Savage 540 Bluewater Cuddy Cabin

One of the great things about trailerboats is their versatility. Sure, many are designed for specific purposes, such as serious offshore fishing or chasing estuary bream. Others are designed for coastal hops, or for kicking up massive wakes and impressing the younger set. But, generally, a boat is what you make of it.

With such a strong emphasis on family boating in the marine industry, it should come as no surprise that for many people the quest for that perfect boat to suit all of their needs is like the quest for the Holy Grail. There's just that many to choose from. How do you decide?

No doubt most are happy with their eventual purchases, while others are left wondering, "If only I had looked a little longer..."

One answer to this is to start with a blank canvas; that is, to buy a no-fuss boat with the view to optioning it up later on. This will allow you and the clan to spend some time aboard and get a feel for how the boat will be used in the long term. Seriously, who has the money to buy a seven-metre fishing weapon, only to discover later that long range cruising in supreme comfort is more their family's thing?

Enter: the TrailerBoat project boat – a Savage 540 Bluewater cuddy cabin. On loan to TrailerBoat from Brunswick Boat Group, the 540 doesn't have all the trimmings yet, but it has the potential to be a pretty special craft. It's being passed around the office at the moment like the proverbial village bicycle, and all who has taken it out so far has had an opinion on what the first item on the agenda should be. So, does the idea of buying a blank canvas hold water? Time will tell...

FITOUT
The Savage 540 Bluewater is an aluminium hull with a fibreglass cabin and cockpit. Designed as a runabout that'll mostly be used in protected waters, it is surprisingly spacious on board.

The full-length transom lounge could comfortably seat three, or perhaps four at a squeeze. Supported by two sturdy metal struts, the lounge folds down to provide more work space when fishing, or it can be completely removed and stored in the bow cabin area or in a recess in the transom bulkhead, which also houses the battery box. This recess is between the seat and padded backrest.

As far as fishing features go, the sidepockets that run the length of the deck on both sides were ideal for storing our brand new Piranha rods and will even accommodate required safety gear. As standard, you also get two rodholders.

The helm is reasonably spacious, with the driver and passenger divided by the companionway opening to the cuddy. Both helmsmen sit on pedestal chairs, which are screwed securely to the floor. Both of the chairs are height-adjustable and slide forward and aft. The backrests recline slightly for comfort.

A glovebox sits within easy reach of the passenger, who also has a storage nook to port and Navman 27MHz radio mounted in front. The black perspex cover of the glovebox opens on plastic hinges. The boat only has one drinkholder, positioned on the passenger side.

The dash setup is functional, and included a Navman fishfinder, speedo, tacho, hour-meter, and gauges for fuel and trim. A switch panel for nav and anchor lights and the bilge pump is located to starboard.

While the throttle falls well to hand for making quick speed adjustments, its positioned awkwardly for making tight turns. A Mercury sports steering wheel completes the dash setup.

 The windscreen is a three-panel number supported on either side of the cuddy entrance by struts. Due to a lack of grabrails in the cockpit, the passenger will invariably end up grabbing the closest one, especially when the sea kicks up. This needs to be addressed because, although the struts are strong, they may not handle the additional load.

The middle windscreen panel folds open, as does a two-piece hatch that completes the cuddy, simply by twisting a couple of catches, to provide walkthrough access to the bow. The hatch opens on stainless steel hinges.

The cabin is made up of two padded lounges that extend from the cockpit to the anchor well, and is a great place in which to escape the sun. The lounges, supported by a piece of solid timber, can be removed to reveal storage – handy for lifejackets and maybe some watertoys and ropes. Two shelves run along both sides of the cabin, above the two lounges.

The split bowrail is stainless steel, as is the bowroller fixture and cleat.

The entire deck is carpeted. There's a rear underfloor storage space that you could, in a pinch, use as an icebox, and separate underfloor storage forward.

Stainless steel grabrails at the stern flank either side of the boat, and would be handy when boarding. There's also a square of non-skid either side of the engine for grip when coming and going.

INTO THE FRAY
We flicked the ropes from the plastic cleats and set off from the Patterson Lakes Marina, which will house our craft. We headed north to Sandringham, and the 540 acquitted itself well in the choppy Port Phillip Bay. With the wind blowing up to 20kts and waves rising to one-metre, the aluminium hull surprised with its smooth ride and didn't generate too much spray. Driven sensibly in these conditions, there's no reason the 540 should stay in the dry stack if you're hanging to get a line in. Strong and sturdy, this craft will take a battering.

 We took it out again once the weather settled. The four-stroke Mercury 115 did a great job of pushing the boat to a top speed of 35mph at 5000rpm, and delivered a fast cruise of 30mph at 4800rpm. Steering was light and responsive. Family cruise speed is around 25mph at 3800rpm, where you can still hold an, albeit loud conversation at the helm. The hull held tight in turns, with minimal chine walking. In these calmer conditions, by trimming the engine out a little, you'll get a soft, dry cruise.

Yes, the TrailerBoat Savage 540 Bluewater is a versatile craft – there's even a couple of stainless steel skihooks mounted on the outside of the transom. In time, as we add a bimini, maybe a baitboard and more rodholders and a swim ladder, it'll be an ideal family runabout.

Fishing, family cruising, wakeboarding or tubing... with our blank canvas, the possibilities are endless. Watch this space!

HIGHS