Stacer 509 Wild Rider

The Stacer 509 Wild Rider is a compact bowrider built in welded and pressed marine-grade aluminium by Stacer of Australia, a builder trading since 1974. On our measurements it works out at roughly 16 ft 8 in (5.09 m) of hull with a beam near 7 ft 3 in (2.21 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. Value-focused aluminium bowriders that shrug off trailer life and shallow ramps.

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 8 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 90-135 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 Stacer owners regularly add a pylon or a folding tower for wakeboarding. A modest 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 509 Wild Rider. 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 entry level boat from Australia. Stacer is the value end of Australian alloy boating, and the Wild Rider and Outlaw bowrider variants are aimed squarely at families who want aluminium toughness without paying plate-boat money. The EVO Advance hull gives a sharper entry and more lift forward than older pressed alloy designs, so the ride is noticeably drier and quieter than the reputation alloy boats once had. Layouts keep it simple and practical: padded bow seating that lifts out for casting, a walk-through screen, swivel helm seats, a rear lounge over the fuel tank and enough dry storage for towels, vests and tackle. Because the boats are light, a mid-size SUV tows them easily and a single person can retrieve one at a steep ramp without drama. That lightness is also the trade-off — in a stiff afternoon chop a Stacer works harder than a heavier plate or fibreglass hull. For lakes, rivers, estuaries and sheltered coastal water, they are outstanding value and hold resale well.

Options worth having on the 509 Wild Rider 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. 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 509 Wild Rider is US$30,000 - US$39,000 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. Stacer has been refining that formula since 1974, and the 509 Wild Rider is a straightforward, well-judged expression of it.