by Peter Jung •
Bulls Bay isn’t a boat brand that many people will have heard of, unless you know your US boat manufacturers well. They are produced by Carolina Composites, who also make Pioneer Boats. They are an entry-level fibreglass hull, but as we know, US entry-level boats offer plenty of options and a degree of sophistication, which is certainly the case with the Bulls Bay 1700. Melbourne Marine Centre is the Victorian dealer for them and we hit one of the Gippsland Lakes to put it through its paces.
The 1700 is the smallest of the range of Bulls Bay boats available and is a centre console configuration. Targeted towards the fishing market, this is a boat that is small enough to be towed behind the family sedan, would fit into most garages and can easily be launched and retrieved by one person. These are all key features of a boat this size, but the most important components of a fishing boat of this style are fishing space and storage. Let’s break down the key features of the Bulls Bay 1700.
Storage and fishability
Storage and fishability go hand in hand. Insufficient storage means your fishing areas are cluttered by gear. Poorly designed fishing space limits the fishing opportunities for the angler.
Being a centre console the Bulls Bay 1700 is designed to offer a 360°C fishing experience. Large decks at the front and rear are ideal to cast lures from and there is plenty of space around the console to comfortably pass either side of it. You also have the bonus of higher gunnels in this area to lock into if you are fighting a bigger fish. For a smaller boat it definitely has a big boat feel. In a nutshell the 1700 has great fishability.
There is significant storage throughout the 1700. There are large areas below the front deck and the skipper’s seat as well as under the seat in front of the console. There is plenty of room for your fishing gear, safety gear and much more, so keeping fishing areas clear of clutter isn’t an issue. Like many boats of this size rod storage is minimal, so if you have multiple rods on board, take a little care with where you put them.
Launch and retrieve
The test boat was on a Mackay single axle multi roller trailer and this was well suited to the 1700 hull. Weighing in at around 1200kg fully loaded, it can be towed by your average 6-cylinder vehicle and the multi-roller system allows you to drive the boat on and off the trailer. If you aren’t comfortable doing that, it’s a very simply process to launch and retrieve it with two people or one person if necessary.
Ride and performance
The Bulls Bay 1700 has a maximum horsepower rating of 115hp and a minimum of 75hp. The boat we tested had a 90hp Mercury 4-stroke on it and I must admit my expectation was that it might labour getting underway. It was a pleasant surprise that this was far from the case. In the video for this test I called it a ‘pocket rocket,’ and it was. The Bulls Bay was very smooth out of the water (5.4 second hole shot) and with minimal trimming of the motor it got up to a very respectable 57km/h.
We lucked out with some amazing weather during the testing days, so there was no wave action to deal with; we just had to enjoy the 1700 gliding over glassy conditions. It was extremely quiet and very easy to manoeuver. The key was getting the trim right – once you had that down, it was simply a matter of enjoying the ride.
You have to love the soft ride that fibreglass boats offer. I know that when I wasn’t driving, I took advantage of the seat in front of the console to take in the surroundings.
Mercury CT 90hp 4-stroke
Part of Mercury’s 2.1L range of four stroke motors, the Command Thrust 90hp 4-stroke was the surprise for me. The Command Trust gearbox gives it the ability to push a larger diameter prop, which assists getting a boat on the plane and keeping it there at lower speeds. This then contributes to better performance and fuel savings. Andrew from Melbourne Marine was happy with the numbers for the Mercury during testing, but felt that he could still tinker with the prop to improve them even further.
The surprise was how well balanced this motor was with the 1700. It had power to burn and I can only imagine what a 115hp motor would be like. As much as I wonder about that, it certainly wasn’t necessary.
Electronics and options
A boat like the Bulls Bay lends itself to having an electric motor on the front of it and the test boat had a 55lb MotorGuide electric on the bow. This gives you the versatility to sneak around in the timber or to quietly fish the shallows and is a must-have as far as this author is concerned. This proved to be true over the couple of days we spent on the water.
The medium to large centre console provides a large enough area to place any electronics you may want, as well as your gauges and switches. The Garmin set up on the test boat was one of the new release Striker 7 Plus Series units. This is a great easy to use option with great features like Garmin’s CHIRP ClearVu and SideVu.
Like all of their fit-outs, Melbourne Marine Centre had put a lot of thought into the electronics for their boats.
Final Thoughts
I left this boat test thinking, if I wanted to step up to a fibreglass boat from what I have, this is the type of boat I would like to get. It had all the benefits a smallish tinny has to offer, but with the quiet, soft ride that fibreglass provides and the performance of the Mercury engine. The handling was also impressive.
There is plenty of general storage as well as a couple of livewells for those interested in releasing fish or who are tournament orientated. My only concern would be rod storage. However with a bit of thought I am sure there is a simple solution to this.
My final observations are for the fishability. It’s very stable at rest, providing a solid platform to cast lures from. You could easily fish three up and the addition of the MotorGuide electric motor only adds to your ability to do this type of fishing. It would be a great boat to do this from in any estuary, small waterway or lake system and the ability to launch and retrieve it with one person ensures it would spend plenty of time on the water.
As tested the Bulls Bay 1700 was priced around $47,000, which in my mind is great value for money. To find out more about the Bulls Bay and the other boats in the range you can contact Melbourne Marine Centre on (03) 9703 2003 or go to their website www.melbournemarine.com.au.
SPECIFICATIONS
Hull Length 5.20m
Beam 2.24m
Hull Weight (dry) 590kg
Max hp 115
Min hp 115
Number of People 4
Fuel Capacity 110L
PERFORMANCE
RPM Speed (km/h) Economy (L/H)
Idle (690)…………… 4.1…………………1.2
1000……………………..6.0………………..2.1
2000…………………….10.5……………….5.6
3000…………………….17.0………………10.6
4000……………………38.7……………….14.8
5000…………………….51.5……………….27.6
WOT (5600)…………57.0……………….31.8
Hole Shot……………………………….5.38 seconds
