Your thoughts please...

[Kurichan]

I'm looking at a 560C Bar Crusher with a 140 Suzi 4stroke

The BC seems a good balance of ride, versatility and the little cuddy adds some weather protection. It also comes in at a (dry) weight of under 1300kg BMT, which will make the long trips I have planned very easy towing.

One thing I will get done is the wider '620' console put in (more room for Electronics without having to mount up on the dash), I'll also get a front clear (with openings) made up.

Any owners / BC experienced people out there ? Any feedback - both positive & negative - will be most welcome.

I mainly fish two up, camp a little, pull up on beaches, throw the odd crab pot into skinny water, drive lures around sometimes, chase pelagics in summer. Anything and everything really !

Cheers

[julian1]

i regurlarly fish with a mate in his 560 BC with 115 Suzy. They are a very soft riding boat but seem to dig in a lot when slicing through the waves this makes them slow down alot. If both of us (100+kg each) stand on one side it does lean alot. but they don't seem to roll alot at rest Overall they are a good boat for the money, and mostly though out very well. Except for:

Dash is too small, the front window is very small, yes front clears highly recommended. the driving position is a little awkward, as the steering wheel is high but the throttle very low. If beach launching the ballast tube can be a problem as it fill up and makes the boat heavy for manual retrieve.

I would also consider a Stabi Craft for a comparison ?
either way you will get a good boat.

[Far side]

Kurichan

Where are you mate If your in brisbane PM me and you can come and have a look at mine its all kitted

[needaboat]

G'day Kurichan,
I have got a 560 BC with a 115 Suzuki fitted. Overall it is a great boat and I am having a ball in it. I regularly fish, ski and explore different places. I have camped on it numerous times, although this does require some slight modifications to make the bunks long enough. I just place a couple of plastic boxes between the end of the existing bunks and the seat pedestals. Place an air bed over the top and it works a treat. I am planning a trip to drive over Bass Strait next Autumn, camping on the boat with two other blokes. The boat will handle it know worries, I will just have to pick the weather.
I would get trim tabs fitted, I have just had them fitted a year into owning the BC and in the little time I have had using them they are a big improvement. I got the LENCO tabs fitted which are the ones they fit at the factory.
One thing I will look at getting is the front clears, they would make it a more pleasant driving experience in bad weather without the need of having to lean down and look through the small window. The big bonus of the glass windscreen and hardtop though is when crossing bars. I went out through McLoughlins Beach Bar in VIC a couple of months ago and the cuddy really sheds the water away. We had solid water come over the front and none of it came in the boat, it went up over the windscreen onto the roof and then dissipated over the sides. You need to ensure the hardtop is pulled down and locked onto the windscreen though. If you were only using the clears then the water would most likely push through them into the boat.
If you have any further questions let us know. Hope this helps
Cheers
Steve

[Kurichan]

Thanks for your ideas... keep 'em coming

I hear you about the dash size. And I don't want to mount anything above the dash, which is why I'll get the 620 dash fitted it's about 6 inches wider. This will allow room for a Sounder & GPS to the left of the wheel.

And I'll get the factory trim tabs unless there's a better way to go...

Seems the 115 is the prefered engine option... any reasons ? The DF 140 is actually fractionally lighter than the 115 according to their web page specs!? (Two mill of extra bore milled out of the same casting i guess)

[OZYJOE]

How much has BC quoted you to change dash???
Interested to know, in the market for one myself and that sounds like a good idea.

Joe

[needaboat]

Kurican,
I originally wanted to get the 140, it is all the same block just bored out a little more. Joe Vanya, the BC factory salesman recommended that I wouldn't need to get the 140 so I went the 115. Joe said that unless you were scuba diving with 5 people and all their gear then the 115 would be ample.
I have found this to be the case. For my type of fishing with 3 or 4 it is perfect. I once went out with 5 big blokes and a 100L esky full of ice and grog, it felt it for sure and the 140 would have been better, but in saying that the boat still got up of the plane no worries, just not as quickly.
Would I buy the 140 now, I think I would, it is only 1500 more which in 50000 is not a lot. Definately get the trim tabs fitted, although if you have a particular brand that you like then you can pretty well fit anything you wish post factory.
Re the dash, my sounder and plotter are on top and the new setup on the 620 would definately be the way to go. If you can get it fitted without too much extra cost, go with it. I find that when I have the roof folded down onto the windscreen and then try to look out past a couple of screens it gets a little crowded.
Good luck with it all.
Cheers
Steve

[deadbeatloser]

I'm looking at a 560C Bar Crusher with a 140 Suzi 4stroke

The BC seems a good balance of ride, versatility and the little cuddy adds some weather protection. It also comes in at a (dry) weight of under 1300kg BMT, which will make the long trips I have planned very easy towing.

One thing I will get done is the wider '620' console put in (more room for Electronics without having to mount up on the dash), I'll also get a front clear (with openings) made up.

Any owners / BC experienced people out there ? Any feedback - both positive & negative - will be most welcome.

I mainly fish two up, camp a little, pull up on beaches, throw the odd crab pot into skinny water, drive lures around sometimes, chase pelagics in summer. Anything and everything really !

Cheers
do yourself a favour and look at a stabi, i was going bc but swung to stabi. ride in both u will be amazed at the difference.