Boat Reviews

Bar Crusher 670HT review

It’s a very rare occasion that we manage to get three brand new Bar Crusher 670 Hardtops in the same place at the same time. A couple of weeks ago, the plan came together with the organisation of Rod Elliot from AMC and his staff to take these boats out for a combined water test and review to document their …

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Testing – Ocean Craft Posi Lift Hull

Ocean Craft Posi

Testing – Ocean Craft Posi Lift Hull – Not all boat tests or in this case boat reviews are the same. The main reason this one is a little different is because I tested the boat with an 18hp Tohatsu, even though the Ocean Craft 5900 is rated to 170hp. Ocean Craft Posi Why, you ask? Well, the new owner …

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Oceancraft 6000 Extreme Reef Fisher

FINDING the one boat that does it all may feel unachievable. However, the decked-out 6000 Extreme Reef Fisher by Ocean Craft manages to tick most of the boxes, making it a very versatile boat. Unique in design, Ocean Craft boats are constructed to handle almost any condition, inshore and offshore. The large buoyancy chambers – a feature of the boats …

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Honda BF30 20 years on

BOOKING my 30hp Honda outboard in for a service recently, I was asked the year of manufacture and surprised myself when I realised this engine had been sitting on the transom of my boat for 20 years. In that time, the Honda has pushed the boat around an extensive range of environments and scenarios along the eastern side of the …

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Centre console car topper from Ocean Craft

CALOUNDRA based boat builder Ocean Craft has recently come up with a new design for their Car Toppa range. The range now includes the option of a removable or fold-down centre console, which is a first for car toppers. The unique design offers boaties the choice of whether to run a tiller steer or centre console for their car topper …

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Ocean Craft 3300 Diver the ultimate tender

ocean craft 3300 diver tender

DOES your boat manufacturer offer you the following game-changing warranties? To give you what you paid for your old Ocean Craft trade-in hull (better resale value). Guarantee you to overtake any other boat with the same size outboard (superior performance and fuel economy thanks to a low-friction hull). Never sink lifetime warranty – or your money back. Ocean Craft is …

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Ocean Craft Buccaneer review

ocean craft buccaneer

WHILE probably better known in the commercial dive and fishing segment, Ocean Craft, a Caloundra-based boat builder, is making a few waves in the recreational sector with the Buccaneer. Ocean Craft’s recently redesigned 7.6m Buccaneer   has been purpose-built for recreational anglers who want a vessel that can handle pretty much anything the wind and water can throw at it. I …

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Yellowfin Plate Southerner 7000 HT review

yellowfin plate 7000 southerner HT review

YELLOWFIN Plate is hoping to make a big impression with its recent brand relaunch. You may not be familiar with the Yellowfin Plate name, yet the brand has a 35-year history in Australia. Think of the Yellowfin family tree in a similar vein to the Hemsworth family and you’re on the right track. So you’ve got Quintrex (Chris), Stacer (Liam) …

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Formosa X Bowrider goes outside the box

formosa sea-rod x bowrider

MARINE industry mover and shaker Formosa Marine certainly ruffled some feathers when it released the X Bowrider in 2017. Not conforming to one single design philosophy, the X Bowrider stands out from the pack with sharp lines above the gunwales and a look somewhere between a bowrider, centre cabin and runabout. I had hotly anticipated taking this boat for a …

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Formosa 580 Centre Cabin boat review

formosa 580 centre cabin boat review

A RECENT pristine day on Moreton Bay saw me on the water testing a boat I’ve had a soft spot for since a young age: a Formosa Centre Cabin. Specifically, I was commandeering the 580 Centre Cabin in Tomahawk V2 Offshore hull configuration, as supplied by Australian Marine Centre with a 140hp Suzuki fourstroke outboard. Constructed from 4mm plate aluminium …

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