Sirocco Sirocco 550 Bowrider

The Sirocco Sirocco 550 Bowrider is a mid-size bowrider built in welded and pressed marine-grade aluminium by Sirocco of Australia, a builder trading since 2000s. On our measurements it works out at roughly 18 ft 1 in (5.50 m) of hull with a beam near 7 ft 10 in (2.38 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. Plate aluminium bowriders with a heavier, more solid feel underway.

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 9 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.

The ride is what most owners talk about first. Deadrise through the forward sections knocks the top off bay chop, the running surface aft keeps the boat stable at rest, and the hull sits level when six people crowd one side to watch a skier. Inside the bay it feels planted and predictable, which is exactly what a family boat needs.

Power is a 115-175 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 Sirocco 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.

Anglers do well out of the Sirocco 550 Bowrider. The bow converts to a casting deck once the cushions are stowed, there is room to swing a rod without hitting the screen, and lockers swallow tackle, nets and a cooler. It is not a dedicated fishing boat, but it catches fish and it still takes the family out the next morning — which is the entire argument for owning a bowrider.

Build and finish sit where you would expect for a mid range boat from Australia. Sirocco builds thicker plate alloy hulls than the pressed-alloy mainstream, and the extra weight translates directly into a quieter, more planted ride. Where a light pressed hull slaps and drums across wind chop, a Sirocco settles into it, which makes a long run across a bay far less tiring for everyone aboard. The bowrider models follow a practical Australian template: padded forward seating with removable cushions so the bow doubles as casting space, a walk-through windscreen, swivel helm seats, a rear lounge over storage and an open, hose-out floor. Construction is fully welded with substantial stringers and a transom rated for decent outboard power, and boats are generally specified to order with the buyer's choice of seating, electronics and engine. Sirocco is a smaller builder, so dealer coverage is limited compared with the volume brands, but the boats appeal strongly to owners who want alloy durability without accepting the noise and hard ride of lighter hulls.

Options worth having on the Sirocco 550 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. Aluminium hulls also reward a good trailer with proper skids, because the plating marks more easily than fibreglass on a poorly set-up trailer.

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. Boats from this builder hold their money well, so a tidy example will not be cheap, and that is usually a sign you are buying the right one.

Our price guide for the Sirocco 550 Bowrider is US$39,000 - US$52,000 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. Sirocco has been refining that formula since 2000s, and the Sirocco 550 Bowrider is a straightforward, well-judged expression of it.