Baysport 585 Sport: Review

This boat is built as a sport and fishing package with no frills, bells or whistles; just good quality manufacture and fit-up with features that will get you started in some serious coastal and offshore recreation. You can add to it as time and budget allows if you need to at all.

Glen Grams from Baysport Boats out of Noosa Queensland has been quietly turning out these boats for 28 years and has eight models in the lineup. We recently had a look at a 600 Offshore and 640 Deluxe models and can see common denominators across the range.

The most obvious difference from other brand hulls is the semi tunnel hull which has featured on Baysport models for the past seven years.

The tunnel starts about two-thirds of the way forward of the transom then widens as it runs aft along the centre line of where the keel would normally be located. By the time it stops at the transom it is around 36cm wide and subsequently gives the boat two keel lines on the predominant planing area of the hull.

This appears to give it more grip in hard turns resulting in less side slip but the extra pressure exerted on the surface due to a greater planing area allows the hull to plane more easily with less power output from the propulsion unit.

The result is that the engine can be at a lesser rating than one on a deep V hull, any powerplant fitted will slave less during hole-shot and when on the plane, smaller powerplant and less effort equals better fuel economy due to less weight and throttle. The boat will remain on the plane at slower speeds so long hauling should be more economical and comfortable in the rough and with the outboard leg not needing to be as deep to access turbulent-free water, there will be less drag on the leg.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
- Good standard features and affordable price
The 585 Sports presents with a VHF radio, Raymarine GPS/Sounder combo and Bimini with front and side clears. It also has a rod rack across the back of the bimini and fibreglass bait board.

Hydraulic steering is standard fit on all Baysport Boats and with all of these inclusions and the Yamaha 115hp on the transom, the price tag comes in at a comfortable $49,990. Should you need to squeeze that a little you can back off to a F100 Yamaha four-stroke and the till will ring up $46,990; not bad in anyone’s books.

INTERNAL LAYOUT
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While a big step back from the 640 Deluxe we reviewed, the 585 Sports seems to have missed little in the internal cabin space and features a good size V-berth with decent leg well and headroom. A removable infill will hide a portable toilet should you be carrying one and we found the usual stowage areas under the bunk cushions.

Access through the ceiling to work the ground tackle on the bow is quite free as well.

The aperture into the cabin is also large and cut away in front of the passenger seat offering up plenty of ventilation inside. Bunk cushions are retained by a wall at the aft end of the topside moulding and when seated at the helm or passenger seat this creates a foot rest.

A flat-top dash with rebate for odds and ends stretches across behind the windscreen and at the helm station instrumentation and switch gear is situated above the steering hub. The brow here is at a good height with all the important displays just below dead ahead view.

Seating is on fibreglass support boxes, and behind in the cockpit one finds large side pockets running to under the transom bulkhead.

The rear lounge back is a permanent fixture against the transom but the base is a removable fibreglass storage box that is held to the deck by sliding bolts. It is easy to remove for a serious fish and handy to use for gear and for carrying ashore should you be on the beach for lunch.

This box occupies about two-thirds of the transom bulkhead and stops short of an opening in the form of a half-height transom door made from fibreglass. There is a good-sized boarding platform and the telescopic fold-down ladder is rebated into its top surface.

One may also board and disembark over the starboard side of the bulkhead where a step is moulded into the top liner.

ON THE WATER
- Good handling and economical running are the orders of the day
For a relatively low horsepower package, the performance of this rig was not too shabby at all. At six knots and 2000 rpm the F115 was burning 5.4lph which is cheap pelagic trolling indeed. It was difficult to determine the planing point of this hull as there was no hole-shot as such just the hull lifting effortlessly.

At 10 knots and 3200rpm fuel consumption was 12.7lph and at 15 knots and 4000rpm it was still running economically at 18.3lph. A faster cruise of 23 knots and 4500rpm had it burning 22lph and at WOT of 6100 rpm we were clipping along at 35 knots using 40.6lph.

Manoeuvrability at speed was effortless even in the tightest turns we could produce and noticeably there was no side slip or aeration at the prop; something is working well back there! Three adults on board didn’t seem to phase its performance so smaller families would do well to opt for the F100 package and keep $3K in the hip pocket. Or perhaps upgrade the bimini to one that collapses for storage or travel.

VERDICT
- Certainly a good-value purchase
We’ve said it before in the review of this boats sister models; it’s hard to imagine better value for the money. The performance is there and the craftsmanship is excellent; are you looking for anything else?

LIKES
>> Performance
>> Economy
>> Excellent build quality for the price

NOT SO MUCH
>> The deck stowed so it doesn’t entangle feet and gear
>> Rear lounge is fixed

Ratings
Overall: 4.7/5.0
Mechanical: 4.6/5.0
Packaging and practicality: 4.8/5.0
On water performance: 4.6/5.0
Value for money: 5.0/5.0
X-factor: 4.5/5.0
Performance: 4.6/5.0

Specifications:
Priced from: $46,990 with F100 Yamaha four stroke
Price as tested: $49,990 with F115 Yamaha four stroke?
Length overall: 5.95m?
Beam: 2.45m?
Hull weight: 850kg?
Towing weight: 1160kg?
Maximum power: 150hp?
Maximum engine weight: 220kg?
Engine as tested: Yamaha F115 four-stroke?
Fuel: 145-litre poly roto-moulded under deck?
Maximum person: Six