Cross Country 3.7m

Those that come immediately to mind are fibreglass and aluminium and we have seen polyethylene as a contender as well. In more recent years foam composite hulls have emerged as another option and they are tougher and lighter than one might first think. The Cross Country 3.7m boat ticks all the boxes when it comes to what one needs to travel the country far and wide to get some ‘on water’ time amongst the fish and the wildlife.

The push of the grey nomads out into the back of beyond has seen some super-light car-topper boats being built that won’t compromise the integrity of the roof structure of the supporting vehicle. Typically those boats are aluminium but the question immediately springs to mind; how light can you go without compromising the integrity of the boat itself?

The answer will differ depending on how the boat is treated when off the roof of the vehicle.

Another question that needs to be addressed before boat purchase is the host vehicle manufacturer’s maximum recommended roof weight loading. And then how the boat is going to be lifted on and off. After all, the weight of some sort of manual or mechanical boat loading system must be added to the equation to complete any sort of car-topping package.

With the push towards smaller tow vehicles such as Toyota’s Prado and Mitsubishi’s Pajero, the budget-conscious have moved away from the larger and comparatively-expensive LandCruiser size four-wheel drives. They have then had to adjust their caravan options behind to cater for this reduction in tow rating and subsequently have had to come back in roof weight ratings as well. Inevitably the boats have had to get lighter as a consequence and boat buyers have had to search harder for a suitable vessel to accompany them on their meandering travels.

Cross Country Boats have waded into the roof-top dinghy market with a couple of models. The 3.4 and the 3.7; the latter finding its way onto the roof the author’s Mitsubishi Pajero 12 months ago.

This boat has a lot going for it fishing-wise but to be honest the highest priority when in the market for a car topper was defined; weight or rather, the lack of it.

The finished hull weighed in at just 65kg and a search of boats on the internet of similar dimensions had the closest alloy hull being Quintrex’s Car Topper at 78kg and Stacer’s 369 Sea Sprite at 80.

A Go N Easy boat loader was the method of loading and unloading this boat and its weight of 30kg pushed me right to the edge weight wise.

The boat reviewed here has a basic layout and retail cost of $5,500.

Compared with other boats of the same LOA it is by no means the cheapest but it is weight reduction we are after.

The rear-facing bulkhead of this full beam box has a flush-mounted hatch and inside safety gear may be stowed permanently and kept dry. A couple of rod holders are installed here as well.

The deck and insides of the Cross Country are finished in a coarse painted gelcoat which provides an acceptable level of non-slip when wet as well as anti-glare from the sun. A narrow side pocket extends from the front bench to the rear bench, It's a handy size to stow gaffs and other odds and ends including tackle trays on their side.

The rear bench has a rebate aft centre that allows one access to the bilge and also to make removable outboard motor installation much easier. A sturdy nylon type live bait tank is installed centrally and it extends down to a raised bed on the deck providing support for the body weight placed on the platform above. Four singular plastic rod holders are installed in the port corner of this area and while four rods with reels attached will clash, one or two of the holders occupied with rods and the others holding a filleting knife and fishing pliers works just fine.

Incidentally the foam used is approved by insurers Lloyds of London as a buoyancy material.

After the shell is popped out of the mould the internal structure is crafted to suit the customer.

Aftermarket installations are easily done by the home handyman with a drill, some sika-flex, stainless steel fittings and nuts and bolts.

Those sceptical of the strength offered by this foam and fibreglass composite hull should allay those doubts immediately.

This 3.7 has had extensive travel between Brisbane, outback NT and down into South Australia. When not on the roof top it sits on a Flip N Easy folding boat trailer that is registered and rated to 110km/h. On one northern sojourn a three-tonne nylon ratchet strap wore through on the keel line when under packing shifted with no detriment to the hull.

On another occasion whilst bush bashing and chasing feral pigs I misjudged the low level of a river box gum bough as I passed underneath at around 30km/h and the subsequent collision between boat on roof and bough saw the TJM off-road suspension contract to its minimum with just a graze and some sap on the Cross Country to show for the altercation. This misdemeanour no doubt contributed to the crack in the roof of the car where the rack was anchored; that has since been welded up.

With just the skipper of 85kg on board, the hole shot is snappier with the boat contents sitting well forward and a top speed of 35km/h may be achieved according to the GPS. With the same payload as well as a passenger of around the same weight, WOT gets it to 25km/h and hole shot is still acceptable.

Most likely a third passenger of small stature would still have the boat performing almost as well but anything above that would require some extra horses.

As can be seen, the chines run well forward to the forequarters before they lift up to the bow. This gives the hull exceptional stability when anglers are moving around on the foredeck but also a broader planing plank to assist in hole-shot with low horsepower; and it works well in practice.

Manoeuvrability is agile and hard cornering in smooth water is also easily undertaken. Typically for such a shallow V hull with broadness at the forequarters, steep chop needs to be traversed at a sensible speed but nothing new here; it’s the nature of the beast.

Economy with the Suzuki is brilliant and something that has to be looked at very closely by those wanting to go remote and stay there without having to come back to civilisation to fill jerry cans. I fished in the fast currents of the Northern Territory’s Daly River about 25km downstream from my camp on the Banyan Farm. An hour or so of trolling and a return trip could be done on a miserly five litres. That’s not bad in anyone’s books!

While this boat started life as a white hull, I have had it full body wrapped using the design of Lamellar’s, manufacturers of camouflage hunting clothing. Hull colours are varied and choices may be made at the time of ordering.

It is one thing to car-top a dinghy but another to handle it on and off and get it to the water and back. There are many options in the market place for doing all of those things and more. Some of these can be seen on this website; www.flipneasy.com.au