STABIMAG 03

STABICRAFT MAGAZINE ISSUE 03 RE

ADVENITTHU

STABIMAG

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ISSUE NUMBER THREE G A R Y A N D J U L I E ’ S 2 2 5 0 U LT R A C E N T R E C A B W W W. S TA B I C R A F T. C O M

TOP DOG!

GARY AND JULIE’S 2250 ULTRA CENTRECAB DOUBLES AS A COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FISHING MACHINE

• EXPOSED: THE ALL-NEW 1450 STABI BABY PLUS • EXPLORED: ARIZONA IN A FEISTY 1550 FISHER • EXOTIC: BIG, BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL 2750 HITS OZ! STABp000_COV FINAL.indd 1

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STABIHOTSHOT

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THE ONLY 309.9HP IN TOWN Gary and Julie run a low-key commercial fishing operation in Winchester Bay, a small village on the Oregon coast of the American Pacific Northwest. Inspired by videos of Stabicraft boats excelling in the rough waters of Bass Strait in Tasmania, Australia, they bought a 2250 Ultra Centrecab. They say it’s the only day boat (out/back in a day) fishing this stretch of coast. Power comes from a 300HP F300 Yamaha and a 9.9HP “kicker” motor, which comes in handy trolling the rivers for salmon. See the full story on page 16.

MODEL 2250 ULTRA CENTRECAB Length: 6.85m (22.5ft) Beam: 2.55m (8.4ft) Max adults: 8 Fuel capacity: 300L (79gal) ENGINE SPECS Make: Yamaha Model: F300 Type: 24-valve DOHC V6 Displacement: 4.16L (1gal) Weight: 259kg (571lb)

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M A G A Z I N E

CONTENTS 16

COVER STORY POOCH PERFECT

Gary and Julie Palmer run a commercial fishing operation in the waters of the American Pacific Northwest — using a Stabicraft 2250 Ultra Centrecab.

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28 38 50 58 64 70

FLASH GORDON

When the word came through that a 1550 Fisher had been spotted in the Arizona desert we had to investigate.

REGULARS

06

STABIBOSS

Meet the new Stabicraft CEO, David Glen.

SLAB-O-Craft

The biggest, most expensive and most decked-out Stabi to hit Aussie shores. We head to Apollo Bay, Victoria to check it out.

08 STABISTAFF

Meet some of the friendly faces behind Stabicraft boats.

10

STABIPARTNERS

TASSIE DEVILS

The Captain teams up with a couple of Kiwis and goes bluefin busting off Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania in a 2100 Supercab.

WAY DOWN SOUTH

John and Stuart Sutherland are a father-and-son welding team who have been the backbone of Stabi production for many years.

STABI BABY

Head designer Mike Stenton is pretty damn proud of Stabicraft’s latest model — the 1450.

C-MAP Reveal will blow your mind and Ultralon will help you grip.

14 STABIGEAR

Look fresh on and off the water with official Stabi merch.

82 STABIPARTNERS

Garmin’s new GPSMAP 8400 series has some serious grunt.

84 STABIDEALERS

We catch-up with Y Marina, Kev & Ian’s Marine, MY Marine and heaps more.

92 STABIPARTNERS

FI Innovations on all things foam, trusty Yammies and paint that Protecs.

BUYER’S GUIDE

The full Stabicraft line-up with all the specs and figures you need to get you out there.

96

STABIWORLD

Find your nearest Stabicraft from anywhere around the world.

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STABIBOSS

OUT WITH THE OLD STABIBOSS Outgoing Stabicraft CEO Paul Adams passes the helm to new skipper David Glen.

M

y time is up as CEO of Stabicraft, but I’m not throwing in the towel completely. I plan on staying on the board and putting time into cool new projects. I can’t say too much other than it’s big, amphibious and high-end. I’ll also be doing some Stabi market testing. Now you might think this is an excuse to go fishing and boating — and you’d be dead right. How else do you develop good, practical stuff?

Hopefully, the new CEO signs off on my receipts. Speaking of new blokes, Stabicraft’s new boss is David Glen and I know he’ll do bloody brilliant things.

Before I sign off, I thought I’d take the liberty of reflecting on 30 years at the helm. Our first Stabicraft was a small utilitarian beast called the Ally Duck. Harsher critics called it the Ugly Duck. Today, Stabicraft boats are considered things of beauty and respected around the globe.

Some of my favourite models include the old 3.5m

with handpainted red seats. The 2500 was a significant breakthrough, and the 1600 is unique. The most enjoyable was the 2250 Ultra Centrecab. It’s super-functional and robust. I love the Stabi fan page on Facebook and I look proudly at the wider StabiFamily of owners, distributors and, of course, staff. I hope the crew considered me a fair leader. Sure, I was a bit loose and nonconformist, but I always did the hard yards and sought to understand every aspect of the business.

I’ll see you on the water, working hard on my fly cast, er, product development.

Cheers

MEET THE NEW STABIBOSS

Incoming Stabicraft CEO David Glen runs up his flag and tries to convince us he knows what he’s doing with boats that don’t have sails.

I

know you’re probably thinking, so who’s this new bloke and what on earth does he know about boats? Well, quite a lot, actually. I’ve been in and out of boats since I was about five years old and for most of my career I’ve been fortunate to combine a love of the sea with my job. I’ve been in two Whitbread Round the World (now Volvo Ocean Race) yacht races, even winning one in 1993–94 on the Whitbread 60 Yamaha.

I was group general manager of Southern Spars (manufacturers of carbon fibre spars and rigging) and CEO of amphibious boat builder Sealegs International. But recently I’ve been running a large agri-tech business.

I followed Stabicraft for many years, eventually convincing Paul Adams to go amphibious with the 2100 Supercab ST. I’ve always been impressed with the wide and loyal following the company has built up over the years.

I’ve come on board at a rather unusual period,

during the COVID-19 lockdown. It’s given me a chance to learn about the business and customers. I’ve been inspired by the owners’ stories, many of which you can read about in this issue of STABIMAG. I’ve also watched the management and operations team work diligently to position Stabi to kick on when we get back to full production.

There are plenty of boats to be built — especially those new 1450s — and we certainly won’t be standing still. We’re going to build on the legacy created by Paul and the team. I wish him all the best in his new projects and look forward to seeing what he’s been up to in a few months — and playing hardball with those inflated expense claims!

Cheers

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STABICRAFT CEO PAUL ADAMS / DAVID GLEN PROJECT MANAGER DANIEL UPPERTON PUBLISHING PARTNER MOBY DICK CONTENT ADVENTURE ENGINEERS (THE CREW WHO HELPED MAKE IT HAPPEN)

THE KEY QUESTIONS: FROM NEW CEO TO OLD CEO David: What was your biggest challenge in your time as CEO? Paul: Definitely the GFC. There were sleepless nights, deciding who to keep and who to let go.

We had to make 15 per cent of the workforce redundant. We were mucking with people’s lives and it hurt. But we also learned some valuable business lessons in those early days, including developing new products.

With every disaster there’s opportunity.

David: What is your definition of success?

Paul: I don’t see success as having bags of money. Sure, you need money to invest, but the true value of success should be

measured in trust and respect.

It’s also important to have fresh ideas, products that work and a group of people who can grow with the brand.

David: What are your best business catchphrases?

Paul: Seek first to understand and then be understood. Never say can’t — say how can we? Hire right, train right.

David: Best advice for a newly minted CEO? Paul: Be yourself and stick to the Stabicraft knitting. Take risks, even in the tough times. Know your strengths, but also your shortcomings. Use mentors, one person can’t do it by themselves.

Treat everyone with respect and empathy. But most importantly, sign off on my expenses no matter how ridiculous they seem.

THE CAPTAIN / COOL STORYTELLERS TANIA CASEY / STABI WHIPCRACKER GARY PALMER / 2250 ULTRA CENTRECAB JULIE PALMER / 2250 ULTRA CENTRECAB GORDON CHAIT / 1550 FISHER KYLE BRIGGS / 2750 ULTRA CENTRECAB XL HADLEY DEEGAN / DEEGAN MARINE JOSH HOLMES / 2100 SUPERCAB JED RADALY / 2100 SUPERCAB JOHN SUTHERLAND / STABI WELDER STUART SUTHERLAND / STABI WELDER MIKE STENTON / HEAD DESIGNER GENE DENTON / WHITIANGLER JAMES JUBB / STABI SNAPPER ALAN BOGLE / 1850 FRONTIER MARCO DELA CONCEPCION / 1850 FISHER ROBERT VENTURIN / 2400 SUPERCAB ED RICHARDSON / RICHARDSON MARINE TOM WOOD / 2500 ULTRACAB XL ADAM CLANCEY / 2250 CENTRECAB STABICRAFT DEALERS ART DIRECTOR BRENDON WISE SUB EDITOR PAUL ROBINSON STABIMAG IS PUBLISHED BY MOBY DICK CONTENT ON BEHALF OF STABICRAFT. ALL MATERIAL IS PROTECTED BY THE COMMONWEALTH COPYRIGHT ACT, 1968. NO PART OF STABIMAG MAY BE REPRODUCED, REPLICATED OR ADAPTED IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM STABICRAFT. PRINTED BY BLUE STAR GROUP.

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STABISTAFF

MUSTERING THE CREW

These guys and girls make Stabicraft — and that’s enough, really.

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Y E A9 RS

AGATA KALUZNA

Start date: September 2011 Length of service: Nine years Current position: Design engineer Best thing about working at Stabicraft?

Definitely the people.

What’s changed over the years?

The company has grown so much that now we have twice the number of staff as when I started.

What’s your favourite model?

1850 Supercab — I’m sentimental about it as it was the first model I worked on.

What do you do in your spare time?

I enjoy archery, I teach karate and I play piano.

Y E A5 RS

SEAN MCCOLL

Start date: 1995 Length of service: 25 years Current position: Dealer Relationship Manager Past position: Various admin gigs Best thing about working at Stabicraft?

The people, the product and the passionate customers.

Worst thing about working at Stabicraft?

Not getting enough time to use the boats.

What’s changed over the years?

We’ve gone from working in a tin shed using cardboard patterns to being a modern, innovative company.

Describe Stabicraft in five words: Innovative, never standing still, progressive.

What’s your favourite model?

1550 Fisher.

What do you do in your spare time?

Mountain bike, read and drink craft beer — not necessarily in that order.

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Y E A5 RS

JOHN AITKEN

Start date: 1995 (contractor for 10 years prior) Length of service: 15 years Current position: Saw operator Past position: Tube bender, hulls, filing, finishing.

Best thing about working at Stabicraft?

Seeing a bit of me leave the factory with every boat. When I die, I will live on in at least 10,000 boats.

Worst thing about working at Stabicraft?

Trying not to let the rest of the factory down by not having parts available on time. Increasing age and increasing demand aren’t always compatible.

What’s changed over the years?

When I started we were a family. I remember seeing the emotion in the CEO’s face as he had to let staff go when the recession hit. After that we became a target-driven business.

Describe Stabicraft in five words: Passionate, innovative, caring, demanding, developing.

What’s your favourite model?

1550 Fisher.

What do you do in your spare time?

Fish, whitebait, shoot ducks, enjoy motorsport and collect NBA player autographs.

DAN UPPERTON

Start date: May 2007 Length of service: 13 years Current position: New product development and marketing manager Past positions: Design cadet, design manager, supply chain manager Best thing about working at Stabicraft?

Access to the greatest boats on the planet! I also love the opportunity Stabicraft gives me to work with marine industry professionals and ambassadors from all over the world. No-one takes anything too seriously and everyone is up for a laugh.

Worst thing about working at Stabicraft?

Sitting in my office looking longingly at the water wondering why I did not become a full-time water rat.

What’s changed over the years?

It’s probably easier to answer what hasn’t changed. Everything has changed.

Describe Stabicraft in five words: Fearless, robust, innovative, aggressive, exciting.

What’s your favourite model?

2750 Centrecab — yes, it’s also the largest model we offer, but holy shit, the ride!

What do you do in your spare time?

Spare time? I have three young boys — I have no spare time.

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STABIPARTNER C-MAP

BOTTOM’S UP, THANKS TO C-MAP

FOR OWNERS OF LOWRANCE, SIMRAD AND B&G UNITS, LET THERE BE REJOICING THROUGHOUT THE LAND, BUT ESPECIALLY AT SEA ON BOARD YOUR STABICRAFT. C-MAP HAS JUST LAUNCHED ITS C-MAP REVEAL IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND. This is next-level tech for fishos and divers. C-MAP Reveal provides high-resolution images of structure, wrecks, isolated reefs and ledges on the sea floor. Plus, it delivers full navigation capability so you can actually get where you want to go without a detour. The high-detail imagery replaces shaded relief data in selected areas with more accurate depth variations — which means it’s easier to quickly identify the best structures for fishing or diving.

Four charts are available in Australia and a single chart for New Zealand.

M-AU-Y660-MS Robe to Batemans Bay AU$399 M-AU-Y661-MS Mallacoota to Brisbane AU$399 M-AU-Y662-MS Tweed Heads to Weipa AU$399 M-AU-Y667-MS Darwin to Esperance AU$899 M-AU-Y622-MS New Zealand NZ$399

The C-MAP Reveal charts include all the same data available on their popular Max-N+ charts, including: • Traditional Navigation Data • High Resolution Bathymetric Coastal Data • Satellite Imagery Data • Genesis Layer Data C-Map is compatible with current models — Lowrance HDS Live, Lowrance Gen2, Lowrance Elite Ti2, Simrad NSS evo3, Simrad NSS evo2, Simrad GO, Simrad NSO evo2.

More information on C-MAP Reveal at www.c-map.com More information on Lowrance HDS Live at www.lowrance.com More information on Simrad NSS evo3 at www.simrad-yachting.com

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“THE HIGH-DETAIL IMAGERY REPLACES SHADED RELIEF DATA IN SELECTED AREAS WITH MORE ACCURATE DEPTH VARIATIONS.” OPPOSITE PAGE: North Sydney, Aus TOP: Balleny Reef, Fiordland, NZ RIGHT: Flat Rock, Hauraki Gulf, NZ BELOW: Poor Knights Islands, NZ BOTTOM: Guyot, Queensland, Aus

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STABIPARTNER ULTRALON

GET A GRIP

THE SAYING IS “ALL HANDS ON DECK” — AND STAYING ON DECK IS THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL FISHING EXPEDITION. THE FOAM FELLAS AT ULTRALON HAVE TAKEN THIS TO HEART AND THEIR MISSION IS TO BANISH ALL THE SLIPPERY AND SOGGY FROM YOUR DECK DEPARTMENT. By now, everyone’s got the message that Stabis are rugged, tough, no-frills mofos. A big part of Stabi’s wellearned reputation is that it’s a safe and stable fishing platform. And a pretty important component of that safety factor is the deck you’ll be standing on. When you’re out there chasing snapper, you don’t want to be sliding all over a soggy, slippery deck if things get a little rough or the fish are pumping out too much red cordial.

That’s why Stabicraft relies on U-DEK. Made from a lightweight, closed-cell foam, U-DEK is non-absorbent, UV-protected and dampens hull and engine noise. Plus it’s nice and soft underfoot — if you’re on your feet for hours, you might as well have comfort to the max, right? And it’s got a grip like a testy gorilla, which means you’re way less likely to stack it and slide over the side.

For the past two decades, Stabicraft has put its trust in Ultralon Foam as its preferred PE/EVA blended foam flooring supplier. Like the product, it’s a well-bonded relationship. The crew at Stabicraft and Ultralon Foam, which supplies U-DEK, have long stuck together, working closely at all levels from product development

and design through to the finished boat.

Stabicraft also fits all its boats with Ultralon’s anti-slip U-TREAD Octi gunwale kit as standard, which means you’ve got less chance of an embarrassing face plant jumping on or off the boat. They come in steel grey, light grey and winter grey, the most popular colour for Stabicraft boats. Better still, you can DIY install if you’re that way inclined.

With its 3M acrylic-based, high-bond, pressuresensitive adhesive, U-DEK is easy to install — just peel and stick. Once in place, it’s easy to clean.

To see how choice your rig could look kitted out with Ultralon products, check out the Stabi 2250 piloted by Gene Denton from Whitiangler.

For more information, visit www.udek.com

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“U-DEK IS EASY TO INSTALL — JUST PEEL AND STICK. ONCE IN PLACE, IT’S EASY TO CLEAN.”

GET A GRIP: Gene Denton comes to grips with the new 1450 Frontier, thanks to U-DEK.

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STABIGEAR

STABI GEAR

STABI BOATS DESERVE STABI CARGO. ACCESSORISE YOURSELF BY LOADING UP WITH OFFICIAL STABICRAFT MERCHANDISE AT WWW.STABICRAFT.COM/SHOP

STUBBY BEER COOLER $12.00

Beer tastes better cold, especially after a long day battling the elements at sea. The Stabi stubby holder has you (and your brew) covered. Cheers, bro’!

STABICRAFT LONG SLEEVE TEE $44.99

Long sleeve tees are perfect for keeping chills away and sunburnt arms at bay. This design reps the interlocking pontoon “S” logo.

Doesn’t mix well with squid fishing.

STABICRAFT HUTCHWILCO 150N LIFEJACKET $100.00

If you don’t own a Stabicraft yet, we’d recommend purchasing one of our 150N lifejackets. They’ll keep you floating — even if your boat is not.

STABICRAFT SOFTSHELL VEST $94.99

See my vest, see my vest, with a bonded threelayer matte finish that’s the best. Sporty on the outside and fleecy on the inside.

STABICRAFT SOFTSHELL JACKET $99.99

The crème de la crème of Stabi apparel is the softshell jacket. The one pictured is the ladies’ version, but it comes in men’s, too. Waterresistant, breathable and windblocking.

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STABICRAFT CAP $29.99

Nothing really beats a trusty cap when it comes to on-water activities. The Stabi cap keeps your noggin safe from the sun and is embroidered with Stabi’s signature red “S”.

STABICRAFT CABLE KNIT SCARF $29.00

Whether you’re at the office or on the high seas, this Stabi Cable Knit Scarf will keep you cosy when the storm clouds roll in.

STABICRAFT BEANIE $19.99

You lose about 10 per cent of your body heat through your head, so slide a Stabi beanie over your dome to keep it warmer than an old two-stroke outboard.

MY DAD LOVES STABIS $34.99 STABICRAFT BUMPER STICKER $2.99

Slap me on your boat, bumper, chilly bin (esky) — hell, even your laptop — to show the world you’re part of the Stabi tribe.

Get the kids flying the flag for the Stabi squad from a young age and hopefully they’ll know what to buy you for Christmas — more gear for the boat.

MY GRANDAD DRIVES A STABI $34.99

The grandkids will have ultimate bragging rights when rocking this tee. Made from 100 per cent combed cotton, it’s comfy and badass grandad-approved.

STABICRAFT SHORT SLEEVE TEE $39.99

Does Stabi love run deep in your veins? If so, we’ve got the perfect tee for you.

Flaunt this baby when you’re at the ramp or at the pub to show the world where your allegiance lies.

All prices are in NZD and exclude shipping. Please visit our website shop to purchase.

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STABICOVER STORY

PERFECT W O RD S & IM A GE S by Th e C a pt a i n

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SEE THE VIDEO AT YOUTUBE.COM/ STABICRAFTNZ

GARY AND JULIE PALMER RUN A COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATION IN THE WATERS OF THE AMERICAN PACIFIC NORTHWEST — USING A STABICRAFT 2250 ULTRA CENTRECAB.

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STABICOVER STORY

W

inchester Bay is a small village on the Oregon coast in the American Pacific Northwest. In the heart of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, this is a scenic wonderland with miles of empty beaches against a backdrop of forest and the peaks of the Cascade Mountains. It’s outdoor heaven, offering hiking and ATV trails, abundant wildlife — and lake and offshore fishing.

It’s where the Umpqua River, known for having some of the best coho and chinook salmon fishing in the US, meets the Pacific. In fact, all the fishing is pretty good in these parts, with tuna, albacore halibut and rockfish also plentiful offshore. Crabbing and digging for clams are popular local pastimes, and oysters are available year-round courtesy of Umpqua Aquaculture.

MEET THE PALMERS

Winchester Bay locals Gary and Julie Palmer are semiretired. They’ve lived in the village for 10 or so years and like the scenery and the climate, but above all, they like the fishing. And they happen to run the only Stabicraft in these waters — a 2250 Ultra Centrecab, which just might be the only thing they love more than fishing.

“We’ve both been fishing since we were little kids and both love the ocean,” Gary says. “I had a software consulting business and Julie was in property management. We knew we wanted to live in Oregon coast and came here in our RV for six years before deciding it would be our permanent home. It’s our favourite place in the world. We go fishing pretty much every day.”

Julie’s ties to the region go back even further — she fished here with her dad as a child. “We love to fish and all our friends and neighbours love to fish,” she says. “We live one block from the harbour and half a mile from the nearest boat ramp with access to the river to fish for salmon or go crabbing or clamming. If we turn the other way, we can head out into the ocean.”

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WINCHESTER BAY, AMERICAN PACIFIC NORTHWEST: It’s where the Umpqua River, known for having some of the best coho and chinook salmon fishing in the US, meets the Pacific.

Winchester Bay, Oregon U.S

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STABICOVER STORY

TUNA TAKERS

Gary and Julie run a low-key commercial fishing operation, catching what’s in season and selling locally and in the nearby town of Roseburg. “We’re the only day boat (out/back in a day) fishing this stretch of coast. Julie has a list of local people she sells to,” Gary says. “Many have become our friends.”

Business is good, the couple catching about 4000lb (1814kg) of tuna this year. “We caught 442 tuna,” Julie says. “It’s good to give people juveniles that don’t have the amount of mercury the bigger fish do. We catch anything from 6lb (2.7kg) peanuts to 30lb (13.6kg) albacore. The average changes, but this year the warm currents came in much closer to the coast so we didn’t have to go out as far and our average was around 11–13lb (5–6kg).”

Julie also has a canning operation on the side. “I can more than 300 (142L) pints each year,” she says. “We pretty much eat fish all the time.”

As do their two golden retrievers, Sprocket and Lily, also prone to barking at the sound of a reel going off. “The dogs

get so excited if we catch a salmon,” Julie says.

Commercial fishing in what many would consider a recreational boat was initially something they were dubious about since their previous vessel had been 31ft (9.5m).

“We’re probably the only smaller commercial boat that goes offshore in this area,” Gary says. “We didn’t think we’d commercial fish with it, but we realised we can do everything we did with the bigger boat.”

Julie says she was amazed at how well they could fish out of the Stabicraft. “It can easily carry as many tuna as our old boat — and carry them better. We’ve got our tuna bags on the walkaround — one on each side of the cabin. That way you keep the weight in the centre of the boat. We have a half-tub and two big coolers and we make it work. We can open it up so we can move around quickly.”

They take 500lb (227kg) of ice with them on each mission and Gary says the care they take with their catch pays off in the quality of what they sell. “We take good care of the tuna.

We never let them lie on the deck — we brain spike them, bleed them out well then pack them in ice.”

ABOVE: Julie employs her secret weapon — cut plug herring coated in a glittery metallic dye.

BELOW: The 2250 tames the notorious Umpqua River bar.

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“BUSINESS IS GOOD, THE COUPLE CATCHING ABOUT 4000LB (1814KG) OF TUNA THIS YEAR.”

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STABICOVER STORY

ELECTRONIC DREAMS Formerly a Garmin guy, Gary is a big-time convert to the church of Simrad. Julie says he’s an electronics nerd, carrying the manuals around until he knows everything back to front. The 2250 runs a Simrad Halo radar, a Simrad NSS12 evo3 and Simrad radio, and two transducers — SideScan and DownScan — and Gary says he has total confidence in his gear, especially the Simrad autopilot.

“I’m able to adjust the autopilot when we’re fishing the river so it’s very responsive,” he says. “I can set a course, click the button and it holds us there so if we catch a fish I can throttle down and go help Julie. If we’re offshore, I can set it so it’s not so responsive. I can put it on a halfcircle, full circle or even a zigzag and it will come back around. It operates the boat for us. It’s our driver and we’re back there fishing.”

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STABICOVER STORY

LEAD-FOOT: Power comes courtesy of a 300HP Yamaha and 9.9HP “kicker”.

“THOSE 300 YAMAHA HORSES ALSO COME IN HANDY WHEN GARY AND JULIE HEAD OFFSHORE ACROSS THE NOTORIOUS UMPQUA RIVER BAR, WHICH HAS CLAIMED SEVERAL LIVES.” 24 | ISSUE 03 www.stabicraft.com

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BOAT SPECS STABICRAFT 2250 ULTRA CENTRECAB Length: 6.85m (22.5ft) Beam: 2.55m (8.4ft) Deadrise: 19° Max adults: 8 Dry hull weight (approx): 1787kg (3940lb) BMT weight (approx): 2520kg (5555lb) Fuel capacity: 300L (79gal) Standard HP: 225 Maximum HP: 300

ENGINE SPECS Make: Yamaha Model: F300 Type: 24-valve DOHC V6 Displacement: 4.16L (1gal) Weight: 259kg (571lb)

SUPPLIED BY Y Marina 1307 Newmark Avenue, Coos Bay, Oregon US 541 888 5501 www.ymarinaboats.com

MORE INFORMATION Stabicraft Marine 345 Bluff Highway, Invercargill, Southland NZ. +64 3 211 1828; www.stabicraft.com

LOVING THE STABI

Despite having previously run much bigger boats, Gary and Julie are sold on the Stabi’s ride quality and safety features, rating it the ideal boat for what they’re doing. That Stabi versatility was a biggie as Gary had back surgery a few years back. “It started to kill me doing stuff on the big boat,” he says. “I had to brace myself when I was driving.”

“With the Stabicraft, he can take the seat bottom off and stand up to drive,” Julie says. “So he can take the shock of the bouncing with his legs and his back has never been better.”

Gary can’t keep the grin off his face when he talks about how well the Stabi rides, driven by a big 300HP Yamaha.

“The power is unbelievable,” he says. “This boat flies — you have to be hanging on when you put that throttle down. It’s crazy how fast it goes. It’s got a different way of turning and when you go over a big swell it comes down gently instead of nosing in and hitting hard. If we’re going across wind chop, I can just bring the bow down and the Stabi ploughs through.

With the Arrow pontoons and the deep vee hull, when you go over a big swell, she just settles down into it on that cushion of air. It makes for a much smoother ride.”

“It doesn’t have the bang, bang, bang of our old boats,” Julie adds. “Even with really big swells, you don’t get the splash coming over.”

Those 300 Yamaha horses also come in handy when Gary and Julie head offshore across the notorious Umpqua River bar, which has claimed several lives. “Every year, a few boats don’t make it across,” Gary says. “This boat handles the bar so well, even in a larger swell I feel like I have control — and with 300HP there’s enough power to get us safely across.”

“You have to pick your day to go out,” Julie says. “And always use the south side because the rest of the bar gets really rough breakers.”

The Stabi has an 80gal (303L) fuel tank, but despite the big Yamaha, fuel consumption is more than reasonable. “We use only a third of the amount of fuel — 30–40gal (113– 151L) — in a day of tuna fishing as we did on our old boat,” Gary says. “We’re usually 40-plus miles out and trolling all day long, but the most we’ve used is 40gal. Most trips we use about 35gal.”

Tucked in beside the big 300 is a 9.9HP Yamaha “kicker” Gary and Julie mainly use when trolling for salmon in the river. “If it gets rough offshore, we use the bigger motor,” Gary says. “Trolling tuna, we’re probably at around 4500RPM using about two gallons (7.5L) an hour.”

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STABICOVER STORY

SNAP PURCHASE

The Palmers’ 2250 Ultra Centrecab was the first to be sold in the US. They had done a bit of online investigation and discovered footage of the Stabi being hammered by the Tasman Sea. “I was impressed by videos showing the Stabicraft in the rough Kiwi waters.” Gary says. “I didn’t know a boat could handle such unbelievable swells. We have rough oceans, but not like that.”

When he heard through the grapevine that a 2250 was available through Y Marina at Coos Bay, Gary was waiting outside when the doors opened.

“As soon as I saw the walkaround, all this access, I knew it was what we needed,” he says. “Four or five people wanted to buy it that day, but I was determined to have this boat.”

“It was the first time we’d ever bought anything that quick,” adds Julie, who normally handles all their big-ticket purchases.

“Our boat stands out like a sore thumb,” Gary says proudly.

Everywhere we go people think it’s so cool. They always ask where it’s made or if it’s a Coast Guard boat.”

Once they started fishing in their new Stabi, Julie was sold, especially on the Centrecab’s all-round versatility. “We can fish and feel comfortable 50 miles (80km) offshore in a rough ocean, but we can also take it to a lake,” she says. “Last summer we had eight people on board, our grandchildren, and we were fishing the river for pinkfin perch. We were able to spread out and everyone caught a fish. The kids were jumping off it.”

The Stabi is easy to use and handle, Gary says. “We can open it up so you can move around quickly and it can carry all the ice and fish we want. It launches and loads on the trailer easily, and it’s easy to clean, I just hose it out — it’s all metal.”

Julie finds the boat easy to handle by herself at the docks and feels safe offshore. “The railings are nice and high, a handhold everywhere you need one — on top, on the back of the cabin. And the step makes a perfect fishing seat when it’s a bit rough.”

She’s also a big fan of the Stabi’s Arrow pontoons. “With our old aluminium boats, if it filled with water, we’re going down, but with five separate air chambers, it’s basically unsinkable.”

SALMON QUEEN

On the hunt, Gary and Julie function like a well-oiled machine. Gary drives the boat and operates the Simrad electronics. Julie does all the gear, ties the lines, sets the bait and cleans the fish — except the tuna, which she outsources to a local. Gary loves the Game Chaser transom. “It’s amazing what we can do with just the two of us,” he says. “I can put it in reverse and go back and help Julie fish — it holds us right on the spot. With other boats you’d have to have someone at the helm all the time.”

This year hasn’t been the best for salmon — something Julie blames on growing seal numbers. However, she says her secret “blue herring” recipe gives them an edge. She uses cut plug herring coated in a glittery metallic dye. “I use a little jig and put a whole herring in. I cut it at a specific angle to get that perfect spin, use a triangular flasher. For the river I use three barbed hooks. You have to use different weights — anywhere between 6oz and 1lb (170–453g) — depending on the state of the tide because there is a huge change of depth.

We might go from 15ft to 60ft (4.5–18m) to catch a chinook or coho. I want my weight tapping the bottom from time to time.

So I’m constantly asking Gary, how deep are we?”

“Just like in the bedroom,” Gary chuckles.

“Knock it off,” Julie says, laughing. “I have a speed control for the trolling motor, which makes such a difference. In the old days I’d be telling him to speed up, slow down.”

“Like I was saying…” Gary says, before collapsing into uncontrolled laughter.

TAKE ME TO YOUR DEALER Y Marina has provided a full-service marine dealership at Coos Bay on the Oregon coast for more than 50 years. In the outboard department they carry Evinrude, Mercury and Yamaha Marine. Y Marina’s 22,000sq ft facility also stocks quality second-hand boats and spare parts. The factory-trained certified technicians in the service and repairs department can fix whatever problem you’re having with your current boat — or fit whatever goodies you need on your new purchase.

“I CAN PUT IT IN REVERSE AND GO BACK AND HELP JULIE FISH — IT HOLDS US RIGHT ON THE SPOT.”

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FISH FOOD: Julie cans more than 300 pints of tuna every year. She says, “we pretty much eat fish all the time.”

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ADVENTURE TEST 1550 FISHER

SEE THE VIDEO AT YOUTUBE.COM/ STABICRAFTNZ

FLASH GORDON

WHAT ARE A COUPLE OF AUSSIES DOING IN ARIZONA IN THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST TALKING TO A FORMER SOUTH AFRICAN ABOUT A KIWI BOAT AND BASS BAITING? WHEN THE WORD CAME THROUGH FROM STABICRAFT HQ THAT A 1550 FISHER HAD BEEN SPOTTED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT, THE CAPTAIN WAS FORCED TO INVESTIGATE. WO R D S & I M A GE S by Th e C a pt a i n

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ADVENTURE TEST 1550 FISHER

Lake Powell, AZ United States

L

ake Powell is a 658sq km (254sq mi) manmade reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Arizona and Utah in the US. It is possibly not the first place you’d expect to find a Stabicraft 1550 Fisher. It certainly isn’t where you’d expect to run into The Captain’s crew.

Long story short: When retired surgeon Gordon Chait decided to spend his golden years pestering fish, he needed a new boat. After considerable research, he decided a Stabi would suit his needs perfectly. It took him a while to track one down. A few months later, he contacted Stabi HQ in New Zealand to see if he could order a swim ladder for his new toy. The folks at Stabicraft were gobsmacked to hear one of their babies had made it to the American Southwest. As The Captain’s crew was already en route to check out the Stabi salmon fishers of Oregon, they figured, what the hell? So the boys were ordered on a desert diversion for a few days to check out Gordon’s new ride.

INTO THE DESERT

It’s a bit of a mission, but starts off cruisy enough as Gordon collects The Captain’s crew from Phoenix Airport, his blue and green Stabicraft already hooked up behind a Toyota

Tundra pick-up, destination: Lake Powell, a five-hour drive.

Then we hit traffic, a lot of traffic.

What seems to our jetlagged brains almost three years later, we’re munching on burgers in Flagstaff, which we learn is just the halfway mark. At 900m (2952ft) above sea level, it’s a little cooler than Phoenix, a bracing 14°C (57.2°F).

Back on the road, we keep climbing, the Tundra effortless eating the hills. As darkness falls, Gordon happens to mention he doesn’t see that well at night. We take turns to keep him talking and eventually reach Lake Powell around 8.30pm.

The Captain learns a fair bit about Gordon during that drive. He’s a 72-year-old South African from Cape Town who’s been living in Phoenix since the ’80s. After a bike accident ended his career as an ear, nose and throat surgeon, then a heart attack gave him another scare, he decided life was too short not to be doing what he really loved — getting out on the water and fishing. For that he needed a boat.

“I used to fish off the rocks as a kid in Cape Town,” Gordon recalls. “As a teenager, I built myself a boat with a little engine from a plan in Popular Mechanics.”

(Captain’s note for millennials: this was a magazine kids used to learn about DIY, science and tech back in the dark ages, pre-internet.)

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MEAT GORDON: Gordon doesn’t go anywhere without a solid supply of A-grade biltong.

“HE’S A 72-YEAROLD SOUTH AFRICAN FROM CAPE TOWN WHO’S BEEN LIVING IN PHOENIX SINCE THE ’80S.” RAMPING UP: You might’ve already guessed by looking at the boat ramp, but the water level at Lake Powell fluctuates greatly.

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ADVENTURE TEST 1550 FISHER

SO MANY BOATS, SO LITTLE TIME

Since those early days, Gordy has commanded quite a few vessels, including various inflatables. “After I came to the US, I had a couple of Boston Whalers. They’re safe boats, but not too comfortable in rough weather,” he says. “Then I bought a 5.7m (19ft) Mako, but didn’t love it, so I bought a 7.3m (24ft) Skipjack flybridge. That was an outstanding boat — very safe and a great ride. I sold that then didn’t have a boat for quite a while.”

When Gordy finally decided to buy another boat he came across Stabicraft totally by accident, in a rum-stained issue of The Captain, he laughs. “I had a 4.6m (15ft) Highfield RIB with a Honda 75, but there wasn’t enough space for fishing, no storage and the freeboard worried me out in the ocean. I wanted a dedicated fishing boat to take out on the lakes, but also to go offshore in San Diego or Mexico. I was also interested in the Frontier model, but they don’t import them to the US.” While visiting his brother, Gordy tracked down what was to become his Stabi at a boat dealership in Everett, Washington. He’s still a bit embarrassed by his rather inyour-face choice of paint scheme. “It’s Seattle Seahawks (NFL) colours and I’m a St Louis Cardinals fan, so I try to block it from my mind,” Gordy says. “They only had two boats left. I took one for a test drive, liked it and they were happy to sell it without an engine. I’d kept my Honda 75, which is a good power for this boat, especially with three or four people aboard, bait tank full of water and a tank of gas.”

(ABOVE) BAIT BUCKET: Gordon has installed a custom live bait tank in the back of his 1550. It takes up a bit of fishing room, but holds a stack of liveys.

MAKING THE CUT

At 5.30 the next morning, we’re dressed in every bit of clothing we own yet still freezing our balls off when Gordy collects us for the drive to the boat ramp via a bait shop where we collect some — appropriately — frozen anchovies.

He informs us the temperature is around three degrees C (37.4°F). The sun can’t come up soon enough.

Gordy tries to distract us from our self-pity with a Lake Powell travelogue. One claim to fame is that it was the location for filming Planet of the Apes in the 1960s.

“It’s like nowhere else on Earth, such a unique landscape with these huge sandstone mountains with flat tops called mesas — ‘table’ in Spanish,” he explains. “The water is intensely blue because we only get clouds in Arizona during thunderstorms. In the shallow canyons, the water is so clear you can actually see the fish.”

With a shoreline of nearly 3200km (1988mi), Lake Powell is one of the largest manmade lakes in North America and was built in the 1950s as part of a controversial hydroelectric dam system that submerged many Native American archeological sites. With a maximum depth of about 180m (590ft), it features numerous narrow canyons and is now an extremely popular fishing and recreational boating destination visited by about two million people each year.

“You see every type of watercraft here in summer — from houseboats, kayaks and jet skis to wakeboarding, waterskiing and paddle boarding,” Gordy says. “Then there’s the fishing, including bass tournaments.”

Apparently the lake was stocked with so many striped bass in the 1960s that for a while they upset the balance with other species. Gordy says the upshot is there is no limit on how many you can take. “There a lot of striped, smallmouth and largemouth bass, also pike, walleye, sunfish, crappie and shad baitfish. And lots of catfish.”

At this point, we’re in the Stabi attempting to make our way out to the main part of the lake via a narrow cut that is proving a bit hard to find, especially since we get distracted by almost immediately running into a large school of

BOAT SPECS STABICRAFT 1550 FISHER Length: 4.72m (15.5ft) Beam: 2.02m (6.6ft) Deadrise: 15° Max persons: 5 Dry hull weight (approx.): 415kg (915lb) Fuel capacity: 60L (15.8gal) Standard HP: 50 Max HP: 75

ENGINE SPECS Model: Honda BF75 Type: 4-stroke SOHC 4-cylinder/16-valve Displacement: 1496cc Weight: 163kg (359.3lb)

CONTACT

Stabicraft Marine 345 Bluff Road, Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand +64 3 211 1828; www.stabicraft.com

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“APPARENTLY THE LAKE WAS STOCKED WITH SO MANY STRIPED BASS IN THE 1960S THAT FOR A WHILE THEY UPSET THE BALANCE WITH OTHER SPECIES.”

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ADVENTURE TEST 1550 FISHER

“MY EIGHTYEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER LOVES COMING OUT ON THE WATER WITH ME.” (ABOVE) NEXT GEN: Gordon’s granddaughter Charlotte named the boat The Beast and loves fishing the local lakes.

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THE FRAME GAME

By Mike Ste nto n

THE 1550 MIGHT BE SMALL IN SIZE, BUT IT’S GOT A FEW INNOVATION FEATURES THAT JAMES BOND’S Q WOULD’VE BEEN CHUFFED TO COME UP WITH. The Stabicraft design team was challenged to come up with a walk-through windscreen that was strong and safe, that looked good and could be operated with minimal effort. Not only that, it had to be minimalist in construction and easy to put together.

Big ask.

Early concepts were fully framed with thin acrylic.

The Stabi scientists thought they could do better.

So they 3D-modelled and rendered some frameless options, then developed a prototype. The 6mm prototype had too much flex. So it was stepped up to 8mm, then 10mm for maximum strength. That created a weight issue, so gas struts were needed. The team then designed new extrusions for mounting the screen.

Like most Stabicraft innovations, it was a full team effort, with minute detail in the design. But the overall outcome ticked all the boxes and is a big contribution to the 1550’s success.

baitfish. On the plus side, it’s warming up.

“This is where local knowledge is important,” Gordy says.

“If you don’t know where the cut is you can spend hours going up canyons trying to find it.”

After a close encounter with a houseboat, we squeeze through the cut and out into the lake without scoring any more abuse. The lake is so vast, with so many canyon offshoots that it’s easy to get lost. Fortunately, Gordy is happy to go old-school and a trusty chart soon gets us sorted.

We can spot baitfish and a few big boys on the screen, but the water is so clear we can watch fish chasing the lures down. We catch quite a few smallmouth bass on soft plastics, but Jack from The Captain’s crew turns out to have the most luck late in the day. “He hooked two striped bass with anchovies on a slightly weighted hook, just casting it out and letting it drop was really effective,” Gordy says. “Nick the camera man used a little popper on the surface with a Zebco reel and caught a few smallmouth. It was pretty cool to get some from the bottom, some from the middle of the water column and a few from the surface. Overall, the frozen anchovies seemed to work better than the plastics today.”

THE NAME OF THE BEAST

At one point we find ourselves venturing up a high-walled canyon so narrow it almost hugs the boat. Gordy shuts the engine off and lets the wind push the Stabi along.

“Fortunately the sandstone is very soft,” he says. “It won’t damage your boat, just dirty it a bit — but the aluminium deck is easy to keep clean. It’s also surprisingly OK to walk on when we get hot summer days in excess of 110°F (43°C).”

A little later, The Captain’s crew were getting a few action shots from the shore when Gordy blasts towards them before throwing the Stabi into a tight turn. “I was on the driver’s side, then suddenly I was on the passenger side with my legs in the air, still holding the steering wheel,” he laughs. “It was an interesting experience.”

It’s getting dark as we head back to the ramp, Gordy enlightens us as to why his Stabi rejoices in the name of The Beast. “My eight-year-old granddaughter loves coming out on the water with me. The first thing she said when she saw the Stabicraft was, ‘That boat looks like a beast!’”

He says the Stabi always attracts attention. “Everywhere I go it takes me a long time to actually get on the water because people want to talk about it — especially guys with big boats! One time I was out fishing off La Jolla and didn’t realise I was in a fish sanctuary. The Coast Guard turned up, but were more interested in asking about the Stabi than giving me a hard time for fishing in a restricted area.”

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ADVENTURE TEST 1550 FISHER

EASY RIDER

Once everything is squared away, and despite our intriguing aroma of sweat and bait, we check out a local Mexican restaurant, pigging out on steaming hot chicken and fish fajitas. We agree Mexican beer is some of the best in the world. Over a Dos Equis or three, Gordy tells us how to make the excellent biltong (jerky) we were munching out on the water. “The secret to perfect biltong is to use really good meat, a good spices combination — and preferably get someone else to make it for you.”

That crucial piece of information out of the way, he then expands on why he loves his Stabi Beast so much. “The design is so good — it’s got a lot of fishing space and a high freeboard and transom so it feels safe. It’s also a very dry boat. Any water that gets in is picked up by the bilge pump so all the storage stays dry — and there’s a lot of storage all over the boat and under the gunwales. The dual batteries are raised off the floor so they keep dry as well.

And the Arrow foam-filled pontoons not only make it a safe boat, but also very stable to stand on the gunwales to fish. It adds a little bit of weight, but also deadens sound.”

Gordy also loves how the Stabi rides, especially in a following sea. “I was out by myself off San Diego recently, with a storm coming in from Mexico. Coming back was unbelievable. I was riding pretty fast down these huge swells and the boat just sat on top of the water. There was no worry that the nose would dive or that I would broach.”

The Beast has a built-in 60L (15.8gal) tank and Gordy has added his own bait system. “It takes half a scoop of sardines or anchovies I buy from a bait barge,” he boasts. “My bait table is circular and set up in front of the engine, so doesn’t get in the way and you don’t bump into the corners. I can filet and then send the bait straight overboard. The bit of extra weight is hardly noticeable.”

Gordy runs a four-speaker Fusion stereo and is — as The Captain’s crew painfully discovered — rather partial to good ol’ boy music. “The fish always want to listen to a bit of country and western and we can do that,” he says.

SMALL BOAT HEAVEN

Several beers in, Gordy’s faith in his trusty Stabi steed remains unshakable. “Today I had three adults on board and camera boxes all over the deck,” he says. “At one stage, when the fish were biting, it was like controlled chaos — shit all over the place. But the boat cleans up real easy.”

One of his favourite features is the access to the bow via the hydraulic windscreen. “I often launch and retrieve the boat by myself, so I like how easy it is to get to the bow.”

Asked to describe the Stabicraft Fisher 1550 in five words, Gordy comes up with: “Good design, safety, looks, easy to maintain, just a great boat. I like being out on the water, always have. I also enjoy being out on the ocean by myself. I don’t often see boats smaller than mine, but safety isn’t a concern because of the way it’s built. And it’s easy to tow and fits in my garage.”

GO, GO GADGET As a retired surgeon, Gordon is no stranger to the

world of gizmos and gadgets. After doing a fair bit of research, he decided that a four-speaker Fusion system, a Garmin VHF radio and a Garmin Echomap Ultra 105sv with GT54UHD-TM transducer was the best fit for his Stabicraft 1550. The sunlight-readable 10-inch screen fits neatly on a bracket mount on the driver’s side dashboard and offers awesome visibility, even when Gordy is fishing down the back of the boat.

During our session on Lake Powell, we marked huge schools of bait surrounded by bass, as well as sunken wrecks and steep drop-offs. Using the sounder, Gordy was able to put us on a drift right along the edges of these zones so we could fire lures and drop down baits.

Now you’d probably think Gordy’s favourite feature would be the all-in-one transducer with CHIRP, ClearVü and SideVü scanning sonar? Or how about being able to create personalised fishing maps with the Quickdraw Contours software? Nope, Gordy’s numero uno feature is the quickdisconnect bail mount that lets him install and remove the unit with a flick of the wrist — no more fiddling with cords and plugs. It’s the simple things, eh?

The Echomap also supports the optional Panoptix LiveScope LVS12 transducer, without requiring a black box. This means Gordy gets to take advantage of Garmin’s live-scanning technology, which shows the fish swimming in real time. His only criticism of the unit is that the long transducer caused a bit of a rooster tail off the back of his 1550. No problem. He went down to Home Depot, bought a PVC toilet fitting, cut it in half and mounted the top section above the transducer. Problem solved.

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“ONE OF HIS FAVOURITE FEATURES IS THE ACCESS TO THE BOW VIA THE PNEUMATIC WINDSCREEN.” ONE-MAN ARMY: Gordon might be 72 years old, but he can launch and retrieve his 1550 Fisher solo.

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ADVENTURE TEST 2750 ULTRA CENTRECAB XL

SLAB -O-CRAFT

THE CAPTAIN GETS WORD THAT THE BIGGEST, MOST EXPENSIVE, MOST DECKEDOUT STABI HAS JUST HIT AUSTRALIAN SHORES. WE HEAD SOUTH TO APOLLO BAY, VICTORIA, TO CHECK IT OUT. W O RD S a n d I M A GE S by Th e C a pt a i n

SEE THE VIDEO AT YOUTUBE.COM/ STABICRAFTNZ

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ADVENTURE TEST 2750 ULTRA CENTRECAB XL

Apollo Bay, Victoria

“IT’S A BEAUTIFUL SPOT UNDER THE OTWAY RANGES, WITH MOUNTAINS, FOREST AND SANDY BEACHES.”

v t . n i a t p a c e h t .w w w

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GIVE US A SMILE, KYLE: Kyle is pretty damn proud of his 2750 and reckons it’s the biggest rig in Apollo Bay, Victoria.

I

n the dawn light, Kyle Briggs’ Stabicraft 2750 Ultra Centrecab XL lurks around Apollo Bay wharf like a hungry predator. It looks all the more menacing courtesy of its forward-raking windscreen and graffitistyle wrap featuring an extremely angry fish-monster.

The Captain has been lured to this small south-west Victorian port, halfway along the Great Ocean Road, by the promise of a bluefin-busting trip to the Twelve Apostles — and the chance to experience the biggest, most expensive Stabicraft ever to depart its Kiwi birthplace for Australia.

This metal machine has transcended its fugly platey origins to morph into one spectacularly glam game-fishing beast.

BIG RIG

A plumber by trade, Kyle moved to Apollo Bay from Melbourne four years ago and loves it. “It’s a beautiful spot under the Otway Ranges, with mountains, forest and sandy beaches,” he says. Kyle also loves fishing out of his brandnew 2750 Ultra Centrecab XL. “Mostly we’re trolling for tuna, but we also catch flathead, squid and whiting,” he says. “We go north to chase striped marlin, and during the summer months, cruise around Apollo Bay after crayfish.”

Having already checked in with Kyle at the Apollo Bay Bakery to stock up on their famous scallop pies — the 2750 has a shiny pie warmer that may have been designed by NASA — The Captain’s crew are locked and loaded, aka, awake and not particularly hungover.

We watch Kyle smoothly manoeuvre his rig into the wet stuff with a platinum 2018 F250, which Kyle loves almost as much as his boat. Kyle says, “I needed a car like this to tow this boat. It needs to be legal and the LandCruiser wasn’t cutting it. It’s definitely the biggest rig in Apollo Bay.”

GAME ON

Once on the water, Kyle runs through a couple of tests before heading out past the lighthouse at Cape Otway and setting course for the Apostles. It’s shaping to be a blue-sky morning and a north-easterly is blowing at about five knots. The wind’s right behind us, so Kyle drops the hammers on the twin four-stroke Suzuki 250s and we blast along the coast at full speed.

At 5600RPM, the Suzis are singing like a pair of drunken V8s at a NASCAR race, rocking it at 75km/h (46.6mp/h). “That was the maximum rating I could get on this boat,” Kyle yells. “It took me a bit of convincing, but I’m impressed. Not only do they go real well, but the fuel economy is fantastic.”

At this point, The Captain’s crew are hanging on for dear life as the 2750 powers through the light swell. Kyle is a big unit and there’s only one seat in the cabin.

The Southern Ocean turns on the scenic photo ops.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t turn on the fish. We zip past whales and dolphins before trying our luck off Johanna Beach. Then we head down to Peterborough, looking for birds.

There’s a bit of bait working near the Pinnacles — but no fish. To cheer us up, Kyle busts a few good moves around the Twelve Apostles, getting in close so we can get a few good shots of the Stabi doing its thing. This collection of rugged 45m (147.6ft) limestone stacks is also a designated marine park, so we can only assume this is where the smart fish are hanging out.

An hour or so later, we think our luck is changing when we mark out a bit of bait near Moonlight Head, spotting some school fish underneath. Kyle lets slip his secret for snagging bluefins. “I’ve always done well on purple lures.”

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ADVENTURE TEST 2750 ULTRA CENTRECAB XL

DECKED DASH: The Furuno fit-out in Kyle’s 2750 is off the hook. He’s got a TZtouch2 in the dash and a FCV-295 riding shotgun.

“I STARTED OUT IN A HAINES SIGNATURE BOWRIDER IN PORT PHILLIP BAY, THEN DECIDED TO GET A BIT MORE SERIOUS WITH OFFSHORE FISHING.” RADAR LOVE

However, despite the 2750 bristling with enough electronics to hold a rave party, we can’t lob onto those elusive barrels.

“I had the Furuno gear fitted out by Gary Jeeves,” Kyle says.

“We put in a FCV-295 for sounding and TZtouch2 touchscreen for charts, 85 kHz BR transducer, 3-D transducer, FLIR camera and the radar — pretty much everything we need.”

But it’s not enough today. However, with impeccable MasterChef timing, Kyle breaks out the scallop pies and life is good again.

Kyle checks the weather, pronouncing the forecast “a bit snotty”. So we call time on the fish hunt and head home. One ham-sized hand gripping the helm, Kyle reminisces about his love affair with Stabicraft. He had his previous boat, a 759, for 10 years. “I’ve been fishing for about 20 years,” he says.

“I started out in a Haines Signature Bowrider in Port Phillip Bay, then decided to get a bit more serious with offshore fishing. So I got myself a Stabicraft 759 with twin Yamaha 150s. I sold that last year when I knew the new 2750 Stabi beast was coming.”

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HAMMERS DOWN: Horsepower comes courtesy of twin Suzuki DF250AP outboards.

“AS A BIGGER GUY, KYLE FIGURED EXTRA HEADROOM INSIDE THE CABIN WAS A NO-BRAINER.” v t . n i a t p a c e h t .w w w

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BOAT SPECS STABICRAFT 2750 ULTRA CENTRECAB XL Length: 8.4m (27.5ft) Beam: 2.49m (8.1ft) Deadrise: 21.5° Seating capacity: 9 Dry hull weight (approx): 1990kg (4387lb) BMT weight (approx): 3500kg (7716lb) Fuel capacity: 500L (132gal) Standard HP: 300HP Maximum HP: 500HP

ENGINE SPECS Make: Suzuki Model: DF250AP Type: V6 Displacement: 4L (1gal) Weight: 290kg (639lb)

SUPPLIED BY

Richardson Marine 1058 Raglan Parade, Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia. +61 3 5561 2665. www.richardsonmarine.com.au

MORE INFORMATION

Stabicraft Marine 345 Bluff Highway, Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand. +64 3 211 1828. www.stabicraft.com

His main reason for an upgrade was more fuel capacity to spend more time out on the shelf. “The 759 only had a 375L (99gal) tank. I’d make it home with only 20-30L (5-8gal) spare. Now I’m getting back with 100-150L (26-40gal) left.”

Kyle also liked the idea of more room to move — on deck and in the cabin. “I wanted a walkaround, more useable room,” he says. “The cabin’s smaller, but it’s handy to be able to use the whole of the front of the boat. You can cast stickbaits off the front and people can even sit up there when we’re cruising. I didn’t want the cabin doors on the back to be closed off. I wanted it accessible. I didn’t need a kitchen or a sink, I’d rather have the extra space.”

As a bigger guy, Kyle figured extra headroom inside the cabin was a no-brainer, which is why he rates the distinctive forward-raking windscreen. “Water falls off the windscreen a lot easier and the vision is also really good from inside. But it was really about getting more space inside the cabin. And I didn’t install a passenger seat, which gives me more room to move around the helm.”

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“IT’S A VERY SOFT-RIDING AND VERY DRY BOAT,” HE SAYS. “YOU DON’T GET ANY WATER OR SPRAY COMING IN, EVEN GOING THROUGH BIG SWELLS.” TRUE ROMANCE

The 2750 is a sexy beast and Kyle is in lurve. “I love the look of the boat, the style of it. It’s pretty unique, different from a lot of boats out there — I didn’t want to have something like everybody else had. The lines are sharp and the wrap suits the style. Marine Graphics designed the wrap and Kris Grixti at A1 Signs Designs & Graphics wrapped it for me.”

During the build, Kyle added and subtracted a few bits and pieces. “I got rails put on the side by the steps and on the back end to help get in and out. I also put a plate across the back underneath the live bait station to stop any fish, sinkers or anything else going underneath — and it’s a good spot to keep the gaffs. We put a dive door on the side — bringing big fish aboard through the dive door is a lot easier than trying to drag them over the back.”

Kyle rates the final configuration and reckons there’s nothing substantial he’d change. “The walkaround is great, there’s so much room,” he says. “The tackle drawer where we keep everything — all the lines, leaders, sinkers, hooks, pliers — what we need is always accessible, the fuel economy, the kill tanks.

IT’S GOT GRUNT

Performance-wise, the Stabicraft’s renowned ability to keep the water on the outside of the boat is high on Kyle’s “Top 10 things I love about my boat” list. “It’s a very soft-riding and very dry boat,” he says. “You don’t get any water or spray coming in, even going through big swells — unless there are strong crosswinds coming through, then we’ll get a bit of a splash. When you come down a wave and punch the nose into a big swell you can have a bit of water come over the top of the cabin, but it just runs down the drainage gunwales on the side of the boat. Pushing backwards, there are no issues at all except maybe a little water over the rear step.”

He’s particularly stoked with the big boy Suzukis. “They have lots of torque and they’re cheap to run — averaging 0.8L (0.2gal) to the kilometre (0.6mi),” he says. “There’s not a lot of noise or vibration, except when the throttle’s wide-open. Running at 4000 revs we’re burning about 70L (18.4gal) an hour. Wide-open at 5600 revs, it’s about 173L (45.7gal). A typical day for me chasing tuna, we’ll do 50–300km (31–186mi) and burn 100–300L (26–79gal) of gas.

I’m covering a lot of ground with that, so I’m pretty happy.”

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ONE-SEAT PONY: Kyle’s 2750 is for hardcore fishing only, not for lounging around in.

Hence, no passenger seat.

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TOUGH ENOUGH

The Stabi’s legendary stability and toughness is a big plus, particularly in the wild waters of the Southern Ocean. “I just feel safe in it,” Kyle says. “The Stabi is amazingly stable — you can have four people on one side and it just tilts a little. I went with the foam-filled pontoons, which also keep the boat a lot quieter. And it’s a tough boat with that 6mm (0.2”) plate on the bottom. I’m really impressed with the construction and weld quality. They say Stabis don’t sink, even if you fill them with water. Obviously, I don’t want to test it out, but it gives you peace of mind knowing they’re built like that.”

As we come around Cape Otway, the light wind is going against the tide and the sea is turning nasty. We’re surprised at how rough it’s got in a short space of time. “The conditions can be fairly ordinary out here off Cape Otway,” Kyle says as we charge back into Apollo Bay. The Captain’s crew heartily agree, while chowing down on a couple of straggler scallop pies as Kyle and long-time fishing mate and deckhand Ian clean up the boat and gear.

Kyle reckons his romance with his new 2750 has only just begun. He wants to do a lot more trips out to King Island.

“I’d like to do a bit more adventuring over there. And I’d like to do a trip over to Tasmania — that’s on my radar for January–February next year. We’ll get ourselves packed up and spend a couple of weeks going from port to port, refuelling as we go.” The Captain’s go bag is always packed and rod ready. Just saying.

“THE STABI IS AMAZINGLY STABLE — YOU CAN HAVE FOUR PEOPLE ON ONE SIDE AND IT JUST TILTS A LITTLE.”

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TIDY TACKLE: There’s a handy slide-out tackle drawer underneath the bait board on Kyle’s 2750.

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SEE THE VIDEO AT YOUTUBE.COM/ STABICRAFTNZ

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TASSIE DEVILS

FEW PLACES GET THE CAPTAIN’S JUICES FLOWING LIKE THE EAST COAST OF TASMANIA. IT’S RAW, RUGGED AND BUSTLING WITH BIG BLUEFIN — USUALLY. Wo rds a n d i m a g e s by Th e C a pt a i n

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East Coast, Tasmania

RAMP RAIDER: The ramp at Eaglehawk Neck looks quiet here, but it can get crazy when the barrels are biting.

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s loyal Captain readers have pointed out, we’re not always the most reliable sailor on the seas. Let us explain. In the back of every issue, we publish a preview of what’s in the next issue. Sometimes, we actually deliver on those promises. Not always. These broken pledges don’t just end with our readers. We often make big promises to boating manufacturers.

On one such occasion we promised a 100kg (220lb) bluefin tuna would be caught from a Stabicraft (hell, they were catching them in stormwater drains at the time). Alas, we fished for an entire week, lost two jumbos and went near crazy in the pursuit of glory before waving the white flag in defeat and publishing a story on the fishing grief cycle.

Can’t say we didn’t try.

So it comes as a surprise when the brains trust at Stabicraft asks us to head down to Tasmania and catch a bluefin (or swordfish) out of a Stabicraft.

“Er, you do remember what happened last time, right?”

The Captain enquires.

“It’s alright fellas, this time I’m going to send over some fishing gurus from NZ. They’ll get the job done,” the Stabi boss responds. After a quick back and forth we agree to the plan, albeit with deep-fried and battered egos.

THE BOAT

The dream team arrives fresh from Auckland airport keen to “show us Aussies how to catch a fish”. All we need now is a seaworthy Stabi. Enter Hadley Deegan. No stranger to stormy southern waters, Hadley runs Deegan Marine, in Ulverstone on the Tasmanian north-west coast. The dealership was pioneered by Hadley’s old man, Lindsay, more than 40 years ago, and it’s still going strong. Hadley suggests a Stabicraft 2100 Supercab will be perfect, explaining it has “Big boat performance and safety in a package that is easy

BEERS AND BLUEFIN: Jed (left), Hadley (middle) and Josh (right) take a break from bluefin busting to crush a few coldies.

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to tow and manage”.

“We’ll have plenty of protection from the hardtop and cabin without losing visibility,” he continues. “She also has a generous cockpit, perfect for carrying around all your camera gear and those Kiwi lads.”

That was all we had to hear and after a couple of weeks planning logistics, here we are bouncing out of St Helens aboard a factory-fresh, metallic blue 2100 with a Honda 200HP V6 purring out the back. The Kiwi lads, Josh Holmes and Jed Radaly are also on board, rugged up in the cockpit preparing the rods and rigging baits out the back. It’s a 12nm run to the shelf, but 20nm out to the swordfishing grounds. This gives us a good chance to chat to Hadley about his history with Stabicraft boats.

He first experienced a custom-built rigid buoyancy boat almost 20 years ago and was blown away by the performance and safety, even in typical Tasmanian offshore conditions.

“That led me to Stabicraft’s production range a few years later and I haven’t looked back. Back in the day, it was more about the Stabi’s personality than its looks. But these days they’ve evolved into quite the sexy boat with unique styling, lines and funky colours, while holding onto their original DNA,” Hadley says.

THE DROP

When we finally arrive at the mark, Hadley gets busy adjusting the Garmin display. The Stabi is fitted with a GPSMap 952xs and a GSD 26 sonar module that turbocharges the performance of the 1kW dual-channel CHIRP transducer. We spend the day prospecting, but end up heading home, having got just one hit from an unknown denizen of the deep.

The weather is predicted to deteriorate over the next few days, so we cut our losses in St Helens and head to trusty Eaglehawk Neck in search of barrel-esque bluefin. The handy thing about Eaglehawk is that you don’t need to go far to catch fish. The Captain can attest to this not being bulldust, having caught an 85kg (187lb) bluefin 10 minutes from the ramp several years earlier.

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED

We slide the 2100 onto the Easytow trailer and begin the 3.5hour journey south. The drive from St Helens to Eaglehawk Neck along the east coast is nothing short of spectacular, although Jed and Josh have never seen so much roadkill in their lives. Welcome to Australia, guys.

We check into the Lufra Hotel and feel as if we’ve gone

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MAN FOR THE JOB: Hadley was cool, calm and collected at the helm even in some seriously vicious seas. Must be all that racing experience.

ADVENTURES AHOY: Amazing scenery aside, Eaglehawk Neck is an amazing place to fish because you can start trolling for 100kg+ bluefin only five minutes from the boat ramp.

“HE FIRST EXPERIENCED A CUSTOM-BUILT RIGID BUOYANCY BOAT ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO.”

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“AS WE MAKE OUR WAY TOWARDS THE ACTION, WE GET THE CALL FROM MARK THAT HE’S HOOKED UP.” back in time, surrounded by plush pile carpet and veneer finishes. But there’s cold beer and chicken parmigiana, so we’re not complaining.

The next morning, we’re up at the crack of dawn heading straight to Hippolyte Rock, aka the “Hippo”, a granite spike that shoots 65m (213ft) straight up out of the ocean like The Thing’s nipple. The only difference is, this nipple smells like a mixture of bird shit and seal shit. Aroma aside, it’s a damn beautiful spot to fish and notorious for big bluefin.

“They’re either on like crazy at the Hippo or not at all,” Hadley reckons. Unfortunately for us it’s “not at all” and we spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the coastline before finding a sweet spot to anchor and cook up a feed in Fortescue Bay. After we stuff our faces with freshly cooked hotdogs, courtesy of an onboard JetBoil, we head back to the Lufra to work on our game plan for the next day.

BLUEFIN OR BROKE

HADLEY’S TIPS FOR TASSIE FIRST-TIMERS WHY BOAT IN TASSIE? We are surrounded by water. Our waterways, coastal and inland, are what make Tasmania such a beautiful place to live. So if you’re not boating and enjoying our waters, you’re only getting part of the story.

BEST THINGS TO DO ON THE WATER? Obviously, fishing is a favourite pastime for many Tasmanians and our waters offer great diversity with some of the best table fish going. They also have spectacular underwater scenery and diving locations.

Families can enjoy a mix of fishing, a day out at great destinations and also enjoy water sports on our sheltered waters and lakes.

FIVE FAVOURITE BOATING DESTINATIONS? There’s so many to choose, it’s hard to pick a top five.

I’d go for Bicheno, the Tasman Peninsula and Schouten Island on the east coast, Pedra Branca off the south coast, and Strahan and Macquarie Harbour in the west.

It’s our last day in Tassie and we still haven’t turned a reel.

Looks like we were going to disappoint Stabicraft once again. At least this time we could pin it on the “Kiwi fish assassins”. The weather has turned to complete custard, leaving us with only one spot to fish — Tasman Island. The quickest way to get there is to launch at Port Arthur and chug out around the corner.

We troll for the morning until the second boat in our convoy (Mark Hately’s 2400) finds a patch of birds and calls us over. The bad news is that the birds are feeding away from the protection of Tasman Island, in absolute slop. Hadley, hanging on to the wheel with white knuckles, tells the story best.

“We can see a few birds working out wide of Tasman and Mark has obviously seen this as well,” he recalls. “As we make our way towards the action, we get the call from Mark that he’s hooked up. But we can’t see him until we get really close. Then, rising to the top of a big swell heading into the sea, as the spray clears, we spot him in the trough behind us, surfing past seals, birds and fish that are all in a surface-feeding frenzy. I time our turn and try to judge where the fish are going to be. But all you can see is the back of the swell in front of us. The next big wave passes underneath and as we rise I can see the action what looks like four stories below. I give Jed the yell to get ready as we shoot past the edge of the frenzy and we’re on. Jed takes the rod and goes into battle, doing a great job to stay on his feet, barefoot on the tread plate. Those Kiwis are pretty hard-core! I try to position the boat and negotiate the sea while he’s busy getting smashed by white water and spray. There’s no time to go easy on this fish because we’re surrounded by seals. Jed cranks up the drag and surfs the fish to the boat in record time for The Captain’s crew to make an awesome gaff shot.”

Phew! Mission accomplished. Although it wasn’t the 100kg (220lb) barrel we promised Stabicraft, there’s nothing a wide-angle camera lens can’t fix. Just don’t tell the Stabi crew.

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BOAT SPECS STABICRAFT 2100 SUPERCAB Length: 6.4m (20.9ft) Beam: 2.3m (7.5ft) Deadrise: 20 degrees Passengers: 7 Tow weight (approx): 1900kg (4188lb) Fuel capacity: 200L (52.8gal) Standard HP: 130HP Maximum HP: 225HP

ENGINE SPECS Model: Honda BF200 Type: SOHC 24-valve V6 Displacement: 3.58L (0.94gal) Weight: 285kg (628.3lb)

SUPPLIED BY:

Deegan Marine 102 Eastland Drive, Ulverstone, Tasmania, Australia. +61 3 6425 2238. www.deeganmarine.com.au

MORE INFORMATION:

Stabicraft Marine 345 Bluff Highway, Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand. +64 3 211 1828. www.stabicraft.com

DEEGAN DELIGHT: Tough conditions, tough men and a bloody tough fighting fish.

Mission accomplished.

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STABIWORKMEN

WAY DOWN SOUTH

THE STRAIGHT-SHOOTING SUTHERLAND BOYS ARE A FATHER-AND-SON WELDING TEAM THAT HAS BEEN THE BACKBONE OF STABICRAFT BOAT BUILDING FOR MANY YEARS. AND THESE METAL MACHINE CRAFTSMEN HAVE OWNED QUITE A FEW STABIS IN THEIR TIME, TOO. W O RD S & O PE N IN G I M A GE by Th e C a pt a i n , OTH E R I M A GE S S u ppli e d

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STABIWORKMEN

F

ather-and-son duo John and Stuart Sutherland are born and bred in Invercargill, the home of Stabicraft manufacturing. They’ve been part of the company’s DNA since 1987, when Paul Adams began tacking together his very first Stabi model, the Ally Duck. In fact, John was the company’s first full-time employee, working as a fabricator. Back then, it was a two-man crew and the tubes were welded on the floor. John’s faithful labrador would sit nearby, keeping a watchful eye on the ordered chaos. Today Stabicraft employs 120 full-time staff and the boats are folded in sections and fitted to an extrusion on a jig. And another lab sits close to where John and Stu work. Loyalty runs thick with these boys.

It’s been a family affair for the Sutherlands for quite a while. John was subcontracting to Stabicraft, building boats out of a workshop next door to the main manufacturing plant, when his then 14-year-old son, Stu, started sweeping floors and emptying the rubbish bins after school. Once he got his driver’s licence, Stu graduated to helping with deliveries and pickups. When he left school, he started working with John full-time.

Their job was to build all the boats up to 5m long.

“The parts were cut and pressed in the main workshop then came to us for assembly,” John says. “We were the only ones to weld on any boat that we started.

In the early years, we used CDT MIGS, but switched to water-cooled Fronius MIG and TIG welders. They’re state-of-the-art and have made our job much easier — and virtually eliminated machinery breakdowns.”

ALL IN THE FAMILY: After 30 years with Stabicraft, John (left) has handed the baton over to son, Stu (right).

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Invercargill, New Zealand

FAMILY FAVOURITE: The boys’ favourite boat in their personal fleet is the 580HT, serving them well on tuna fishing, deep-sea fishing, freshwater fishing and hunting missions.

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STABIWORKMEN

STABICRAFT EVOLVES

In the early days, John and Stu reckon it was a fairly fluid approach to design and construction. “Paul would come into the workshop and start explaining what he wanted by drawing pictures in the air and waving his arms around,” John recalls. “Later on, a design team was put together and Paul stopped waving his arms around.”

The build process also got more efficient. “Previously, we used scribe boards and set out rods, but then CNC cut-and-pressing came along,” John remembers. “It saved a lot of time without the need for trimming and recutting. Together, we were building at least three boats per week.”

As a team, the boys have racked up the builds, constructing more than 3000 boats including the 383, 430, 490, 459, 509, 429, 529, 409, 259, 349 and 389, later to become the 1410. The boat they’ve had the most to do with is the 389/1410, now known as the 1450. “We built these for the entirety of their production life,” John says.

“Stu built the last of this model before it moved to the main workshop.”

Along the way, there have been some interesting Stabi projects. As certified welders, they’ve built survey rescue boats for commercial use, alloy pontoon jet boats and trailers. They’ve also turned their handiwork to a few of their own projects including car and motorbike trailers and dog kennels. And, naturally, they’ve built a few boats.

THIRTY, NOT OUT

After 30 years with Stabicraft — 20 of them as a subcontractor — John has decided it’s time to hang up the TIGs and MIGs, and retire from full-time work. He’s handed the reins to Stu, but still picks up the odd job on a casual basis.

Thirty years is a long haul at the same company, so STABIMAG asked John what made building boats so rewarding.

“The fact that we’re building a boat for someone to enjoy,” he says. “It becomes their pride and joy. As owners of Stabis ourselves, we know what to expect on the water. That gives us great pride in our workmanship — we enjoy the challenge of working to a high standard.”

John attributes the success of Stabicraft boats to their stability and safety on the water, as well as their rugged construction. He also reckons the marketing department does a great job, getting the message out there with good yarns.

SOUTH PARK

Now John’s retired, he’ll have more time for fishing and hunting in the Southland wilderness. And Stu won’t be far away. “We love the area,” he says. “There’s a world of opportunity for boating, fishing and hunting at our back door. Within 30 minutes we can be fishing in the sea; within two hours we can be on one of the many lakes.”

One memorable day on the rod saw them haul in more than 50 tuna. The fish were so thick, the boys decided to even the odds a little by using trout rods and handlines. When they’re not fish bothering, the boys like to compete in clay target shooting competitions.

Stu has even been over to Australia a couple of times for the nationals and world champs.

The Sutherland boys are also partial to gundog trialling, duck shooting and deer stalking. To keep his eye in, every year Stu choppers into the backblocks of Fiordland National Park chasing red stags. No doubt, this contributes to the deadeye Dick welding that ensures every Stabi leaves the factory right on point.

Great work, lads.

THE BOATS THAT JOHN AND STU BUILT — & OWNED • Stabicraft 380 • Stabicraft 425 • Stabicraft 580 HT • Stabicraft 559 Fisher • Stabicraft 433 Fisher • Stabicraft 389/1410 • Stabicraft 2400 Supercab Their favourite is the 580 HT, which served them well for 12 years. “We have a lot of great memories of that boat,” John says.

“There were so many adventures — tuna fishing, deep-sea fishing, freshwater fishing and hunting. And we’re planning a lot more adventures on our purpose-built 2400 Supercab. We’ve always run Yamaha outboards — and still do for our dinghies — but we’ve fitted a 250HP Honda to the 2400.

In the electronics department, we run Garmin.

It’s always put us on the fish.”

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Honda_

THE PERFECT COMBINATION. With a class leading 7 year warranty from the world’s largest, most trusted engine maker, Honda Marine engines deliver unmatched reliability, exceptional performance and excellent fuel efficiency making them the perfect match for your Stabicraft. To find out more about this winning combo head to hondamarine.co.nz

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STABILAUNCH

STABI BABY UPGRADE W O RD S by M i ke St e n t o n I M A GE S by St a bi c ra f t

HEAD DESIGNER, MIKE STENTON IS PRETTY DAMN PROUD OF STABICRAFT’S LATEST MODEL — THE 1450.

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BEST OF THE BEST: The best-appointed sub-5m production boat on the market?

We reckon so.

T

he Stabi baby that John and Stu Sutherland built — the 1410 — has been beefed up. It’s now called the 1450 and we reckon it’s the best-appointed sub-5m boat in its class. The new version is longer, wider and more solid than the previous model. In fact, there’s not one part the same as the 1410.

For starters, there’s an extra 120mm in length and 190mm of beam width. The 1450 also features Stabi’s Arrow pontoons in 3mm alloy, adopted from the 1850SC. The treadplate floor has been upgraded from 3mm to 4mm — and is now extended the full internal width. There are wing-style coamings, shared with the 1550FT/2250CC. Forward seating is a standard feature, plus, you get four Stabicraft multiholders, four alloy rod holders, two weld-on cleats, travel rod storage and a transducer mount as standard.

BOAT SPECS STABICRAFT 1450 Length: 4.42m (14.5ft) External beam: 1.89m (6.2ft) Deadrise: 15° Tube thickness: 3mm Hull thickness: 4mm Dry hull weight: Explorer 205kg (452lb) Frontier 260kg (573lb) Recommended HP: EX25HP/FT30HP Maximum HP: EX40hp/FT50hp Fuel tank: Tote tank Max adults: 4

MORE INFORMATION: www.stabicraft.com

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STABILAUNCH

THE DUCK’S GUTS: The Frontier Profish features extra rod holders, windscreen and dual boarding platforms.

The new 1450 is available in three packages:

1

EXPLORER: The tiller option, featuring a forward-facing rear seat.

2

FRONTIER SPORTFISH: Featuring a side console and an upholstered seat as standard, and a 70L Icey Tek chilly bin/esky. There’s also the option of a bolt-on live bait tank and removable baitboard.

3

FRONTIER PROFISH: A step up from the Sportfish, with additional stainless steel rod holders, paint, windscreen and dual boarding platforms as standard features.

1450 timeline 1990

1987 — Stabicraft is born. The company’s first child is the Ally Duck, which sparks a revolution in the small-but-rugged boats department.

1995

1994 — Paul Adams engineers the D-shape pontoon into the workhorse known as the Stabicraft 430.

2000

2005

2001 — The 430 gets a facelift and is replaced by the 389, the longest-running design in Stabi history.

2010

2012 — The 389 is renamed the 1410.

Same design, same awesomeness, different name.

2015

2018 — Paul, Mike and the team begin a major redesign on the 1410.

2020

2020 — The 1450 is born. It rocks innovative new features such the Broadhead Coamings.

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THE LITTLE BOAT WITH BIG BALLS WORDS & IMAG E S b y T he C a p ta in

Motor mechanic Ben Zebic has kept it old-school. He still rolls in an original Stabicraft 1410 Explorer with a Yamaha F40 tiller steer. Racked in the rod holders is enough Shimano bling to make a game boat skipper blush, but Ben shows no shame. Many people think tinny fishing is for estuaries or rivers, but Ben is living proof you don’t need a big trailerboat for big game hunting.

Not that he’s got anything against shallower waters.

One of his favourite haunts is the Barwon River in Victoria, which at low tide is a no-go for bigger boats, but good news for Ben — it means the boat ramp is empty, as are his favourite fishing spots.

He’s always had a thing for metal boats. “When I was 18,

I bought a 3.8m (12.5ft) tinny,” he says. “I’d go from one side of the bay to the other and catch 7kg (15lb) snapper.”

Eventually, Ben decided on an upgrade, as he wanted to get offshore chasing tuna and kingfish. “I wanted something a bit bigger, while still compact, cheap to run and easy to maintain,” he says. “It also had to be safe and stable. The Stabi has never let me down.”

Ben dropped in a bigger fuel tank and fitted extra gunwale rod holders to hold all his reels. He uses rod riggers to give his spread a little more width when trolling for bluefin and runs a seven-inch Garmin sounder with a GT51 transducer.

He says he gets weird looks when he’s trolling 25km offshore. “People get their phones out to film me.” But his Stabi 14-footer has nothing to prove. Ben’s 107kg (236lb) bluefin, hooked the first time he took the boat out, almost broke the internet. “The plan was always to land a barrel in this boat,” he says. “When the Stabi arrived, I had my skirts rigged and Tiagras ready to go. I towed it out of the shop, trolled all the next day off Portland, hooked the barrel and landed it after a 2.5-hour fight.”

FOLLOW BEN Check Out Ben’s Adventures On Instagram @Tinnyvsocean

BOAT SPECS STABICRAFT 1410 EXPLORER Length: 4.3m (14ft) Beam: 1.7m (5.6ft) Deadrise: 16° Passengers: 4 Tow weight: approx 390kg (860lb) Fuel capacity: (external) 45L (12gal) Standard HP: 15HP Maximum HP: 30HP

ENGINE SPECS Model: Yamaha F40 Type: SOHC in-line 3 Displacement: 0.74L Weight: 98kg (216lb)

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COME TOGETHER

WITH MORE NEXT-LEVEL TECH THAN THE SPACE STATION, MINN KOTA’S ONE-BOAT NETWORK WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU FISH, FOREVER.

At last, all your digital weaponry can work in unison.

Thanks to the One-Boat Network, you can experience full connectivity between your Humminbird Fishfinder, Minn Kota i-Pilot and Cannon Optimum downrigger — and those fish won’t stand a chance.

Minn Kota changed the game when they released their i-Pilot tech. For those of you still in the stone anchor age, the i-Pilot system holds you over the honey hole by combining the features of a GPS with an electric motor — so there’s no danger of drifting off that magic mark, no matter what the depth.

Then came Ulterra — pretty much the bee’s knees in electric motors, featuring auto stow and deploy functions.

But then the MK tech heads went one further — launching the i-Pilot Link range. This tricky bit of kit connects your Minn Kota to your Humminbird and can be operated from the display. You’ll never have to leave the helm again — well, other than to subdue that unsuspecting 30kg jewfish you’ve just connected with.

FIND THE SECRET SPOT

Finding the best spot to deploy the Minn Kota has never been easier, with Humminbird’s MEGA Side and Down Imaging, plus Dual Spectrum CHIRP. The new MEGA+ moves fishing into the megahertz range, offering just-like-being-there clarity and

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detail. All Humminbird sonar tech gear comes out of the box with one transducer — but if you’re fishing the depths, you can add an Airmar transducer to your connected set-up.

Once you discover a likely patch of water or unsuspecting school of fish, place the cursor over the spot, or touch the screen from your Solix, then hit the anchor button on your Humminbird — now you’re glued with Spot-Lock. Circle Mode lets you cast to the sweet spot while orbiting from a chosen distance.

LOAD THE CANNONS

Take your live bait or lure trolling to another level with a Cannon Optimum electric downrigger, which can be Bluetoothed to your Humminbird fishfinder or even mobile phone. Control up to four downriggers, sending your livey or lure right into the strike zone. Once hooked up, hit auto-up and the downrigger bomb will come to the surface, holding just under the water, but out of the way, allowing you to fight the fish weight-free.

No matter where you are on the boat, you’re in charge. And the fish won’t know what hit ’em.

For more information, check out humminbird.co.nz or minnkota.co.nz

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STABISHOWROOM

BUYER’S GUIDE FACTS AND FIGURES TO PICK YOUR PERFECT STABI

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EXPLORER

External Beam

Fuel Tank

Leg Length

Maximum Engine Weight

Maximum HP

Recommended HP

Max Adults

Length Feet (Metres)

Boat Model

STABISHOWROOM

Baby of the fleet

The 1450 Explorer is designed to be a safe, low-maintenance option for small boat buyers 1450

14.5ft (4.42m)

4

FRONTIER

25HP

40HP

N/A

20”

N/A

1.89m (75.7”)

Side and centre consoles

The 1450 Frontier side console comes in a Sportfish or Profish configuration The 1850 offers nice wide coamings and big boat performance in a small and easy-to-manage package 1450 1550 1850 2050

14.5ft (4.42m) 15.5ft (4.72m) 18.5ft (5.6m) 20.5ft (6.2m)

4 5 6 7

30HP 50HP 90HP 115HP

50HP 75HP 115HP 175HP

N/A 166kg (366lb) 220kg (485lb) 250kg (551lb)

20” 20” 25” 25”

N/A 85L (US EPA tank 65L) 120L (32gal) 200L (53gal)

1.89m (75.7”) 2.02m (79.5”) 2.24m (88”) 2.24m (88”)

#

MYSTABI OWNER: ALAN BOGLE OCCUPATION: OPERATOR LNG/MINING LIVES: ORIENT POINT, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA BOAT: 1850 FRONTIER ENGINE: YAMAHA 130HP CONSOLE LIFE “I chose the Frontier for its versatility. I’ll often go from shallow creek crabbing in muddy mangroves, to hunting kings and reds around inshore reefs, to chasing sailfish in blue water. The boat has stacks of storage, which is essential for long-range trips, plus a custom 180L (47.5gal) fuel tank gives me plenty of juice to send it with confidence. I run a Simrad NSS12 evo3 with 3D and a SonicHub sound system. Definitely an essential piece of kit.”

ROAD TRIPPIN’ “My favourite trip in the 1850 was probably my voyage from the Northern Territory to New South Wales. We overnighted (one sleeping on the casting platform and one down the back) in rivers in the Kakadu, in the Territory.

My favourite fish to chase is barramundi, so that worked out pretty well. From there, we towed the boat to Townsville and fished all way down the east coast into southern New South Wales.”

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Length on Trailer

Tow Weight (Approx)

Dry Hull Weight (Approx)

Sealed Buoyancy Capacity (Approx)

Hull Thickness

Tube Thickness

Deadrise

Internal Beam

EXPLORER & FRONTIER

Easily towed and handled, weighing as little as 220kg (485lb) 1.35m (53.3”)

15°

3mm (1/8”)

3mm (1/8”)

960L (253.6gal)

260kg (573lb)

655kg (1444lb)

5.9m (19’4”)

The 1550 is the perfect stable platform for someone who needs big-game features packed into a sub-5m vessel The 2050 Frontier has maximum deck space for fishing, transporting gear or both!

1.35m (53.3”) 1.46m (57.5”) 1.65m (65”) 1.65m (65”)

15° 15° 17.5° 17°

3mm (1/8”) 2.5mm (3/32”) 3mm (1/8”) 3mm (1/8”)

3mm (1/8”) 4mm (5/32”) 4mm (5/32”) 5mm (13/64”)

960L (253.6gal) 984L (260gal) 1570L (415gal) 1740L (460gal)

290kg 639lb 415kg (915lb) 545kg (1202lb) 650kg (1433lb)

720kg (1587lb) 740kg (1631lb) 1200kg (2646lb) 1800kg (3968lb)

5.9m (19’4”) 6.0m (19’9”) 6.7m (22’) 7.2m (23’8”)

“MY FAVOURITE TRIP IN THE 1850 WAS PROBABLY MY VOYAGE FROM THE NORTHERN TERRITORY TO NEW SOUTH WALES.”

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FISHER

External Beam

Fuel Tank

Leg Length

Maximum Engine Weight

Maximum HP

Recommended HP

Max Adults

Length Feet (Metres)

Boat Model

STABISHOWROOM

Compact fishing and family boating

Measuring 15.5 feet (4.72m) the 1550 Fisher is an easy-to-handle boat no matter the occasion The 1850 Fisher features the innovative Game Chaser Transom, Arrow Pontoons and rear fold-up seats as standard 1550 1850

15.5ft (4.72m) 18.5ft (5.6m)

5 6

50HP 90HP

75HP 140HP

166kg (366lb) 322kg (709lb)

20” 25”

60L (US EPA 60L) 150L (39.6gal EPA)

2.02m (79.5”) 2.3m (90.5”)

#

MYSTABI OWNER: MARCO DELA CONCEPCION OCCUPATION: DAIRY FARMER LIVES: SOUTHLAND, INVERCARGILL, NEW ZEALAND BOAT: 1850 FISHER ENGINE: YAMAHA 90HP MILFORD MISSION “Our best adventure would have to be taking the family fishing out of Milford Sound. We were able to fill our bin with blue cod, tarakihi (morwong) and crayfish. I get excited with every hook-up — especially when our little boys are doing the fishing. The sea was flat motoring out, but in the afternoon the sea breeze kicked up and we rode back through messy chop — combined with big swells from the cruise boats in the sound. Coming home we had to slow down a bit, but always felt safe. The whole family had an awesome time. We haven’t caught a game fish yet — that’s on the cards next — but down south, we’re regularly able to get a good feed on almost every trip out.”

LOVE AFFAIR “My 1850 is awesome. I love the layout and all the fishing space. There’s heaps of storage for a boat of its size and even with all the family on board it still feels roomy. If I had to choose my favourite features, they’d be the safety and stability. This is our first boat and I still consider myself a novice when it comes to boat fishing — so my first priority is safety. This boat’s stability is unbelievable. I’m a big boy and can stand on the gunwale hanging off the rocket launcher out to the side and she’ll hardly move.

No matter where I take my family, I know we’ll be coming home safely.”

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Length on Trailer

Tow Weight (Approx)

Dry Hull Weight (Approx)

Sealed Buoyancy Capacity (Approx)

Hull Thickness

Tube Thickness

Deadrise

Internal Beam

FISHER

Built-in tackle trays, a purpose built cooler and a full walk-through windscreen The 1850 is available in standard, sportfish, profish or offshore configurations 1.46m (57.5”) 1.72m (67.7”)

15° 16°

2.5mm (3/32”) 3mm (1/8”)

4mm (5/32”) 4mm (5/32”)

984L (260gal) 1570L (415gal)

415kg (915lb) 748kg (1657lb)

740kg (1631lb) 1340kg (2954lb)

6.0m (19’9”) 6.7m (22’)

“MY 1850 IS AWESOME. I LOVE THE LAYOUT AND ALL THE FISHING SPACE.”

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SUPERCAB

External Beam

Fuel Tank

Leg Length

Maximum Engine Weight

Maximum HP

Recommended HP

Max Adults

Length Feet (Metres)

Boat Model

STABISHOWROOM

Bluewater battlewagons

The 1850 is designed to meet market demand for small, light, trailer-friendly, all-weather boating The big brother to the 1850 Supercab, the 2050 Supercab has a longer deck and cabin than the 1850 version 1850 2050 2100 2400

18.5ft (5.6m) 20.5ft (6.2m) 21ft (6.4m) 24ft (7.3m)

6 7 7 8

115HP 115HP 130HP 200HP

140HP 175HP 225HP 250HP

220kg (485lb) 235kg (518lb) 327kg (721lb) 537kg (1184lb)

25” 25” 25” 25”

120L (32gal) 200L (53gal) 200L (53gal) 300L (79gal)

2.24m (88”) 2.24m (88”) 2.3m (91”) 2.3m (91”)

#

MYSTABI

OWNER: ROBERT VENTURIN OCCUPATION: OWNER FINNISS RIVER STATION LIVES: DARWIN, NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA BOAT: 2400 SUPERCAB ENGINE: YAMAHA 200HP REEF ’EM IN “I haven’t been too adventurous in the past, but since purchasing the 2400, the trips have been stacking up. I don’t have a favourite species, but I love my reef fishing. Together with the family, I’ve filled the 2400 to the brim with all things red and tasty.”

HIGH AND DRY “Where do I start? In the past, we used to get saturated in our boats, but now with the Supercab that’s not a problem. The feeling of safety when we venture out wide is a great reinforcement of our decision to purchase the boat. It gets us to places we wouldn’t have contemplated in the past. On the electronics side, we’re running a Lowrance HDS LIVE 16 Active Imaging fishfinder and a GME VHF radio.

It’s an absolute blast just to drive this beast. And having the Johnson deck wash pump and the Stress Free Marine Midi anchor windlass has been a game changer. The whole family is pumped.”

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Length on Trailer

Tow Weight (Approx)

Dry Hull Weight (Approx)

Sealed Buoyancy Capacity (Approx)

Hull Thickness

Tube Thickness

Deadrise

Internal Beam

SUPERCAB

Designed with the serious fisherman and explorer in mind, the Stabicraft 2100 Supercab is the “compact large boat” The 2400 is the big brother to the Stabicraft 2100 Supercab with almost one metre (3ft) extra in length 1.65m (65”) 1.65m (65”) 1.82m (72”) 1.82m (72”)

17° 17.5° 20° 19°

3mm (1/8”) 3mm (1/8”) 3mm (1/8”) 4mm (5/32”)

4mm (5/32”) 5mm (13/64”) 5mm (13/64”) 6mm (15/64”)

1570L (415gal) 1694L (448gal) 1720L (454gal) 1833L (484gal)

740kg (1631lb) 904kg (1993lb) 960kg (2116lb) 1260kg (2778lb)

1250kg (2756lb) 1500kg (3307lb) 1900kg (4189lb) 2400kg (5291lb)

6.7m (22’) 7.2m (23’7”) 7.9m (25’11”) 8.5m (27’10”)

#

MYSTABI

TEST PILOT: ED RICHARDSON DEALERSHIP: RICHARDSON MARINE LIVES: WARRNAMBOOL, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA BOAT: 2400 SUPERCAB ENGINE: TWIN SUZUKI 140HP EPIC ADVENTURES “We recently took a flotilla of boats from Apollo Bay to King Island in Bass Strait to go diving for jumbo crayfish. I skippered the 2400 and we could barely get into the cab, we had so much gear on board — a compressor, hose reel, swags and six guys. It didn’t matter, the boat seems to perform no matter what you do with it. The journey down is 60nm (111km). Luckily, the 2400 has a long deck, great vision through the large windows and the arrow pontoons ride really well.”

GETTING WET “The 2400 works in your favour as a dive boat, with great stability and the wide gunwales that give you somewhere to sit to get your gear on. The options we’ve put on the 2400 really suit what we do down here — the dive door through the transom, the boarding ladder — you can still get up there with your fins on.

There’s plenty of space to store your gear away in the side pockets, and with the live well we’re able to run that tank all night and keep the crays alive for the next day.”

POWER PLANTS “The manoeuvrability of the 2400 with twin 140s is such a great match. We need to be able to get in close to reefs and then back out. The twins coupled with the Game Chaser transom work so well. They hold you nicely in any kind of sea, which definitely works to your advantage in the Southern Ocean. We did a total of 265km (164.5mi) and used 264L (69.7gal). The 2400 was definitely the most efficient boat on the trip.”

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ULTRACAB

External Beam*

Fuel Tank

Leg Length

Maximum Engine Weight

Maximum HP

Recommended HP

Max Adults

Length Feet (Metres)

Boat Model

STABISHOWROOM

Commercial class

The 2500 Ultracab is an innovative approach to the forward-raking windscreens commonly found on traditional pilothouses Incorporates a unique aesthetic that is unmistakably Stabicraft while housing multiple interior design innovations 2500 2500 XL

25ft (7.62m) 25ft (7.62m)

9 9

300HP 300HP

400HP 400HP

584kg (1288lb) 584kg (1288lb)

Twin 25” 378L (100gal) Twin 25” 378L (100gal)

2.56m (101”)* 2.56m (101”)*

#

MYSTABI

OWNER: TOM WOOD OCCUPATION: ADULT FOSTER CARER LIVES: CORVALLIS, OREGON, USA BOAT: 2500 ULTRACAB XL ENGINE: TWIN YAMAHA 150HP PLUS YAMAHA 9.9HP KICKER SAFETY FIRST “The last boat we had was aluminum, but my better half, Halina, wouldn’t go fishing with me because she didn’t feel safe in it. We went down to our local dealership (Y Marina) and they showed her the 2500. She decided that was the boat she wanted. My thinking was: if she likes it, I love it, because I get to go fishing more. It’s probably the best decision we’ve ever made on a boat.”

WEEKEND WARRIOR “The 2500 has all the features we were looking for. Not only is it safe and comfortable, it’s got a heater, cook stove, refrigerator, sink and — something very important to the ladies — a flushing toilet. The 2500 has a very unique look with that pilothouse cabin. It’s built solid, has tremendous acceleration, corners well and just feels good to drive.”

AMERICAN STYLE “We recently did a trip with the guys from The Captain. We took them down the Umpqua River in Oregon and got straight onto a nice chinook salmon on a plug.

We spent the afternoon trolling this beautiful river with its big sand dunes on one side and sheer rock cliffs on the other. In the afternoon, we even spotted a black bear walking along the bank.”

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ses

Length on Trailer

Tow Weight (Approx)

Dry Hull Weight (Approx)

Sealed Buoyancy Capacity (Approx)

Hull Thickness

Tube Thickness

Deadrise

Internal Beam

ULTRACAB

Designed for a US customer and one of the most successful vessels sold into the region

1.97m (78”) 1.97m (78”)

19° 19°

4mm (5/32”) 4mm (5/32”)

6mm (15/64”) 6mm (15/64”)

2096L (554gal) 2096L (554gal)

1630kg (3593lb) 1630kg (3593lb)

3500kg (7716lb) 3500kg (7716lb)

9.4m (30’10”) 9.4m (30’10”)

*2.5m (98”) external beam on all Australian-delivered models

“MY THINKING WAS: IF SHE LIKES IT, I LOVE IT, BECAUSE I GET TO GO FISHING MORE.”

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CENTRECAB

External Beam*

Fuel Tank

Leg Length

Maximum Engine Weight

CENTRECAB Maximum HP

Recommended HP

Max Adults

Length Feet (Metres)

Boat Model

STABISHOWROOM

Walkaround fishing machine

The market asked for a smaller version of the 2750 Centrecab and Stabicraft responded with the 2250 Centrecab Wide walkaround up to the forward deck gives the 2750 a fully utilised fishing area 2250 2750

22.5ft (6.85m) 27.5ft (8.4m)

8 9

225HP 300HP

ULTRA CENTRECAB

300HP 500HP

299kg (659lb) 278kg (613lb)

25” Twin 25”

300L (79gal) 500L (132gal)

2.55m (101”)* 2.55m (101”)*

Commercial class walkaround

The 2250 Ultra Centrecab is the newest member of the Stabicraft fleet Lean-forward glass and immense cabin space accompanied by 360 degrees of access to every usable space 2250 2750

22.5ft (6.85m) 27.5ft (8.4m)

8 9

225HP 300HP

300HP 500HP

299kg (659lb) 278kg (613lb)

25” Twin 25”

300L (79gal) 500L (132gal)

2.55m (101”)* 2.55m (101”)*

#

MYSTABI OWNER: ADAM CLANCEY OCCUPATION: FISHY BUSINESS TV SHOW HOST/JOURNALIST LIVES: AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND BOAT: 2250 CENTRECAB AND 1550 FISHER ENGINE: MERCURY 225HP (2250) AND MERCURY 60HP (1550) NEW TOY “I’ve only had the 2250 for a little while, but it has already proved a very seaworthy vessel ideal for all forms of fishing. The walkaround layout allows for lots of usable space and the stability at rest with the arrow pontoons is great when playing large fish, even in sloppy conditions. My favourite feature is the transomcage configuration, which offers heaps more fishing room around the outboard.”

COMP WINNER “The New Zealand Sport Fishing Council Nationals is the largest interclub comp in the country. All the fishing clubs and their anglers compete. It’s a points-scoring line weight comp and I’ve won the Champion Yellowtail Angler four times, including two years in a row. The most memorable win was a 15kg kingie on a 4kg line. Yee hah!”

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Length on Trailer

Tow Weight (Approx)

Dry Hull Weight (Approx)

Sealed Buoyancy Capacity (Approx)

Hull Thickness

Tube Thickness

Deadrise

Internal Beam

ULTRA CENTRECAB

The 2750 Centrecab is the brainchild of New Zealand fishing prodigy Matt Watson

1.97m (77.6”) 2.04m (80”)

19° 21.5°

4mm (5/32”) 4mm (5/32”)

6mm (15/64”) 6mm (15/64”)

2051L (541gal) 2909L (768gal)

1787kg (3940lb) 1990kg (4387lb)

2520kg (5555lb) 3500kg (7716lb)

8.4m (27’ 6”) 10.2m (33’6”)

The 2750 Ultra Centrecab is an aggressive and spacious version based on the popular 2750 walkaround platform Complete walkaround allowing water to drain off the side walkways and not back into the cockpit 1.97m (77.6”) 2.04m (80”)

19° 21.5°

4mm (5/32”) 4mm (5/32”)

6mm (15/64”) 6mm (15/64”)

2051L (541gal) 2909L (768gal)

1636kg (3606lb) 1990kg (4387lb)

2520kg (5555lb) 3500kg (7716lb)

8.4m (27’ 6”) 10.2m (33’6”)

*2.5m (98”) external beam on all Australian-delivered models

“IT HAS ALREADY PROVED A VERY SEAWORTHY VESSEL IDEAL FOR ALL FORMS OF FISHING.”

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STABIPARTNER GARMIN

GARMIN GOES THE GRUNT

GARMIN MARINE NAVIGATION UNITS ARE PROVEN TOTALLY AWESOME — IT SAYS SO RIGHT HERE — AND WE KNOW YOU WANT A FAT PIECE OF THEIR NEW GPSMAP 8400 SERIES. No-one can accuse the Garmin R&D department of not paying attention when the punters squeal. When the marine electronics wizards heard that Stabicraft owners wanted a unit that was clear, reliable, fast and included all the best features available elsewhere on the market, they put their scientists to work — overtime. And this is the big payoff — the GPSMAP 8400 series, available in 10”, 12” and 16” configurations.

The 8400 range offers built-in support for Garmin’s big dog sonar, including dual-channel 1 kW traditional CHIRP, CHIRP ClearVü and CHIRP SideVü scanning sonars. There is also built-in support for Ultra High-Definition scanning sonar — no black box required, which saves a bit of space, right? And it supports the Panoptix LiveScope system and the entire Panoptix all-seeing sonar line (transducers sold separately).

The Garmin Marine Network allows you to easily construct a full marine electronics set-up — from radar and

autopilots to cameras and instruments — all controlled from your chartplotter and shared across multiple screens.

With SmartMode, everything is designed to give you quick, one-touch access to the information you need in highstress situations such as docking, anchoring or suddenly finding yourself in a busy shipping lane crowded with oil tankers. And the screen is readable when the sun is shining, even with polarised sunglasses.

Get your next Garmin unit installed at the Stabicraft factory, or retrofitted by any qualified Garmin marine dealer. And just maybe you might need a new Stabi with a bigger cab to pack in a bit more Garmin gear?

GPSMAP 8410xsv $4299.00; GPSMAP 8412xsv $5499.00; GPSMAP 8416xsv $7499.00.

More information at www.garmin.co.nz

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“WITH SMARTMODE, EVERYTHING IS DESIGNED TO GIVE YOU QUICK, ONETOUCH ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION YOU NEED.”

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STABIDEALER

Y THE HELL NOT?

Y Marina in Coos Bay, Oregon, has spearheaded the Stabicraft invasion of the American Northwest — but they reckon the boats are such an easy sell, locals haven’t put up much resistance.

S

cott Lancaster owns Y Marina in Coos Bay, Oregon.

Surrounded by water — ocean, lakes, rivers, bays and estuaries — with empty beaches and a sand dunes national park, this region is custom-made for fishing and boating. “We’ve got a moderate climate, between 45-75 degrees F (7–23C) year-round,” he says. “We have incredible fishing, boating and outdoor opportunities. You could surf in the morning and hit the dunes on an ATV in the afternoon. You could offshore fish for tuna, bottom fish or chase salmon in the morning, and cap the evening fishing for bass at one of our many lakes.

It’s a true outdoors paradise.”

Like most places on the planet, the Northwest has felt the impact of coronavirus, but things could’ve been

worse, Scott says. “We were fortunate that fishing was not shut down for local residents, like most of the Northwest. Blessed with this, and some strong fishing and crabbing, locals were still using their boats as they normally would. Many boaters are ready to get back on the water and are servicing their boats in preparation for the coming season.”

Steve Russell, regional sales rep for Y Marina, agrees with his boss — smart guy — about the local fishing, saying the best time to visit is summer or fall (autumn).

He says the secret is knowing the right people. “Find the right person and you’ll be the only one on the water catching fish — it sure keeps the freezer full.”

Apart from selling Stabicraft, Y Marina is a full-service

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dealership offering sales, parts, service and accessories.

They stock Yamaha outboards, E-Z Loader trailers and electronics including Garmin, Lowrance, Simrad, Hummingbird, and Raymarine. “We started as a sporting goods store in 1969 and slowly evolved into a boat dealership,” Steve says. “The original owner sold the business to Scott and Margie Nicholas in 1997, and they’ve built the dealership into what it is today.”

Steve says their happy customers are all about fishing and recreational boating. “Most fall into the national average of 50–58 years of age, but the most interesting are those we’ve sold many boats to. Their stories are epic and we’ve watched their boating experiences evolve over the years. We consider them family.”

With about 23 regular employees and covering about an acre (4047sqm) with a large indoor showroom and shop, Y Marina was one of the first US dealers to realise the awesomeness of Stabicraft, and has pioneered the brand in the region. Despite the recent setbacks, Scott says the future looks bright for Stabicraft locally. “We haven’t been able to keep them on the lot, interest is so high — the word is out and this may be the best year ever for the brand in the Northwest.”

Y Marina’s top Stabi sellers have been the 1550 Fisher, and the 2250, 2500 and 2750 Ultra Centrecabs. “My favourite was one of the first 2250 Ultra Centrecabs we sold,” Scott says. “It was rigged with a Yamaha F300XA and all the goodies — GPS, radar, autopilot, outriggers and downriggers. They actually commercial fish the boat!”

“The boat is unique, and people love it,” Steve says.

“It’s an easy sell once you get the customer on the water. You won’t find a heavy gauge boat that’s more stable or offers a better ride.”

05 QUESTIONS FOR Y MARINA

01

Most memorable Stabicraft moment in the past 12 months?

Seeing our best customers featured in the incredible Captain videos shot here in the Northwest.

Describe Stabicraft customers in five words.

Enthusiastic, intelligent, studied, dedicated, passionate If you had one message for new CEO David Glen, what would it be?

We’d love to be able to receive boats complete and ready to sell — and have a facility in the Northwest for devanning, rigging and warranty. As you add more dealers to the west coast, this will be crucial.

Best thing about having a boat dealership?

Selling fun!

Most exciting new Stabi?

The new 1450 Frontier.

02

03

04 05

CONTACT DETAILS Y Marina 1307 Newmark Avenue, Coos Bay, Oregon USA +1 541 888 5501 www.ymarinaboats.com

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STABIDEALER

LOOKING SHARP!

With new boss Luke Sharp at the helm, Kev & Ian’s Marine is once again making sure their huge range of Stabicrafts find good homes with the boaties of South Auckland.

T

o hear boss man Luke Sharp from Kev & Ian’s Marine tell the story, there really is no better place to sling your hook than Auckland. “No matter where you live in Auckland there are so many boat ramps and so much coastline on at your doorstep,” he says.

“Popular spots are the mussel farms in the Firth of Thames or the bottom end of Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf.”

Luke reckons he’s always been a water rat. “I used to drag our boat into the Manukau Harbour after school and explore, fish, wakeboard and swim,” he says. “Twenty years later, I’ve moved a couple of suburbs away and I’m still doing the same thing at a different boat ramp in a different bay. There are endless opportunities to explore and you don’t have to travel far.”

Like a lot of dealerships Kevin and Ian were outboard

technicians who started servicing and repairing boats, then expanded into boat sales. These days the dealership offers new and used boat sales, custom fit-outs, electronic upgrades, has a Minn Kota pro store — and they can still sort your outboard. “My brother Richard manages Outboard Marine next door and has a great team of technicians,” Luke says.

As a teenager, Luke used to earn petrol money cleaning boats after school. “I enrolled in a boat building course before landing my first real job at Kev & Ian’s,” he says. “It was the closest dealership to home.

His love of boats went a bit feral after that. “A big part of my life was racing a Formula 1 boats,” he recalls. “I set the Australasian Unlimited Outboard Speed Record of 232km/h, was four times NZ F1 champ and won the

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Australian F1 Championship in 2017.”

These days the pace is a bit slower, taking his wife and three kids out for a couple of days on the water as speedy as it gets. He usually drops a line, noting the fishing is all year round. “Snapper would be the main species, with the odd trevally, gurnard or kingfish,” he says. “Fresh jack mackerel or a trusty flasher rig will do the trick, but if they’re not biting during the day, come back at night.”

Describing Kev & Ian’s customers as “normal family folk who like to catch fish and get away from the daily rat race by getting out on the water” Luke says one of the best things about his job is making customers happy. “I love when I deliver someone’s first boat or dream boat. I feed off their experience.”

Like most Stabi dealers, he says Stabicraft makes it easy to do his job. “This is the company that pioneered the chambered hull design and continues to dominate their market through innovative design and performance.”

05 QUESTIONS FOR KEV & IAN’S

01 02

Describe Stabicraft customers in five words.

I only need two — smart people.

If Stabicraft was a car, what would it be?

Mercedes-Benz G63 Brabus — that’s the 2250 Ultra Centrecab.

Best Stabicraft fit-out ever?

We recently delivered a really stylish 1850 Supercab for old mate Maurice that had all the options ticked — full paint, U-Dek, Furuno, colour-matched panels on their Evinrude 115HP G2. It was a really tidy rig.

Favourite Stabicraft?

The new 1450 Frontier.

Best Stabi feature?

That platform at the front of the 2250 walkaround surprises people with how usable it is. Stabicraft have cleverly flared the top, making it a lot bigger than other walkarounds.

03

04 05

CONTACT DETAILS Kev & Ian’s Marine 71 Druces Road, Wiri, Auckland +64 9 267 4999 www.kev.co.nz sales@kev.co.nz

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STABIDEALER

WELCOME TO STABI COUNTRY

In this part of Victoria, the attitude is, if it ain’t a Stabicraft, then what the hell is it doing out on the water? The crew at MY Marine plead guilty to encouraging this type of behaviour.

M

Y Marine sits on the edge of Port Phillip Bay in picturesque Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula, one hour south of Melbourne. Director Michael Rozakis calls this place his liquid playground. Not that he’s biased or anything, but he also reckons it’s the best possible spot to showcase Stabicraft boats. It’s working for him, too, because not only is MY Marine the Mornington Peninsula’s largest retailer of new and used boats, motors, trailers and accessories, but it sells more Stabis than anyone else in the country.

The dealership is only two minutes away from a safe harbour that opens out to Port Phillip Bay. As Michael sees it, that’s instant access to almost 2000km² of salty goodness — with snapper, whiting and squid just waiting to climb all over your fishing gear and into the boat. Venture out the heads and you and your Stabi crew will soon be in Bass Strait diving for big red crays, bottom fishing for gummy sharks or trolling for bluefin tuna. After filling the kill tanks, head home and perhaps celebrate with a bit of scientific taste testing in one of

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the nearby vineyards — after a quick shower.

Michael is Stabi old school. In the boat biz since the ’90s, he was one of the first Stabicraft dealers in Australia. “The importer literally dropped a 580 Hardtop on my doorstep, even though I wasn’t interested,” he recalls. “But it was snapper season, so I took it out in some pretty rough weather and couldn’t fault it. Then customers started to enquire about the ‘interesting’ boat in the yard.”

From little things, big things grew, and pretty soon Michael was getting customers from Sydney and further north. Over the past 12 months, the MY Marine mob has been pumping out 1850 and 2400 Supercabs and 1550 Fishers — plus a couple of epic 2750 Centrecab fit-ups. That’s on top of the constant stream of SES, CFA and Coastguard Stabis that go into service.

As Michael says, “Being such a tough, safe and stable boat, they’re perfect for commercial applications.”

In 2020, you can expect a new coat of paint and signage on their huge premises, which boasts a showroom and mega workshop with quadruple fit-up bays. Mercury Marine will also be joining the MY Marine team, moving plenty of models in the big-boy category.

Yep, it sure is Stabi country down this way.

CONTACT DETAILS

MY MARINE Cnr Nepean Highway & Ponderosa Place, Dromana, Victoria. +61 (03) 5987 0900 / 0408 030 889 www.mymarine.com.au michael@mymarine.com.au

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STABIDEALER TOP OF THE SOUTH

Bang in the middle of premium Kiwi wine country, Marine and Outdoors is one of the biggest marine showrooms in the South Island

Y

ou’ll find Marine and Outdoors in Blenheim. The surrounding Marlborough, region is the largest winegrowing spot in the country with an abundance of boating, fishing and recreational options.

“We have the best backyard,” says general manager Adam Marshall.

“The Marlborough Sounds make up 20 per cent of the NZ coastline, so there’s no shortage of waterways to explore and fish. You’ll find cod, snapper and gurnard in close, and groper, bluenose and kingfish out deep. There’s also great diving, with plenty of paua and crays.”

Pete and Ange Walters are the proprietors, opening the purposebuilt dealership in Blenheim in

2019. It’s got a four-bay marine servicing workshop with four outboard technicians, plus a field service technician who services the outer Sounds.

Adam rates Stabicraft as the ideal boat for the region and the punters agree — at last count, they were selling 35 a year. “Stabicraft pioneered the pontoon hull,” he says. “They’re rated as the best, but continue to innovate.”

CONTACT Marine and Outdoors 14 Horton Street, Blenheim, New Zealand. +64 3 578 0569 www.marineandoutdoors.co.nz adamm@marineandoutdoors.co.nz

LEGENDS OF THE LAKE Teeming with trout, Taupo is New Zealand’s biggest lake.

Trev Terry Marine sells lots of Stabis. It’s a pretty good fit.

L

ake Taupo in the centre of New Zealand’s North Island is a dead-set adventure playground. Naturally, somebody has to supply all the play equipment — and that somebody is Trev Terry Marine. The largest dealer of new and used boats in the central North Island, at last count, Trev Terry had more than 70 boats for sale. The company has three dealerships with more than 30 staff scattered around the fringes of Kiwiland’s largest dollop of fresh water, the 616sq km Lake Taupo. Great for swimming, kayaking, cruising and waterskiing, Taupo is bloody excellent for fishing. The lake is NZ’s premier freshwater fishing destination where big boy brown and rainbow trout will queue up to jump

on your hook all year round.

Trev Terry is a family business, operated by brothers Brock and Rhys Terry. They took over from their dad, who started the company 32 years ago. “We’ve dealt with generations of clients,” managing director Brock says. “In many cases, Dad dealt with the first two generations and I’m dealing with the next two.”

They’ve been selling Stabicraft boats for more than 10 years and reckon their biggest seller is the 1550 followed by the 2100 Supercab.

The fit-ups are predominantly Yamaha, but with the options of Mercury or Evinrude.

It’s fair to say the Stabi vibe is pretty strong at Trev Terry. So strong, in fact, that their four apprentices all own 1410 Stabi rigs.

CONTACT Trev Terry Marine 27 Nukuhau Street, Taupo; 39 Hangarito Street, Turangi; 140 Kenrigg Road West, Acacia Bay, Kinloch, New Zealand. admin@trevterrymarine.co.nz www.trevterrymarine.co.nz +64 7 378 7779

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SMOKE ON THE WATER

They say it takes a tough boat to fish the Bay of Plenty — the boys at Ocean Sports Marine say a Stabi is plenty tough enough.

W

hakatane, in the North Island’s Bay of Plenty, is all about the three Fs — forestry, farming and fishing — great fishing. Mike Stables runs Ocean Sports Marine, and he reckons the secret to catching fish in these parts is local knowledge. Mike’s got plenty of that.

“The deep trenches running out to Wharaaki/White Island volcano hold good stocks of terikihi, hapuka and bluenose, Mike says. “Game season sees the yellowfin and marlin come into the bay, November is spawning season for massive 40kg-plus kingfish on the reef structures around White Island, and there’s snapper all year round” A marine tech by trade, Mike worked at various marine outfits around the country before settling in at Ocean Sports Marine, which has a fully

equipped service department with all the latest diagnostic gear. “All our techs are Yamaha and Mercury trained, and we have a qualified auto-marine electrician on site,” Mike says, adding that Ocean Sports is a one-stop shop.

“We sell everything mate — Garmin, Furuno, Lowrance, Simrad. We’ve got chandlery, stainless fittings, Hutchwilco lifejackets, Yamaha WaveRunners — everything from trailers to outboards, from 2HP to 250HP!” Last year, Ocean Sports sold more than 60 boats, and their biggest-selling alloy boat was the Stabi. Mike puts it down to Stabicraft innovation — and its legendary stability.

“They’re constantly working on making the boats safer and are miles ahead in design,” he says. “That stability is the best feature — you can’t beat it.”

CONTACT Ocean Sports Marine 32 McAlister Street, Whakatane, New Zealand. +64 07 308 4241 facebook/oceansportsmarine sales@oceansportsmarine.co.nz

HAURAKI HEROES

The way the team at Gulfland Marine see it, when you’re selling Stabis, it doesn’t hurt to have a watery wonderland on the doorstep.

I

f you’re partial to fishing or boating or both, the Hauraki Gulf’s not such a bad place to spend your time. And if you’re spending time on the gulf, chances are you’ll need to pop into Stabicraft dealership Gulfland Marine on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula at some stage.

Craig Lewis has been running the show for a tad over 20 years and he reckons there’s no secret to catching fish around here. “The fishing’s good all year round — snapper, kingfish, john dory, lots of species — just drop a hook and they jump on your line.”

Of course, large sections of the Hauraki Gulf are a marine park, so it’s best you do your research before heading out.

Craig’s dealership has been in the same spot for over 40 years and offers

full sales and service of boats and motors. “We’ve been Mercury Marine’s dealer of the year for the past three years,” Craig says.

Gulfland also sells Stabis — a lot of Stabis. “We’ve sold thousands,” Craig says. “Our best-selling models are the 1550 and 2250. The Stabi’s stability and build quality, plus more than 30 years’ experience in building chambered boats, certainly makes our job easier.”

Craig reckons Gulfland’s success is a no-brainer — good service from their 10 marine mechanics and great products like DMW trailers, Mercury outboards and inboards, and, of course, Stabis. “We’re surrounded by water and we’re selling a great boat.

Customers like our honesty and oldfashioned service and backup.”

CONTACT Gulfland Marine 671 Whangaparaoa Road, Whangaparaoa, New Zealand. +64 9 424 5556 www.gulflandmarine.co.nz craig@gulflandmarine.co.nz

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STABIPARTNER FI INNOVATIONS

FI Innovations is New Zealand’s leading specialists in the composites industry, including fibreglass, kevlar, carbon fibre, silicones, urethanes and more.

THE HUSH FACTOR

FI INNOVATIONS CLOSED-CELL FOAM FILL HAS PROVED IT’S THE BEST-VALUE STABICRAFT OPTION WHEN IT COMES TO BUOYANCY, INSULATION AND A WHISPER-QUIET RIDE.

One of the no-brainer check list items most potential boat owners would agree on is that they want their boat to be safe. Sitting comfortably on the surface of the ocean has to be preferable to checking out what’s up underwater.

Which is why FI Innovations has been a valued Stabicraft partner from the get-go. FI supplies the foam fill option that’s proved a winner with most new Stabi customers when they’re deciding how to personalise their new purchase. It’s also scored goals with boaties retrofitting and value-adding to their current Stabi.

The practical benefits should be obvious to anyone who’s ever spent time out at sea. The polyurethane closed-cell foam creates extra buoyancy when you need it, like if the boat turns turtle — not that that’s likely to happen when you’re riding on Stabicraft’s Arrow pontoons. And even after a fair while in the water, the closed-cell structure maintains its buoyant pressure.

Then there’s the insulation factor — you’ll keep your feet warmer in the winter chill and your fish will keep

cool in the underfloor kill tanks in the hotter weather. The foam also reduces hull reverberation and noise, giving a rock-solid feeling through rough waters. FI Innovations calls this the “whisper-ride” effect.

The Invercargill company, owned by Gareth and Melissa Dykes Since 2002, have recently added a full service, state of the art 3D production, scan and design service to its box of tricks. This gives the Stabicraft family the ability to produce fully custom products out of production grade nylon or resin – which means both clever functional parts or some seriously cool, unique custom parts.

For more information check out www.f-i.co.nz

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STABIPARTNER YAMAHA

TRUST ME, I’M A YAMAHA

RATED THE MOST TRUSTED MARINE ENGINE BRAND FOR THE FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW, IT’S NOT A HUGE MYSTERY WHY YAMAHA IS A PREFERRED PARTNER WITH STABICRAFT.

When Yamaha was awarded the Most Trusted Marine Engine Brand by popular magazine Reader’s Digest — for the fourth year running — it just confirmed what the Stabicraft team realised ages ago: those blokes at Yamaha know what they’re doing when it comes to outboards.

Reader’s Digest commissioned Catalyst Market Research to survey Kiwis’ opinions of a range of brands in New Zealand for its annual “Trusted Brands” survey of 69 categories of products and services.

According to Reader’s Digest editor-in-chief (Asia Pacific) Louise Waterson, being a Trusted Brand winner four times in a row is a pretty awesome achievement. “Trust has never been more tested in our community and consumers appreciate being able to turn to brands they trust, especially in challenging times,” Louise says. “ Yamaha Marine has had a strong presence in New Zealand for more than 30 years, and it reckons the win reflects the strength of the Yamaha outboard brand, but also the high standards of Yamaha’s dealer network, with more than 40 dealers spread around the country.

Richard Shaw, national marine manager for Yamaha Motor New Zealand, reckons the reason for the company’s success is not rocket science. It’s more about performance, reliability and innovation — all of which Yamaha outboards have got in spades — as well as delivering a more satisfying boating experience for its customers.

“We’re thrilled consumers have put us as their most trusted marine brand for the fourth consecutive year, but we’re just focused on developing durable, high-quality outboards customers can rely on,” he says.

More information at www.yamaha-motor.co.nz/discover/newsand-events/news/marine/2020/reliability-starts-here

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STABIPARTNER PROTEC

PROTECTION RACKET

WHEN YOUR BOAT’S ALREADY ONE OF THE TOUGHEST MOTHERS SAILING THE SEVEN SEAS, NO WAY YOU’RE GOING TO OPT FOR A SECOND-RATE PAINT — WHICH IS WHY STABICRAFT PREFERS PROTEC. A tough boat needs a tough paint to keep the elements at bay, especially in hardcore southern waters. That’s why when Stabicraft slaps on the final dress-up touches to their legendary beasties, their preferred paint partner is Protec.

Initially, finding the perfect paint product proved to be a bit of a mission. So Stabicraft knocked on local auto refinisher Sievwright’s door, figuring a bloke with over 37 years industry experience would have a fair idea what he was talking about when it came to rugged. The task was to find a tough, durable paint that would meet Stabi requirements for a quality coating on its boats. Working on the two heads are better than one principle, John gave Imelda Thwaites from Automotive and Industrial Paints in Invercargill a call.

As regional stockist for the Protec range, Imelda figured it was a no-brainer, but she wanted to make sure it was nothing but the best for Stabicraft. So she got the Protec tech team to put together a combo custom-tailored to Stabicraft requirements and then trial the products at John’s joint to see how it all worked together when shit got real. The paints Protec decided to trial were its 625 Polythane and Paralock primer.

The 625 Polythane had been developed for any application requiring tough guy durability coupled with a ripper of a gloss — from mining, agriculture, plant and

equipment to marine. But a big plus for the multipurpose Polythane was that it was also designed to do the business in the harsh Southern Hemisphere environment of Australia and New Zealand, where high UV levels are particularly hard on paint.

Protec’s new Paralock primer, on the other hand, is specifically designed for aluminium boats and totally fits the bill when it comes to Stabi’s need for a robust coating that was easy to apply and had a fast-as-bro’ overcoat time. As a bonus, Paralock also gives excellent laydown and substrate protection.

Protec products are applied by Stabicraft and Protecapproved applicators such as Sievwright Marine Coatings.

They’re also available for purchase at your local Protec distributor — which, in Invercargill, would be Imelda.

Automotive & Industrial Paints 65 Yarrow Street, Invercargill, New Zealand. +64 3 218 1914. www.facebook.com/www.aipaints.co.nz

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T H E

F R E E D O M

O F

MS-RA670

M U S I C A L

C H O I C E

MS-SRX400 MS-RA770

A MORE SEAMLESS USER EXPERIENCE WITH FUSION’S PARTYBUS™-NETWORK We have introduced a new intuitive user experience with the latest software update for the ApolloTM Series, available via the free Fusion-Link™ app. Now you can navigate through your entire boat’s audio network seamlessly, making control of your audio and sources in any zone quick and easy. New functionalities such as Stereo Grouping, Volume Control, Power Options and Home Zone have been added, giving you advanced control over your on-water entertainment system*. * Available on the Apollo RA670 when connected to a wireless network router or Apollo Series stereo network enabled with Wi-Fi technology.

P L AY T H E S A M E AUDIO SOURCE SYNCHRONIZED ACROSS GROUPED STEREOS

INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP VOLUME CONTROL

TURN ON ANY APOLLO SERIES STEREO FROM ANOTHER STEREO ON THE PA R T Y B U S - N E T W O R K

EASY ACCESS TO CONTROL WHERE THE STEREO I S I N S TA L L E D

F U S I O N E N T E R TA I N M E N T. C O M

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STABIWORLD

INTERNATIONAL DEALERS STABICRAFT SCANDINAVIA

Location Moholm, Sweden Website www.stabicraft.se

QUALITY BOATS

Location Mont Dore, New Caledonia Website www.qualityboats.nc

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RON’S HONDA CENTER Location Soldotna, Alaska Website www.ronshonda.com

CLEMENS MARINA Location Eugene, Oregon Website www.clemensmarina.com

BOAT COUNTRY

Location Everett, Washington Website www.boatcountry.com

CLEMENS MARINA Location Portland, Oregon Website www.clemensmarina.com CLEMENS MARINA Location Gladstone, Oregon Website www.clemensmarina.com

Y MARINA

Location Coos Bay, Oregon Website www.ymarinaboats.com

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STABIWORLD

NEW ZEALAND DEALERS

WHITIANGA MARINE

MARINE NORTH

Location Whangarei Website www.marinenorth.co.nz

Location Whitianga Website www.whitiangamarine.co.nz

GULFLAND MARINE

Location Whangaparaoa Website www.gulflandmarine.co.nz

KEV & IAN’S MARINE

MASTERTECH MARINE

Location Auckland Website www.kev.co.nz

Location Tauranga Website www.mastertech.co.nz

ROLLOS MARINE

Location Hamilton Website www.rollosmarine.co.nz

OCEANSPORTS MARINE

Location Whakatane Website www.facebook.com/Ocean-SportsMarine-Ltd-391330454383168

TREV TERRY MARINE

Location Taupo Website www.trevterrymarine.co.nz

BAYS BOATING

Location Motueka Website www.baysboating.co.nz

KP MARINE

Location Mana Website www.kpmarine.co.nz

D&E OUTDOORS

MARINE & OUTDOORS

Location Ashburton Website www.dne.co.nz/dne-outdoors

STABICRAFT SOUTHERN

Location Invercargill Website www.stabicraftsouthern.co.nz

Location Blenheim Website www.marineandoutdoors.co.nz

POWERBOAT CENTRE CHRISTCHURCH

Location Christchurch Website www.powerboatcentre.co.nz

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AUSTRALIAN DEALERS IN & OUTBOARD MARINE Location Darwin, NT Website iomarine.com.au

NORTHSIDE MARINE

Location Brisbane, QLD Website www.northsidemarine.com.au

MANDURAH MOTOR MARINE

Location Mandurah, WA Website mandurahmotormarine.com.au

CHRISTIES BEACH MARINE

Location Lonsdale, SA Website www.christiesbeachmarine.com.au

RICHARDSON MARINE

Location Warrnambool, VIC Website richardsonmarine.com.au

WEBBE MARINE

Location Sydney, NSW Website www.webbemarine.com.au

MY MARINE

Location Dromana, VIC Website mymarine.com.au

DEEGAN MARINE

Location Ulverstone, TAS Website www.deeganmarine.com.au

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POWERED BY

STABp100_OBC.indd 100

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