70 Boating New Zealand
One of the by-products of the Express Cruiser
design is a helm position high above the water.
That means great all-round vision when underway,
but I’d imagine it also moves around a bit when
the boat lies beam-on in choppy seas – we didn’t
have any chop to contend with on the lake.
The high bridge also means it’s a fair way
down to the swim platform and the water, but
that has advantages too: shore power and water
connections are nicely positioned outside the boat
and the deep transom provides a useful locker
under the sun pad big enough for the fenders and
other gear, plus another storage compartment
behind the engine for spare oil and suchlike.
The swim platform at water level is wide
enough to fish from when it’s calm and there’s a
retractable boarding ladder on the starboard side.
I was impressed, also, by the number and quality
of the vessel’s stainless-steel fittings: there are
three cleats per side, the rear ones on heavy-duty