Excalibur 5 Metre

Some boats open up a realm of possibilities, while others do one or two things really well. Boatbuilding is like that, with designers targeting all people with an all-rounder or going for a specialist market with a purpose-built craft. And neither the two shall meet...

The Excalibur 5-Metre subscribes to the former school of thought. A crafty cuddy-cabin, the neat boat leads you into all kinds of situations. What it does best is a splash of most things: cruising, fishing, diving, swimming, picnics, upriver explorations and offshore expeditions.

As if to prove as much, I boarded the boat at a wharf beside a shallow ramp as jumbos roared overhead and container ships unloaded their cargo while a wildlife photographer was kneeling behind his tripod trying to capture some migratory birds on a nearby sandflat. The contrast illustrated my colourful day on Botany Bay.

First stop was Bare Island, which is an old outpost of fortifications. On one side, azure water lap a nude sunbaking beach. Ever watchful of the shoreline, I paraded before the throng in thongs before skipping around the western shore. There, limpid water flowing off sand and giant kelp beds begs dropping anchor, donning the mask and snorkel, and taking the plunge.

Next, I zoomed from Bare Island to Kurnell to the historic landing site of Captain Cook. I contemplated a landing of my own. Nearby was Watts Reef. It's a terrific breaming spot at night. With the pick down and the canopy up, I could have set a few yabby baits and sat back waiting for a nibble while emptying a tube or two.

In this boat I could have trolled the headlands for bonito, plonked myself on an offshore reef for snapper, headed up the Georges River for an ice-cream at Como, or ventured along the coast for no particular reason. But had I met the fishermen back at the boatramp before I sallied forth, I would have probably drifted off Maroubra for flathead.

Our mate had a box of fish to write home about. Such are the fun and games you can have behind the wheel of a quintessential all-rounder.

Fashioned from 4mm plate aluminium on the undersides and 2mm clinker-pressed sheet for the top sides, the Excalibur 5-Metre is a well-proportioned boat offering passenger comfort in a cockpit that lends itself to fishing. It offers good access to the water, as well as protection from inclement weather.

THE JOHN DORY
The boat's lines reflect the thought that has gone into the cockpit design. Rather than being slap-sided, the bow kicks up in a way that is reminiscent of a North Sea dory. What you can't see are floor frames, 50mm stringers, and the positive foam flotation.

A moderate-vee hull, the Excalibur 5-Metre gains efficiency from its relatively flat aft sections. There are welded strakes to help trap water and provide lift, and a prominent keel for tracking and scuff resistance. Most of the Excalibur boats are built this way.

The raised dory-like bow contributes to an unusually high degree of freeboard. There is enough flotation to support an adult and you'll be hard pressed putting water aboard. Should the anchor get stuck, the bow should be able to handle the downward pressure of a stretched rode and a short headsea.

The foredeck is marginally accessible around the cabin sides - they aren't topped in non-skid - but the safer route is via the cabin hatch.

While it's never much fun going through a hatch in a rough sea - and this one seemed to have sticky catches to boot - I found the hatch was well positioned.

The anchor locker, which is deep enough to hold a lot of rope, the bowsprit with teflon roller, a solid cross bollard and support rails are all nicely accessible. The bowrail is a split number that will make boarding possible from wharves and beaches.

Hatch closed, I sat in the cabin and contemplated the comforts. Although the boat is just five metres long, the cabin is wide thanks to the dory-like bow. It has sitting room for two people, propped-up by padded backrests, storage for a second anchor in a for'ard tray, paddle clips, and storage under the seats.

The companionway leading into the cabin is big enough to cater for girth-challenged fishos. The same can't be said for the vinyl-covered, plastic bucket seats. (I tended to fall forward from them.) The boatbuilder plans to fit better seats.

Mounted on seat boxes, the seats swivel back towards the cockpit and offer a good view through the screen when underway. They don't get in the way when standing at the helm. It may be easier turning the seat boxes around so you can access the trays from the cockpit side. This way you can plonk some fishing tackle inside and, when the need to rerig arises, you'd have direct access to the hardware.

Simple but effective, the builders deserve full marks for the full-width dash. Offering plenty of scope for flush or bracket-mounting electronics, the dash was fitted with four engine gauges and a waterproof switch panel. The passenger has a handy grabrail and there is a recess perfect for storing the essential sunnies, Factor 30 Banana Boat and, err, mobile phone.

The Excalibur 5-Metre was topped with a useful canopy and a hinged rocket launcher which could store six outfits. The canopy was attached to a separate frame which banged against the rocket launcher. For my money, I'd mount the canopy off the launcher and create a bimini top.

DEEP & DELICIOUS
I liked this boat's cockpit. It was big enough to cater for a family of four, up to three fishos offshore, a few divers and, as with all good layouts, there was a place for everyone and everything had a place. The floor was topped with carpet and, by my reckoning, the cockpit is deeper than many five-metre boats.

Wide coamings, aft rails, mooring cleats and extra-deep aft-quarter seats add to the sense of security. The sidepockets are three-quarter length and there are two plastic rodholders for everyday fishing.

The battery was held under the quarter seat, there was a central livebait tank, and a bait-cutting board across the transom. Two remote 25lt fueltanks tucked under the engine well. Like the bow, the transom is loathe to ship water.

The deep well has extra buoyancy from the two tread steps either side of the motor. Divers will like platforms and the aft rails flanking them. Fishos will note the berley pot that sits on slides and the additional storage recesses at the transom where you could keep a couple of remote tackle boxes.

Newer Excalibur models have a more refined welding job and better paint finish than that which graced the testboat. But as it was, the Excalibur 5-Metre had better proportions, a higher degree of safety, and a more practical layout than many pop-out aluminium boats.

A tiny bit of fine tuning and a spit and a polish would earn it another star in the ratings.

STREAKER ON THE BAY
Like a streaker at the MCG - such thoughts come to mind now that it's summer - I was caught flashing about Botany Bay in the Excalibur 5-Metre. The wind was blowing from the west and, as with most big bays, the water was choppy. The handling was predictable, the bow sluicing the chop, with an odd splash of spray and a little shudder here and there when confronting a head sea.

Matched to a 70hp Tohatsu, the boat doesn't do anything untoward. While I have learnt not to expect miracles from any five-metre boat, I came away more than satisfied with the performance of the Excalibur. Top speed was in the order of mid-30kt, with optimum comfort at low cruise speeds.

My jaunty little outing ended with cinnamon donuts and hot coffee back at the wharf from whence we started. A migrant with a buxom doll glued to the foredeck of his runabout told me it was his girlfriend. He's the same bloke who lifted a box of sand flathead high in the air before proceeding to fillet them on the fish-cleaning table. Summer came early to Sydney that day.

Drawing Swords
Based at Botany Bay, Excalibur turns out a range of aluminium runabouts, centre-consoles, centre-cabins and cuddy-cabins from 5-7.5m.

The company offers opportunities for customising, options such as outboard pods for twin outboard installations, as well as building boats to survey for various marine authorities.

Unlike the slab-sided plate boats of yesteryear, Excaliburs appear to have a bit more shape about them. The camera-boat used during the testing of the 5-Metre was a 6-Metre Centre Console. Seen here, it looks like a nice boat for anything from sportsfishing to big-river barra fishing and workboat duties.

On exposed Botany Bay, the hull bridged the chop nicely. With the helmstation further aft than the Cuddy Cabin, the driver and mate got a smooth ride. Almost like a long-boat by design, the 6-Metre Centre Console is reputedly the company's sweetest-riding model.