Savage Aluminium 525 Osprey and Savage Javelin 5.5 Bowriders

Comparing two of Savage's new offerings, the aluminium hulled Savage 525 Osprey bowrider and GRP Savage Javelin 5.5 bowrider, was a lot of fun.

These family craft are aimed at similar markets, although differences in construction and materials may make one more appealing than the other to each individual. The facts below will allow you to decide which boat most suits your needs.

Firstly, the Osprey is an aluminium boat with a fibreglass bowrider moulded liner. At 5.25m it's marginally smaller than the Javelin at 5.5m, which is an all-GRP boat. The difference in length is unnoticeable.

The major differences between the two boats can be narrowed down to horsepower rating, weight and, of course, price.

The Osprey is rated to a 115hp outboard; the Javelin, 150hp. The Osprey weighs just 495kg against the Javelin's 700kg. The Osprey's base package price is $24,400; the Javelin's, $30,800.

So the aluminium boat is cheaper, lighter to tow and probably won't use as much fuel. However, the Javelin is a much prettier boat, is better finished and rides beautifully.

Delving a little deeper, both have many similarities, but they have a few points of difference too.

Both have walk-through three-piece windscreens to get to the bow section. The Javelin has a little more room up front. Both bow sections have similar storage under the seats. The Osprey has a low bowrail, split bowpost, small bowsprit with roller and an anchorwell cleverly hidden behind the backrest at the apex of the bow seating. The Javelin has two grabrails, large sidepockets, conventionally-sited ancho rwell, rope roller, and twin pop-up cleats just in front of the screen, but no bowsprit. The cushioning is white vinyl with colour-coordinated teal piping.

GO ZONE
Working back to the go zone in the Osprey, the driver's position is good, if somewhat lower than in the Javelin. All instrumentation - battery, fuel, speedo, tacho, tripmeter and trim - is in the one panel above the helm. The Javelin's instrument panel is the same, but its plastic woodgrain surround makes it look classier.

Cupholders are moulded into the dash for both skipper and passenger in both boats, but the Javelin also has a lidded glovebox and grab handle for the passenger.

Controls are mounted a little high in the Javelin, but it is comfortable enough and in a fairly good driving position, as is that in the Osprey. The Osprey is also fitted with a bimini, but no clears, and both boats are carpeted.

PRACTICALITY VERSUS STYLE
Each boat has long sidepockets which would fit skis, but the Javelin forsakes practicality for stylish design and thus access is a tad cramped. The Osprey has wide gunwales in which there are two rodholders, the fuel filler, nav lights and two large plastic cleats. Small stainless safety rails give some protection in both stern quarters and twin fold-down benches cover the transom. The battery sits on its own carpeted shelf beneath the transom.

The cockpit in the Javelin is finished nicely inside in vinyl, wherever the inner liner leaves a gap or two. There are no rodholders, but there are grabrails for rear lounge passengers. This lounge is more stylish than that in the Osprey, with a fold-down centre back to give swing-up room for the outboard. This design feature is a great space saver on quite a few boats these days, but, for heaven's sake, don't forget to put the seatback down before you trim the outboard all the way up.

Pop-up cleats are positioned in the sweptback stern quarters, which contain twin lockers. A skipole positioned high over the motor keeps the rope well away from the prop and is probably high enough for wakeboarders to get a little air. The Osprey is fitted with ski hooks on the stern.

The Javelin has two underfloor bins, one in the bow and another larger one between the seats. The aluminium boat has neither.

The Javelin's 150hp Mercury Saltwater EFI outboard, fitted with a Mercury 19-inch High-Five prop, is bolted directly to the stern with swim platforms either side. These have grabrails, but could also do with a boarding ladder.

The Osprey's Mercury 115hp EFI four-stroke spins a Mercury 16-inch Vengeance prop and is mounted on a hull-line pod. It also has twin swim platforms.

The Javelin was on a Mackay full side-roller tandem trailer and the Osprey on a Dunbier single-axle side-roller trailer. The hulls of both boats are quite different. The Osprey is a clinker design, painted cream. Four pressings either side of the keel, combined with the usual welded reverse chines, achieves the stabilising effect. Savage says the hull, which is the base platform for all Osprey models, has received an upgrade with the addition of an external keel for better directional control and tracking.

ON THE BAY
The boat rode quite well, achieving a 75kmh top speed at 5300rpm and cruising at 50kmh on 4000rpm. At 50kmh the ride was a little uncomfortable and the boat seemed to ride smoother at around 3000rpm in the half-metre Port Phillip Bay chop. It was an exceptionally dry ride, which, I must admit, was a pleasant surprise.

There were times during the test when I had trouble keeping the bow down at the lower end of the rev range, particularly into the wind. I suspect the boat would have performed differently with a less weighty powerplant than the 115hp four-stroke. I hasten to add that the weight of even a couple of kids in the bow seats would have given a totally different picture and probably solved the bow-up problem.

The Javelin was a fairly conventional fibreglass hull with three strakes and wide, flat chines with a splash deflector ridge low on the hull. It worked well. To my mind, the Javelin out-performed the aluminium boat. Naturally, with more horses it was quicker - 95kmh at 5000rpm and 62kmh at 3500rpm. It was as dry as the Osprey and drove like a sports car. In tight turns it slipped across the water beautifully with no tendency to grab and twist. There was no hint of hard entry, whereas the Osprey could be induced to jar the molars a little into the chop. Then again, aluminium boats are not noted for softness and this hull is a very good performer compared to many tinnies.