Surtees and barcrusher

[Sparky89]

Anyone tell me how the two compare? Ride, price etc? Looking at the centre console models

[Noelm]

Practically the same thing, buy the one that will customise to your specs and has the best price, I think that Suteees are the innovators and Barcrusher just follows.

[swof63]

I think they started out with Surtees being the original nz product and Barcrusher was the Australian licensee, probably with a time limited exclusive right to this market. The first barcrushers I saw still had a surtees builders plate on them. Production of the crushers is now fully here, and design details have varied from the nz product -ie barcrusher now have their gen2 folded keel shape.
Very similar obviously as Noel says choose on price, dealer and layout/fitout that suits you.


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[indian man]

Barcrusher pretty much stole the design so Id go Surtees unless you like you cricket balls sanded

[Noelm]

Not too sure anyone stole anything, the true story will probably never be known, but there was some sort of business deal and they parted ways, who "owns" the original design is anyone's guess, Surtees seem to come up with good ideas first though.

[Ducksnutz]

I’m curious to know if anyone takes into consideration where the boat is built etc. Not wanting to debate which one is better because I’ve owned one and fished in the other and can’t tell the difference other than one is made in Australia and the other in New Zealand I believe.

[frank100]

Hi Guys,
A barcrusher is a Surtees. Originally Barcrusher imported the Surtees hull and put their own touches to the cabin, electrics, paintwork and the fold down roof etc, in their Melbourne factory. At the time Surtees was sold in NZ as a work boat.
If you had seen one "work boat" was an apt description. The actual actual agreement between the two, I don't know (ask Barcrusher). My BC (2003) has "SURTEES" welded on the back, at the time of purchase I was fully aware of this and the SURTEES work boat was not sold in Oz. (You could import one though). Several years later, as far as I know the SURTEES was being sold in Oz as a SURTEES, Barcrusher was then being built in Melbourne, the two had the same hull but had different options (Helm, seats , paint etc). My knowledge then runs out since BC's then started appearing in very different configurations ie walk around, hard top etc.
In short they started out as the same boat , so until the folded keel was released they were the same thing in different packages.
Hope this clears some of the confusion. BTW I brought mine in 2003 from Barcrusher direct in Melbourne, back then, only the 5.5 and 6.1 were available.
Frank

[Sparky89]

Thanks everyone, appreciate it!!

[NAGG]

Back to the original Question

I've just recently purchased a near new Barcrusher 615WR (Suzuki DF140) ...... & while It's a little too early to be singing "Hallelujah" - I'm impressed.
Aesthetically - it's a handsome boat that draws attention ( you literally can lose 30mins every time you you pull up at a boat ramp or servo as people want to have a chat).
Design - is very functional ...... key points
* large console gives great protection for two - three angers plus there is decent storage there. There is enough room to mount 2 x 12 inch sounders (if planned for) - big enough but leaving enough room to walk around to the bow - ( A minn Kota with a 60 inch shaft does impede though .... specially for a big bloke )
*Folding back step which can double as a bench seat - also keeps batteries etc out of the weather when in the retracted position .
*Good dry storage under the lockable front hatch.
*Killl tank that can be flooded manually & pumped out via the sump
*Several seating options.
*Long side pockets which as an option can be rod lockers .
* Folding T top - While being fairly heavy - it's easy to raise & drop with 4 screw in knobs & 2 bracing cables keeping everything taught (an awning extension is easy to fit and adds another couple of feet of shelter)

Performance / Seaworthiness - I just spent a couple of days down Batemans bay where the boat was put through its paces on flat water , good offshore conditions & horrible offshore conditions .
With the 140 Suzuki ..... it's no speed demon - I was maxing out at around 56kmph ( But I wasn't able to reach maximum rpm due to the prop fitted) - Fuel consumption over 2 days was 105lts for 215km traveled ( mixture of flat high speed river runs & offshore)
Offshore is where the boat excelled - in good conditions or bad 4000-4500 rpm would see the boat move along at 36-42km/hr - correctly trimmed quite dry ( I think I copped 2 decent sprays going side on with 1.5m seas & 15knots SE winds ) ...... ended up with a wet arm only. For the most part the boat can be driven from a seated position .....
At rest the ballast system works a treat - stability was excellent - walking up to the front in messy seas to deploy the minn kota was not as daunting as you would imagine . I will invest in the Bar Flap - having the ability to keep water in or out certainly has benefits .

Trim tabs are a must to get the best out of the hull .

Overall the build quality is outstanding & functional .

How the Barcrusher WR compares to the Surtees CC- For the interior layout / console / T Top ..... The Barcrusher is leaps & bounds ahead of the quite agricultural Surtees - There is no comparison - close the book on that chapter !.

Surtees may be the foundation for Barcrusher - but Barcrusher have built on that foundation right here in Australia and added the refinement that was required .

Chris

[Noelm]

You didn't call in on your way to Batemans Bay!

[NAGG]

You didn't call in on your way to Batemans Bay!

Coming from Penrith - I head down via Braidwood & down the Clyde mountain ......... a much better trip than the coastal road

Chris

[Noelm]

Haven't been to Braidwood for decades, used to be a pretty shabby winding road, we used to go gold panning there years ago, good fun messing around doing it. I guess being a "coastal dweller" I never think about other ways to go down the coast, for me it's just Kiama, Nowra, Ulladulla and Batemans Bay on my way to Narooma.

[frank100]

Wot Nagg said
Frank

[NAGG]

Haven't been to Braidwood for decades, used to be a pretty shabby winding road, we used to go gold panning there years ago, good fun messing around doing it. I guess being a "coastal dweller" I never think about other ways to go down the coast, for me it's just Kiama, Nowra, Ulladulla and Batemans Bay on my way to Narooma.

The road is a lot better these days Noel with passing opportunities ....... still a steep climb out but much better than say - Kangaroo valley . It was an interesting trip out on Friday evening ..... going up through the clouds . I think this was the 11th trip down over the past 9 months .

Chris

[NAGG]

Here are a few comparison photos - some shots are of the larger Surtees 650

116898Surtees 610 116899Barcrusher 615

116900 Surtees 610 116901Barcrusher 615
116905Surtees 650 116906 Barcrusher 615
116902Surtees 650 116907 Barcrusher 615

[Volvo]

Impressive read :).