Stabicraft??

[Drifty]

Hi,

Nice discussion board I think I will learn alot of new stuff from you all.

My question is about stabicraft boats they have just recently arived here in the U.S. (pacific northwest). I was wondering if anyone here has anything to do with these boats and what you think of them? Are they good for offshore fishing up to 40 miles? I would love to find out as much as possible about these boats.

Thanks in Advance

Drifty

[Big_Kev]

Can't anyone help this bloke .
I have only heard of these boats and have nothing to input for him but it looks like anything will help him .
Reel

[MarkFC]

Have you tried www.stabicraft.com

I think you will find what you are after.

Regards

Mark FC

[Drifty]

MarkFC,

I have checked on thier site and have seen the boat in person at the last boat show we had. What I am hunting for is some more information from owners and people who have been on these boats about the way they handle and how well they handle the rough ocean. Can't forget how fishy they are either. A test ride (that I havent taken yet) can't tell you what many hours on the water can.

Drifty

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

Drifty,

There is a spanner crabber on North Stradbroke Is. called Mal Starky 0407376091 he's a local spanner crabber who grew up on the island & runs POINT LOOKOUT FISHING CHARTERS using a large (20-30ft) pontoon style boat like a Stabi Craft but I don't think it's StabiCraft. Its model name is "Orca" & I think its Sth Australian built.

BEST ROUGH WEATHER FISHING BOAT I HAVE EVER BEEN IN !!!

The "Orca" unlike what I see on the Stabicraft website, is a centre cabin (walk around) has a washing deck (effectively no transom - waves/chop that hit the rear wash thru and drain sideways or back out the back), the cabin has a raised edge to its internal storage/ sleeping to keep the wash out. As a pro fisherman his decision on boat was obviously to keep him on the water for as many weeks of the year as possible.

Mal beach launches & it will motor in 0.5m of water with 6-8 blokes, fuel etc on board. We went out in attrocious conditions (our choice after Mal said his boat would handle it easily). I have never felt as confident in any boat in big seas & I've been on bigger boats of all varieties in lesser conditions.

Mal is an extremely likeable & approachable bloke. I'm sure he would answer questions (the pros & cons of that style of boat) if he isn't working & you rang him at a reasonable time of day (he is a family man).

Incidently he & his son are superb fisherman who know their stuff. Beach launching, you are on the grounds hours before the mainland based operators. If anyone is on straddie a charter with them is money well spent. He put us on the fish & I scored the biggest greenjobby I've ever hooked - would've won the Fraser (trouble was I was fishing the Straddie Classic). He also sells the freshest spanner crabs you'll buy.

chris

[mackmauler]

Mals orca was made in gympie, I know its had a few weld probs.

Hes been donging the spaniards Chris.

Cheers
Rob

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

sorry drifty ???
I just reread your post & realised you are in the US.

As you won't be able to call Mal I'll simply reitterate that that pontoon style of boat is amazingly seaworthy.

That day we were out winds were 20-30kt, seas were easily 1.5m on top of a 2-3m swell. The boat handled it well (in the hands of a good skipper) at motor & on the drift. Water was entering the boat from all directions -we who remained standing & not burleying the waters got a good soaking but at no stage did you feel uneasy about the boats ability. The curved sides of the pontoons actually lessen the slapping effect of chop hitting the boat side on.

chris

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

Rob,

have you ever been in his boat or similar would you agree?

He gave me some very valuable tips on that charter too for trolling macks, what he doesn't know about the close reefs off straddie & seasonal fish habits ain't worth knowing.

chris

[mackmauler]

Chris, I got a pontoon boat a few years ago after he tested the waters I agree.

Rob

[Big_Kev]

I believe that Mals nickname is gold finger . And I saw him dong a big spaniard the other day when I was out that way .
Sorry to say it was bigger than what I caught .
Regards Reel .

[Smithy]

As is it worked out I test drove my current boat (585 Mclay Aluminium) the week before the boat show. With that fresh in my mind the most impressive aluminium boats at the boat show just gone were the Stabicrafts with regard finish and weld quality which was bloody surprising. It looks like the Kiwis really know how to make good boats. We cast a pretty critical eye over the AMM and Sportfish boats which are supposed to be top of the tree but they couldn't hold a candle to the welding on the Mclays and Stabis. In my opinion a nice clean weld must mean good penetration and strength.

When the Kiwis use them on the west coast of NZ they are running some of the nastiest bars around and I know from a gamefish perspective they are then running 50-70 Nm offshore to find some decent deep water. That is probably why hard tops are so popular with them even though they are still running 5-7m boats in most cases just like us blokes.