Seafarer Voyager 6.8 Centre Cab

Established in 1957, the Mermaid Beach (Qld) company has an enviable reputation for quality manufacture and innovation. Its products have stood the test of time and are subsequently much sought after in the second-hand boat market.

Seafarer's distinction for innovation, clever design and top performance took yet another step forward recently with the Brisbane Boat Show release of its Voyager 6.8m Centre Cab. A sister vessel to the Viper 6.8m Sports Console, the Voyager drew a steady stream of admirers and, more importantly buyers, at the northern expo.

And who can blame them - if nothing else, the Voyager's standard inclusions read like every sportsfisherman's wish list!

On the water, the Voyager's impressive bulk, fine lines and gentle curves give it an air of class and distinction. But don't let its good looks fool you, Seafarer has targeted the Voyager as a serious offshore platform and has designed and built the boat to ensure it will handle the rough and tumble of bluewater sportsfishing.

The Voyager (and Viper) hull boasts a hefty 23° deadrise. This gives a very good rough water ride yet still retains a surprising amount of stability for a deep-V both at rest or on the move. The Voyager's 2.5m beam and flush bottom pod are large contributors to this stability.

The latter's prodigious buoyancy also contributes to the Voyager's ability to comfortably wear even large capacity twin outboard set-ups. The boat's motor well has as such been designed to accommodate either single or twin outboards.

In the case of our test boat, power was provided by twin V-four Evinrude OceanPro 115hp outboards.

With a good reputation for both power delivery and economy, the engines had no trouble powering the rig. In fact, with one motor 'dead', a single 115hp would still put the Voyager up on the plane and recorded a top speed of 48kmh!

With both motors firing, the V-fours cruise happily in the 3500-4200rpm area - around 50kmh - though wide-open yielded a top-end on the fast side of 75kmh. That's getting along for a boat this size.

On the flip side, low planing speeds can be maintained around the 2800rpm.

There's no doubting the feeling of security a twin motor set-up provides. However, if you choose to fit a single to the Voyager, Seafarer recommends somewhere in the 175-225hp range.

Sampled off the Gold Coast's famed Seaway in conditions bordering on unpleasant, the test boat proved very capable. It went where you wanted it, when you wanted it, without being pushed around unduly by sea conditions. It was no slouch when rising out of the water and the feel on the helm was one of complete control.

The Voyager likes a fair bit of positive trim, lifting the entire hull that little bit higher on the water without prop cavitation and the bow-high porpoising effect other boats of this size sometimes encounter.

In flat conditions you can trim the motor right out, but in average running conditions a little better than quarter trim feels and performs quite well.

The Voyager's underfloor fuel tank has a 340lt capacity. Combined with the V-fours' frugal manners this allows for big days out or extended trips and weekends away.

The boat's layout encourages this too. Inside the cabin, there's a 2m-long twin V-berth which with infill forms a double bed. There are storage areas under the bunks and internal side pockets provide additional room, while a portaloo is also fitted.

The cabin has good headroom and the cabin floor (clip-in carpet) and walls are fully lined making it a pleasant retreat. The boat's standard equipment GME 27meg radio and matching marine radio/cassette unit are also fitted out of harms way within the cabin.

Entry is from the port (passengers) side of the centrecab and a zippered vinyl cover gives added privacy.

Unlike some boats of this size, the Voyager also boasts a hatch which opens in the roof of the cabin. This provides good ventilation and is large enough to pass through.

It's the helm area of Seafarer's latest offerings that have caught many boaties' eyes and the Voyager is no exception.

Featuring a well appointed, spacious dashboard, there's room for a full set of dual instruments and the standard fitment flush-mounted Lowrance LMS350 sounder/GPS. Toggle switchgear (standard nav lights, bilge pump, deckwash, etc) runs either side of the sounder and are easily reached.

The sounder's transducer is mounted in the hull during lay-up and this helps optimise performance.

The (standard) Seastar hydraulic steering has a sturdy stainless wheel - very classy.

Padded pedestal seats give the helmsman and passenger a comfortable ride, even in rough conditions. There are upper side pocket on the passengers side of the helm area - an ideal place to store car keys, handbags, sun screen, wallets etc - a clip-in helm area carpet is also listed as standard equipment. Additional storage hatches are located in the sides of the cabin, including one which accommodates the batteries.

It's good to have a spacious and comfortable centre cab, but not at the expense of losing the genuine walkways that define a centrecab. No problems here, the Voyager's are a minimum of 300mm wide - plenty of room.

In addition, side coamings (with storage pockets) rise just past knee height and the walkway is undercut so you can get your feet under for better balance while fishing or hauling in a rope.

Higher than the self-draining cockpit, the walkaround section offers a height advantage for spotting and casting to fish. And don't worry about water - large stainless steel meshed drains and bulkheads at the aft end of the walkaround divert it out scuppers amidships.

The Voyager's centre cab has a low profile and rounded sporty look. A curved glass windscreen blows the breeze overhead and a smart standard Targa top with clip-in, clear sections (and storm cover) protect you from the elements.

The Voyager's anchor well is set up to house two anchor systems. When retrieving the anchor, a bowsprit prevents hull damage. One of the few options Seafarer lists is an electric anchor winch!

Fishermen will find the 6.8's cockpit open and uncluttered. Cleats and grabrails are recessed and there are padded coamings to lean against while you are fishing. And yes, we're still talking about standard features!

The Voyager's transom features a split fold-down seat with an opening door in the centre of it. This provides an easy means of walking in and out the cockpit.

A plumbed livebait tank and storage bin are found on the transom's topside while the deck has three built-in, insulated fish boxes. These are ideal for keeping your catch in good condition and have a separate area to store lunch and a few drinks.

One box doubles as a wet tank and can be filled and drained with fresh seawater.

The deck-wash hose, deep side gutters and one-way scuppers make an at-sea scrub down easy work.

As we noted earlier, the Voyager's list of standard inclusions reads like a sportsfisherman's wish list. But this would be worth little if the basic boat was not well put together.

Seafarer's execution of the Voyager is clearly first-class. If you're considering a serious trailerable offshore fishing boat then you cannot afford to overlook it.