Bush 'n Beach Fishing Magazine Location reports & tips for fishing, boating, camping, kayaking, 4WDing in Queensland and Northern NSW
ONE company that is always looking to develop unique multipurpose boats is Caloundra-based boat builder Ocean Craft.
Its latest vessel is the 6000 Camper Cruiser and, as the name suggests, it can be used for camping, exploring, fishing and cruising.
Based on the proven Beamy hull design with a Posi Lift bow, the new Camper Cruiser has plenty going for it in terms of versatility.
On the test day, we did a quick trip out through the new Caloundra bar, past the shark nets and around the broken reef.
Conditions were good, though the hull design means this boat is capable offshore too.
The massive deck space, which is around 2.4m wide, provides a substantial amount of fishing room.
Alternatively, the deck area could be fitted out with outdoor furniture such as a corner lounge, deck chairs, barbecue and table, which would make it the perfect day cruiser.
This setup would be well suited to cruising up and down your local waterway, with family and friends – the HIN capacity of this boat is 10 people.
Another option – and this refers to the name – is using this boat to explore the remote coastline of Australia and setting the boat up as a camper.
Under the deck, there is a massive amount of storage – you could even sleep in there if you wanted to.
With around 7sq m of area under the deck, there is plenty of room to stow basically anything.
Access to the underdeck is via two hatches. Ocean Craft
However, I would prefer to camp on the deck in either a tent or swag and use the underneath for storage.
Even with a tent or swags set up, there would be room still for a table and chairs, Esky and other camping and fishing equipment.
Plus, with the addition of a couple of ramps, you could even load dirt bikes or a quad onto the 6000 Camper Cruiser for the ultimate adventure.
These are only some suggestions that would be well suited to this boat.
Ultimately, the decision is yours – which is the bonus of getting a custom-built boat.
If you did want to make this rig the ultimate all-rounder, I would also look at getting a stainless sink and either a built-in or fold-down table.
With the amount of room and railings or floor area you can attach or join items to, your options are endless.
In terms of the ride, the hull design means you can get away with lower horsepower.
However, if you were looking at loading the boat up, you will need a larger motor than the 18hp that was on the demo boat.
Frankly, a larger outboard and larger fuel tank would get the hull working to its full potential.
The base model comes with a 75-litre removable tank, which I’d look at moving from the deck to under the floor, as this would increase stability at rest.
Admittedly, on the test day, we only had basic safety gear, a tote tank and two people onboard with a light engine – so there was plenty of payload left, which is the beauty of this boat and what it allows you to do.
For more information on the Ocean Craft 6000 Camper Cruiser, check out oceancraft.com.au where there are more pictures and links to videos of the boat running offshore.
