Cruise Craft Explorer 575

What started out as a beautiful calm morning quickly turned into one of those days that sends the small boat brigade scurrying home with an afternoon bluster at their backs.

It was the sort of day that gets boat testers rubbing their hands in anticipation, for if there's one stretch of water that'll put a new boat to the test, it's Moreton Bay in a blow.

There was no sign of the 15-20kt north-east wind forecasted as the Explorer 575 slid off its trailer at the Moreton Bay Trailer Boat Club ramp. The water was glassy and sparkled all the way to Moreton Island. It was not until well off St Helena Island that a zephyr picked up, accelerating over the next hour to reach its predicted strength.

The breeze soon whipped up the infamous Moreton Bay chop, which rose to 1.5m with not much more distance between the crests.

With the Lowrance LMS 2400 plotter pegging our speed over the seabed at 30kmh, we headed east with the wind blowing squarely on our port quarter. Some spray managed to find its way onto the windscreen when we plunged into particularly deep troughs, but generally the Explorer treated us to a very dry ride considering the rough conditions.

The hull still proved to be dry and soft riding when blasting head-on into the waves, throwing the water down and well back of the helm position.

Running along the crests of these waves failed to uncover any bad manners, and the boat tracked predictably in a following sea.

Manoeuvrability on the plane was remarkable. The non-feedback Seastar mechanical steering felt typically firm from the engine torque when accelerating or sliding off the plane. This torque is far less noticeable when hydraulic steering is installed.

In the shelter of an island with the Yamaha 130 wound out, the 575 flew to 70kmh with a brilliant hole shot. The 130 two-stroke has more than enough grunt to cover most situations, be it fishing or family watersports.

Although rated for two-strokes up to 150hp, I can't see that there would be much to be gained by bolting on additional horsepower, unless you're planning to haul heavy loads. The boat felt well balanced with the 130.

COSY QUARTERS
I found enough headroom inside the cabin to sit comfortably without banging my scone on the roof, thanks to an elevated but unobtrusive roofline. The spacious interior is capable of accommodating four people.

Interestingly, the forward section of the standard V-berth has been replaced with a short platform to stand on while reaching for the anchor and chain through the cabin hatch. It allows you to brace your hips against the edges of the hatch rather than leaning on your ribs - a painful position in rough seas.

The side bunks had plenty of storage inside, hidden below nylon lids and smart, printed vinyl cushions. Sidepockets flank the cabin walls, providing additional storage, and a full fibreglass shroud hides the dash wiring and mechanical steering box fitted behind the helm. Nice touches that well illustrate Cruise Craft's attention to detail and high quality of finish.

A three-quarter length stainless steel handrail is installed in a rebate along the edge of the cabin entrance.

DRIVE TIME
The helm was set up with a brace of Lowrance electronic units - an LMS 2400 chartplotter and X91 sounder. A Ritchie flush-mounted compass was well positioned and Yamaha gauges were installed on the near-vertical dashboard surrounds.

There would be enough room to install a larger combination GPS/sonar unit should the customer prefer it. I thought the dash shape was nicely designed and even though minimal space is left for larger instruments, it appears uncluttered and user-friendly.

The forward cockpit area is covered by a sturdy collapsible bimini with a laced-in canvas cover, stainless steel frame and a six-rod rocket launcher. Clears were fitted to the test boat along with optional sleeves for a pullout awning which offers further shade and shelter.

Helm seating on this model was very comfortable. The two bucket seats feature moulded fibreglass shells. Both swivel, and the skipper's offered forward and rear adjustment so the helmsman needn't stretch for the wheel.

Between the two seats I found a flush-mounted floor hatch covering a 70 x 40 x 30cm kill tank which drains into the bilge via a bung.

Generously proportioned sidepockets are fitted either side of the two front seats - somewhere for the hat, keys and wallet - and below that another compartment leading to another pair of sidepockets that run the length of the cockpit to the transom bulkhead. The bottom of the pocket was just high enough off the floor to allow feet to tuck in underneath when leaning against the gunwale.

LOST IN SPACE
Passenger seating is incorporated into the inner transom bulkhead. The backrests are a permanent fixture on the coaming edge and the bench seat is split, each side having a pair of collapsible legs. The hinges on the seat bases are stainless steel plunger pin style, which allows the removal of the bases in seconds for improved access to the storage area under the transom coaming.

Plenty of cockpit space and easy access to the transom should also find favour with offshore anglers who need the room to keep fishing lines clear of the outboard.

A raised shelf in each rear quarter under the coaming holds a battery on the starboard side and engine oil bottle on the port side, leaving enough room to house another battery or store fenders and other gear out of the way. The bilge and livewell pumps are installed in a deep recess between the two shelves.

A 40lt plumbed livebait tank is fitted in the portside quarter of the transom. The opposite corner has an identical (but not plumbed) baitwell fitted - the ideal place to stash your drinks, bait and ice.

A central bait station sits on two vertical posts fitted in holes on the transom. It incorporates a sink with a drain to the transom but no plumbing. The lid covering it serves as a cutting board. A recess each side is a neat place to store bait while fishing.

Cruise Craft has included a bi-fold stainless ladder fitted to the port boarding platform to make climbing aboard the boat while it's on a trailer a whole lot easier.

A BIG SMALL BOAT
Our camera boat for this particular test was the Explorer 575's big sister, the 625 Outsider. After spending the day jumping from one boat to the other, it became apparent that there isn't a huge amount of difference between the two. The 575 really feels like a big 'small boat'.

The 575 is a beamy, well laid-out boat with plenty of room for the family or sportsfishing team. Stability at rest was impressive, and its high sides and broad shoulders inspire a feeling of security.

It would make a great inshore sportsfishing boat with little need to spend a fortune adding accessories from the extensive list of optional extras.

Its towing weight of 1690kg puts it in the six-cylinder family car or 4WD range.

The Explorer 575 is the ideal rig for the average bloke looking for a good, safe boat capable of fishing the inshore reefs with a couple of mates one weekend and waterskiing with the kids the next.

The difference is you get more than an average boat for your dollar.