February 28, 2014

A Euro-style centre console for summer
 

 LIKES
<< Multiple personalities in a centre-console day boat
<< Comfortable cockpit seating throughout
<< Nice mouldings, fit and finish
<< Very good performance with latest Mercury 150hp four-stroke

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

- A good deal but you might need more kit. Economies of scale and slick manufacturing methods mean these Quicksilver boats can be built fast and affordably. You can get aboard an Activ 605 from Euro 26995 with an 115hp Optimax outboard. You will probably need a trailer and at least a modicum of electronics such a marine radio.

As tested, our demonstrator was selling from Euro 30999 with the maximum recommended 150hp Mercury outboard and factory fitted options. These included the so-called Sports Pack with dark-blue hull, freshwater deck shower and pump, Sony radio and bimini top. 

Again, you will need a marine radio, probably a depth sounder, and maybe more kit like rod holders and a rear cutting board for fishing. But it’s a pretty well-priced boat given its volume, performance and potential.

- Made in Europe with a summer savvy layout
Quicksilver is one of a dozen or so boat brands owned by American marine multinational Brunswick Corporation. Only the extensive range of fibreglass boats, measuring from 12 to 26 feet, is made in Europe. This has advantages, such as hedging and, from a cost base, Europe can be a very effective and efficient manufacturing location.

The Activ 605 heralds from the namesake Open or centre-console range, which has four models: the 505, 555, this 605 and a 675. There are also sundeck craft, Quicksilvers with cabins, and boats that we see badged as Arvors in this country. In any case, they are all very European in their design and thinking.

Certainly this is the case with the 605. With summer in the air, we thought we’d share a timely test of this Euro-styled centre console, with a 150hp Mercury outboard (another Brunswick brand) spinning a three-blade stainless steel prop.

LAYOUT

- From picnic to sun pad, a spot of fishing and tow sports
As with most European centre consoles, the Activ 605 isn’t designed so much for hardcore fishing as softcore lazing about, commuting and cruising, and entertaining a young family. To this end, the bow can be converted to suit your chosen application.

In bare form, there is a casting platform up front, atop a large moulded storage hold whose lid lifts on twin gas struts. It will be easy to clean off the blood with a hose out later. You could chase schools of fish with lures, fly cast or flick soft-plastic lures here without anything to hinder your backcast.

Add the cushions and the casting platform becomes an aft-facing seat. With a so-called mother-in-law seat moulded ahead of the centre console, you can sit here with a friend or two and engage in face-to-face conversation. Add the supplied moulded table that locates between these seats and you have somewhere to plonk a drink and do lunch.

Remove the table and add the supplied infill board and cushion and the whole bow area becomes one big sun pad. This might come in handy for the après-lunch zeds and for mum and the kids. The table and cushions stow inside the centre console, with access through a large forward hatch that lifts on more struts. It’s such a cavernous compartment you can actually climb in and sit there on, say, a portable loo. 

You need storage on a small boat and the Activ 605 Open is loaded. Keep your fishing gear and water toys in the console compatment and the choice of activity is at your fingertips.

Meantime, you get a small but dedicated anchor locker and a bowsprit demanded by most Australian boaters. There is a split bow rail to assist forward disembarkation at a beach, while the hull shape is a beam-forward design that offers loads of freeboard to support the weight of crew up front. 

The bow really has been designed as the centrepiece of this centre console.

Having said that, there’s a bank of three seats that form a lounge running along the width of the stern. There’s yet more storage under their moulded base and access to the battery and its switch, anchor light extension, and ski pole. Yes, that introduces yet another personality.

Water access is improved thanks to a swing-away portside lounge backrest and removable cushion swab. The boat has a swim ladder, of course, and a good grade of non-skid throughout, plus that freshwater deck shower so you can wash-off the salt before the Sunday run home.

Remove all these aft cushions and, with two small rod holders provided, you can fish. There’s scope to fit more holders in the wide gunwales. In sportsfishing or fly-fishing mode, the rear lounge base can double as a second casting platform. This way you have room for two anglers to fling things with hooks at passing fish.

CENTRE CONSOLE STATION
- Double width with oodles of mounting space
In between the fore and aft stations is the centre console. It’s a double-width model with twin Quicksilver pedestal seats with flip-up bolsters. When standing and running, solid stainless-steel console grab rails and side rails assist your footing.

The carbon-look dash insert had a speedo, tacho, trim and fuel gauge. There was the Sony stereo head unit, some rocker switches, a sports wheel and throttle binnacle. The inclusion of a 12V socket lets you charge the phone.

There’s just so much white fibreglass left over that you’ll have no problem flush mounting additional electronics. The water tank and pump are located centrally under the centre console, where there’s also great access to the wiring. But there’s no rear access inside the centre console, it’s only through that large forward-facing hatch.

HULL AND ENGINEERING
- High volume and self draining
The fibreglass hull is self draining, which hardcore anglers embrace. But with the full-width transom 'splash well' and wide hull with loads of buoyancy it’s not going to ship water anyway. 

Given it’s self-draining and the outboard leg can be tilted completely clear of the water, the Activ 605 could make a great in-water storage solution for owners of waterfront homes. This could be your commuter craft and runaround.

As for the engineering, it’s from one of the world’s biggest boat builders so we’ll just leave it at that. The mouldings were very fair, the external fit and finish well executed, and there’s excellent access under the centre console, and to the fuel tank. However, the bilge area isn’t the easiest to reach. At least’s the decks are self draining.

ON THE WATER
- Super stable and dry
The Activ 605 has an interesting hull head on, with a cathedral-like design featuring a sharp entry and very big reverse chines for amazing spray deflection and stability at rest. This was certainly a dry boat on a day when the wind was blowing and other centre consoles might cop it.

Idle or underway, the buoyant and stable Active 605 hull, with high internal freeboard thanks to one big moulded liner, also imparts a sense of safety. Young families should find this reassuring. But with the internal liner running flush to the hull sides, it’s not the most comfortable boat for leaning into the gunwales for serious fishing folk.

The Ultraflex hydraulic steering gave driving pleasure and your sight lines at all times remain unhindered from the helm. Both these things contributed to an almost intuitive to drive. The latest Mercury 150hp four stroke is a nice bit of outboard engine, too.

According to the official data, spinning a 15 x 15in prop, the Active 605 cruised at 28 knots at 4350rpm for 28.9l/hr and a near-100 nautical mile range. Top speed was 37.9 knots at 5600rpm WOT. So it’s a fast boat, but it’s not flighty.

VERDICT
- Euro deck boat
The Active 605 Open will appeal to those who enjoy pleasure boating. It casts a wide net and can do a bit of everything to sate the masses. It’s not a design leader, the best fishing boat, or a plush bowrider. It’s certainly no one-trick pony. But with summer upon us, it would make a neat family runaround and casting platform, a decent dive station and commuter craft.

If all that appeals, this Euro take on the centre console, a deck boat of sorts, is well worth a run. Think of it as a well-priced SUV and soft roader with a high degree of inbuilt safety. Or to borrow another name, think of it as an Activ.

Ratings
Overall rating: 3.7/5.0
Mechanical/equipment: 3.0/5.0
Packaging and practicality: 3.5/5.0
On the water Performance: 4.50/5.0
Value for money: 4/5.0
X-factor: 3.5/5.0

Specifications:
Overall Length: 6.12m
Length of hull: 5.75m
Overall beam: 2.4m
Bridge clearance: 1.62m
Total boat weight without engine: 950kg
Maximum engine weight: 239kg
Shaft length: XL
Maximum power: 150 hp (110kw)
Draft: 0.43m
Water tank (optional): 45 litres
maximum capacity: 110 litres integrated tank
Boat's height: 2.05m
Maximum number of people: 7
CE category: C

for more details contact us:
MECCA MARINE | Ride the Waves with MECCA: 6 Floors of Display
474, St Paul's Str., 
St Paul's Bay.
Tel: 21573278 | 79732783
www.mecca-marine.com | mecca@mecca.com.mt

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