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This article is by Paul Glatzel of Powerboat Training UK and first appeared in Sportsboat & RIB Magazine.

Quick as a flash!! ~ A glorious English summer’s day and flat calm seas gave Paul Glatzel a wonderful backdrop for our test of Quicksilver’s diesel engined 6m twin berth cuddy.

Quicksilver is not immediately a name you will associate with a range of powerboats as you may recognise it as the product name given to the accessories/spares range & dinghies emanating from the huge Brunswick Marine empire. Brunswick are better known for the Searay, Maxum & Bayliner ranges in addition to the Mercury & Mariner engines - so the range of Quicksilver boats is in good company! Over the last few years Brunswick have created a range of 34 boats under the Quicksilver banner ranging from small ski boats to 9m ‘sportfishers’. The boat we were to test sits broadly in the middle of the range and is aimed at those who want a day boat with the potential for overnight accommodation at a reasonable price. The 625 Cruiser is one of 4 models in the ‘Cruiser’ range the smallest of which is 5.2m and the largest being 7.5m. As you can see from the photos the shape is slightly unusual which is a product of the large cockpit area but is pleasing to the eye and all looks in proportion.

The boat is well laid out with a good percentage of its 6.25m length dedicated to the cockpit area which is sizeable. The helmsman has a proper seat which also allows a stand up driving position and rotates to allow conversation with other passengers when at rest. The aft bench seat converts to a sizeable sunbed, this is removed partially to allow limited engine access or fully to allow total access to the engine bay. To each side of the engine are fairly large storage compartments one of which houses the battery, a further storage compartment is found under the cockpit area alongside the fuel tank. The cuddy is a simple affair with two basic berths and a chemical toilet but is big enough for the occasional night or to use as a large storage area. The helmsman’s position is well laid out with standard Mercury dials for fuel, trim, tacho & speed but no compass, there is plenty of space though for those electronic gizmos we all love to buy. Unusually for a boat this size there are side decks allowing access to the foredeck with quite high rails affording more protection when on the foredeck. There is a good sized anchor locker behind the foredeck cleat although a mid-ships cleat for tying off springs would be helpful.

The boat we were testing gave me my first chance to test the new (and universally acclaimed) Mercruiser 1.7L Diesel. The engine starts well and at tickover and slow speed was quiet & refined allowing easy conversation between passengers. As speed increases then so too does the noise but never beyond a reasonable level and in many ways quieter than the petrol inboards of a few years ago.

Overall the performance from the engine was excellent with good speed out of the hole and strong steady acceleration. Whilst we didn’t try to start a skier there’s no doubt someone on two skis would not cause a problem and I’m sure it could get a mono skier out if propped correctly. As this was to be a customer’s boat we had to take it fairly easy but throwing the boat into the turns presented no problems with cavitation only occurring with the most extreme of turns. With Poole as flat as a pancake there was little our photo boat could do to create any serious waves to deal with so I have to assume that it deals admirably with the rough stuff. Arguably the Quicksilver range is more of a coastal type vessel anyway and therefore should be even more competent than the very capable hulls seen elsewhere in the Brunswick stable.  At slow speed the hull tends to wander and the steering needs constant adjustment, add a few mph though and this problem goes.

With diesels there is always the debate between the additional cost (in this case £1800 over the corresponding petrol engine) and the cost saving made through better ‘gallons per hour’ and far cheaper fuel (in Poole c31p/litre for diesel versus c90p for petrol). The general view is that if you are likely to be a very regular user of your craft then the diesel option will prove cheaper else petrol will win through. Then there’s the consideration re safety, reliability and in many places petrol is simply not available dockside so a petrol engine is not an option ~ you pays your money & takes your choice!

So would I buy one? In short yes, if I was in the market for this type of craft and this was my budget then it’s a nice practical craft. As already stated the Cruiser 625 does not pretend to be a luxury craft and you will find vessels that are better finished, that said at £23,799 for the 1.7L diesel or £21,999 for the petrol version (4.3L EFI) you wont find many that offer materially better value. Equally it is one of the first craft like this available with the excellent small Mercruiser diesel.