Stacer 679 Sea Ranger: Reviewed
Nothing says “fishing boat” like a centre console.
Anyone centre console enthusiast would attest to the fact that all comforts are generally rendered low priority against the need for a 360 degree fishing platform.
In recent times though, boat manufacturers have worked hard to improve the overall experience of the centre console owner.
The Stacer 679 Sea Ranger (679) is testament to that.
Everything about this boat from the floor plan to the backend power screams piscatorial pleasure machine.
This beast presents as the kind of boat that you don’t take home to meet mother.
This my friends, is a wild one.
So, the specs.
On the dual axle trailer, the 679 weighs in just under 2000kg’s.
The foundation of this build is the 5mm EVO Advance plate alloy hull.
The EVO Advance hull was developed by Stacer with a goal of delivering a boat with exceptional stability and the smoothest of rides.
The result is a hull featuring a sharp bow design with a deep V.
The increased variable deadrise combined with the meaty 5mm hull certainly delivers a package that looks as if it was born to punch through the swell all day.
As mentioned, the layout really does revolve around the fishing experience.
The alloy checker plate self-draining deck offers plenty of floor space with expansive under-floor storage areas noted (under front casting deck).
With a flooding kill tank and a plumbed live bait tank, the 679 certainly looks every bit the fishing machine.
In terms of comfort, a cool feature was the esky hutch that extends out from the front side of the console providing comfortable dual seating.
Coupled with the dual drivers seat, the 679 would comfortably accommodate a crew of four for an offshore fishing trip (certified to carry 6).
An extra addition to this package would be the aluminium T-TOP if you wanted some cover, these come in at around $2500.
Electrics featured were well matched to the boats price point.
An upgraded 7″ digital control gauge, a Lowrance HDS-9 structure scan, VHF radio and all navigation lights are included in the package.
At test, the 679 was powered by the Evinrude Etec 200HP HO G2.
My previous use of this model outboard had been a great experince so I had no doubt it would provide an explosive powersource for the 679 on the water.
Fed by a 215L fuel tank, The Etec’s total average hourly burn rate of 10L makes the 679 capable of covering a reasonable distance making it ideal for offshore fishing.
So, on the water.
Straight away, this package gets a tick for the power selection.
Coming in right at the top of my priority list was seeing how fast this machine could go from “0-100”.
As soon as I got that chance, I very quickly determined that the HO was well balanced for this outfit.
At the end of the day, whilst the 679 is a “tinnie”, it still has a 5mm design thus giving it a reasonably weighty load.
As if in perfect sync with the EVO Advance hull, the HO’s immediate power “lifted” the boat from the standing start position to the plane without delay, any delay.
Continuing on through plenty of chop, the 679 carved through with great stability.
Another advantage of the EVO Advance hull is that it tends to keep the nose up a little, helping to diminish excessive spray.
This is a great advantage for the 679, as it obviously has little protection being a centre console.
The hydaralic steering and the Volvo digital trim tabs mad life super easy and finished this package off with style.
Overall, the 679 is a cracker package and comes in at $74.900 on the water.
