Stacer 649 Ocean Ranger

The Ocean Ranger is designed as fishing boat. Full stop. Asked if the boat would come in other configurations, for example as a family weekender or runabout, the Stacer team were adamant: "No, this boat was designed for the fisherman, and the serious fisherman at that."

Hence, the 649 has built-in features that most fishermen would want and, for that matter, that many would include in other boats as an option.
One of the big features is the checkerplate self-draining cockpit sole which we’ll get to later, as well as many other standard items that will make keen fishos take a second look.

The basic boat gets the 150hp Evinrude as seen here and most of the equipment on the test boat, with the exception of the Lowrance sounders, graphics, but not much else.

Worthy of note on the standard equipment list are the Volvo Penta QL drop-down trim tabs. They’re not your regular trim tabs that stick out the back of the boat. These hide under the hull and protrude downward. Among the benefits, if you’re fishing off the back of the boat, you are not going to get hung up on the tabs out the back.

They are also effective, as we found out. Heading across about 20 knots of sou’easter on the Broadwater, the boat got a bit of a heel up to windward. A couple of taps on the tabs soon had us stabilised on an even keel.

And as Cliff, the mechanical and set-up man from Stacer said, they only hang down about two inches below the boat so there is really very little drag. Standard, I reiterate.

Also standard is the twin-battery setup, the live-bait tank, all the rod holders, bimini, rocket launcher and more.

It’s a well set-up package that you only need to add some electronics to, and you’re off!

Handy options might include front and side clears, deck wash, anchor windlass and you can get two-tone paint or the sexy graphic  ‘wraps’ (one of which you see on the test boat).

National Account Manager Drew Jackson who was out with us on the boat, said that the ribs resemble a honeycomb structure and it gives the boat a very sturdy feel.

We asked Drew if these boats were more expensive to build than a standard rolled aluminium boat and though he wasn’t specific, it seemed that the process of construction was more intricate than the ‘normal’ way Stacer has been building its boats.

"The ribs are at about 300mm centres," said Drew. "Then there is the criss-cross effect of the stringers which give this boat its inherent strength." This is all then covered by the checkerplate floor that further adds to the strong feeling of the boat.

The flat floor of the Ocean Ranger is clear and uncluttered. It self drains through two scuppers in the base of the transom, which have one-way valves, built in so that even when backing down sharply, the boat will not take in water.

We tried it on our somewhat-blustery day with a fair bit of chop thrown in. We backed down at around three knots for about 80-100 metres and not a drop entered the boat. Quite Impressive.

Obviously, this means that should the boat take a bit of a wave offshore, it will, on application of a bit of power, eject the water quite quickly. But more than that, should you get some remnants of a good catch on the floor, or some old and smelly bait, you can simply hose the boat out and the unwanted by-product will flow out with it. No need for bungs.

Extra built-ins include a substantial bait board on the transom with five rod holders, a stainless-steel rocket launcher with more rod holders, two more on the bow and four in the gunwales.

Also standard and built in are the berley bucket, live-bait tank and 135-litre kill tank. This is one serious fishing weapon.

Powering all this is a 150hp Evinrude outboard fed by a 160-litre underfloor fuel tank, which, if you look at our fuel figures later, should get a fair bit of time on the water between refills.

Twin batteries are standard so you should not run out of electrical power with judicious use of the isolator mounted on the transom nearby.

But the bunks are actually quite big and there’s enough room for someone to take a rest in there between bites or after lunch. The storage under the bunks is pretty good without being cavernous and, as our photos will attest, there is enough in there for life jackets, some tools and maybe some more fishing gear.

It’s interesting to note here that a section of the roof of the cabin, a hatch in effect, folds over to starboard (after being released from below) to enable a hefty bloke to go forward to deploy or retrieve the anchor. There is an option for an electric windlass, by the way.

Aft, we find a two-seater lounge which would be great for crew to relax on during the transit to the fishing grounds. It can then be folded neatly under the transom bolster to provide a sound resting place for legs while angling.

Settling into the pilot’s perch, I noticed it was nice and high, giving a commanding view all around. The seats are comfortable and appear tough. They’re set on substantial pedestals with storage below. It’s worth noting that each pedestal has an inboard-facing recess where you can mount your fire extinguisher and EPIRB. They’ll be easy to get to and you won’t belt your leg on them as you pass. Another thoughtful touch.

From the helm seat, which is adjustable fore and aft, there’s a good view of the standard instrumentation and the optional twin Lowrance screens. The throttle control falls easily to hand and the sporty Stacer wheel feels good.

Before venturing out into the rough stuff, we gave the 649 a bit of a squirt on the flattest bit of water we could find on the day. We achieved a WOT speed of 42mph at 5400 rpm with a fuel burn of around 60 litres per hour.

Obviously, not many owners are going to run around flat-out all day, and I found a nice, comfortable cruise of 25mph at 3200rpm burning a creditable 22 litres per hour.

As mentioned, our day was a bit blowy and the Seaway on the Gold Coast was throwing up some steep and nasty waves as the tide started its ebb.

Here the Ocean Ranger showed its worth. It could cut through the chop and then rise up and ride over the steep waves with confidence.

Sure, we took a bit over the bow where the freeboard is not very high, but with the high windscreen, we didn’t cop the spray and were quite comfortable on our stable perches.

Turning back with the sea, the boat didn’t seem like it had any vices, and although we were steering with the seas and using the throttle judiciously, we had a very uneventful run back into the smooth water.

As with all smaller boats with deep vees, it was susceptible to cross-wind and load but the trim tabs evened the boat out nicely and we were able to run at speed with the assistance of the tabs.

The steering is standard hydraulic and very easy to use without being too light.

Our 150hp Evinrude seemed a good match for the boat and got up on the plane effortlessly and without any nasty bow-up attitude. Maximum recommended power for this boat is 175hp, but I’d think most would be happy with the 150 unless you’re going for a full complement of seven crew with gear. We had plenty of grunt with three aboard and a full tank of fuel.

While the 649 Ocean Ranger might not be for everyone, it doesn’t try to be. This is not a cross-over boat. It has no pretensions to be the ‘family-friendly’ boat to take the kids out on for a cruise. It’s a fishing boat. I wouldn’t be too upset if I had one parked in my driveway.