2006 Mustang 3500

LOCATION | Rose Bay, NSW 

The helm seat is an adjustable double bench-style, the steering is hydraulic with an adjustable wheel and someone has given some thought to where the driver puts their keys, wallets and mobile phones and included a small shelf above the foot rest on the cabin bulkhead. Opposite is a heavily padded sun lounge and behind the helm is a wet bar with a huge cool box and sink with hot and cold water. The aft lounge has a table that can be lowered to form another sun lounge.

The cockpit area can be covered with a bimini top that folds back to the Targa arch when not needed. A feature I liked was the zip-out clears between the bimini and the top of the windscreen. They provide good vision when standing up at the helm. There are also fly screens to fill in the aft section if required. The whole system secures the boat and keeps out the elements when not in use. Down below the main cabin is extremely well appointed, with a large leather lounge and dining table on the starboard side.

And there is no danger of banging your head on the cabin roof it has a full 2.03m (6ft 8in) of headroom throughout. Behind the lounge is a large shelf for books and bits and pieces. The galley is opposite with a molded fibreglass bench top and is fitted with a 240V two-burner electric stove, a microwave oven and 12V refrigerator. All the cabinets and lockers are manufactured from Nyatoah timber sourced from New Zealand. An innovation is the skylight above the companionway with its three wide steps that start at 290mm-wide at the top and reduce down to the bottom step at 250mm.

There is no danger of missing your footing and ending up in a heap on the cabin floor even with a plate of nibbles or a glass of ‘Chardy’ in your hand. Up front is a large double berth with hanging locker and storage space. Aft, tucked under the helm station is another double berth with stand up headroom in the entrance. The whole aft bunk lifts up on gas struts to reveal a huge storage space for sheets, blankets and towels. The aft cabin also has a hanging locker and a small seat handy when tying up boating shoes.