The Bombard Explorer 600 is a boat on which I sailed for 4 years before changing for the current Zeppelin 21 Vpro. My program was mainly fishing, with some family outings. I tested it in all possible conditions to give you an objective feedback.
A little history
It is difficult to talk about Bombard without mentioning Dr. Alain Bombard, to whom we owe a lot today. The term bombard is rooted in maritime jargon to designate a life raft.
Sadly known for his attempt to cross the Etel bar in 1958 which cost the lives of 9 sailors, Alain Bombard, this specialist in survival at sea was very involved in the research and development of life rafts as we know them today.
He has left an indelible mark today and the Bombard brand draws from his heritage the boats it offers today.
The Bombard Explorer 600 under the microscope
With an overall length of 5.98 m, this RIB is available in black or white. You will also have the choice of material for the floats between PVC or hypalon neoprene.
On board, there is no lack of space. It is authorized for 13 people even if reasonably, you can accommodate 4 to 6 people in family version and 3 to 4 fishermen.
The width of 2.48 m from which we subtract the width of the flanges (55 cm), leaves a comfortable interior width of 1.37 m.
Let's go back to the width of the socks. They are 55 cm wide, which is very reassuring for anglers who like to lean on them to ensure better stability, but also if you have young children on board.
The Bombard catalog offers a wide range of accessories that you can arrange as you wish on the deck.
At the front, you will find a large anchor locker with plenty of storage space. However, its slope makes it unstable to fish on. It is however a place I like, especially when I fish with surface lures.
The motorization
The manufacturer recommends a 90 hp engine and 150 hp in max. My old Bombard Explorer 600 was powered by a Yamaha 115 4 stroke. With this boat/engine combination, I had a cruising speed around 22 kts at 4000 rpm and a max speed of 37 kts at 5800 rpm.
With hindsight, a 140 hp motorization, or even the maximum motorization would have been judicious. Indeed, we fishermen often sail loaded with our equipment, the crew and a livewell of a hundred liters. In addition, the shape of the hull is wide, offering a large contact surface with the water and therefore generating a significant friction force.
Marine behaviour
This 6-meter boat behaves well and is safe. It doesn't get wet and its high sterns provide a superior feeling of safety.
However, it is important to load the front of the boat. It has a tendency to lift the nose, especially if you place the elements on the back of the boat. When I sailed it, I added 50 kilos of ballast in the anchor locker and moved the console forward considerably.
The seaworthiness was totally different with or without ballast. Add to this the mass transfer due to the advancement of the console and you get a boat with an improved seaworthiness.
In drifting, it is undoubtedly in this configuration that we spend the most time, it is very stable. Its wide hull, taken from the Avon 580, makes it stick to the water. This makes it remarkably stable, even when drifting in a nice chop.
A fisherman's eye
The Bombard Explorer 600 is an easily transportable boat that is relatively easy to launch. This allows you to go to different spots and expand your fishing area.
On board, there is no lack of space. On the version I owned, the Roll Bard was original. This gives a look that you may or may not like. Some will see an advantage to fix a VHF antenna, a rod holder (etc), others on the contrary, will only see constraints. In this case, you will just have to unscrew the 6 fixing points.
Its size of 6 m allows 3 people to fish comfortably, each carrying all the necessary equipment. Its good marine behavior allows trips to the coast but also to the open sea, provided that a life raft is carried.
Let's talk price!
This Bombard 600 is available in 2 versions.
- The hypalon neoprene version is obviously more resistant in time but more expensive. Count 30 000euros with a 115 hp engine.
- In PVC, it will obviously be a little less expensive.
This boat is still sought after on the second hand market and you will have no trouble reselling it.
Technical data:
- overall length : 5.98 m
- Width : 2.47 m
- Inside length : 4.47 m
- Interior width : 1.37 m
- Light displacement: 390 kg
- Design category: C
- Number of people for the category: 13 max
- Maximum authorized weight on board (in kg) : 1 580 kg
To summarize
Strong points
- Marine behaviour
- Place on board
- A la carte layout
- Resale
Areas for improvement
- Request to be weighted on the front
- Inclined anchor locker
