Top 7 Aussie-made bowriders

Made for the business of soaking in the sun up front, and optimised for a tow sports party down the back, they truly are the thong-wearing, mullet-rocking all-around stars of the boating scene

Cheaper than dedicated tow sports boats, but with similar levels of comfort and multiples more practicality, a bowrider makes sense on many levels.

These are also the boats that family memories are made on. But sometimes you’re not just buying a traditional bowrider.

While some of the boats listed here fit the brief what makes for a traditional family-focused bowrider, others are probably better described as fishing boats that have crossed over into the bowrider realm.

They’ve often basically softened around the edges, adding seating in more areas to give them extra family appeal.

This is no bad thing, as these “crossover” bowriders sit on time-proven and extremely seaworthy hulls, honed and optimised for a mix of Australian conditions.

They also tend to have walk-through centre consoles, meaning you can easily walk from the back of the boat to the front, and generally come equipped to tow a sea biscuit or waterskier right out of the showroom.

Here, then, is boatsales.com.au’s pick of the Aussie-made bowriders.

Bar Crusher is known for its fishing prowess, building alloy plate boats that have in-built flotation that adds an extra layer of safety should things ever go wrong.

In a world where most boats are built to just keep the bow pointing out of the water, the ability to keep most of the hull above the water when the boat is swamped is a bonus.

Scratch the surface, and the Bar Crusher 615BR is basically a fishing boat with a lounge built into the bow.

Features include a flooding keel that makes the boat more stable at rest, powerful engine options that suit tow sports, and a bow that converts into a casting/fishing platform when the family stays at home.

Easy to drive and with powerful engine options, it’s also one of the best-performing hulls on the market.

Formosa’s X range of bowriders also fit the crossover brief. The range of plate alloy boats stretches from 5.2 metres up to 7.4 metres, and feature wake boat-style folding hardtops and lots of fishing features.

Standard features on the Formosa 580 Tomahawk Offshore X Bowrider include a bowrider seating area which converts into a flat, carpeted casting platform for anglers; elevated helm and windscreen so you can drive offshore while standing up; deluxe swivelling and sliding helm chairs with lift-up bolsters; fold-down cockpit side seats; rear transom door and boarding ladder; carpeted anchor well; glove box; trailer auto tow-catch; and loads of storage space.

One of the stand-puts on this model is a bow-mounted ladder that is ideal for nosing the Formosa 580 Tomahawk Offshore X Bowrider up onot0 a beach.

Like the Bar crusher, the Formosa X range features powerful engines for tow sports, and great seakeeping ability when things get a bit rough.

Don’t fish much, and you’d much prefer the svelte lines of a low-profile sports boat? The Haines Signature 580BRX may be a perfect choice.

Haines Signature is something of an offshore and fishing specialist, but this eight-seat traditionally styled bowrider is a big diversion from that formula.

Built from fibreglass, it uses the same deeper-vee style hull as the fishing boat range but has a bespoke interior fit-out that makes it one of the comfiest boats to wrap around the family.

That more traditional bowrider ethos flows over into things like more practical storage space for family bits and bobs, specially built spaces for skis and the like, and room for iceboxes.

You can fit this boat with stacks of outboard engine performance, too, so there’s plenty of scope for watersports.

If you do want to sneak out for a fish, the bow lounge converts into a casting platform using an infill. However, this is a boat made for up to eight people, so seating dominates the available space, limiting the Haines Signature 580BRX’s application for fishing.

The Quintrex Apex hull is a cracking design for spinning out a bowrider. The alloy plate boat-maker is better-known for its fishing prowess, but almost vertical sides create a wide beam that runs right up to the bow to create a large space forward – perfect for building in a large lounge.

One of the design’s benefits, particularly for families with young children, is plenty of internal freeboard that helps keep smaller people from falling overboard.

The Quintrex 530 Freestyler comes well equipped straight out of the factory with deluxe seating all around. You might notice there’s no anchor well on the bow; for the Freestyler models, the anchor is now located under the centre seat in the bow.

If you want the boat to double as a fishing platform, options on the Freestyler range include a live bait tank, a bait board, berley bucket and more rod holders.

Savage is an alloy plate boat range with a long history. The Beach Comber range consists of bowriders coming in three lengths ranging between 4.85 and 5.5 metres. Yes, they’re small, but they will all tow easily behind a family car.

The Savage 485 Beach Comber is basic, but this – and its price – is part of its charm. It consists of a rear folding bench, two removable seats in front of the split console, and a bow seating area.

Despite the range’s diminutive size, the Beach Comber uses a 70-litre underfloor fuel tank, meaning you don’t have to mess around with smaller, portable tote tanks each time you want to head out on the water.

Storage is basic, but the floor is carpeted and the deep internal freeboard is good for children. Like the Quintrex Freestyler, the anchor sits under the front cushion in the bow lounge rather than in a separate anchor well.

The “Ultra-lift” hull beneath the Beach Comber performs well, responding well to a mix of conditions.

Best of all for family buyers, it makes for a good budget-conscious choice.

Looking for something a bit different? This is it.

The Stacer 469 Crossfire SC is a fishing boat adapted to serve as a family-friendly bowrider, but instead of having a dual console – a dashboard in front of both the skipper and first mate – it has a single side console, leaving the first mate facing the bow.

This opens up a huge amount of space in the Wild Rider to walk from the front to the back.

The aluminium boat features Staccer’s Revolution hull underneath, it comes standard with two seats (which can move to any one of four positions around the boat’s interior), while a rear bench seat that folds down and out of the way is an option.

The bow seating area is basic and without cushions, which is understandable when you look at the number of fishing options fitted to this boat. Yep, the family can use it, but scratch the surface and this is a boat that is more comfortable chasing whiting than it is towing kids around on tyre tubes.

Because it is a side console boat, the skipper makes do without a windscreen. There’s no anchor well up front, either, with the anchor and rode relocated to a storage bin under the front-centre seat.

The Revolution hull, which uses almost vertical sides, provides a soft and stable ride.

The Stejcraft BR is a three-model fibreglass boat range that shows how well Australian boatbuilders can stand up to US imports.

As well as wearing an outboard engine, Stejcraft does give buyers the choice of an inboard model that uses a stern drive to power the boat.

Powerful, roomy and well equipped, the boats are a showpiece on the water.

The Sejcraft SS64 BR is a boat made for watersports, with a starboard walk-through transom leading to a duckboard with an integrated swim ladder.

There’s a special space for an icebox, plenty of storage, a ski locker, and a high level of specification that includes a locking glovebox – great for those times you have to step ashore and leave the boat for a short time.

Underneath, the Stejcraft BR range uses a deep-vee hull, meaning that while the boat is suited to inshore and closed water activities, it can run wide for a spot of whale watching if the desire is there.

And because we can't count ...

Here’s another Australian boat-builder with a focus on decent value for money.

Stessco is a pressed alloy boat brand that makes a range of roomy fishing and leisure-focused models.

The Stessco 520 Bowrider has some clever touches, such as a see-through lid for the lockable glove-box and a recessed footwell for the skipper and first mate that makes it easy to stand while steering.

In terms of family comforts, the Stessco Bowrider has a comfy bow seating area including padded coaming backrest and a three-quarter width storage box aft that doubles as a bench seat with a padded coaming backrest.

The hull underneath the Stessco Bowrider is well balanced, safe handling, and with excellent stability.