Quicksilver Activ 805 Cruiser: Boat test - Friend of the family: Quicksilver Activ 805 Cruiser

Trailerability and boat comfort run counter to each other. In other words, if the boat gets bigger or more equipment is added on board to increase comfort, the boat weight automatically increases and you need a larger trailer and a more powerful towing vehicle. Quicksilver has found a good compromise in this respect with its Activ 805 Cruiser. With an unladen weight of a good 1700 kg plus Mercury Verado 300 Pro outboard (just under 300 kg) and equipment, you end up with around 2300 kg, which trailers in the 3-tonne class can "shoulder" well. Suitable towing vehicles can be found in the SUV, off-road vehicle and pickup class.

The shipyard recommends inland areas and coastal waters as sailing areas. The latter was available to us on the test day. We sailed on the Baltic Sea off Neustadt. With winds of around 4 Bft from the south-west, there was a short, steep stern sea off Neustadt Bay. The Activ 805 Cruiser skips over this choppy water smoothly and stays on course, while the wind carries spray into the cockpit when sailing at an angle to the wave, which is not unusual for this type of boat in this sea state.

On courses against the sea, speeds of up to 24 kn were still easy on the back, and when sailing with the waves, full throttle was also possible in somewhat sheltered corners. We reached a respectable speed of a good 41 knots. It must be clear that you are not travelling particularly economically at this speed. To achieve this, the skipper has to throttle back the engine by at least 2200 rpm, as the Quicksilver-Mercury combination glides most economically between 3500 rpm and 4000 rpm at 1.75 l/sm. It can then travel 136 nm, which is just about enough for this size of boat.

To bring the Quicksilver into the optimum position, our test boat is fitted with power trim and trim tabs (extra). With the sterndrive fully trimmed to the transom and the flaps up, the Activ glides effortlessly and without obstructing the view (from around 3000 rpm). The flaps are not necessary over the entire planing range, unless the wind or asymmetric loading puts the boat on its side. The stern wave has a typical height that makes tubing or water skiing possible without any problems.

We also performed the fast manoeuvres in swell due to the wind, which particularly affects the fast turns. In this situation, the hull normally lays on its side, pulls around softly and then swings into the waves. A manoeuvre that should not be done too closely under these circumstances, so that the carpool does not get into a big swing. With the drive trimmed (about level five on the display), the propeller tends to pull air and thus ends the gyro manoeuvre. Slalom courses and rudder tearing are smooth and direct, with no flapping or hooking.

The Mercury electro-hydraulic rudder system with its ease of movement is a particularly positive feature in all manoeuvres. Despite the wind, you only have to steer a little on slow, straight-ahead courses, which can also be travelled on canals without any problems up to around 7 kn due to the low waves generated by the boat.

The steering wheel is located at a clearly laid out control station with electronic single-lever control, Smart Craft instruments (engine monitoring) and Simrad chart plotter, which is on the accessories list. We searched in vain for a compass, which we require for boats in CE category "C" and above. The rocker switches, trim tabs and bow thruster (extra) can be operated without restriction, while the skipper sits on a sporty, padded bucket seat that can be adjusted in all directions and thus allows for seating positions with plenty of legroom.

The folding surface at the front is also ideal, turning the seat into an offshore seat. It is protected by a three-part safety glass windscreen with two windscreen wipers, which have a washer system and a sufficiently large wiping area. A 1 ½-seater bench with side grab handle is available for the front passenger.

The rest of the carpool can be seated on a variable seat/lounger combination aft. The rear bench backrest can be adjusted in two stages (head cushion or large reclining surface) and, together with a table cushion, transforms the seating area into a comfortable open-air stage for sunbathers. Water rats can enjoy a huge split bathing platform with a bathing ladder that is easy to use from the water. In the centre is the firmly bolted outboard motor, the connecting lines of which run safely from the onboard outlet in a protective hose.

The cables and hoses are neatly bundled in the fuselage and firmly secured in clamps. In the fuelling system, the firmly screwed tank and an external fuel filter are impressive. However, we did not find the stopcock for the fuel. Two 95 Ah batteries plus bow thruster battery supply the 12 V system, shore connection with battery charger are on the accessories list. The same applies to the "Smart Edition Package", which includes a cooker, fridge, sunbed, plotter, fishfinder and radio in the cockpit. Below deck, it extends the comfort with a seawater toilet and faeces tank.

The designer has come up with a special double door to make it easier to get into the wet room. The companionway with stairs is located next to the washroom. The height and dimensions of the underfloor cabin behind it are suitable for children. One or two adults can also use the space, but crawling in is quite a challenge. It is easier to get into the bow berth, which is designed for two adults.

There are lockers and shelves for stowage, and the escape hatch leading to the bow is used for ventilation. The normal route to the foredeck is via the centre hatch with wide steps (moulded into the cabin door). From there, you shimmy from the windscreen frame struts to the railing. In the cockpit, you first have to get used to a step in the floor area to avoid tripping. The safety equipment includes two electric bilge pumps, but the hand bilge pump we requested is missing. However, the hand fire extinguisher is part of the standard equipment

CONCLUSION: The Quicksilver Activ 805 Cruiser is suitably motorised with the Mercury 300 Pro and has appealing handling characteristics. We particularly liked the rough water behaviour. It is ideal for a jaunt with friends or travelling with the family.

Data sheet: Quicksilver Activ 805 Cruiser

Shipyard: Quicksilver

Type designation: Quicksilver Activ 805 Cruiser

CE category: C - Coastal waters

Material of hull and deck: Plastic

Length: 7,88 m

Width: 2,55 m

Displacement: 1,73 t

Price: 68.190,00 €