Boesch 680

 

Weighing close to two tonnes, the 6.8 Boesch is powered by a pair of fuel-injected 4.3 litre 180hp V6 Crusader petrol engines (the smaller of the standard engine options). These engines produce a top speed of just over 36 knots, but top speed is not what this boat is all about. This is not a deep vee hull. It's a classic configuration that was first seen prior to WW2, but has developed over the decades as principles and theories have changed. It features a fine, relatively upright bow stem that rolls firstly into a sharp fine entry, then a semi vee amidships, and flattens to a very slight vee at the transom. With centremount engines it produces a flat and easy-planing hull form that runs smooth and true in a reasonable chop, but still has a sufficiently fine entry to soften the ride in the rough. There was no distinct hump or bow raising as the hull transgressed from displacement to planing trim. In fact it was difficult to precisely identify the RPM/speed at which the boat was planing; suffice to say that it s around 1700 to 1800 RPM - 11 to 13 knots.

With the deep forefoot and raking deckline, from the driver's seat the Boesch gives the impression that it rides bow up but this is not the case. It is quite a flat-trimming boat that provides a very smooth and comfortable ride principally in the cruise range of 2500 to 3500 RPM. Though the Boesch has a skiboat reputation in Europe, I don t imagine this range of boats being used solely for that purpose in this country. The price tag limits it very much to the socialising set where it is more than likely to be seen flitting from one restaurant or social scene to the next; a role that it will most ably fulfil.

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What surprised me was that the driver's seat is not fixed in place. The seat and base itself is quite substantial and heavy, but can be slid about the cockpit. The fact that this seat didn't move throughout the entire test was a testimony to the quality of the ride that this hull produced. With hull and engine noise way down, seating comfortable but limited in number, and the standard of the ride, this boat has all the class and style to supplement its opulence in craftsmanship and fitout. Traditional runabouts had previously meant to me Riva and Chris Craft - to that I can now add Boesch. It is certainly the most expensive runabout I'm ever likely to set foot in and I wouldn't expect to bump into too many of them at Sydney's posh waterside restaurants. It is a traditional boat, built and finished by craftsmen for owners who appreciate only the very, very best in life's little pleasures.

Story & Photos by David Toyer.

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