Cruise Craft 595EX with Yamaha F200 4-stroke

by Steve Morgan •

If you’re a fan of Fishing Monthly boat tests, you may remember the test that Streaker Marine’s Sean Savage and I did on the $200,000 Cruise Craft 685HT. Powered by a 300hp Yamaha, it’s a dreamboat for plenty of anglers out there, and Sean has seen plenty of them roll out the door ever since. This time, we’re taking one of the smaller Cruise Craft models for a spin – the 585EX with a 200hp Yamaha.

Built in Brisbane to exacting standards and factory fitted with motors and trailers, Cruise Craft boats have a reputation for quality and a price tag to match. Incidentally, the Cruise Craft factory also makes the Streaker boat brand now in Brisbane. This test is for Streaker Marine. It’s a small world in the boating industry.

The 595EX (Explorer) is the third smallest and third largest fishing boat in the Cruise Craft range. Designed to run a 175hp outboard, the test boat was fitted with the maximum 200hp. At over 2t on the trailer, it’s not a light rig, however the F200 delivered maximum economy of 1.8km/L at 3600rpm and a comfortable cruising speed of 40km/h.

Want to drive this rig flat out? No worries, it’ll give you a smooth 77km/h at 5900 rpm and 1km/L, so ease up on the throttle if you want less pain at the bowser.

Although the test day on Port Phillip Bay was glamorous, the rough water ability and quietness of the Cruise Craft hull is legendary. We can report that it goes well on flat water!

At wide-open throttle, like all boats, the economy drops. If you want to go 77km/h at 5900rpm, the fuel calculations become easy and you get 1km/L burned.

The 595 is supplied from the factory on an Australian built Easytow trailer with twin axles. Indeed, the whole boat/motor/trailer is factory rigged for the best in quality control.

There’s plenty of cockpit space and removable carpet to aid cleaning after a big day on the water.

Here’s the rear bench seat deployed. The mechanism is strong and neat to pack away.

You can store a few rods or gaffs in the side pocket as well as tackle in the bottom section.

Now there’s a helm that’ll hold all the electronics you’ll want to put into a $100K+ boat.

This model comes with a sliding, lockable cabin door for privacy and security.

Cruise Craft cabins are always a combination of style and practicality. This one takes an optional toilet for a weekend away.

Cruise Craft’s bait stations have evolved over the years to this design, and it’s removable for family days.

The slide out shade option on the targa top is wonderfully practical and you can keep your excess rods out of the way above it.

The Stressfree electric anchor winch is bordering on a standard inclusion rather than an option. Once you’ve had one, you’ll never go back.

The 20 degrees of deadrise at the transom and a 2.44m beam combine to offer good ride and stability at rest.

Cruise Craft’s Yamahas are factory fitted in Brisbane for the best in quality control.

From bow to stern, the build and design quality is obvious and the boat rides quietly on the water. At the helm, there’s ample space for whatever suite of electronics you want to fit to be flush mounted. The helm seating is comfortable and designed to store coolers underneath.

I’m a particular fan of the soft top fitted with a slide out sunshade, especially in northern climates where it’s virtually mandatory to fish undercover. The test boat was also fitted with clip-in carpet, which makes life easier at the wash-down stage, especially if you’ve had a busy day on the fish.

Sean Savage has sold plenty of Cruise Craft packages and rates the 595EX as “The best bang for buck in the Cruise Craft range.”

“And the resale value of these rigs is also amazing. The fact that everything is plush and factory-fitted means that there’s ultimate confidence from both the dealers and the customers that everything is done right. We love selling them,” Savage continued.

“What I also like about the hull design is that it was made from scratch from the water up and it carries its beam a long way forward. That gives it the ability to stay on the plane at slower speeds, which helps while driving in rough water.

When looking at the differences between the base model price (packages start from low $90K) and the test boat ($111,850), a lot of the cost is made up of the stainless steel, factory-fitted folding Targa top. Erected, the boat’s height tops out at 3.22m, but folded down you can fit it into a garage with a 2.45m clearance. That’s important if you need to store your boat undercover in an area with limited height.

Want to know more about this rig? You can see it at the Melbourne Boat Show or you can watch the video review on YouTube on the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube channel, or by scanning the QR code on the page hereby with your smartphone.

Or, of course, you can chat with Sean and the guys from Streaker Marine. Their contacts are on www.streakermarine.com.au.

While you’re at it, like them on Facebook on the Streaker Marine page.

SPECIFICATIONS
Length 5.95m
Length Overall 6.35m
Length on trailer 7.5m
Height with targa 3.22m
Height with screen 2.43m
Tow weight  2100kg
Beam  2.44m
Transom deadrise 20 degrees
Transom height XL
Max hp 200hp
Recommended hp  175hp
Capacity Six persons
Fuel 190L

PERFORMANCE
RPM            km/h            km/L
700…………. 5………………. 1.7
1000……….. 7………………. 2.5
2000………. 15……………… 1.9
3000………. 24……………… 1.6
3600………. 40……………… 1.8
4000………. 45……………… 1.7
5000………. 61……………… 1.3
5900………. 77……………… 1.0
*As tested with a 17” S/S propeller