2 years in design and 32 years in evolution, the Stabicraft 2250 Centrecab and 2250 Ultra Centrecab have almost arrived.
The idea for the 2250 range was primarily born through social media feedback after the 2750 Centrecab started gaining traction. Our customers and fans wanted the function of a full walkaround on a scaled down hull making it a more affordable and manageable boating option.
The 2250 concept had been thrown around for some time. Since the green button was pushed midway through 2017, development has been in full force. The goal was a market defining central cabin and walkaround, offering 360 degrees of fish fighting space.
The first build was a custom 6.9m (22.5 feet) Centrecab with a raked back screen for our ambassador Gene Denton from Whitiangler. It was here the fundamentals of the 2250 hull were further tested and proven. Over the last year Gene has put the boat to the test, battling big water and king fish up and down the Coromandel, racking up almost 4,000 nautical miles. To quote the man himself “I can’t get enough of it – a true fishing weapon”.
One of the biggest challenges was maintaining a spacious, ergonomic cabin while maintaining a functional walkaround space. We overcame this by maximising our overall beam and some clever thinking from our design team – they designed the walkaround space so it is stepped into the external cabin wall. The wider body also increases stability at rest and offshore performance, all the while remaining under the legal road towing limits. Another big tick is the long range 300L fuel tank, a class leading fuel capacity for a boat of 6.9 metres.
It was after the delivery of Whitiangler’s vessel that we knew the American market would demand this hull coupled with their particular design cues – a forward raking screen known as the Ultracab at Stabicraft. Like its successful predecessors in the 2500 and 2750 models, the 2250 Ultra Centrecab would be a completely new type of alloy plate boat in the American market. The Ultracab designs offer more room in the cabin and an immense feeling of space. So the 2250 project continued with two versions in mind – a 2250 Centrecab (raked back screen) and a 2250 Ultra Centrecab (raked forward screen).
“We have given the 2250 design its own purpose. Staunch, aggressive, sharp lines that scream adventure. Stabicraft has a history of taking functional concepts, like the buoyancy chambers, and giving them their own style. It’s by no means conventional, but certainly unique, aggressive and tough” – Stabicraft CEO, Paul Adams.
Outside of the 360-degree walkaround, the hull holds all of Stabicraft’s core features; the Arrow Pontoons, giving the safety and assurance of our aluminium life ring, while helping disperse water as it moves up the hull. The Game Chaser Transom provides great backing-up and manoeuvrability while chasing fish and moving in tight spaces. The Wing-style Coamings offer a huge surface area for backsides, rods and Stabicraft Multiholders.
After the completion of Gene’s custom 6.9 Centrecab, we had the task of refining the boat to suit market demand. This involved collaborating with dealers and end-users to build a package that would impress. We had a base 2250 platform that could hold its own in big water, but we needed to work out what features people value on this model. And what price would they pay for them?
What we quickly found is that no two customers were the same and it would be a challenge to capture the whole market with one package. So instead, we decided to create multiple packages (4 to be precise) to suit different end users. Each package comes with the option of choosing which cabin style you prefer too, the Centrecab or the Ultra Centrecab. Offering a range of configurations built around the base 2250 hull gives us the ability to cater to more than one group. For example, we have built packages that suit the budget conscious, the hard-core fisherman and end-users that like a few more creature-comforts. We also have a package designed specifically for the US customers based in the Pacific Northwest.
During the design process the 2250 design was inducted into our brand the only way we know how. The hull was swamp tested in a controlled environment, and then rough water tested in the ‘Roaring Forties’ of New Zealand’s most Southern Coastline. The two tests are what our company was founded on back in 1987, and they continue to be a guiding principle of our product development today.
SWAMP TESTING
Swamping testing a boat involves us floating a hull in a controlled environment then pumping water inside until it is spilling out. We use weights to simulate fuel, gear and an outboard and we move ballast around (usually people) to ascertain its stability when completely full of water. For a boat to be filled with water and still float on the surface is an incomparable safety feature. The 2250, pictured here, passed its swamp test with no issues.
ROUGH WATER TESTING
We took two 2250 Ultra Centrecabs across the rugged Foveaux Strait and into the depths of the 47th parallel. It is here at 47 degrees South of the equator you will find the infamous ‘Roaring Forties’, a name given to the strong westerly winds found between the latitudes 40 and 50 degrees South. These seas are more than just a testing ground for Stabicraft, they are part of the reason Stabicraft was founded. Back in 1987 there was a gap in the market for an industrious, safe and stable boat that could handle the Roaring Forties. Words and images do not do the 2250 rough water testing justice, but a video production is underway and will be released through social media over the following weeks.
2 years in design. 32 years in evolution. The Stabicraft 2250 Centrecab and 2250 Ultra Centrecab are almost here, launching at the New Zealand Hutchwilco Boat Show on the 16th of May 2019. The two models are the true embodiment of what our brand stands for; ruggedly capable offshore machines allowing you to Adventure with Confidence.
For further information on package pricing and feature configurations contact your local Stabicraft dealership. You can find your nearest Stabicraft dealership here.