You can live and travel comfortably on large boats - but small boats are uncomplicated, cost hardly any maintenance and are fun. It is not without reason that the six metre boat size is particularly popular: it offers enough space on board to take friends as well as the family, can be driven on land with a mid-range car and can be stored in any hall in winter.
The new OceanBay MM 605 Open from A.W. Niemeyer appeals to a particularly wide range of customers, as the basic version of the boat can be ordered with an 80 hp engine suitable for beginners, but for 3480 euros more it can also be ordered with the large, powerful 140 hp Suzuki, with which the test boat is also equipped.
Need more information? You can find the test of the Ocean Bay MM 605 with further pictures, measurement results and full evaluation in BOOTE issue 11/2021 from 20 October 2021 at newsstands or online at Delius Klasing Shop.
After testing the MM 450 Open and the MM 560 Open (BOOTE 8/20 and 11/20), the MM 605 Open is the next larger model in the series that A.W. Niemeyer has manufactured at RaJo-Boote in Wassenberg. While the smaller models are functional and have good sailing characteristics, they also appear a little squat due to the necessary length-to-width ratio. The 605, on the other hand, with almost 1.5 metres more hull length, appears much more pleasing in its proportions, both in harbour and when planing.
Once on the jetty, the boat is surprisingly stable. Even if a passenger puts their foot on the coaming when stepping over, the boat hardly heels. The cockpit is tidy, well thought-out and spacious, and the floor has a thick, soft non-slip EVA foam covering, which is particularly comfortable when barefoot and provides a secure grip. The small door at the access to the bathing platform is a very positive feature. In addition to the seating and sunbathing area in the bow, there is a two-metre-wide bench seat in the stern. The cushions are thin and firm, but sufficient, although they could be secured with a little more than three Velcro strips, especially on the rear bench, as we later discovered during a cushion-over-board manoeuvre. The only locker is located under the seat bench, but the lever fasteners are too tight, so that a lot of force is required and they open with a bang. There is plenty of space for accessories in the large rear locker. The tank and petrol filter are also easily accessible here.
The cables for the engine installation and battery are a little roughly tied together, but the GRP finish makes up for such details. There is a driver's seat in the centre of the cockpit, which offers a good overview and is positioned exactly within the protection of the large windscreen. The distance between the windscreen and the surrounding frame made of a stainless steel tube proves to be somewhat narrow, as every passenger will instinctively hold on to the tube in the event of a wave, and then there is a risk of getting their fingers caught there. The dashboard has a rev counter, a trim and a fuel gauge, but there is also space for other instruments. The small slip cab is suitable for a maximum of three people to quickly escape into the dry if the journey is spoilt by a rain shower.
There is also a cushion on the floor (2.00 x 0.53 m) on which a person could theoretically sleep. In practice, however, this long area is more suitable for storing fishing rods. With its 140 hp in-line four-cylinder engine, the OceanBay MM 605 Open is well motorised and very lively. Like the smaller boats in the series, it is very stable in both harbour and planing speeds and only lifts the bow slightly when transitioning to planing (3500-3700 rpm). At 4000 rpm and around 40 km/h, a good and economical planing speed is achieved. With its 100 litres of super in the stainless steel tank, the MM 605 Open has a theoretical range of 103 nautical miles (with 15 percent reserve). Even at full speed and a good 70 km/h, the range is still around 70 nautical miles thanks to the economical Suzuki.
However, the rev counter then shows 6450 rpm, which slightly exceeds the manufacturer's recommended rpm range of 5600 to 6200 rpm and indicates that the propeller is too small. The handling of the 605 is good-natured and safe, whether with the engine all the way down or in cruising trim (1/3 up). The boat is completely unimpressed by even fast and rough manoeuvres and even at 70 km/h has no tendency whatsoever to slip aft in a slalom; it reacts excellently and precisely to all steering manoeuvres. Even in cruising trim and at high speed, the boat performs tight circles with ease, without the propeller drawing air.
Conclusion
The OceanBay MM 605 Open is an agile and sporty, but at the same time safe and family-friendly trailer boat which, thanks to the large engine, should give great pleasure to both beginners and experienced skippers. The workmanship is good, the equipment is practical and can be extended as experience grows. With a total price of less than 40,000 euros, the buyer receives a complete package that leaves little to be desired
