Buster Phantom Cabin: Robust and reliable - aluminium boat for longer tours
Anyone who sees Buster boats quickly knows that aluminium is used here. The boats are manufactured at Inha Works in Ähtäri, Finland. The product line comprises 22 different aluminium boat versions between 3.88 m and 9.47 m. We travelled on the largest version, the Buster Phantom Cabin. It also has a sister: the normal Phantom without cabin. A sports boat with a huge cockpit and seating/reclining unit in the open bow. Our test boat with the cabin also makes longer trips possible, because with its double berth, toilet room and galley, it offers good conditions for this.
Further impression: The boat must be robust. That's right! The Buster is made of special marine aluminium and even has a reinforcement on the keel, which makes it easy to beach. The welded seams look good and the cut edges have been professionally deburred and some have rubber profiles. The fixtures in the cabin are made of GRP, which also makes a professional impression.
Layout of the Buster Phantom Cabin
In the cabin there is a galley unit with Wallas hob (extra), sink, fridge (extra charge), worktop and suitable storage space. Opposite is the seating area, which can be converted into a berth; depending on the position of the folding backrest, the front bench can be used as a passenger bench or as a seat at the table. To the front, on this side, there is a sufficiently large wet room with a headroom of 1.43 metres between the floor and the folding hatch (with gas pressure damper). The room has a marine toilet (with 53-litre faeces tank as standard), washbasin and a pull-out shower hose. The driving position is located opposite, and the shipyard installs an electric sunroof as standard to allow plenty of air and sun into the cabin. A passageway with sliding door leads aft into the cockpit. Between the latter and the two 300 hp Yamaha outboards, Buster has installed a solid tubular frame with a fabric drawer and water-ski towing eye. Next to it on the starboard side, the path leads over chequer plate to a folding bathing ladder with four steps. The ladder can be folded out easily from the water and there is a solid grab handle in the ladder area to make it easier to get out of the water.
Another open-air zone can be found on the foredeck. If you want to get to this area, you have to climb through a centre passage in the windscreen. I had to be a little careful with my head here, as the door frame is only about 1.62 metres high. The open bow has seating areas, plenty of storage space and steps to make it easier to get in and out. The floor is fitted with non-slip chequer plate, there is a pulpit at the front and the rest of the foredeck is equipped with plenty of handrails. Now back into the cabin to the driver's seat. Here, an adjustable sports seat offers good lateral support and comfortable upholstery. A solid folding footrest is bolted under the driving position. Whether sitting or standing, the driver always has a firm grip on the gearstick and steering wheel. The same applies to the joystick system (extra), trim tab buttons and the control lever of the optional bow thruster. The driver has an unrestricted view of the two monitors - which are just as useful for navigation as for displaying the operating status - and switches the electrical consumers via pushbuttons with LED rings. The fact that the Buster is also well suited for driving in bad weather is demonstrated by the installation of two solid double-arm wipers and defroster nozzles on the windscreen.
The test drive
The joystick system (extra) is used to cast off from the jetty at Boote Pfister am Main in Schweinfurt. Together with the optional bow thruster, this gives the driver a great deal of safety. We then drive the test boat on the Main with the electronic gearstick and steering unit. At low speeds, the Buster drives straight ahead and is not affected by weight shifts. Pull the lever forwards and the Phantom Cabin glides smoothly with the two 300 hp engines. Foresight is always unrestricted, and at around 3000 rpm we reach the most economical speed. We glide smoothly across the water at almost 27 knots, and the two engines consume 1.85 litres per second. With the 2 x 400-litre tanks, we have a range of 368 nautical miles plus 15% reserve. This is a respectable figure for this size of boat. At full throttle, we reach almost 52 knots and still glide safely and steadily over the water. With its good acceleration, the boat is also well suited as a "tug" for wakeboarders and the like.
Measurement results
On fast slalom courses, the hull reacts directly to steering movements and swings safely from side to side. There is no hooking or swaying when the steering is jerked, instead the tail comes in softly. As the gybe gets tighter and tighter, the Buster also makes its rounds smoothly without hooking or rocking. Even with the outboards trimmed, she shows good handling during this manoeuvre. She jumps over the stern wave of our photo boat smoothly, dry and stable.
Further praise for the Buster Phantom Cabin
The two Yamaha outboards are expertly bolted to a solid transom, and the lines from the engines to the on-board outlets are safely contained in protective tubing. Under the cockpit floor there is a storage compartment (accessible via a large hatch) with batteries (dual system is standard) and filter cartridges for cleaning the fuel, firmly stowed in plastic boxes. The filler necks of the two tanks (one forward, the other aft) are easily accessible under the windscreen to starboard. Lines and hoses on the boat are securely fastened, and the main switch relays (with emergency operation) are also located under the cockpit floor. In normal operation, they are operated via a switch panel below the helm station. The fuses are also located in this area. The equipment with fire extinguisher (on the galley block) and electric bilge pump as well as a hand bilge pump also deserve praise.
To moor the boat securely, the shipyard provides six sturdy cleats. All-round protection is provided by a solid hard rubber rubbing strake. There are plenty of options for attaching fenders.
A searchlight is mounted on the cabin roof of the test buster. A diesel hot-air heater with a tank (same design as the outboard motor), which is easily accessible under the storage space in the bow, ensures a pleasant climate in the cold season. AIS system, radar system, 230 V shore connection and anchor winch for the stern anchor are on the list of accessories. Buster supplies the navigation lighting and an entertainment package as standard.
Conclusion
The Buster Phantom Cabin is a robust, well-made aluminium boat with a wide range of possible uses. With its good handling characteristics, it is just as good on inland waterways as it is on coastal waters.
Advantages
- + Good manoeuvring characteristics
- + Respectable range
- + Professional installations
Technical data
The boat
- Manufacturer: Buster/FIN
- Type: Phantom Cabin
- CE category: C/12
- Hull: Aluminium
- Length: 9,47 m
- Width: 2,84
- Displacement (without motors): 2800 kg
- Depth: about 0.70 m
- Clearance height: 2,60 m
- Fuel tank: 800 l
- Holding tank: 53 l
- Berths: 2
- Bunk dimension: 1.98 m x 1.14 -1.51 m
- Standing height/seating height: Cabin 1.96 m; WC room 1.43 m, 0.96 m above toilet
- Cockpit size: 1.05 m x 2.42 m; front 1.75 m x 2.27 m
- Freeboard: 0,86 m
- Interior cockpit side height: 0,75 m
- Turning circles (boat lengths): forwards tr. 2, bb. 2; backwards tr. 1.5, bb. 1.5
- Change course: from Stb. to Bb. 2 s; from Bb. to Stb. 2 s
- Max. motorisation: 2 x outboard engines with 221 kW (300 hp) each
- Test motorisation: 2 x Yamaha F300 221 kW (300 hp)
- Base price (with test motorisation): 276 000 €
- Distribution (test boat): Boote Pfister, Wahlweg 6, 97525 Schwebheim, www.bootepfister.de
The motor
- Manufacturer: Yamaha
- Type: F 300
- Performance: 221 kW (300 hp)
- Full load speed: 5000 - 6000 rpm
- Cylinder: V6
- cubic capacity: 4169 cc
- Fuel: Petrol
- Cooling: Water/single circle
- Gear ratio: 1,75:1
- Test propeller: k. A.
