Stessco 520 Bowrider 2018 Review

OVERVIEW

North Brisbane based Stessco Aluminum Boats has a burgeoning range of pressed alloy boats. This well-established brand has a model to suit most trailer-boating applications with customers able to choose from tiny 3.0m light-weight car-toppers through to offshore boats like the flagship 620 Sunseeker.

Stessco also manufactures a series of family bowriders. These smooth-sided, high free-board boats are available in five sizes: 490, 520, 550, 580, and 620.

Each has a wide beam, deep cockpit, a low-set, centre-opening curved windscreen, and a bow seating compartment that is easily converted into a casting deck for fishing. The boats are versatile, practical and inexpensive.

At Noosa recently to test several new Stessco boats, we were able to sample the second to smallest bowrider model, the Stessco 520 Bowrider - powered by Yamaha's terrific new 90hp in-line four-cylinder four-stroke outboard.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

Stessco’s boats are generally very well priced and equipped and the 520 Bowrider is no exception. It has standard features that many competitor brands list as options.

The interior seating in the 520 Bowrider is a good example. As with rival brands, the two helm chairs are removable pedestal models, but the chairs themselves are very comfortable, deluxe models with arm-rests – in contrast to simpler seats with light-weight upholstery.

Similarly, up in the bow seating compartment, the infill board and cushion to convert the side-seats into a sun-lounge or casting deck is standard. This is generally an option with other brands.

In the rear of the boat, there is a three-quarter width storage box which doubles as a bench seat with a padded coaming back-rest – also standard equipment.

The Stessco 520 Bowrider has many other great features too - such as the hinged door across the central walk-way to the bow (to provide wind shelter) and the port and starboard side fibreglass dash modules with lockable glove-box and storage nooks. Hydraulic steering, elevated side storage pockets, bow and stern bollards, transom storage shelves and elevated battery platform, transom door, boarding ladder, underfloor foam flotation (to Basic Standard), dual transducer brackets and bilge pump are all included.

Packaged with a Yamaha 75hp longshaft (20-inch) four-stroke outboard and a Stessco (made by Dunbier) single-axle, braked trailer, Sunshine Coast Yamaha has the Stessco 520 Bowrider priced from around $38,000.

So well appointed is the standard boat, that our test boat needed few options. They included an engine upgrade to the Yamaha 90hp four-stroke outboard, along with a gunwale-mounted bimini cover, two-tone hull paint, a plumbed livebait tank in the starboard side transom corner, a ski-pole, and a Humminbird Helix 5 Fish Finder/GPS.

The additions lifted the price to $46,990 -- still great value for a fully-fitted family bay/harbour cruiser and fishing boat.

DESIGN AND LAYOUT

For its length, the Stessco 520 Bowrider has a very large bow seating area -- perhaps the largest in class. This has been achieved by moving the anchor well from the foredeck and placing it under the centre section of the seating area/casting deck.

The new anchor well is square-shaped and easily large enough for the appropriate sized anchor and rode.

The only negative we can see to relocating the anchor well is that the surrounded padded seat back rests are likely to get damaged over time from dripping water, mud - and the anchor itself being lifted over the bow and back aft into the anchor well. Of course, the centre seat cushion will also need to be removed each time the anchor is raised and lowered.

The bow seating area itself is well laid out and the seats and back-rests very comfortable. It is also easy to convert the seating area into a casting platform or sun-lounge using the (surprisingly) heavy-duty infill board. This is carpeted front and back to protect it from rot and mildew.

An equally heavy duty, carpeted plywood door and centre opening windscreen pane separates the bow compartment from the helm.

The floor level here is one step down from the height of the rear cockpit to provide decent standing headroom beneath the optional bimini cover - and to allow the skipper to stand at the helm.

While you can drive the Stessco while standing up, the relatively low-set windscreen makes it easier and more comfortable to do so while seated. We found the windscreen to be set at the perfect high for an unrestricted view and the helm controls were ideally placed.

On the fibreglass dash/helm insert there is sufficient space for a digital engine display and a small, flush-fitted electronics display. The Humminbird Helix 5 fish finder/GPS installed in our test boat was ideal.

There is also provision for the switch panel and a recessed marine radio.

On the fibreglass dash module opposite there is a lockable glove box with clear viewing lid, and a hollow/nook above for small items. At a pinch, you could also fit a bracket-mounted electronics display above this glove box.

From the helm area you take one step up to walk aft to the transom. This rear cockpit floor section has an overall length of 1.8m and is 1.89m wide.

There is ample freeboard aft with an average of 630mm between the rear cockpit floor and the gunwale. Elevated side storage pockets stretch most of the cockpit length, beneath the 215mm wide, fully-welded side coamings.

The seat/storage box we mentioned previously stretches three quarters the width of the transom, behind which are heavily padded coaming bolsters/back-rests and two storage shelves with So-Pac-style opening hatches.

The battery is located on a small shelf, elevated above the floor level (and bilge water, etc), beneath the port side transom door.

In our test boat a small, plumbed live bait tank was built into the starboard side transom corner. Other useful features include four plastic rodholders, stern bollards, coaming rails, and boarding platforms.

With the seat box in position, there is not a whole lot of rear cockpit space but combine this with the bow seating area and the Stessco 520 Bowrider can easily accommodate a family of four or five… Or a bunch of anglers.

ON THE WATER

We’ve sampled Yamaha's new 90hp inline four-cylinder 1.8-litre four-stroke outboard several times now and it has never failed to impress. For quite a small capacity engine, it packs a strong punch, while still being quiet, smooth and economical.

Our test boat was pretty quick off the mark, accelerating from displacement speeds with vigour, and then on to a top speed of 36.3kts (67km/h). That's plenty of power and speed for most social applications, including bay fishing, cruising and towing the kids around on tubes, wake-boards and the like.

The only time you would consider amping up the power to the 115hp maximum is if you wanted to regularly tow a couple of skiers or wake-boarders. Otherwise you might even consider dropping back to Yamaha's 75hp model (basically a de-rated version of the 90).

But the 90hp is about spot on and the Stessco 520 Bowrider proved both speedy and frugal, burning just 10.5 l/ph at the boat's most economical speed of 19.2kt (almost 36km/h) at 3500rpm.

During our Noosa River based boat test, we struggled to find any choppy water to give the test boat a decent work-out, but there were plenty of boat wakes about to provide small waves to jump over and to criss-cross. During these manoeuvres the Stessco proved to be a well balanced, safe handling boat with excellent stability.

With the bow trimmed in to present the fine bow entry shape to the waves, the test boat also ran smoothly and quite comfortably across boat wakes and short chop.

VERDICT

The Stessco 520 Bowrider is a well designed, nicely appointed alloy family boat for social tow-sports, bay cruising and fishing. At 5.2m in length it's a great size too - light-weight and easy to tow and to stow, small enough to fish lakes and rivers, yet big enough to roam coastal offshore waters.

Add a very competitive price and decent feature-set to this mix and the Stessco 520 Bowrider emerges as a desirable, versatile, practical family boating package.

PERFORMANCE - SPEED
3.5kts (6.4km/h) @ 1000rpm
5.0kts (9.3km/h) @ 1500rpm
5.8kts (10.7km/h) @ 2000rpm
7.8kts (14.1km/h) @ 2500rpm
15.1kts (27.9km/h) @ 3000rpm
19.2kts (35.6km/h) @ 3500rpm
22.7kts (42.1km/h) @ 4000rpm
26.1kts (48.4km/h) @ 4500rpm
29.6kts (54.7km/h) @ 5000rpm
33.5kts (62.1km/h) @ 5500rpm
36.3kts (67.2km/h) @ 6000rpm (WOT)

PERFORMANCE – ECONOMY
1.9 l/ph @ 1000rpm
3.2 l/ph @ 1500rpm
4.6 l/ph @ 2000rpm
7.5 l/ph @ 2500rpm
8.3 l/ph @ 3000rpm
10.5 l/ph @ 3500rpm
12.9 l/ph @ 4000rpm
16.4 l/ph @ 4500rpm
20.2 l/ph @ 5000rpm
31.7 l/ph @ 5500rpm
38.8 l/ph @ 6000rpm (WOT)

MAXIMUM RANGE ON 95% OF 110l FUEL TANK: 191.1nm @ 3500rpm

How much does the Stessco 520 Bowrider cost?
Price as tested: Around $46,990 including a Yamaha 90hp four-stroke longshaft (20”) outboard with digital gauges, single axle braked (mechanical over-ride) Stessco aluminium trailer, bimini cover (gunwhale mounted), two-tone hull paint, plumbed live bait tank, ski-pole, and a Humminbird Helix 5 Fish Finder/GPS.

Priced from: $37,990 including a Yamaha 75hp four-stroke longshaft (20”) outboard, and a Stessco single axle braked aluminium trailer.

Length overall: 5.42m
Beam: 2.29m
Depth: 1.20m
Hull weight: 495kg
Weight on trailer: Approx 1,000kg
Bottom & transom alloy: 3.0mm
Topsides alloy: 3.0mm
Maximum power: 115hp
Maximum transom weight: 225kg
Engine as tested: Yamaha 90hp four-stroke
Fuel capacity: 110L
Flotation standard: Basic
Maximum persons: Six

Supplied by:
Sunshine Coast Yamaha