Stacer 509 Bay Master

Name: Stacer 509 Bay Master
Brand: STACER

Is a tinnie still a tinnie? We think not.

LIKES

- Good looking
- Smooth Riding
- Value for money
- Large, usable cockpit for its LOA

DISLIKES

- No lid on the Anchor well
- Side pockets could be longer for rods

OVERVIEW

- What's in a name?

I recall the days when an aluminium boat was just what the name suggests, a boat made of aluminium that you stuck a small outboard on and went fishing. A tinnie.

The name stuck but the boat morphed. It morphed into something that barely resembles the venerable tinnie and has all the appointments of a fibreglass boat.

At the Stacer launch recently, we had the pleasure of taking out a 509 Bay Master runabout and were quite impressed with what we found.

The Bay Masters have been around for quite a few years (which actually augers well for potential buyers) but this update really brings the brand forward and offers a lot more than the Bay Masters of yore.

First impressions count when it comes to boats, and the first impression one gets of the Bay Master is that of a good-looking and well-proportioned boat that smacks of a bit of sportiness.

The new Low Profile Sports Deck (LPSD) enhances the looks of the boat. It gives the 509 a more raked and smaller windscreen which is both functional and aesthetic.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

- Value package with handy standard equipment

The 509 Bay Master will appeal to a wide range of customers, no the least of which is those on a limited budget. The price starts at $33,534 with a 75hp Evinrude engine, trailer registration and safety gear.

Also included is the bimini as shown in the accompanying photos, a VHF radio, rod holders, nav lights and fishfinder.

In fact, for the average boater, there’s not much that you have put on the boat for a good day out on the water.

Stacer has a long list of optional equipment so you spec up your Bay Master depending on your use. The avid fisherman, for example, can add an alloy cutting board, a burley bucket or even a live-bait tank. The family man can add a stainless-steel ski pole, a Fusion stereo system or even have the boat vinyl wrapped with some cool graphics.

INTERIOR LAYOUT

- A little bit more than what we're used to

The layout of the Bay Master is pretty standard for a small runabout, but the way it’s executed is neat and, well, almost luxurious.

The new Lock’N’Set lounge bracket allows the rear lounge to be folded neatly and securely against the transom, or easily removed entirely.
With the seat folded or removed, the cockpit is neat and very roomy for a boat of just over five metres.

Part of this roominess is due to the new transom which we reported on last week. This gives an extra 200mm interior space and provides much improved access to the bilge pump, battery and engine cabling than previously.

Up front there’s a pair of comfortable and sturdy pedestal seats for the skipper and co-pilot. The port seat is fixed but the helm seat is adjustable fore and aft.

There’s a new fascia setup that has plenty of room for electronics and the passenger gets a lockable compartment to keep phones and the like safe and dry. The new windscreen is a good height for the seated driver and it has a walk-through facility to access the ground tackle.

A grab rail surrounds the screen and there are also rails on the bow and down aft on the gunwales for the rear-seat passengers.

I found the helm position comfortable with throttle falling easily to hand. The Stacer-badged three-spoke wheel gave the boat an almost sports-car feel and the gauges for speed, revs, trim and fuel were well-placed and easy to read.

The driver and passenger are protected by the substantial bimini. This is not tall enough to stand under but it provides great protection from the sun, and if add the optional front and side clears, you’ll get all-weather protection.

The cockpit is fully carpeted and there’s substantial underfloor storage including a kill tank which can double as a icebox.

Side pockets adorn each side but I found them a little small for rod storage – you’d have to break down the rods to get them in. I thought they could be a bit longer, especially on the port side where the forward section isn’t impeded by the throttle cabling.

MECHANICAL, HULL AND DECK

- It's going to last!

The 509 Bay Master is constructed using 3mm alloy for the bottomsides, 2.5mm for the topsides and 3mm for the transom. One thing that true about alloy they last. Take a look through boatsales at the older Stacers and you see them dating well back yet still in good nick and inservice.

The boat weighs in at 470kg with a total weight of 953kg so it’s easily towable by the family sedan.

Power is from an Evinrude E-Tec 75hp outboard which we found to be smooth and quiet in operation and well suited to the task at hand.

Steering is mechanical non-return with a 4:1 ratio. Though not a huge fan of manual steering, on this boat, I found it very easy to use, light and direct. You can, however, upgrade to hydraulic steering as an optional extra.

The underfloor fuel tank holds 77 litres which should give plenty of range for a day out.

ON THE WATER

- Good things in small packages

I guess when you’re not expecting much and the package really delivers, the boat feels better than it should... if that makes any sense.

The R&D guys at Stacer will probably hate me for this given all the work that they tell us went into the revamp of the Bay Master, but I really wasn’t expecting the boat to be as good as this 509 is.

Right from the outset, the boat felt good. I liked the seating position, the ergonomics of the controls and dash layout, and the general ‘feel’ of the boat.

We had three fairly big blokes on board and a full tank of fuel. The boat felt stable at rest and even when one of our number stumbled while getting aboard (you shouldn’t try to get on board a boat while on the phone, Kev) the boat was not overly disturbed.

We chugged out onto the Gold Coast's Broadwater on fairly good day -- a light sou'easter and not much chop. After negotiating the six-knot restricted zone, we got to put the boat through its paces. Easing the throttle forward, the Bay Master rose effortlessly onto the plane with no undue lifting of the bow or bogging down.

The deep vee cut through any chop brilliantly and heading back into the wind, we didn’t get a drop on the screen.

I did notice a bit of cavitation in tight throttle-on turns but I didn’t get enough time to try to figure out if was the set-up of the boat or other factors. It wasn’t much but warranted further investigation.

I found a fast cruise at 4000rpm doing a bit over 25 knots was very comfortable and a flat-out run at 5000 rpm returned a speed of 30.5 knots on our GPS.

Overall I really enjoyed the 509 Bay Master. It exceeded my expectations and did everything asked of it.

I don’t know if I’d take one out in the Big Water, but for a bay, estuary or harbour boat, it’s a beauty. It’s good looking, functional and won’t break the bank, and a quick look on Boatsales will reveal that they do hold their price on the second-hand market.

RATINGS

Overall rating: 4.7/5.0
Mechanical/equipment: 4.7/5.0
Packaging and practicality: 4.7/5.0
On the water Performance: 4.8/5.0
Value for money: 4.8/5.0
X-factor: 4.6/5.0

Specifications:

Priced from: $33,534 with Evinrude 75hp (incl trailer and reg)
LOA: 5.25m
Beam: 2.20m
Hull weight: 470kg
Towing weight: 953kg
Deadrise: 13 degrees
Maximum power: 100hp
Engine as tested: Evinrude E-Tec 75hp
Fuel: 77 litres
People Day: Five
Maximum load: incl. gear 653kg

SUPPLIED BY:

Wynnum Marine
31 Fox Street,
Wynnum, Qld
Ph: 07 3396 9777

Web: www.wynnummarine.com.au

Read the latest Boatsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at the Boatsales Network's mobile site. Or download the all-new App.

Stacer 509 Bay Master

Tags