Quicksilver Activ 675 Bowrider

The Quicksilver Activ 675 Bowrider is a large bowrider built in moulded fibreglass by Quicksilver of Poland / Europe, a builder trading since 1970s. On our measurements it works out at roughly 22 ft 2 in (6.75 m) of hull with a beam near 9 ft 6 in (2.89 m), which places it squarely in the trailerable family bowrider class: one vehicle, one trailer, one afternoon of prep, and the boat is in the water. Europe's high-volume outboard bowrider, priced to get families afloat.

Layout is classic bowrider and that is the whole point of the boat. Twin lounges run forward of the windscreen with a walk-through to the anchor well, the helm and companion seats sit amidships behind a wrap screen, and a full-width lounge spans the transom for sunbathing and socialising. Around 11 people fit aboard comfortably in sheltered water. Cushions lift out, backrests fold and filler pads convert the cockpit from a conversation pit into one long sun bed in a couple of minutes.

Underway the Activ 675 Bowrider behaves the way a well-sorted large bowrider should. It comes onto the plane early, holds a low tow speed without wallowing and tracks flat through a hard turn instead of skating out. The extra waterline length pays off in chop, where the bow keeps working rather than slamming.

Power is a 180-270 hp four-stroke outboard package, and that suits both the hull and the way these boats are used. Keeping the machinery outside the hull frees up stern storage, simplifies servicing and removes the bellows and gimbal wear items that punish neglected stern drive boats. It also lifts the swim platform clear of the exhaust.

Watersports are well covered. A tow point is standard on almost every boat in this class, and Quicksilver owners regularly add a pylon or a folding tower for wakeboarding. A healthy outboard package pulls a slalom skier out of the water cleanly and tows children on an inflatable biscuit all day without protest. Skis, ropes and vests live in the under-floor and under-seat lockers so nothing sits underfoot while the boat is loaded.

Fishing is the quiet strength of this hull. Pull the bow cushions and the forward lounge becomes an open casting platform with clear access all the way around the bow, and the rear lounge lifts out to open up the transom and side gunwales. Ten minutes of work turns the family boat into a genuinely capable fishing boat, and ten minutes the other way turns it back again before anyone gets home.

Build and finish sit where you would expect for a entry level boat from Poland / Europe. Quicksilver is the Brunswick group's European volume brand, and its Activ Bowrider range is the continent's equivalent of the entry-level Bayliner: sensible layouts, Mercury outboard power and pricing that undercuts almost every rival. The Activ 505, 555, 605 and 675 Bowrider models cover the trailerable range with forward bench seating, a walk-through windscreen, a compact helm console, a rear bench over dry storage and a proper bathing platform. Hulls are moderate deep-V designs that handle harbour chop and lake conditions confidently without pretending to be offshore boats. Fit-out is deliberately simple: moulded liners you can hose out, hard-wearing upholstery and minimal timber, all of which keeps both the price and the maintenance burden low. Because Quicksilver sells in huge numbers across Scandinavia, Germany, France, Italy and the UK, and is heavily used by charter and rental fleets, the used market is deep and predictable, and Mercury parts and service are available in every marina in Europe.

Options worth having on the Activ 675 Bowrider are the practical ones: a bimini for shade, a decent bow and cockpit cover so the upholstery survives being stored outside, an upgraded sounder if you fish, and a stereo package that can be heard over the engine. On fibreglass, a ceramic coat or a good polish once a season keeps the gelcoat looking new and protects resale.

As a used buy, check the same things you would on any bowrider in this size band: transom firmness, stringer and floor soundness, hours and service history on the engine, steering and trim function, and the state of the upholstery seams, which are the first thing to fail on a boat that lives uncovered. At this end of the market condition matters far more than model year — a well-kept older boat beats a neglected newer one every time.

Our price guide for the Activ 675 Bowrider is US$48,000 - US$63,000 new, which moves with engine choice, trailer, tower and how recently the boat was refreshed. Judged as a whole, it does what people buy a bowrider for: cruise, tow, swim, fish and entertain in one boat, without asking the family to compromise on any of them. Quicksilver has been refining that formula since 1970s, and the Activ 675 Bowrider is a straightforward, well-judged expression of it.