Mustang 2300 Bowrider

Mustang Pleasure Boats is one company that needs little introduction to Trailer Boat readers. The company's 2150 Walkaround model was our previous project boat - it graced these pages for a full year and was displayed on the national boat show circuit. The 2150 was superseded by the 2250 Walkaround, which now forms part of the extensive range of pleasure boats produced at the company's Hope Island (Qld) factory.

PURE PLEASURE
The latest Mustang to hit the water is the 2300 Bowrider. If pleasure and leisure is what you are looking for, then check out this rig. It's big, sleek, plush and opulent. What's more, showing that it matches its style with performance, the 2300 Bowrider belies its size by having the handling of a much smaller fibreglass boat.

Among its features, the 2300 Bowrider has a fully-moulded bowsprit that incorporates a Muir electric anchor winch. This bowsprit has a hollow centre through which a stainless steel box section is inserted, through which an anchor chain runs. The anchor pulls up tight under the bowsprit against a stainless buffer plate.

The rope and chain locker is huge - about a metre wide and half-a-metre long. The access hatch is flush mounted and located to the port side of the winch, behind which a pair of cleats are located. This locker would hold ample rope and chain, and all the fenders you would ever need to moor this boat. The coamings in the bow section are rounded on their outer edge.

A low-profile stainless steel handrail, fixed to the top of the coamings, surrounds the seating area, providing plenty of safety for passengers in the bowpit. This handrail can be gripped comfortably by an adult male without his knuckles contacting the coaming.

The bowrider section features a cover that has a zip-out centre to allow access to ground tackle without removing the entire cover.

With the cover removed, plush rolled upholstery is revealed. The seat cushions are removable and cover access hatches in both side benches and the forward seat. These hatches provide access to roomy storage areas. Four adults could comfortably lounge in the bowpit, which has a number of flush-mounted stainless steel drinkholders.

The opening windscreen folds back, allowing easy passage through the companionway to the bow. The companionway walls feature hatches opening into large storage areas.

MOD CONS
A small sink with a pressurised tap is located under a lift-up lid on the passenger-side dash. Above this sink is a spacious glove compartment. Even more stainless steel drinkholders are flush mounted around the cockpit.

The port side coaming adjacent to the passenger seat is a shelf with a padded facia for storage. Both helm and passenger seats are plush, wrap-around bucket seats, with swivel mounts and a forward/aft adjustment.

At the helm, unobtrusive VDO instrumentation in one module is fitted to the dash. There was no depth sounder fitted, nor was there a compass on the testboat. A flat section on the dash would allow for a flush-mounted compass to be installed. The available space behind the windscreen would allow for a small depth sounder to be gimbal mounted if required.

The rear of the cockpit is extremely spacious and stylishly upholstered. Storage below the rear seat cushions extends around the cockpit. A removable table, around which five adults could comfortably sit, is installed in the cockpit floor. Entertainment, if not making your own, is via a Clarion CD player that has speakers strategically flush mounted in the bowpit and at the rear of the cockpit.

With the round table removed and an optional rectangular table in place, extra cushions transform the rear lounge into a double berth.

GET YOUR MOTOR RUNNING
The engineroom is located below a hatch that opens on a gas strut. The hatch is upholstered and makes a good sunpad as well as a deadener for engine noise.

The portside lazarette offers bulk storage for knee and wakeboards. The starboard side has batteries and filters installed, but there is enough room left for crates to hold spare oil bottles, coolants and other spares.

The 5.0lt MPI MerCruiser engine is uncluttered and maintenance-friendly. If, for instance, you need to change belts, you could climb inside and work in this area freely, from above or from either side.

At the stern, a full-beam swim platform is incorporated. It features a telescopic stainless steel ladder as well as handrails for easy boarding when the boat is on the trailer or in the water.

TESTING TIME
With three passengers aboard, we ran the 2300 over plenty of chop - which was generated by the usual Gold Coast water traffic of parasailing boats, gamefishers and various other pleasure craft. The dryness of the hull was the first noticeable attribute. No spray was taken over the bow even with a wind coming over the forequarter. The reason for this became obvious back at the Mustang factory when taking a closer look at the hull. Each planing strake is reversed, so that as well as providing directional stability, they all act as spray chines, deflecting rising water.

Previous radar gun tests by Mustang have clocked this particular hull at speeds of up to 93kmh. On the test day, we managed 77kmh measured on the helm speedometer. Backing off the throttle, the boat settled into its comfort zone at around 48kmh. Noise from the 260hp engine was noticeably absent - a mere hum in the background. At slower speeds a good-sized wake forms for those into short boards, and there would be horses to spare for conventional skiers.

After a couple of hours on the water, it was obvious that Mustang are indeed on a winner with this boat. We walked away suitably impressed, with a feeling that this big Aussie bowrider is going to give the popular US imports a run for their money.