Boat Import Holland, known for the self-developed and produced Topcraft and OudHuijzer sloops and tenders and importer of Style sport boats, has developed a completely new model that has been introduced under the name Topcraft 605 Tender. At the invitation of Boat Import Holland, we spent an afternoon sailing the 605 tender on the randmeren near Biddinghuizen. Thanks to the sunny weather, we had ample opportunity to take some beautiful photos of this special new tender.
Around the 6-meter mark, there is a lot of competition in the tender and sloop market. To be successful, a model must therefore have some striking features. Boat Import Holland has over twenty years of experience with sloops and tenders, and this is clearly reflected in the design of the 605 Tender. Over the years, they have listened carefully to the wishes of diverse customers, and much of that knowledge has found its way into the test vessel.
The first thing that stands out is the great width; at 2.4 meters, this Topcraft is the widest tender in its class. This width translates into a very stable vessel and an unprecedentedly large interior space.
At the front, the 605 Tender has a round seating area with benches facing each other. Especially when taking a comfortable seating position, people in boats around 6 meters often find their knees touching. However, this is not the case in the Topcraft, allowing even taller people to have a pleasant seat.
In addition to the pleasant width and space, the seats are deep, and the luxurious cushion set provides excellent support. The high backrests offer shelter and comfort, even during longer windy trips. Thanks to the generously sized gangways, the cockpit is deep and safe for children and also completely self-draining.
In the cockpit, the helmsman can sit behind the clear steering console with ample space for instruments, navigation equipment, or a fishfinder. A cup holder and a compartment for a mobile phone are standard. The steering bench offers generous space for three people and has the same deep and comfortable seating as the other benches.
Striking details are the two steps in the cockpit. A step on the port side provides easy access from the side to the cockpit, and a step on the starboard side ensures that the aft deck is also easily accessible. Both steps have three treads.
Via the sides of the aft deck, the swimming platform is accessible, which, thanks to the optionally mounted swimming ladder, is also genuinely usable.
The middle part of the aft deck is formed by a large lid under which the engine compartment is hidden.
In the spacious engine compartment (sufficient ventilation to prevent engine failures!), a maximum of a 60 hp outboard motor can be installed.
The test boat was equipped with a 20 hp outboard engine, conveniently fitted with electric start. Thanks to the spacious insulated engine compartment, the sailing comfort is comparable to an inboard engine, without the higher costs and with the advantage that maintenance or an engine change is much easier to perform. Boat Import Holland deliberately equipped the boat with a relatively small engine power for this test. With 20 hp, the Topcraft 605 easily sails at 20 kilometres per hour. That is a delightful speed at which one can make good progress without needing a boating license. Not too heavy people will easily be able to wakeboard, and a funtube or banana is certainly among the possibilities, making the boat, even in this combination, perfectly suitable for various sporty watersports. With a 20 hp four-stroke from Tohatsu, you will also not encounter unpleasant surprises at the petrol station.
The underwater hull of the 605 ensures that the boat quickly planes and causes almost no wake. Trips on, for example, the canals of Leiden or Amsterdam are therefore not only a pleasure for the occupants themselves but also for other water sports enthusiasts. For water sports enthusiasts who like to sail a bit faster, for example, a 50 hp Tohatsu four-stroke outboard engine (consumption 6.2 litres per hour at full throttle) is an excellent choice. These engines weigh less than 100 kilograms, so the 605 remains light-footed with a top speed of 50 kilometres per hour. More than enough for water skiing, wakeboarding, or having a great time with a boat full of friends on open water.
The Tender 605 is standard equipped with a nice thick cable fender, comfortable cushions with luxury fabric and a spacious swimming platform.
