Streaker Sirocco 5.45

Leon and Paul Savage's Streaker Boats is celebrating 30 years in the business this year. That's a record of which only a handful in the industry can boast. Obviously their customers keep coming back for more.

Over the last three decades the Savage brothers have stuck to what they know best - trailerboats, and in a fairly limited hull range. The boats that they build are all under 6m, and that's it.

The interesting thing about the company's operation is that it's a builder, wholesaler and retailer. Service has to be really good if you're that close to the customer. For a start, you get the package of your choice (except that you can have any motor you like as long as it's a Yamaha) and the people who built the boat handle after-sales service.

Success has come not so much from innovation and constantly releasing new models, but from continuing to refine a good product range. But the latest addition to the range bucks that trend a little, and is a quantum leap forward for the Melbourne-based boatbuilder.

NEW SCHOOL
The all-new Sirocco 5.45 all-purpose family runabout is a new boat from the ground up. Its style is curvaceously modern; it's beamy, comfortable and versatile.

Walk-through windscreens on this style of family fish/ski/cruise boat make life so much easier, and the Streaker is certainly no different. The windscreen centre panel opens wide to a long and wide deck hatch to allow easy access to the capacious anchorwell. The anchor locker has its own sideways-opening hatch, and the bowsprit is a simple design that features a centre roller. A split bowpost completes the deck hardware.

The low, strong, split bowrail provides a good handhold when on the forward deck, and there are ample non-skid pads on the surface. There's no exterior cabin walkaround, but I don't think there's a need for one thanks to the effective screen/hatch set-up.

On either side of the walkway in the forward vee are small carpeted bins ideal for dry storage items such as lifejackets.

The Sirocco is finished very well. In fact, on test day I reviewed three Streakers, and the thing I noticed most was a significant improvement in their finish. In the past, this hasn't been a strong point of Streakers, in my view. But the company isn't whistlin' Dixie when it talks about its commitment to continuing to improve the the construction and finish of its boats.

COMFORTABLE CRUISER
The Sirocco has blue marine carpet throughout and features some nice moulding and vinyl padding in all the right places.

The skipper sits low in a bucket seat in a very comfortable driving position. The twin Yamaha digital instrument clusters are mounted in front of the driver set in a black/grey carbon fibre panel. Stereo system controls are positioned to the left of the carbon fibre sports wheel, which is linked to hydraulic steering. The switch panel is on the right. The test boat featured a Lowrance X71 sounder with a through-hull transducer.

The windscreen is a five-piece curved unit featuring a very strong aluminium frame and acrylic panels. So often in this style of boat the screen is a weak point, but Streaker has really put some thought into this design.

The other bucket seat has a very large lockable glovebox in front of it, which will be popular with the better half. While this boat had twin bucket seats, back-to-back lounges are an option if you're going to ski more than fish. There are also two drinkholders and a short grabrail moulded into the dash. Between the seat is an in-floor storage bin covered with a strong lid and there are open storage pockets beside each seat. A canopy casts plenty of shade.

Moving back in the boat, there's padding on the coamings and across the transom, the latter forming a back support for the full-width lounge seat, which covers a very large storage locker for skis and other wet gear. In-built gunwale grabrails are handy for rear lounge passengers. The lounge unit pulls forward for better access to the oil bottle and battery under the transom. Thankfully, the oil bottle has a filler pipe in the outboard well. The fuel filler is also positioned here while the 135lt fuel tank is centrally mounted underfloor.

The sidepocket panels are made from moulded fibreglass and will accommodate a substantial amount of gear including smaller fishing rods.

The stern quarters feature pop-up stainless steel cleats and storage bins with lids and two stainless steel rodholders - full marks for going with good quality fittings here. A skipole fitting in the centre can also double as a baitboard mount.

The stern is a trendy cut-away design and features two boarding steps, non-slip pads, grabrails and a stainless steel boarding ladder.

A REAL SMOOTHIE
The boat sits in the water very well. With a 20° deadrise, you could reasonably expect a little tenderness at rest, but the Sirocco's wide beam makes it surprisingly stable. Three strakes on the planing surfaces and a spray line halfway up the hull keeps passengers dry in choppy conditions.

The Yamaha 175hp V6 Saltwater Series II motor pushed the boat along brilliantly. A characteristic of Streaker hulls is that they like their powerplants trimmed right out so they can plane on their "comfort zone". Push the nose down too far and they tend to zip around a little less comfortably.

The Sirocco, in my view, is the best of the Streaker hulls. With the trim set right the boat fairly flew. We achieved 70kmh at 5300rpm WOT - perhaps there would be a little bit more there on a calmer day. Cruising was comfortable at 50kmh at 4000rpm, which is fuel-efficient and easy in unsettled waters.

It would have been nice to have a footrest to brace against to take a little pressure of the backside when things got bumpy, but that's only a minor point.

I think the Sirocco will prove to be a winner for Streaker. It's versatile, a good size, performs well, looks stylish and has plenty of room for a family.