Review: Cruise Craft F360M Centre Console Fishing Boat

Catch and Chill

The fibreglass centre console market has taken off recently like a screaming drag on the reel, dominated by American brands. In Australia, unfortunately, that's partially due to a lack of Aussie competition to contend with. Well, rumour has it that good things come to those that wait and in most cases they do. However, it can feel like an eternity when it comes to boat releases.

Finally, that good thing we have been waiting for has arrived; the locally manufactured Cruise Craft F360M centre console. This Cruisy is no doubt a trophy catch among local launches from 2018, and most certainly competes to knock the spots off a number of Yank brands in a number of areas. Sworn to secrecy last year, I caught an early glimpse of this beauty in its first stages of design and manufacture, and straight up it was a done deal that the Cruise Craft team were onto something good with this 6.35-metre centre console fishing weapon.

STYLISH BEAUTY

Sporting the typical Cruise Craft aesthetic, the new F360M’s combination of Australian styling with a hint of American is an instant win for the local centre console. It's an impressive-looking boat at a first glimpse. The wide beam of 2.44 metres stands out and makes a huge difference to the internal deck space, while still being well within legal tow-limits. The bow has a decent flare and height, along with the two-tone hull, moderate shearline taper to the stern and 175 horse power of Yamaha grunt on the transom, giving this 6.35-metre beast a powerhouse and stylish look on the water.

LOADED LAYOUT

So, what’s on offer and what sets it apart from competitors? Well, for me it’s a simple one as Cruise Craft are renowned for producing some of the finest quality Aussie boats – the F360M is no doubt one of these boats. It’s a fine-looking centre console with flawless external finishes and what looks to be a well thought out internal layout. You get a full 360 degrees of open fishability on the F360M and as with all other Cruise Crafts, the team have gone the extra mile to ensure it's set up for some hard-core fishing, from bays to chasing the monsters offshore. I like that there’s a lot going on in the layout, but without compromising on space.

The first worthy mention is the mocha-coloured SeaDek non-slip decking that looks a bit like teak. We are seeing this type of deck covering on a regular basis, however there are a number of low-budget brands that look good, but don’t handle the Australian sun like a well-installed SeaDek. Aside from adding to the internal aesthetic, the high density closed cell PE/EVA blend is primarily designed as a non-slip surface, and significantly adds to the under-foot comfort on-board.

Next would be the compact stern with live-well, bait board and incorporated sealed battery/plumbing compartments. While being a proper self-draining wet deck, which is a big bonus to have on any boat, the F360M maintains a higher than average gunwale at the transom, adding to comfort and safety. The vertical drop from the internal coamings with bolstered side-pockets and toe-locks is another good feature.

At the helm the retro-fitted soft T-top gives good protection from the sun and adds to the rod storage on-board. It suits the F360M, however, I would prefer it to be a bit tighter onto the console, which can be done. Ideally, I would prefer to see a proper Cruise Craft customised T-top (probably something they're already working on).

The fixed console seating can take an esky below and the console is a fair size with some nifty storage, including: recessed Epirb and fire-extinguisher holder, clear tilting glove-box, and a front seat that opens up to some decent storage and access to the rear of electronics (the new version has gas-strut assist).

Driving either standing or seated is nice and comfy, and with the console being a bit higher than standard there’s plenty of protection behind the screen. The wide, full-length electronics flat panel allows for large GPS/Sonar units to be flush-mounted. An interesting feature is the dedicated gauge panel on top of the console that suits the Yamaha Command-Link digital gauge – it works but interferes a bit with vision while seated if you’re an average height.

Up front the cast deck is another really well thought out and configured space. Firstly, it's set at mid-height rather than just below the coaming, giving you a bit of gunwale to lean into, which makes it well suited to lure fishing inshore and offshore alike. The built-in storage is awesome with numerous compartments for gear and there's even a decent sized centre hatch that can be used as a kill-tank/extra live-well.

VERSATILE RUNNER

It’s tricky to find the ideal all-rounder in a centre console, as you either get dedicated flats and bay boats, or dedicated offshore versions. The F360M comes in at just over six metres and, if set up right, is one of the nicer manageable sized all rounders out there, capable of inshore and offshore runs alike.

Rated from 150 to 200 horsepower, the F360M swanked the middle horsepower of the four-cylinder big boy range – the latest Yamaha F175XCA four-stroke. Based on Yamaha's F200 (147kW) inline four, the 128kW F175 still kicks out some pretty good gumption and is a nice match to the F360M. As the top of the range in the 175 horsepower, this 2.8-litre model sports a slimline, lightweight design at 228kg, shift damper prop, digital throttle control (fly-by-wire), and numerous other top features to make it one of the most popular motors in the Yamaha range.

Low-down torque on the water produces a smooth but perky hole-shot, along with a responsive mid-range through to a wide-open throttle of just on 40 knots at 5,700rpm. Dropping down to standard cruise speeds, the F360M performs best at 3,500rpm and produces a comfortable speed of 20 knots. Economy is also quite impressive, considering it’s a 175 horsepower motor, sitting at 20.5 litres per hour – with a 210-litre fuel capacity you would get a pretty good range. For those doing the further yards, a 250-litre tank is available as an option.

The test day provided some superb conditions on Moreton Bay, enabling us to crank the F360M throughout the rev ranges. As for chop, well there was hardly a hint of a ripple, however it still felt nice and comfortable when launching through the 685’s wake. Like its siblings, the F360M has high speed handling capabilities in smooth to moderate conditions. On torrid days when the sea chops up, I would presume 18 to 20 knots to be a comfortable range.

Rated to six on-board, the F360M would handle that with ease and I reckon it would run even better with a bit of extra weight, as the bow felt fairly light with only two on-board. Alternatively, I would opt to have trim-tabs installed just to fine-tune the ride. Overall, it’s a really comfortable, easy and smooth boat to drive, and especially for one with digital controls.  

WRAP

Once again, this is one of the more exiting releases for 2018 and it would be good to see the F360 in small, medium and large options. Who knows, it could just be on the cards... There’s a lot going on when it comes to inclusions within the layout. Although primarily set up as a centre console fishing weapon, the F360M could also be a decent family day-boat with the addition of a few accessories to suit. I’ve seen waterproof bean bags on a few centre consoles lately and they would be a great option as extra seating.  

Our test boat was priced at $121,156, loaded to the max with power and features, which I reckon is decent value for money and competitive against imported brands of similar size. The significant difference being that it's locally manufactured and warranted by a reputable boat builder, and it will no doubt hold a good resale value like the rest of the Cruise Craft range. For those on tighter budget, $120k might be out of reach, however, the base package comes in at just on 80 grand with a standard F150, and that’s not bad at all. 

SEA TRIALS

*Data provided by the author. Two on board, calculated leaving 10% in reserve.

SPECIFICATIONS

Cruise Craft Fish 360M (F360M)

PRICED FROM
$79,990 (excl. dealer deliveries)

PRICE AS TESTED
$121,156 drive away

OPTIONS FITTED
Bait board set-up, CCB STD Lid 110L Esky (single), LED lighting, FUSION Apollo MS770 stereo system, live bait tank plumbing, SeaDek Flooring, T-top and rod rack, GARMIN upgrades and plenty more. 

GENERAL
TYPE Centre Console
MATERIAL GRP
LENGTH (overall) 6.35m
BEAM 2.44m
WEIGHT 2120kg (tow weight – wet)
DEADRISE 20°

CAPACITIES
PEOPLE 6
REC. HP 175hp
MAX. HP 200hp
FUEL 210L (Optional 250L)

ENGINE
MAKE/MODEL Yamaha F175XCA
WEIGHT 228kg
DISPLACEMENT 2.8L
GEAR RATIO 1.86:1
PROPELLER 14.25 × 17”

MANUFACTURED BY
Cruise Craft Boats

SUPPLIED BY
Wynnum Marine
31 Fox Street
Wynnum, QLD, 4178
P (07) 3396 9777