Seafarer Victory 6.0 with Suzuki 200hp 4-stroke

by Steve Morgan •

Initially developed and built on the Gold Coast by boat builder Lindsay Fry, it was around a decade ago that the Brisbane-based Haines Group took over this iconic brand. Indeed, not a weekend went by down on the north coast of NSW when I didn’t see a fleet of Seafarer V-Seas dodging waves on the river bars on their way to slaying piles of reefies.

The boats were legendary, so it was good to see that they went to a good home and to a company that would continue to refine the product.

The latest version of the Seafarer Victory 6.0m is a case in point. Recognising that the hull didn’t need to change, the new Seafarer chiefs decided that top deck modifications were needed to modernise the offering and include viable options like a hard top and bigger cabin into the range.

That’s how this iteration was born.

We got to take out the new Victory for a run on Moreton Bay with Seafarer expert, Chris Thompson on an average day in July – a calmish morning with building breezes that pretty accurately emulate what you’d go through on a day’s fishing, a rough ride home.

Chris explained the changes to the boat in his video boat test we filmed (scan the QR Code above on your mobile or search Seafarer on the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel), however we will summarise it here.

“The cabin is bigger with a higher roof to accommodate the optional hard top,” Chris said. “The transom has also been cleaned up; we no longer have a need for oil filling ports and the like with the dominance of modern 4-stroke outboards. There’s also a redesigned anchor well and a dash capable of simultaneously holding a 16” flush-mounted sounder and 9” outboard gauges.”

The test rig was powered by Suzuki’s Lean Burn 200hp 4-stroke outboard, which comes out of the same Brisbane warehouse as the boat, so naturally the two were a nice match.

And with the optional hard top fitted on the test boat, we got the full ‘enclosed’ experience on a run around the southern bay. Both with and against the chop, there was always a comfortable speed to travel, and it often aligned with the most economical cruising speed.

Paired with the lightweight 200hp Suzuki 4-stroke, the Victory reached 74km/h at wide open throttle. That was fun.

A remodelled transom and several other cosmetic changes were added, as well as a higher cabin.

There was no surprise that the test boat was fitted with the highly efficient 200 Suzuki. Both the motor and the boat come from the same address in Wacol, Queensland.

There’s plenty of room up here for your anchoring gear. We assume that nearly all Victory orders will tick the ‘add an anchor winch’ box.

You can get the air flowing with the twin clear hard top hatches. All of the fittings are premium.

The transom features matching live bait tanks with clear sides to assess how your yakkas are faring.

A deck wash helps you keep the rig in order while out on the water.

The rear lounge is small and functional, and it folds away to let you get down to business at the transom.

What you get with a refined top deck are little niches that are all built for a purpose. These items need to be at hand but can easily get in the way.

The cabin is fully lined and long enough to stretch out and take five.

The helm is comfortable and supremely capable of swallowing up some pretty large screens for sounders and engines. I would have liked somewhere to rest my forearm while on and off the throttle in rougher waters.

Unlike many other hulls, the side door is standard in the Victory and it’s a handy addition, both on the land and the water.

Custom-routered SeaDek adds style and function. At the end of the day, the Victory is still a fishing boat.

The optional hard top is made of fibreglass, and is supported by some flash stainless tubework. Some might argue it could be longer, but on the test day there was plenty of shade.

On the test day, 3,500rpm delivered 1.9km/L at 32km/h and this was right in the comfort zone for traversing a paddock of wind chop versus tide. The rig didn’t want to dig in when quartering a sea downwind, and the steering was light and responsive. I would have liked a place to rest my forearm while riding the throttle, but this was a small criticism of what was otherwise a very comfortable drive.

Standard in the boat now is a side door. Great for loading the boat while on the water or on the trailer. The door eliminates the need for a transom door, allowing easy placement of dual live bait tanks on either side of the transom.

Right in the middle of the transom is a padded, retractable lounge that tucks neatly out of the way when the fishing business starts. Other options like a raw water deckwash and bait rigging station make the operation of an efficient fishing area pretty easy.

Finishing off the practical side is a SeaDek-covered cockpit floor that is easily maintainable with a hose, and really makes the interior look the goods.

Up front, the lined cabin is very comfortable, and has a level of fit-out that reflects the $106,990 bill for the test rig.

Packages start at $79,770 with a soft top and down spec fittings, so there may be a combination between the two that suits your budget and needs. There are currently six dealers nationally that can get you into a new Seafarer package.

For more information on the range, visit the Seafarer website at www.seafarerboats.com.au or Like Seafarer Boats on Facebook to get the latest updates.

SPECIFICATIONS
Length………………………………………….. 6.0m
Beam…………………………………………….. 2.4m
Transom Deadrise………………………. 21º
Fuel………………………………………………. 200L
Max HP…………………………………………. 225
Capacity……………………………………….. 7 persons

PERFORMANCE
RPM.. Speed (km/h)……… Economy (km/L)
650…………………… 5…………………………. 3.8
1000…………………. 6…………………………. 2.5
2000………………… 10…………………………. 1.4
3000………………… 18…………………………. 1.3
3500………………… 32…………………………. 1.9
4000………………… 45…………………………. 1.8
4500………………… 52…………………………. 1.8
5000………………… 59…………………………. 1.7
6000………………… 72…………………………. 1.2
6300………………… 74…………………………  1.0