2018 Falcon BR 6 review

The Falcon BR 6 is part of the Bella Boats group, which is exploring the Aussie market in the wake of its European success. However, while the Falcon’s sister brands that include the fish-focused Bella 600R centre console and the lifestyle-friendly Flipper dual console use fibreglass throughout, the Falcon is a hybrid 'tinnie' alloy hull wrapped around a fibreglass interior.

This unusual mix results in a boat that is as tough as a tinnie on the outside, but with the smoothness of a fibreglass craft on the inside. In typical Scandinavian fashion, it's all welded and glued together to make a stylish package that should appeal to boaties who wouldn’t normally buy a tinnie.

The dual-appeal of this Finnish flier becomes obvious when you take her for a spin. From the get-go the Falcon BR 6 is a good-looking craft with a real touch of Euro-chic and stylish two-toned upholstery. The black alloy windscreen and rails contrast nicely with the silver grey alloy hull.

>> 2018 Bella 600R, Flipper 600ST, Falcon BR 6 reviewed

It's pure Scandinavian genius, too, in the way the Falcon BR6’s designers have made a feature of the hull’s raw aluminium. You can order a vinyl wrap, but the bare metal finish means no worries about scratches from the jetty or paint chips from the road.

Similar to most tinnies, the Falcon BR 6 is built with fishing in mind, but the with a fibreglass interior she is more about cruising appeal. Rod holders and live bait tank are not included but owners can add them.

A moderate vee, easy-riding hull and economical performance also make the Falcon BR 6 a great choice for boaties who just want to cruise the harbour, visit a beach or drop by the marina cafe.

Given that bow-riders are now the most popular choice with families, the Falcon hits the Aussie market at a good time. The range consists of four models ranging from 5.0 to 8.0 metres in length. All are bow-riders and powered by economical Mercury four-stroke outboards.

The walk-through design of the Falcon BR 6 lends itself to a range of aquatic pursuits from water-skiing to swimming and fishing.

Bella Boats Australian distributor Dan Hanoumis joined us for this test and explained why he was so enthusiastic about the Falcon range.

Hanoumis said there was a strong parallel between Australia and Finland – similar to them, we tend to love small boats for fishing and family boating. The Falcon ticks boxes on both counts, wrapped in the sort of seaworthy, practical craft Aussies tend to like.

>> Finns debut at Sydney

Bella recently teamed up with US marine products giant Brunswick Group to help it increase its global reach, which means Falcon models come factory-packaged with the latest Mercury four-stroke motors for great performance and economy.

Despite the cost of long-distance shipping, Bella’s Falcon compares well on pricing to other 6.0-metre craft in the segment. The sticker shock is about the same as any other family bow-rider of this size and performance.

Comparing apples with apples, the Falcon is not quite as wide or as big in volume as local tinnies, but it makes up for it with a clever use of space. The Falcon BR 6 also offers a higher level of fit-out with hydraulic steering, navigation lights and swim ladder all standard. You also can expect features such as USB charging sockets, a 12-volt power plug for the cooler box, and a windscreen wiper.

The Falcon BR 6 comes standard with a fitted cockpit cover, a handy feature when leaving the boat overnight on a mooring or dock.

Pricing starts from $61,000 as a boat/motor package, or $64,600 on a Spitfire trailer.

Bella Boats launched the alloy Falcon brand globally at this year's Helsinki boat show. The craft was an immediate hit in Europe and received rave reviews for styling and practical application to family boating and fishing.

A key feature of the design is the super-strong 5083 plate alloy hull’s role as a shell wrapped around the outside of the fibreglass interior. The fibreglass internal moulding adds strength, assisted by a layer of foam sandwiched between the skins. The foam absorbs noise and vibration, and provides hull buoyancy if the cabin is swamped.

The moulded fibreglass 'inner hull' is attached to the alloy hull via a combination of rivets and high-strength glues, including bonding directly to large fore and aft beams.

Other innovations include a near vertical bow and very full volume bow sections. This follows the latest European trend in powerboats and creates a distinct curved “spoon” entry below the chine edge. This gives the Falcon BR 6 a longer waterline, in turn making for a better ride underway with less pitching movement in rough water.

The flat topsides and the long bow entry also deflect spray and improve seaworthiness.

The moulded interior naturally makes for a more comfortable and user-friendly interior that is easy to wash out after a day's boating.

The Falcon BR 6 is built to meet the tough CE safety standards for European boating, so it comes with a self-draining cockpit – another strong selling point for this Finnish craft.

At 6.0-metres our test boat is a good-size craft for enclosed waters such Sydney Harbour or bigger waterways such as Port Phillip Bay. The Falcon BR 6 is not too big for regular trailering, happy to sit behind either a medium-size car or SUV.

The bow-rider is a great configuration for summer day cruising and provides many options to either lounge or sunbathe. The for'ard cockpit is a natural place for children if the water is not too rough, and also serves as a raised casting deck.

The interior lends itself to various watersports, from tube towing to swimming and diving. The Falcon BR 6’s bow cockpit is small; the seating is comfortable for two adults.

Behind the windscreen are well-padded seats for the driver and co-pilot, each with a fold-up bolster that allows its occupant to sit higher for navigating or steering.

The rear lounge has room for three people, and folds out to form a delightful sun lounge sheltered from the wind. The clever bit is that this lounge can transform, becoming a casting deck once the cushions are removed and anti-slip carpet fitted.

Scandinavian logic shines through via a fold-away bimini that neatly stows into a special compartment in the rear deck. This is a great solution to what often is something of an unsightly feature on trailer boats.

Other great features include a fold-out stowage bin in the passenger side console and a small (lockable) glove box. Non-skid imitation plank flooring is another feature not normally seen on trailer boats.

This Euro tinnie has a quiet ride. Soundproofing foam sandwiched inside the hybrid hull dulls the water noise entering the cabin, enhancing the serenity of the boating experience.

The Falcon BR 6 also comes onto the plane quickly and easily via its moderate weight and a vee-bottom hull that lacks strakes – a reason why the Falcon BR 6 can achieve good speeds with a fairly modest 80-115hp outboard. Most tinnies of this size will run at least a 140-150hp outboard.

Performance - speed
19kt @ 3500rpm
27kt @ 4500rpm
33kt @ 5500rpm
36kt @ 5850rpm (WOT)

Performance – economy*
1.6L/h @ 700rpm
10.9L/h @ 3000rpm
13.3L/h @ 3500rpm
16.4L/h @ 4000rpm
22.5L/h @ 4500rpm
27.8L/h @ 5000rpm
42.5L/h @ 5850rpm (WOT)
*Figures supplied by Falcon Boats using optional 18-inch stainless steel propeller

The numbers suggest the Falcon BR 6 should be quick enough for typical day cruises or fishing trips. Fuel use tests should also confirm a long range from the 105-litre in-floor fuel tank, with an average of 22.5 litres an hour at 4500rpm/27 knots. That's more than 100 nautical miles on a single tank of fuel, even with a big safety margin factored in.

The Falcon brand comes to our market with a proven track record in Europe, and high level of safety. The well-designed boat more than meets our Aussie expectations of toughness and rough water capability.

Buyers should also appreciate the practical finish of the Falcon BR 6, and the clever use of internal space. Its designers have paid attention to basic, practical features such as a big fender gunwale strip for coming into dock, fender holders and plenty of deck cleats for mooring.

A split bow rail and non-skid pad on the foredeck are great for anyone coming aboard from a dock or the beach. Small details such as that will help to win Australian followers to this Scandinavian newcomer.

Specifications
Model: Falcon BR 6
Length: 5.94m
Beam: 2.19m
Draft: 0.42m
Deadrise: N/A degrees (f); 15 degrees (r)
Weight: 840kg (including engine)
Trailing weight: 1270kg (est)
Rated power: 80-115hp
Power on test: 115hp Mercury 4-stroke
Cruise speed: 27kt
Top speed: 38.5kt
Fuel tank: 105L
Passenger capacity: 7

Priced from: $61,000 with 115hp Mercury four-stroke outboard, and navigation lights. Trailer adds $3600 to price

Price as tested: $81,000 fully loaded with all factory options including anchor winch, Fusion audio system, Mercury 115 Pro XS Command Thrust outboard, safety pack and Raymarine Axiom 9.0-inch fish finder/chartplotter

Supplied by: Chapman Marine Group, (02) 9818 2000