Setting a long-distance speed record while running the mighty Mississippi River upstream is no small feet.  One imagines that such an exploit would be attempted in a million-dollar offshore raceboat powered by multiple big-block sterndrives.  It would seem reasonable that only a combination such as this would be capable of enduring the constant onslaught of huge barge wakes, heavy current, and floating debris.

It came as quite a shock to learn that a $15,000 Charger bassboat, running a 235hp Johnson V-6, actually set the standard in 1983.  Behind the wheel was none other than Bob Cox, then president of Charger, Inc., a small, independent bassboat builder located in central Missouri.  Riding shotgun was his partner, Dean Pink.   Their time for the 1027-mile trip was 23 hours, 9 minutes.

This record run yanked the coveted Grace Challenge Cup out of the hands of Michael Reagan, the ex-president's son who set the previous record the year before in a $500,000, 38-foot boat with three 800-horsepower I/Os.

In 1987, Cox and Pink again ran a 19-foot Charger from New Orleans to St. Louis, breaking their own record with a time of 20 hours, 45 minutes.  This time was good enough to officially retire the Grace Cup to the Charger office in Richland, Missouri.

Although Cox's record may go unnoticed on the pages of history by most bass fishermen, the legacy of Charger bassboats shines brightly in the eyes of those who like big, stable fishing platforms.  The dual-console Foxfire 495TF is a prime example of this genre.

Measuring 20 feet 4 inches, with a 95-inch beam and 1550-pound hull weight, the 495TF is about average compared with other 20-footers on the market.   Where it is different, and in many buyers' eyes, better, is in the deck configuration and on-water stability, according to Jim Dorris, current president and owner of Charger.

The decks on Charger boats are configured a little differently than most, with a single, large rod locker located in front of the passenger's console and a second rod locker placed horizontally behind the well-bolstered bench seat.  This unique rod locker can easily accommodate 6 1/2-foot rods, while the traditional rod locker can eat 8-footers.  The horizontal locker works quite well for backseaters, as the rear casting deck is quite roomy.

Our test boat was rigged with a lot of options, including a front flippin' deck insert, with a flip-up lid that allowed access to the in-line storage lockers located in the center of the front deck.  Two more storage lockers are located in front of the driver's console on the flippin' deck-the forward one has a removable bait tray.  There's also storage under each passenger seat, and the compartment in the center is designed to double as an ice chest.

All of the actual dry storage compartments and rod lockers are fully hinged with gas-assist struts, and are lighted, carpeted, and lockable.  They are also designed to seal out water in any conditions short of submerging the boat.

The 495 also features a third center-mounted pedestal base, which is ideal for guides or for those who take a youngster along and want to be close by to lead a hand.  Another thoughtful feature is the removable panel flush-mounted in the deck just aft of the bow console.  This serves as an access panel to ease wiring-in accessories directly to the boat's electrical system.

Seating comfort is very good, even for over-6-foot football-player types.  The dash layout and instrumentation are the best you're likely to find in a bassboat, with a full complement of gauges and switches neatly and logically arranged in a rich-looking, burlwood faced console.

Access to the batteries and oil reservoir is good, although batteries must be angled to clear the triangular-shaped edges of the locker.  Access to the 750gph bilge pump and four 500gph livewell pumps is easy, too.  There's also room to add an optional 15-gallon fuel tank.

The livewells are state of the art, and big.  They are located above the pad area for the softest ride possible.  Our test boat featured both the optional Pro Livewell Doors and the Patented Pro-Air Livewell Cooling system.

Pro Livewell doors are actually small doors inset into the main livewell lid to prevent over-active fish from exiting when the livewell is opened to deposit another keeper.  The Patented Pro-Air Livewell Cooling System uses two 500gph pumps to circulate water through tubes that coil around the ice chest, thus keeping fish healthier by maintaining livewell water that is 15 to 20 degrees colder than the lake's surface water.

All of these features add up to a fine fishing platform-one that is stable enough to handle two anglers fishing off the same side with hardly a trace of hull dipping.

HULL CONSTRUCTION

The 495TF's stability-and, ultimately, its excellent ride and handling characteristics-come about from the wide beam and hull design/construction.

A distinctive feature of a Charger boat is the hump-back look of the hull when it is on plane.  This was readily visible on our 20-footer.  The deep-drop, semi-vee hull allows the boat to knife through swells and chop better than any bassboat I've tested to date; it also provides the driest ride.

The Foxfire 495TF has a step-pad, built in setback, and a deeper-vee running pad than most bassboats, all of which contribute greatly to the smooth, stable ride.  The Sea Star Pro hydraulic steering on our test boat, an option on all Chargers, makes handling the big Mercury almost effortless at all speeds.

Mike Causey, the Charger plant manager, says the 495's hull is constructed of a combination of chopped fiberglass and hand-laid woven roving, with five wooden stringers' glassed in place to provide a solid backbone for the long hull. (The transom, bottom, and sides are constructed using hand-laid woven roving-the 4-inch-thick transom receives five layers.)  Coremat runs up the sides and around all corners for further stiffening and reinforcement of the hull.

"We run a plastic drain tube down the length of the keel to drain away any moisture or water that enters the bow area," says Causey, "then we lay day 3/8-inch marine-grade plywood for the floor, which is totally encapsulated in fiberglass before it is laid on top of the stringer, 'glassed down, and sealed.  Then we fill all the cavities between the floor and bottom with urethane foam."

The success of the design is readily apparent the first time the boat hits a series of larger boat wakes or runs through heavy chop; there's no visible hull flex as you look out across the bow.

Backwash is almost nonexistent when the throttle is cut while running at speed, thanks to the extended transom.  I chopped the power while Mike and I were running along at a leisurely 55 mph.  The boat settled quickly, without a trace of instability or water washing across the rear deck.

SOLID PERFORMER

As for speed. the 495TF is not the fastest 20-footer on the water.   With two people on board, full fuel tanks, and fishing gear, its speed is average at a solid 69.4 mph on our Stalker radar gun.  Drop the passenger, and the boat we tested gained another 2 mph.

But speed isn't always the main factor when buying a boat.   Stability and ease of handling rate higher than top speed in my book, and the 495TF has an abundance of each of these characteristics.

Just about anyone who has been behind the wheel of a bassboat could comfortably drive this one without a hint of bow oscillation or ensuring chine walk until the boat is strung out as far as possible toward those last couple notches on the speedo.   Even then, bow oscillation is minimal, thanks to a rather steep pad.

Handling is excellent at all speeds, too.  Turns are crisp, with little evidence of the hull sliding.  The boat settles smoothly after encountering swells and wakes at speed, and the chines do an excellent job of deflecting spray down and away from the boat.

Our test boat was rigged the new 3.0-liter fuel-injected 225 Black Max, running a 26-inch-pitch Predator Eagle four-blade.  Mercury's new EFI V-6 balks momentarily when the throttle is slammed forward, but quickly regains its footing to show its mid-range strength.  We clocked 0-30mph acceleration times under 7 seconds, with 30-50mph runs in the low 5-second range.  The engine tached 5800 rpm when running flat-out.

The 3.0-liter Mercury is a blast to run, especially when jumping from mid-range.  Throttling up gives one the feeling of driving a race car, as the power surge forces you a little deeper into the seat during those brief runs between fishing spots.

Should the urge to set a long-distance speed record in a bassboat ever arise, it would be wise to have Jim Dorris rig you a new Charger Foxfire 495TF.   He knows the winning secrets!  

From Bass & Walleye Boats