Cruise Craft 595 Outsider or ???

[Giveway]

I am looking to purchase a new boat in the next few months. I currently have the new Cruise Craft 595 Outsider on the top of my shopping list. What other boats out there could / would compare to this. Must be glass, half cabin, not made in china preferably Australia, able to be towed by the diesel Prado (2.5t towing capaicty) fully loaded with fuel, bait ice etc. I currently have a kevlacat suncoaster trihedral hull centre console which has been a great boat - but I am a family man now and want to be able to overnight in some comfort with the wife and little bloke. I will be getting a full set of camper covers so I can roll my swag out o the back deck. I know my place in the pecking order.

What motor would you put on the back (150 - 175hp) What motor would you avoid like the plague?

Does anyone have a Signature 602F and is it any good for overnighting? What is the Signature 632f like and how heavy / long is this boat motor and trailer package (this might be a fraction big for the car or the shed)

What electronics would you put on the chosen boat. I am thinking either a new Lowrance HDS-10 Gen 2 or a Garmin GPSMAP 5012 combo unit. I currently use a Raymarine A65 combo which I have been very happy with. I am looking for something reasonably priced with good features. Simrad is probably too much for my budget.

I appreciate any input you guys might have and look forward to reading the results.

Dave

[ovakil]

For motor I would go largest (4 stroke) possible,nothing worse than being under powered.
I have lowrance sounder & gps.Not happy with sounder as screen flickers,out of warranty (common problem with model).Lowrance told me just to buy new which I'm hesitant.
With campers I got flyscreen mesh inserted to back & have one fitted to front hatch for summer.
Good luck.

[Reel Blue]

I would recomend the Cruisecraft as I have spent time in a mates 575 Outsider and own the 685 Explorer. I have previously owned a Pacific Sportfish Centre Cabin, Haines Hunter 650 Classic and Haines Signature 600F. I owned each for at least three years and have over 400 hours on my current rig. I would rate them overall in the order listed with my current boat the best. (and biggest) Each has their own strengths and weaknesses. The cruisecraft is without doubt the best made and finished of the glass boats I have owned and I love it. If I were to trade up again it would be on another cruisecraft.

My mate often fishes in his 575 wide from 1770, Moreton or Rainbow Beach and it is a seaworthy, capable craft. I imagine the 595 would be even better. Your backup and support from the Nichols family that build Cruisecraft boats would be second to none in my experience and from what I have heard from others.

[Smithy]

Save a few bucks and go a secondhand hull with a 2 stroke and screw them down on price and have enough budget for a new 4 stroke and possibly a new trailer if needed and all the toys. That'll get you years of trouble free boating. Buying new you will potentially still get all the teething dramas. If you get the right secondhand one someone will have done all the hard work for you getting all the bugs ironed out and a bit of setting up sorted out like spare tyres, safety chains, tie down points, etc., etc., all the little things that add up in time and cost. Most people will throw that sort of stuff into the deal. I'd be looking at the Seafarers, Signatures and Haines Hunters. Budget to get a new plotter and a good sounder like a 585 Furuno plus fitting trim tabs. I'd rather a more poverty pack setup with all the gear than a whizz bang new thing where you are stretched budget wise and then all you can put on it is a little Humminbird combo or something like you see on all the secondhand mum and dad sorta boats.

[oldie]

I guess HP depends on what motor your considering, dont get caught up in the hype that Max HP is always the best HP, all this depends on the Hull on which the motor will go, a Haines Hunter or signature will no doubt require MAx HP due to the DEEP Vee where is the design of the CC is a little different and can handle a less HP and perform perfectly. Electronic wise, the HDS10 is good as is the Garmin, but as Smithy has said the Furuno is easily the best Sounder on the Market and i say sounder not combo, if you want to cover every base run a HDS10 in the dash and dash mount a Furuno for Finding purposes. I do not agree with buying second hand unless its perfect, same with a car you never know the history and to what level the owner looked after the hull etc, i'd prefer to know every little detail on which boat of this type has been kept, i.e buy new! Same reason i will buy a brand new car rather than second hand in a few months time, i'm meticulous and sick of spending mondey getting a 2nd hand car to where i'm happy condition and mechanically wise, so i'd prefer to get a loan and buy new cos repayments will out weigh the new clutch, new turbo hoses etc etc etc i'm putting on my current vehicle. My 3 cents worth

[bustastu]

What made you choose the 595 over a 625? I see on a few of the online sellers that there is only 2k at most between the pair. The HDS 10 is hard to beat for the $$$ and a good unit, not the best but more than capable. I'd rather spend the extra $1500 on a 625 with a HDS 10 combo than a 595 with a hds chartplotter and furuno sounder.... you can always save up for the furuno down the track and add it. Good luck!

[PinHead]

you will have to be careful staying under the 2.5T..will have to carry most of the gear in the car and tow with almost empty fuel tank.

[Giveway]

Thanks for the comments so far guys.
Smithy, I think you may have slightly misinterpreted my budget issues. I am thinking of electronics around the 2-3k mark as opposed to 5-10k. I am not really sure on what the pricing is for decent electronics so I may have to seriously change my line of thinking here but rest assured I have had a crappy little hummingbird on the last rig and that is why it is now a Raymarine A65 which is a pretty handy little unit. I can afford a new rig with all the extras so this is what I am going to get straight up (trim tabs, hold downs, spare tyre, electric winch, camper covers, bait board, deck wash etc etc).

I will be purchasing a rig that will be completely set up and ready for hassle free fishing.

As for the Lowrance I am interested in the structure scan and have read some other posts on this site. I am trying to nail down a short list of 2 - 3 electronic set ups and then I will probably head down to the Sanct Cove boat show so I can speak to the electronics guys face to face and let them demonstrate their units to me. This way I can get a feel for how they work as they all have slightly different operating platforms.

Bustastu, I have a very good mate with a 625 and they are a great fishing platform. I think there is very little diference between the two in actual usable fishing area. $$$ will not be the determining factor by itself when purchase time comes. I am looking for the best option for me and my needs. $1500 either way will not influence the decision in the long run. I would rather pay the $1.5k for the right boat.

I'll have to consider adding another sounder (furuno???) if this is the best option. I am not the most hard core fisherman so it may be that a single combo is the best set up for me.

Keep the comments coming guys - I really appreciate the effort. You are all helping me argue out the pros and cons of each option.

THANKS!!!!

[Levi69s]

The 625 for sure - it might sound like little size difference between and 595 and a 625 but once on the water you will not regret going for the 626

[LoungeLizard]

I will be purchasing a rig that will be completely set up and ready for hassle free fishing.

Such a beast does not exist. No matter how well you plan or how good the builders are there will always be extras/different things you want, issues to sort out, things to fix. I'd agree with Smithy that a well looked after/decked out used rig that's a couple of years old is a much better option. People forget (maybe it's a good thing!) how much time, effort & money goes into setting up a boat. But it's your money. Either way, CCs are very good boats and I'm sure you'll be happy

[SUPERDAFF]

Thanks for the comments so far guys.

Keep the comments coming guys - I really appreciate the effort. You are all helping me argue out the pros and cons of each option.

THANKS!!!!

GO THE 595
Couple of thoughts from someone who owns a full noise Outsider 625 and who has spent a bit of time in the 595. (Do a lot of ‘way out there’ offshore fishing and long distance cruising).
Firstly, the Outsider 595 and the Outsider 625 are different hulls – the 595 is not just a shrink down from the 625 or a beef up from the 575. For example, the 595 features a much higher sheerline towards the bow - it’s even higher than the one on the 625.
The 595 also has a more fine entry for a smoother ride into the choppy stuff than the 625 and there’s a lot more flare in the bow. Point being, the Outsider 625 is a brilliant hull and the 595 fixes what perhaps was its only criticism.
Whatever brand you buy, ensure that it has the full underfloor floatation that is featured on the 595 and 625. I particularly like the planning plank on the CruiseCraft range because you get instant response as well as a low planning speed (think about offshore or that crappy stretch between the mainland and north-western side of Peel in a wind-on-tide situation over summer).
Also have a look are how the Outsider 595 is a three piece construction that gives a wider deck space. Not sure what that means? – Well have a look how a Explorer 530 could carry a Haines 540F as deck cargo.
Family? – Stability at rest which is one of CruiseCraft’s strongest features and most people spend more time at rest or drifting than actually travelling. Love the wetbox/killbox design through the transom on the 595 instead of having the conventional kill box between the seats on the 625.
I think the folding targa is a better design on the 595 because you no longer are likely to punch a hole through your clears with the locating pins. There’s also a clip-out carpet instead of having to buy a second, top load carpet.
Deck wash and live bait tank switches now at the back – bewdy. Sliding cockpit door. Bewdy. Can take a drop in table . Bewdy. The rear lounge now can be detached on fishing trips. Bewdy.
Finally, the biggest mother of a dash to cope with large displays on the 595 – I had my dash specially modified on my 625 to take a large plotter/sonar/radar display. The 595 would swallow it whole.
Want to get a handle on just how fuel efficient the hull is? Trim the motor right out and plant the throttle. Just watch the Outsider slide to the plane.
And in terms of price, CruiseCrafts (I’ve bought three new) are the only boats which have yielded me more money when sold than I paid for them new (hanging on to them for five years does of course help).
Compare the above features with whatever else you also are considering and you’ll be on the right track.
By the way, my wife has a Masters 4 and drives commercial vessels for a living – and she’s even more fastidious than me when it comes to buying the right boat! Regards.

[Getout]

I have owned a 625 for 6 yrs from new. Excellent offshore fishing boat and great family boat. It is nice doing business with a company that I know will be there tomorow. They don't cut corners. Cruisecrafts have great resale value, which generally is only associated with strong brands that make quality products.
Around 6m is a sensible size... can be launched/retrieved solo (at a pinch), big enough to handle ordinary conditions safely, small enough to be affordable to run. If its too rough to take my boat out wide, its too rough to fish comfortably.
Being a banana bender, I really appreciate the sliding targa and removable clears, for those hot, steamy days.
Would i buy another?...you betcha!

[SUPERDAFF]

I have owned a 625 for 6 yrs from new. Excellent offshore fishing boat and great family boat. It is nice doing business with a company that I know will be there tomorow. They don't cut corners. Cruisecrafts have great resale value, which generally is only associated with strong brands that make quality products.
Around 6m is a sensible size... can be launched/retrieved solo (at a pinch), big enough to handle ordinary conditions safely, small enough to be affordable to run. If its too rough to take my boat out wide, its too rough to fish comfortably.
Being a banana bender, I really appreciate the sliding targa and removable clears, for those hot, steamy days.
Would i buy another?...you betcha!

Absolutely - and well said Getout. It's a company that is one of the very best in the industry and which stands behind its products and the people who buy them. That's why there are so many unpaid advocates for the brand.

[fisho8]

Hard to go passed a Cruise Craft mate well finished boat all round that is why they are the price they are. I nearly owned a 575 but the dealer could not give me the trade I wanted for my boat so I ended up with another Whittley. Buying a new boat can do your head in as some of the guys here have said lookat the Haines Hunter,Whittley,Seafearer etc.

A mate of mine has one of these it is a 650 HH Horizon I have been out on it a few times and as far as a family and fishing boat goes it is awsome. Good Luck mate if the CC floats your boat then run with it.

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-fo...spx?R=11896490

[bustastu]

If the $$$ is not the determining factor - go the 685! Haven't been able to fault mine yet and its towed by a Prado as well. 2.32t on the weigh bridge with 1/2 tank and aliminuim trailer. Consider all options