SUMMER 2009/2010
The latest edition of Modern Boating magazine is out now! To get your copy delivered to your door, simply click on the link
The latest edition of Modern Boating magazine is out now! To get your copy delivered to your door, simply click on the link
Modern Boating and Big Hat Productions head out for a glorious day on the water to give the Seawind 1160...
A fisherman's catch
Streaker's 5.45m Sirocco Fisherman is a pertinent reminder the evergreen runabout is far from an ageing design
WORDS & PHOTOS: WARREN STEPTOE
While some may believe runabouts are outdated by the advent of bowriders and the burgeoning popularity of cuddy cabs, today's runabouts (or at least ones like this) with walk-through windscreens, remain as good a choice as ever when it comes to family and fishing boats.
Why should someone choose a runabout over a bowrider with its roomy bow lounge? Anyone seated in a bow lounge when it's a bit chilly will soon understand. So why, then, choose a runabout's lower screen and deck over a cuddy or half cab's higher one with extra headroom? Because sometimes a cabin boat won't fit under the roof where you store it, and if you intend to tow further than a few kilometres to a local ramp, cabin boats catch a lot of air, so their tow vehicles have to work harder and use substantially more fuel. And for fishing people, they'll be won over by a runabout's bigger cockpit compared to a bowrider.
All this brings us to testing the Sirocco Fisherman. Streaker do offer a more expensive version of the same hull with a fancier fit out for people whose fishing's lower on their priority list than social boating, but those serious about fishing will likely choose the Fisherman.
read on below advertisement
The differences between the two are significant: an open targa canopy for the social model, a bimini with front and side clears for the fishing version. Lowrance sounders come with both, but only the Fisherman includes a GPS. The Fisherman model has a marine two-way radio, the social version a stereo sound system. A plush removable aft lounge for the social model, fold down, not-quite-so-plush seating across the aft bulkhead for the Fisherman. One of Streaker's excellent bait boards in the social, or a combination bait board and ski pole for the Fisherman. The social boat has a carpeted deck, the Fisherman only a carpeted strip up the centre and easy-to-clean gel coat deck each side.
Power options range from a 115hp four-stroke up to either a direct-injected or four-stroke 150; all Yamahas.
Both follow Streaker Company Policy, with a full set of safety gear for six people, 146-litre fuel tanks with factory-fitted water separator filters, 16-plate marine batteries with isolator switches and a no-compromise fit out using top quality components, water tight switch panels and so on.
Our test boat was a package deal Streaker offers powered by a two-stroke Yamaha Saltwater Series 130, with an aluminium rocket launcher added free to sweeten the deal. Sitting on a multi-roller drive on/off Dunbier trailer, the Fisherman package was going for $48,750. With economic conditions as they are at the moment, that price could go up, but even so, it will still be relative to competitors as a darn good deal for an outstanding boat.
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WORDS & PHOTOS: WARREN STEPTOE
While some may believe runabouts are outdated by the advent of bowriders and the burgeoning popularity of cuddy cabs, today's runabouts (or at least ones like this) with walk-through windscreens, remain as good a choice as ever when it comes to family and fishing boats.
Why should someone choose a runabout over a bowrider with its roomy bow lounge? Anyone seated in a bow lounge when it's a bit chilly will soon understand. So why, then, choose a runabout's lower screen and deck over a cuddy or half cab's higher one with extra headroom? Because sometimes a cabin boat won't fit under the roof where you store it, and if you intend to tow further than a few kilometres to a local ramp, cabin boats catch a lot of air, so their tow vehicles have to work harder and use substantially more fuel. And for fishing people, they'll be won over by a runabout's bigger cockpit compared to a bowrider.
All this brings us to testing the Sirocco Fisherman. Streaker do offer a more expensive version of the same hull with a fancier fit out for people whose fishing's lower on their priority list than social boating, but those serious about fishing will likely choose the Fisherman.
read on below advertisement
The differences between the two are significant: an open targa canopy for the social model, a bimini with front and side clears for the fishing version. Lowrance sounders come with both, but only the Fisherman includes a GPS. The Fisherman model has a marine two-way radio, the social version a stereo sound system. A plush removable aft lounge for the social model, fold down, not-quite-so-plush seating across the aft bulkhead for the Fisherman. One of Streaker's excellent bait boards in the social, or a combination bait board and ski pole for the Fisherman. The social boat has a carpeted deck, the Fisherman only a carpeted strip up the centre and easy-to-clean gel coat deck each side.
Power options range from a 115hp four-stroke up to either a direct-injected or four-stroke 150; all Yamahas.
Both follow Streaker Company Policy, with a full set of safety gear for six people, 146-litre fuel tanks with factory-fitted water separator filters, 16-plate marine batteries with isolator switches and a no-compromise fit out using top quality components, water tight switch panels and so on.
Our test boat was a package deal Streaker offers powered by a two-stroke Yamaha Saltwater Series 130, with an aluminium rocket launcher added free to sweeten the deal. Sitting on a multi-roller drive on/off Dunbier trailer, the Fisherman package was going for $48,750. With economic conditions as they are at the moment, that price could go up, but even so, it will still be relative to competitors as a darn good deal for an outstanding boat.
next page »
« go back
