Cruise Craft 575 Explorer with Yamaha F130

The Cruise Craft 575 Explorer does not need much of an introduction; it has been around for a decade and over 250 cruise our water. However, it is the new F130 Yamaha outboard on the back that has brought us back to look again at this proven performer

OVERVIEW
- Long-time reputation for quality
Cruise Craft boats are legendary in the Australian boating market and have been proven performers under that and other names for 70 years, and we've been reporting on them for years as you can see here.

Long noted for exuding nothing but the best in quality and finish, this boat doesn’t disappoint either; a standard specification list looks better than some manufacturers’ optional extras line-up.

And with Yamaha being no slouch in the industry it was fitting that their new model F130 found its way onto the back of the 575 Explorer.

Hydraulic steering, a digital EPIRB, fire extinguisher and dual battery setup are in the standard list. The only piece of equipment not included is the batteries.

Fitted with the Yamaha F130A the boat, motor and trailer package comes to around $77K.

LAYOUT AND ACCOMMODATION
- Terrific use of space
The design of the layout of the 575 is such that the last bit of useable space is utilised to its fullest.

The cabin has typical bunk cushions covering storage bins underneath and a surrounding stowage pocket.

Access to the anchor well is easy enough through the ceiling hatch which opens on the bow so you’re free to manoeuvre when grappling with the ground tackle in the hatched anchor well. This is all made easier due to a raised standing area in the cabin so even a short person can stand well clear of the cabin roof and handle the task with relative ease.

Between the uprights for the stainless-steel seat frames is a kill tank which is handy as anglers fishing the cockpit do not have to shuffle around for access. The void under the seat frames is capable of housing ice boxes, refrigerators or crates of tackle and the like. This seemingly simple design is one of the biggest space savers in any cockpit.

The helm area is neatly moulded from fibreglass and the passenger gets a grab-rail built into the bulkhead or they can use the one that runs around and further strengthens the windscreen.

There’s no shortage of angular fascias at the helm on which to add electronics or switches and Yamaha’s engine management instrumentation looked quite lonely tucked away close to the windscreen.

In the cockpit, deep recesses in the liner each side have a fibre board fence to retain gear, and above that the inside of the coamings are upholstered for leaning comfort.

In the port corner of the cockpit a half-height walkthrough transom door is situated over a vertical hatch that gives access to under the bulkhead, while the rear folding lounge may be manipulated to get further access abeam.

With the lounge base folded down, there is ample foot-under room for comfortable fishing against the padded back rest which is a permanent fixture on the inside of the transom. In the starboard corner, a plumbed live-bait tank is built in.

The bait rigging station is at a good working height with a lift-up cutting board and tray underneath for hooks and other sharps. It is drainable so sloppy baits could be stowed here pre-use. A pair or rod-holders are fitted to the station which is handy when rigging lines attached to rods without cluttering the aft corners of the cockpit thus getting in the way of other anglers trying to fish there.

YAMAHA’S F130
- New lightweight motor with great fishing features
The team at Yamaha were quick to point out that this engine is a new build 130hp rather than a re-jigged model of a different output.

Having said that, the F130A does employ the 1.8 litre, 16-valve, double-overhead camshaft engine found in the F115B.

Yamaha claims improved a power-to-weight ratio and at 172kg the company also  claims that it is the lightest four-stroke engine in the 130 to 150 horsepower class and lighter than any of the competing two-stroke direct-injection engines of the same power output.

Yamaha’s Command Link digital gauges are compatible with this engine and a feature of this combination allows for variable throttle control when trolling.

This is a feature many inland boating anglers appreciate as it allows the idle speed to be adjusted in increments of 50rpm between 600 and 1000rpm. Getting a boat down to a suitable trolling speed for barra and especially cod and yellow belly was always difficult with an engine swinging a big screw but this feature puts these big engines within the practicable fishing range of anglers of those and other disciplines.

The Yamaha F130A pricing was recently released so we can confirm that recommended retail price is $17,534 for the F130LA, and $17,641 for the F130XA.

ON THE WATER
- A quiet, hassle-free package
Both the Explorer and the Yamaha did not disappoint individually or as a package.

The stability and manoeuvrability is excellent and the performance and power-to-weight ratio of boat and motor while not being phenomenal was quite acceptable.

With this boat rated to carry six people, those wanting to do so regularly may be looking for more power. With three large adults aboard, we found plenty of torque throughout the throttle range and hole-shot was effortless.

If you are one that appreciates a quiet, vibration-free outboard, you will fall in love with this one but then we would not expect less from any of Yamaha’s four strokes.

At a fast idle of 1000rpm you can expect around 3.5 knots and fuel consumption of 2.25 lph. At 3000rpm we achieved 9.3 knots for 11.85 lph and best cruising consumption was 20.05 lph at 4500rpm doing 25 knots. Getting from A to B in a hurry at a WOT of 6200 rpm you will be clipping along at just over 36 knots and burning 46.25 lph.

In testing, Yamaha produced a best cruising consumption rate of 2.30 km/litre at 4500rpm which would give the 575 a range of 349km using 95 per cent of the fuel load.

VERDICT
- A quality boat that should hold its value
Cruise Craft Boats command prices at the upper end of the trailer boat market.

Quality throughout has always been their goal and like all their other boats, they have achieved that with the 575 Explorer. The boat and Yamaha’ new outboard in the F130A is a well put together package and while it won’t be the cheapest rig on the block, like with so many other things we enjoy, a resale value commensurate with the buy price is there for those looking after their investment.

LIKES
>> Balanced package with smooth running and very quiet engine
>> Excellent finish all round on the hull
>> Great use of space

NOT SO MUCH
>> Not the cheapest boat on the block
>> Could do with a bit more grunt if carrying loads

RATINGS
Overall: 4.6/5.0
Mechanical: 4.6/5.0
Packaging and practicality: 4.7/5.0
On water performance: 4.5/5.0
Value for money: 4.5/5.0
X-factor: 4.4/5.0
Performance: 4.3/5.0

Specifications:
Priced from: TBA but expect a RRP of just over $77,000
Length overall: 6.097m
Hull length: 5.7m
Beam: 2.37m
Towing weight: 1800kg
Maximum power: 150hp
Engine as tested: Yamaha F130A
Fuel: 160 lites
Maximum person: Six

SUPPLIED BY:
Cruise Craft Boats
Ph. 07 3390 4877
M. 0419 676 170
Email peterb@cruisecraft.com.au
Web www.cruisecraft.com.au