86 | fishingworld.com.au | March 2015
f lat space at the bow for installing an electric
motor at any angle. Interestingly, a livewell is
located at the bow as well. I’m not sure how a
heavy battery and full livewell would balance
out with two people on board ...
As mentioned, Crestliner adds space for an
anchor on the bow, a necessity with our local
safety regulations.The ride
We launched the boat in Sydney's Parramatta
River and threw a few lures around. There
weren’t any fish, but we did get a good
account of how well the boat handled average
Harbour chop. With a good cruising speed of
20 knots, the Vision ate up the chop and we
remained bone dry. Even side on with a strong
breeze we remained dry thanks to the reverse
chine and deep vee construction. It’s a great
riding boat. It’s also quite sporty, digging into
tight turns at speed with ease and without fear
of anything going wrong.
While the tacho wasn’t wired up, we
achieved a top speed of just under 30 knots.
The 1600 Vision had fitted a maximum rated
60hp Mercury four-stroke. The Vision has
been designed for this horsepower engine andthere’s no need to go up or down in power.
Teamed up with the gutsy Merc, it proved to
be a fun boat to drive.
As previously mentioned, a deep-vee
design can often mean a less than stable
platform. With two people on board and
moving about in calm water, I was more
than happy with the stability displayed by
the Vision. Perhaps it would roll a bit inlumpy seas, but that’s not what this boat is
necessarily designed for.
I’ve tested several Crestliners in the past and
have always been impressed with the attention
to detail and the practical fishing features.
If you’re looking for a dedicated fishing boat
with the ruggedness of aluminium and the slick
looks of fibreglass, the Crestliner Vision 1600 is
certainly worth an inspection.The console is
neat and offers
good protection
from the
elements.BOAT REVIEW: CRESTLINER VISION 1600