Campion Explorer 542 SC Review

For more than 40 years family-owned Campion Marine has been quietly building outstanding fiberglass boats in Kelowna, British Columbia. With dealers in more than 30 countries around the world, the company exports so many boats that it’s actually become a bit of a best-kept secret here in North America.

Although its performance runabouts are popular with many buyers, Campion’s bread and butter continues to be its Explorer offshore fishing boats. Built for the open Pacific, they’re not only popular with west coast salmon fishermen, but with big-water anglers all over the world. With its 19-foot six-inch length and proven side-console layout, Campion’s 542 SC remains perhaps the best-selling model in its best-selling Explorer lineup.

It’s easy to see why. With its outboard power, spacious cockpit and generous cuddy cabin, Campion got a lot of things right with the 542 SC, and that becomes obvious once you step aboard.

With its Apex hull and aggressive 20-degree deadrise, the Explorer 542 SC handles big waves with ease while still delivering outstanding stability.

As you enter the cockpit from the dock, it’s impossible to not notice the generous depth and the safety afforded by the high gunnels – far more than you would expect from a 19-foot boat. But once that initial impression passes, you begin to notice the incredible attention to detail that sets this boat apart.

For starters, throughout the main cockpit you find toe-holds – essential for safety when fishing in the open waters of the North Pacific, and incredibly thoughtful when operating on smaller waters like the Great Lakes or big, open Prairie lakes that can get rough at the drop of a hat. The cockpit floor is finished in a tough fiberglass non-skid, which provides a nice grippy surface that’s still easy to clean at the end of the day – especially with its self-draining design. Wide gunnels call out for downriggers, rod holders or a rack system, while a pair of factory flush-mount rod holders in the stern corners are perfectly positioned.

Thoughtful toe-holds throughout the main cockpit provide safety and comfort when fishing in big waters.

At the corners in the stern you’ll find a pair of seat cushions that are surprisingly comfortable while underway, yet easily removable and stowable under the gunners once you arrive at the fishing grounds, for unhindered access to the transom area. To starboard, note the mounting pad for an optional kicker engine – a nice addition that greatly facilitates adding supplemental power. To starboard, there’s a swim platform with a re-boarding ladder for convenience.

Stern corner seats remove and stow under the gunnels to provide clear access to the transom while fishing.

The cockpit boasts a long list of standard features, including courtesy lighting, stainless steel cup holders, built-in tackle box, bait tank, and ample storage for rods and other gear within the gunnels. Up facing the twin consoles are twin swivel bucket seats, complete with sliding bases that make them fully height-adjustable. Stainless steel deck hardware throughout, stainless pull-out cleats and a stainless fuel fill and cap speak to the Explorer’s tough-as-nails heritage and Campion’s attention detail.

In fact, to get a true sense of just how deep Campion’s careful construction goes, poke your head under the helm console or inside the bilge, and note neat wiring arrays and the color-coded electrical system w/fused circuit protection. You’ll also notice the wires are all encapsulated in plastic to protect against corrosion and shorts. Overbuilt? Perhaps. But good luck finding a Campion owner that has ever had an electrical problem.

The helm console is clean, unobstructed, and perfect. Standard equipment includes a speedometer, fuel gauge, compass, horn, stainless steel steering wheel, automatic bilge pump and a heavy duty starboard wiper for the driver. There’s also a 12-volt power point and super-comfortable bucket seats for the driver and passenger. I’d add a few items from the option list, like a premium AM/FM satellite stereo, tilt steering, and the factory-installed VHF and GPS/fish finder.

The 542 SC helm console includes a speedometer, fuel gauge, compass, horn, stainless steel steering wheel, automatic bilge pump and a heavy duty starboard wiper for the driver.

Below decks, the 542 SC’s cuddy cabin is large enough for occasional overnight use, or perfect for storing essential gear. I’d also spring for the optional Porta-potti, giving the boat greater convenience when the fish are biting, the raw water wash-down system, which quickly deals with fish scales or spilled ice cream, along with the Sunbrella Bimini top just in order to beat the sun on those super-hot days.

The Explorer’s cuddy cabin is spacious enough for occasional overnight trips, especially if equipped with the optional Porta-potti.

Take a walk up the wide walk-around catwalks and up on the front deck you’ll find welded stainless steel bow rails, and opening deck hatch with a screen, and a stainless steel anchor roller. There’s also a bow rope locker and integrated halogen docking lights.

The bow features welded stainless steel bow rails, an opening deck hatch with a screen, and a stainless steel anchor roller.

Built on Campion’s acclaimed three-dimensional woven fiberglass Apex hull with an aggressive 20 degree deadrise, the Explorer 542 SC is built to eat up giant ocean swells. On more protected waters, such as big-but-sheltered Lake Okanagan in British Columbia’s Okanagan region, it provides an even smoother ride than you can enjoy on the big water, nosing wakes aside and cutting a smooth path through the crystal lake surface. Our review boat was rigged with a Yamaha F150 four-stroke outboard, which is maximum power for this boat. Turns are a joy thanks to the wave-gripping capability of the Apex hull, while its deep-V design makes short work of waves and boat wakes for a smooth ride. With our Yamaha F150 time to plane was about four seconds and acceleration from zero to 30 mph took just over eight seconds. At full throttle, the 542 SC hit 45 mph, which is plenty quick for a full-on fishing boat with a couple of big guys aboard.

It doesn’t take long aboard Campion’s Explorer 542 SC to understand why this is the best-selling model in the company’s best-selling lineup. Between the exemplary fit and finish to the careful construction to the sensible design, this is a boat that does it all very, very well.

Campion 542 SC Specs

LOA: 19’ 6”
Beam: 7’ 8”
Weight: 1,990 lbs.
Draft up/down: 15.5”/32”
Fuel Capacity: 42 gal.
Passenger Capacity: 7
Maximum Power: 150 hp
Power as Reviewed: Yamaha F150
Information: www.campionboats.com