Stacer Ocean Ranger 679 HT

In March, the company launched to the Australian boating media a whole new range of plate boats. The range includes the 489, 509 and 539 Nomad Ranger boats and the 589, 619, 679 and 739 Ocean Rangers with the 679 and 739 also available as Hard Top models.

Along with the new models, Stacer also launched a new logo which includes the Australian flag to emphasise its heritage and Australian manufacture. We were also told that the new branding will help to ‘modernise’ the Stacer name and give it a fresher look.

You don’t have to be a marketing genius to figure out where the boats are aimed it in terms of targeting existing boats in the market. Think Bar Crusher and Surtees for a start – heck, even the nomenclature is similar to the Bar Crusher! And there are also some New Zealand manufacturers that might be looking over their shoulders in the near future.

Speaking at the launch Stacer’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Damien Duncan said this was an obvious move for the company: “Plate boats are a huge growth market,” he said. “It’s a place we just have to be.

Stacer National Account Manager Drew Jackson said that the 679 Ocean Ranger would be the company’s “top volumne boat”.

At the launch, we were fortunate enough to be able to spend a good part of a day in the 679 Ocean Ranger Hard Top doing exactly what the boat was designed to do – offshore fishing.

Our boat was equipped with a few extras including vinyl wrap, paint, tackle boxes in the seat pedestals, transducer and VHF radio bringing its on-water price to $77,588.

A flat checkerplate floor runs forward, right into the cabin. The cabin bunks are no-nonsense with all-weather carpet the only concession to comfort. There’s good storage throughout the cabin and a solid aft-opening hatch gives access to the roto-formed anchor well.

There is an optional anchor winch on offer, which would be a handy inclusion, but I’d also like to see a lid on the anchor well so that the gear doesn’t have a chance to fly out when the going gets rough.

Moving back aft, the helm station is a beauty. There’s a comfortable adjustable helm seat with good lateral support, plenty of room for mounting your electrics. We had the Lowrance HDS 12 mounted on the angled dash with the trim-tab controls on the right of the wheel and wiper controls (yes, the wiper is standard) on the left. Other electrics are on rocker switches below the tabs.

The VHF was mounted in the side panel below the throttle control – not really ideal, I’d reposition it where it’s more accessible while under way.
Sitting in the helm chair, the skipper gets a good view of all the extremities of the boat. There is a side sliding window on each side for ventilation and flip-up air scoops in the roof.

Down aft, the live-bait tank is a beauty. It forms the step through the transom door and has a window in the top so you can view your catch. If you’re not using it, you could fill it up with ice and keep your drinkies cool then pump the residual water out later.

I the middle of the transom is the heavy-duty bait board and pre area. The rear lounge (should we call it that?) flips down to reveal the batteries and isolator switch gear behind. We found the lounge useful for our tackle box and a clever DIY fisho might want to fashion something to secure it there.
Of course there are the usual storage areas down the sides of the boat and a recess underneath for your toes.

One thing that bears mentioning is that the boat doesn’t have scuppers. Instead there are two sumps with automatic bilge pumps. We’re still arguing the pros and cons of this system but it’s no doubt because the designers wanted to get more depth in the rear of the boat. Personally, I’d go for scuppers.

Damien Duncan told BoatPoint and Boatsales that the welding of the boats takes in excess of 60 hours and that the total build time of the boats is around 80-100 hours.

Recommended horsepower for the Ocean Ranger 679 is 125 to 200hp and the standard fuel tank carries 220 litres.

With our grey colour scheme we did look a little like a stealth fighter bristling with rods and other fishing accoutrements as we aimed for our predetermined spot to pick up a few livies. That mission accomplished, we high-tailed it down the coast.

Sitting the 679 on around 3500rpm we were cruising at 25 knots for an economical burn of around 30 litres per hour. The 200hp Evinrude is the top of the power range for this boat and for easy, stress-free cruising, it felt good. We were told that during the R&D phase of this boat, the Stacer boys said that they tried it with a 250 but it was a bit over the top and so they settled on 200hp at the maximum horsepower for this hull.

We travelled south for about 10nm and decided to try trolling lures for mackerel for a while. At a trolling speed of about seven knots and bit under 2000rpm we were burning around 10 litres per hour. With the trolling a total failure, we decided to pull up and swim a couple of livies. Here, in a bit of a building chop, we found the boat to be stable and safe. We had three bigish guys on board and our gear and no matter where we were on the boat, it was quite stable at rest.

After another hour or so of unsuccessful fishing and still with plenty of healthy fish in the live-bait tank, we thought we might head back up the Seaway take a well-earned coffee break. On the trip back up the coast the sea state had changed with the wind shifting from the light offshore we had in the morning to a building sou’easter.

The swell was running at two metres and with the chop on top we had a great day to test the 679 Ocean Ranger. Working the throttles so as not to fall off too many waves, we had the Evinrude running at 3000-3500rpm giving us 20-25 knots through the ocean.

At this speed we ate up the distance in about half an hour and during that time we only had to hit the wiper button twice. We had the sliding side window open and didn’t get wet either. This really is a dry boat.

Coming fairly gently into the Seaway, where the waves stand up in the shallower water, the 679 handled beautifully with not a hint of any bad manners in the following sea.

Back in the Broadwater, we could really let the boat have its head and we found that a wide-open throttle would give us 35.6 knots at 5400rpm burning 71 litres per hour. Back it down to 4000 and we were doing 27 knots at 33.6 litres per hour. We found the handling of the boat to be great from the standard hydraulic steering and we didn’t have to use the trim tabs much to keep the boat on an even keel.

With its hard top and smooth, dry ride, we can see a few of these boats gracing the waters of Port Phillip Bay, all around Tassie and even Port Lincoln. They are a safe, stable boat which is priced well against its obvious opposition. The standard features give owners a boat that they can fish from immediately and upgrade with optional extras down the track.

In all, we reckon Stacer is on a winner. Even if it does look like a stealth fighter.