Head to head: Quintrex Freestyler 530 v Stessco 520 Bowrider

A family with a normal mid-size family car will likely look at an alloy bowrider over fibreglass as its weight will be an important consideration, with the lighter-weight aluminium allowing a larger-sized hull for the same towing mass compared with heavier fibreglass. 

But even bowriders can differ greatly in terms of aesthetics and practicality. Here we look at the cutting-edge Quintrex Freestyler 530 – one of Australia’s best-selling bowriders – alongside the more traditional-looking Stessco 520 Bowrider.

Value

Starting from around $60,000, the Quintrex Freestyler 530 is available as a complete drive-away package that includes a 90hp outboard engine. In contrast, the Stessco Bowrider 520 is priced from just under $60,000 as a complete drive-away package including a 110hp. outboard engine. 

Both boats feature anchor bow sprits, integrated anchor wells, navigation lights, bilge pumps, floor carpets, underfloor fuel tanks (85 litres for the Quintrex and 110 litres for the Stessco), boarding ladders, side rails, folding rear lounges, side pockets and two transducer mounting brackets.

While the Stessco has a wrap-around windscreen, adding side windows to the Quintrex is an added cost. This is good if you plan on using the Quintrex Freestyler 530 as a ski boat as it makes it easier for the skipper or crew to reach into the water from their seat to retrieve a ski.

The Stessco’s four rod holders trumps the Quintrex’s two, but the Quintrex gains an electric trolling motor mount by default – easy given its design.

The Stessco trumps the Quintrex with a transom door that makes getting in and out of the water easier, and an in-fill for the bow lounge that converts it to a day bed.

The Quintrex uses fold-down cleats forward and semi-hidden cleats on the Portofino-style transom aft so there is less chance of snagging a line on one, where the Stessco’s are fixed and not even protected by the side rails.

Engineering

The Quintrex Freestyler 530 measures 5.33 metres overall while the Stessco Bowrider 520 is slightly larger at 5.42 metres. Their beams are almost identical at 2.28 metres (Quintrex) and 2.27 metres (Stessco) wide.

Both boats are made from pressed aluminium that is then welded into the structure of the boat. However, while the Stessco uses 3.0mm thick alloy for the hull top and bottom, the Quintrex uses 3.0mm for the bottom and a slightly thicker 4.0mm for the top.

The reason for this is that the Quintrex has what is called a pickle fork bow, which runs the chines right forward to create a wide, almost punt-like bow on the boat. This adds more flotation forward, as well as creates more room for the bow lounge compared with the Stessco’s traditional bow.

While the Quintrex has a rotomoulded plastic dash, the Stessco’s dash is made from fibreglass. And while the Stessco uses removable seats behind the console, the Quintrex has fixed seats. 

Another other big difference is weight: the Stessco hull is only 495kg while the Quintrex hull weighs in at 621kg due to the extra sheet metal it carries.

The Quintrex sits on a flat-looking Apex hull while the Stessco sits on a pressed, folded and rolled Delta hull that has a deeper vee forward than its rival. 

A big point of difference between the two models’ designs is the number of people they can safety carry on board; for the Stessco it’s six, and for the Quintrex it’s seven.

On the water

We’ve tested the Quintrex 530 Freestyler and found it to be a safe, soft and secure boat in moderate conditions, making it one of the best-performing hulls on the water. 

The aggressively angled chines of the Apex hull mean the Quintrtex grips the water quite well in turns, acting much like a fibreglass boat.

The Stessco 520 Bowrider is also a model we’ve tested, showing itself to be a well-balanced, safe-handling boat with excellent stability.

On the water, it ran smoothly and quite comfortably across boat wakes and short chop.

Verdict 

The Stessco is a good choice for those buyers seeking decent value for money. A bigger tank means more time on the water, a standard infill for the bow lounge means more family friendliness and the lighter weight on the trailer means less stress on the vehicle that has to tow it between the driveway and the water.

The Quintrex shines in different ways. It has one of the best riding and performing hulls in the business, and that extra seat may be the difference between inviting one of your kids’ friends along for the day, or not.