- When you instruct Bar Crusher’s Matt Urzia to “get a little air under the hull,” he sure does!
- The 670HT boasts a dashboard that is more visible from the back of the boat. Modern electronics have big enough screens to make this a real design-plus.
- Deployed, the rear bench seat can fit three adults across.
- Stowed, the bench seat offers easy access to the workstation.
- Bar Crusher pioneered the auto-catching winch posts with its Bar Catch system. Their famous video shows it only takes 20 seconds to launch or retrieve a Bar Crusher with a custom-designed trailer and this system.
- Spacious under floor kill tanks and easy clean floors hint to the practicality of this boat.
- Quality hard tops have lots of visibility and efficient use of space. The 670HT’s lid looks the goods.
- Powered by the lightweight, 200hp Suzuki four-stroke, the rig pushes 72km/h on calm conditions according to Bar Crusher. Suzuki outboards and Bar Crusher boats are a popular combo.
