New Buccaneer true all rounder

The 635 HT is superbly set up for fishing, yet is stylish and comfortable for family cruising.

Hamilton's Gerry Gerrand has been designing and building the Buccaneer brand of trailer boats for 35 years. In that time, the range has encompassed everything from open, "bare bones", centre consoles (ideal for water-borne photography, if a little wet and exposed on windy days), through bow riders and family cabin boats to fishing-oriented "walk-arounds".

A boat builder by trade, Gerrand is typical of those who produce top-quality GRP trailer boats in this country. A passionate perfectionist, he is constantly looking for ways to improve his vessels: better to build, look better, perform better.

His latest release, the 635 Exess HT, is a good example. At least in part driven by a desire from dealers and customers for a smaller version of the popular Buccaneer 685 Hardtop, it is far more than just a smaller version of the 635.

For a start, the hardtop is in balance with the rest of the boat, no easy task on a boat with a hull length of just 6.32 metres and a LOA of 6.76 metres.

With owners of existing 635 open models wanting to stay with a hull they knew and liked but also wanting the extra protection of a hardtop, it would have been easy for Gerrand to take the 685's top, perhaps shorten it a tad and plonk it on.

Instead, he wanted to achieve the same smooth, flowing profile that the 685 Hardtop enjoyed, not create something that looked "like an afterthought".

To keep the same hardtop and screen profile on the smaller hull, he lowered the cockpit sole height and the result is a boat which, from a distance at least, looks almost identical to the stylish 685 with everything in balance and smoothly flowing.

Yet, from the power, ease of towing and affordability viewpoint, the differences are significant.

The 685 Exess HT has an LOA of 7.13 metres while the 635 version is just 6.76m including the bowsprit; hull lengths are 6.82m and 6.32m.

The length of the cockpit in the 635 Exess HT is 2.68m from bulkhead to the rear seats, while the 685 Exess is 2.92m. From coaming to coaming, the 635 Exess HT measures 1.91m and the 685 Exess 1.90m. The cabin of the bigger boat is also 200mm longer.

Not surprisingly, the bigger boat also comes with a few more standard options and a different seating layout. It also retails for about $10,000 more.

That, of course, is only half the picture. The bigger boat needs a bigger and heavier trailer and a bigger tow vehicle and is not as easy to handle by a single boater. And then there is the saving in power plant: the 635 is well suited to a 150hp-200hp outboard, whereas the 685 is more at home with a 225hp-250hp one.

However, just because the new 635 is smaller, easier to handle, requires less power and is not as expensive doesn't mean it is any less sophisticated.

Gerrand has used a full fibreglass inner liner in the new 635 Exess HT; a feature that is gradually being built into the entire Buccaneer range. This innovative approach to manufacturing GRP boats has two main advantages: they are quicker to build and the process all but eliminates the use of structural timber.

Because the process uses Plexus, an immensely strong methacrylate adhesive, to chemically bond the liner to the hull it also improves the boat's rigidity while only adding about 30kg.

Gerrand has used two full-length stringers with a 240-litre aluminium fuel tank and storage cavity down the centre. This has allowed him to place polyurethane foam-filled buoyancy chambers on either side, ensuring that the 635 Exess HT exceeds current CPC buoyancy standards.

As well as being an experienced and talented boatbuilder, Gerrand is a passionate fisherman. This is evident on the 635 where rod holders, stowage and practical fishing features can be found almost everywhere on board. The port side of the transom houses a deep bait bin that can be converted easily to a live-bait tank, and its starboard equivalent can be rigged with a fresh-water pump and hand-held outlet. A mounted bait station sits between the two.

There are also moulded stowage areas for rods and gaffs on both sides of the cockpit and plenty of rod holders along the coamings and on the sides of the hardtop. Just as importantly, the hardtop doesn't get in the way when casting or fighting a fish.

Standard seating on the 635 is an adjustable single pedestal seat for the driver, with a back-to-back opposite. There is normally plenty of stowage under the latter but one can choose to fit a small fridge here. Another option worth considering is the removable polypropylene storage bin, which doubles as a rear seat for two.

Flooring options are carpet, GRP or imitation teak. The new dash has also been designed to cope with the latest marine electronics displays. It can accommodate a 14" MFD screen as well as all the necessary engine gauges, VHF, stereo, DC panel, auto windlass control and the like.

Other noteworthy features include a sliding door to separate the cockpit from the cabin. This provides some privacy for those using the head and, being lockable, creates a secure haven for "walk-able" equipment.

Buccaneer 635

LOA: 6.76m

LOH: 6.32m

Beam: 2.42m

Construction: GRP

Trailerable weight: 2080kg

Recommended power: 150-225hp

Engine: 200hp Evinrude Etec

Maximum speed: 44 knots

Cruising speed: 32 knots

Fuel capacity: 240 litres

Want to know more?
Check out Barry Thompson's boat review on the Buccaneer 635 HT in the November/December issue of Pacific Powerboat magazine.