Cruise Craft Explorer 550

One of the most successful rigs produced by Cruise Craft in Brisbane is its Outsider. Available in a number of sizes, this centre cab is particularly popular with offshore sportsfishermen.

Cruise Craft's new Explorer 500 and 550 are very close cousins, built on the well-proven Outsider's hull. The major difference is the new boats feature a full cuddy cab format thus providing a spacious and comfortable family-friendly layout that nonetheless remains more than suitable for bluewater sportsfishing.

Retailing at $29,000 for the 500 and $37,000 for the 550, the Explorers are little cheaper than the Outsider. Don't make the mistake of assuming these boats are strippers, however. In the Cruise Craft tradition, aside from a smart layout and attractive finish, the boats come standard with features that remain options on some other boats in this price/size range.

The 5.5m-long 550 Explorer falls right at the lower end of the most popular size for 'small' boat gamefishing Down Under. This class of boat and fishing is almost unique to Australia (and New Zealand) and, as an added bonus, yields boats seaworthy yet still a size suitable for one-person launching.

The other benefits these 5.0-6.0m boats offer are reasonable towing weights and relatively economical operation.

As an aside, one of the things that I always enjoy about testing Cruise Craft boats is that the whole rig is always ready to go - the engine pre-delivered, the boat fits the trailer properly and the maker has made sure that the whole outfit works right before the boat leaves the yard.

With this attention to detail, it should come as no surprise that Cruise Craft boasts a number of Boat of the Year category and overall awards.

Though the 550 is rated to 150hp, the testboat's V-four 115hp Johnson was certainly a good match, moving the rig easily onto the plane and accelerating briskly to a top speed of around 70kmh.

Bigger engines will no doubt deliver a higher top speed, though there are not too many occasions where you will need it. Not offshore anyway!

Use the motor's midrange and you'll get speeds of around 40kmh - a more comfortable and economical speed at which to travel.

With an underfloor fuel capacity of 160lt, your average offshore fishing trip should see you home with adequate fuel still in reserve. However, if you choose to bump the horsepower level, also think of increasing the fuel capacity.

The Explorer's deep 20° deadrise (at the transom) delivers a smooth ride. It's a competent hull, proven (as noted above) in the Outsider range.

It's worth noting that even in the uncomfortable chop we encountered during testing, the Explorer could happily maintain 35-40kmh speeds without being thrown about.

There is no pod arrangement on the Explorer with the engine bolted directly to the transom. A small step is provided on the exterior of the transom for boarding with a grab handle and an optional folding stainless steel ladder.

The 550's internal layout is relatively spacious and certainly comfortable.

The full-width transom means the Explorer's cockpit has a secure feel. Padded side and rear coamings provide a comfortable area to fish.

Cruise Craft obviously thinks hard about its boats. The area in the centre of the transom in front of the bait board is devoid of the padded coaming. Why? From past experience, this area (under the ubiquitous cutting board) usually ends up wearing blood and guts and is a difficult spot to clean.

Two under-transom shelves (one for oil tank and the other for battery) raised off the floor enable you to get right in close to the gunwales and fish. The shelves are generous and a spare fuel tank or tackle box could also be kept here. Just don't put the fuel tank on the same shelf as the battery!

Under the outboard well, the deck of the boat drains to a well fitted with an electric bilge pump. The area is large enough to sit a few buckets in. There is also provision for a livebait tank in the transom.

Storage is well thought out for a boat of this length. The Explorer gets side pockets which run from the transom shelves to the helm seats. The pockets are fitted with brackets for rods, gaffs, tagpoles and the like.

Right next to the passenger and driver seats are more small side pockets ideal for bits and pieces such as hats, wallets, sunglasses, sunscreen, maps, manuals, mobiles, etc. In addition, a deck hatch between the two seats can be used as storage, a fish box or as an esky.

A smartly moulded dash presents the instruments well, with the gauges, switch panel and radio moulded into the console. Additional electronics are mounted to the left on the dash.

The entry into the cuddy cab is open right across the helm.

I find that a larger opening invites you to use the cabin more as you don't have to squeeze through a narrow hatch every time you want to grab the likes of a towel or camera.

The open style also keeps the cabin cool and reduces the damp musty feel and smell of some trailerboats. In cooler climes a vinyl screen with clears can be clipped into place.

The majority of cuddy and half cabs these days have the forward section of the cabin run right out to the gunwales. While this does give additional cabin room, it leaves nowhere to walk around the sides of the boat.

Sure, bow hatches are usually provided but these can be a clumsy way of getting in and out the boat.

With the Explorer I was particularly happy to find a small walkway around the cabin - only small, but adequate.

The amount of interior space lost is not going to be missed, either. The 550's twin V-berths provide ample room and a centre infill can be added for even more.

The canopy fitted, while not overly large, does keep the weather off you. The accompanying rocket launcher providing easily-reached rod storage.

While smaller trailerboats like the Explorer need some clever fitting out for heavy-duty sportsfishing use, the general formula is well on the way. The 550 appeals thanks to an open and workable cockpit, clean cabin area, an admirable blend of comfort and performance and Cruise Craft's excellent reputation for workmanship and finish.

As a sportsfishing platform we'd always place the Outsider as number one choice in the Cruise Craft range but there's no doubt that the Explorer's user-friendly cuddy cab format lends itself to a number of uses as well as fishing.