Free for all

 

WORDS + PHOTOS:
ANDREW RICHARDSON

Bluewater battlewagon or family cruiser... the Offshore 595 gives you freedom of choice.

It was holiday time for the kids and I, but my wife had taken a part-time job during January, so I decided to bring my kids along for the ride. To Alan Blake, we probably seemed like a panel of extremely demanding judges but he took it in his stride and endeavoured to answer a string of questions put to him by my three-year-old boy.
"Scuse me, what's this button for? Can I climb up there?" Alan did have a bit of trouble grasping the complex emotions of my six-year-old daughter who continually fought with her little brother over the ever-changing 'best seat' on the boat ? all in a days family boating!
Kids onboard
Having kids onboard is a good test for a family fishing boat and straight away the Queensland-built Freedom 595 WA revealed her good points. Such as the way that substantial stainless steel Targa top provides good protection from the sun and the walk-around deck and wide, flat aft combings offer safe access around the boat. The kids also loved the large custom-made bow hatch that made forward access easy and they spent a lot of time jumping around in the roomy cabin and on the practical vee-berth in the bow.

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But most importantly for a family boat, there's a portable toilet located under the berth.
This is the first time I've been onboard any Freedom boats and I was pleasantly surprised by the build quality. She features thick aluminium windscreen surrounds and stainless steel grab rails in all the right places. The Targa top, with its rocket launcher rod rack, is exceptionally well built and has the ability to fold down to reduce the rig's height. And the bowrail is high enough to offer genuine security and easy access when forward to the open bow with pulpit.
WE HAVE LIFT OFF!
Alan explained that the Freedom's hull has a concave running plank that allows the craft to stay on the plane at lower speeds and boosts the rig's get up and go. We timed the leap out of the hole and went from two to 30 knots in around six seconds, which is pretty good going for a 6m boat. She also holds on the plane down around 12 knots.
The 150hp Evinrude E-TEC purred out to around 5000rpm where the 17in stainless steel propeller delivers a top speed around 40 Knots. A bigger prop would deliver more top end but the test combo seemed the perfect starting point, because the craft was light on the helm and comfy right across the rev range. The hull responded well to leg trim and when we encountered some rough stuff the 21-degrees deadrise hull cut through the mess without taking spray over the bow.

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