Whittley CR 2600 SD

You can now get aboard a CR 2600 from $125,999. While it isn’t a rocket ship with the new base 200hp Volvo Penta V6 petrol power, the CR 2600 is, in the true Whittley fashion, a complete trailerable camper with plenty of amenities and a high-class finish to keep you comfortable, cosy and content.

The newest member in Whittley’s Cruiser range, the CR 2600 SD that’s the subject of this revisit, was first released at the Melbourne Boat Show in 2008. It was an altogether new boat back then, with a fresh hull and deck designed using CAD software at considerable tooling expense, we’re told.

Only in this price-conscious market, Whittley has seen the good dollars and sense to offer a new keenly priced CR 2600 package to encourage even more young families aboard. The second-biggest boat or bridesmaid in the Cruiser range was priced close to the CR 2800 flagship. So Whittley has repositioned the boat with a new base engine.

With the latest 200hp Volvo Penta 4.3L V6 inboard with Duoprop as standard, the CR 2600 is more than $7000 cheaper than that previous 225hp petrol base, some $10,000 less than the 300hp V8 petrol upgrade, and close to $25,000 below the exceptional 220hp Volvo Penta diesel rig we drove as shown here.

Enthusiasts might consider the third battery ($735) with 12V microwave oven and inverter ($2618) and battery charger ($500); the barbecue ($1100), second fridge/freezer ($3600) and DVD with speakers ($1300); the electric toilet ($3009); and rear cockpit table ($620) plus sunbed infill cushions ($825). 

Certainly electronics are a must-have, with a Raymarine 7in multifunction GPS and fishfinder display available factory fitted ($3155). We’d also insist on the Bennett trim tabs ($2200) on this high-volume trailerable cruiser with single screw. As with any boat, your need to keep the hull on an even keel in cross winds and with various crew loads to optimise the ride.

Use the KISS principle and you can get away with a CR 2600 cruise-ready for under $130K. In standard guise this comfortable cruiser still gets along, with a claimed 33 knot top speed and, thus, 26-28 knot cruise. "It’s no rev-head boat," says Whittley, but it remains a nifty family cruiser all the same, we reckon.

Certainly, you get plenty of standard kit including bunk infill, cockpit lounge, portable cooler and fridge, stove, Portapotti, marine radio, Fusion stereo, windscreen wiper, dedicated moulded ‘bathroom’ with shower, plus side and rear clear covers.

Don’t spare the bills and you’ll have a wonderful upmarket on-water camper approaching $150,000. The no-expense-spared test boat was something else again. The latest CR 2600 we experienced was a Whittley showcase, costing around $180,000 with diesel-engine upgrade.

The options list on the test boat was l-o-n-g: Raymarine electronics and radar, Volvo “E” keyless ignition and 2.5in engine-monitoring display, engine trim tabs, barbecue, aft rails and rod holders, extended shade top, docking lights, rear LED lights and carpets, TV, extra fridge/freezer, electric loo and loads more.

Suffice to say the owner was an ex-sailor based at Mount Martha from whence the cruising options are extensive. With all this kit and a diesel, we thought the boat deserves a revisit.

Kick back with cold drinks, flip the steaks on the barbie, and wait for a fish to bite. Our test boat had its rear safety rail fitted with a Magma barbecue and triple rod holders for this very purpose. Carpet added to the underfoot comfort, while the optional LED rear lights let you see your line and snags after dark.

A fold down transom door doubles as an internal step, inviting you into the cockpit traced by optional full-length rails for added safety. The inbuilt U-shaped surround seating converts to an impromptu berth under camper covers. It would be snug with a book and cuppa on those doona days. Otherwise, the drop-in infill/cockpit table creates the lunch setting.

The hardtop adds to the weather protection, while a sunroof ensures fresh air when needed and views when driving standing up with your head poked out. The large armour-plate or safety glass side windows assist vision when seated and they slide open for fresh air, too.

At rest, an additional flip-up lounge to starboard, aft of the helm seat, and a chaise-shaped lounge behind the co-pilot seat boost the options. Both adjustable helm seats have supportive backrests, with Whittley opting for integrated moulded seating modules to add storage space below.

Besides the side pockets and helm shelves there was an upgraded icebox with fridge plate under the driver’s footwell and room to stow a portable esky on the co-pilot’s side. You also get an underfloor ski/rod locker, a big sub-lounge ‘coffin’ for carrying victuals, and an aft hold for wet stuff.

Albeit narrow walkaround side decks and cabin top rails assist access to the pointy end, where an optional sun pad on the flat foredeck provides another place to hang out. The windlass gives push-button anchoring, while a split bowrail assists disembarkation of crew. A forward ladder is an option.

Things get more comfortable in the cabin. You step down into a moulded footwell to gain headroom before the galley immediately to port. Along with storage space, it boasts a 12V Waeco fridge, spirit stove, sink and adequate moulded food-prep counters. A 12V fan and fiddle rails add to the utility.

The separate moulded bathroom opposite, also off the accessible companionway, is one large moulded easy-clean space, drained by a separate sump pump. There’s headroom, the upgraded electric loo, a small moulded sink with handheld hot/cold shower, and 12V exhaust fan. The 100 litres of water will last a long weekend at least.

Plush upholstery and cabin liners add to the forward seating comfort, where a family of four can assemble at night. The same seating converts to the boat’s main double bed. Drop a DVD in the optional player and you can enjoy a G-rated movie before lights out. The LED lighting has low power demands, while the escape hatch and 12V fan ensure ventilation. A hanging locker, side pockets and sub-lounge space add to the boat’s storage.

We found the CR 2600’s cabin to be really comfortable. Time ticked by ensconced within while Melbourne’s signature slate-grey skies burnt back to blue. Time for our Port Phillip Bay test.

Of course, sterndrive (SD) boats have long been a big part of Whittley’s design ethos and you can’t argue with the terrific engine integration, low centre of gravity, and overall cost effectiveness. The sterndrive’s appeal is once again being promoted through the close working relationship between Whittley and Volvo Penta. A Duoprop assists holeshot and manoeuvrability.

Weighing in at almost 3000kg on road (dry) on the Mackay trailer, the CR 2600 requires a maxi 4WD to tow. But who isn’t driving one these days? And given the special places you can visit with a boat, hauling a Whittley surely beats lugging a ‘van to some ho-hum communal park.

With a 2.49m trailerable beam, the CR 2600 isn’t as wide as some imports and there’s a fair bit of boat above the water. But it’s true to the Cruiser class and you need to think of it as a moving holiday home. It’s surprisingly stable at rest thanks to the low-down 363kg diesel engine.

Underway, the hull responds very quickly to trim and it’s one of those boats you set-up just right with the tabs and leg, train the bow on your destination, take a sip of a cold drink, and reel in the miles in comfort. It’s a big station wagon or SUV on the water.

Our test boat with the electronic D3 had a few upgrades, namely Power Trim Assist, which is a pre-programmable auto leg-trim system to optimise your boat’s acceleration; Tow mode for push-button preset towing speeds; and Cruise Control with push-button +/- rpm for easy cruising adjustments. Meantime, the electronic engine monitoring screen relays data include fuel use, range, with a trip and so on.

With a good deep windscreen and twin wipers, the sunroof and side-opening windows, and comfortable helm seats, the CR 2600 offers a nice drive. Zip to planing speed with the new-age diesel using its grunt, trim out the leg a touch, pull back the throttle, and you can set and forget from here in.

Yet the voyage from Patterson Lakes out the river entrance, into a building 15-knot south-westerly, and down to Davey’s Bay via the signature, scenic craggy cliffs near Frankston proved memorable. At 3000rpm eco cruise revs we were doing about 23.5 knots for 23 litre per hour, equating to a safe range of 184 nautical miles from 90 per cent of the 200 litre underfloor tank. A real Cruiser!

At 3500rpm we saw a speed 29 knots for 32lph, 4000rpm returned 34-34.7 knots and 41lph, while top speed on the day was 36.11 knots at 4100rpm for 48lph. The diesel donk is a beauty, with grunt, efficiency, no smoke and good mid-range responsiveness. The hull proved dry and smooth when driven in cruise mode.

"A world-class boat that could sell anywhere," says Alan Whittley, a third-generation family member from the 60-year Melbourne boat builder, during our time cruising Port Phillip Bay. And it’s our view that few if any other trailerboat brands can match the amenities and comforts in such a compact craft.

Such is the Whittley party faithful that the brand’s state clubs stage well-attended cruises with like-minded company right around the country. This is why we see so many Whittley boats rafted-up together, doing the family cruising thing. Expect the class-leading CR 2600, a mini 2800, to feature prominently within the fleet.

Length Overall: 8.05m
Hull or Centreline Length: 6.75m
Beam: 2.49m
Deadrise: 19 degrees
Dry Weight BMT sterndrive: 2960kg
Fuel: 200 litres
Water: 100 litres
Passenger capacity: 8
Sleeping: 2 +2 adults
Recommended/Max Horsepower: 225/320
Engine on test: Volvo Penta D3
Engine Type: Common-rail five-cylinder electronic diesel