5/5.2m Stabicraft or Senator one better than the other ?
survivalkiwi,
Dec 28, 6:07pm
Ford/Holden.
countrypete,
Dec 28, 6:12pm
The Senator seems to have a wider interior, which is important when you plonk a large fish bin in the back, which considerably reduces your internal space. I've looked at a few Stabis and find them narrow inside. But, I haven't owned one so my opinion is only subjective.
bwg11,
Dec 28, 6:39pm
No personal experience of the Senator, but owned a Stabi 459 (which evolved into the current 1530). Brilliant boat. Great performer for its length, Welding and general finish is really good. Only comment I could make about the Senator is that if it is better than the Stabi, it must be the perfect pontoon boat.
whqqsh,
Dec 29, 5:30am
are these really classed as a 'pontoon boat' now?
mrcat1,
Dec 29, 7:15am
Just don't go shark fishing if the have the soft pontoons on them, sharks love to bite them and then sink the boat. Two guys found that out on Papamoa beach a few years back.
kazbanz,
Dec 29, 8:13am
Why would you be that stupid? --Ok don't answer that. When looking at ponying out that kind of cash I'd be wanting to test drive both boats to establish which fits YOU best. The question I'd also be needing an answer to is the projected life span remaining in the pontoon. Most have a 10 year life span before replacement.
gamefisher,
Dec 29, 8:30am
Alloy pontoons needing replacing ? first I have heard of that.
kazbanz,
Dec 29, 8:50am
I thought the Stabi was soft pontoon --shows what I know?
mrcat1,
Dec 29, 8:56am
Two guys were fishing off Papamoa beach and caught a Mako Shark, and if you know anything about Makos, the Mako decide that since the guys were keen on getting it into the boat, the Mako can give you a hand as they are renowned for jumping into boats, and once it was in the boat it proceeded to bite anything it could including the pontoons, boat started sinking so the guys had to gun the motor and just beach the boat straight onto the beach to minimise the risk of becoming shark fodder.
marte,
Dec 29, 10:14am
Thanks for the quote about the welding. I will mention it to one of the guys (welders) when I next meet one. They will be absolutely chuffed at that. (Chuffed = inhale, chest out, chin up, elbows back, smile)
kazbanz,
Dec 29, 11:48am
Sorry bro I get your story but what I struggled to understand was why someone would fish for sharks in a soft side boat. Stands to reason that ANY shark is gonna do anything it can to get back in the water.
mrcat1,
Dec 29, 3:59pm
They weren't fishing for sharks, they were fishing for snapper, mako took the bait and once its hooked properly not much you can do to get rid of it, and some guys the lights are on and no ones home in the excitement so possibly would have never thought about the boat getting holed. Best device on a boat shark fishing is a short barrelled shot gun.
davidmoore,
Dec 29, 7:36pm
great shark stories guys ,just a bit off subject
mrcat1,
Dec 29, 8:05pm
Really? how is it off subject?
whqqsh,
Dec 29, 8:26pm
Id be more surprised if it went off in the direction of what constitutes a pontoon boat. because Im sure a Stabi aint it.
bwg11,
Dec 30, 7:01am
OK, i'll bite. IMO, the Stabi is a pontoon boat. The original Stabi's were "rigid hulled chambered boats" with circular section "pontoons". In later boats Stabi introduced the "Generation 2 pontoon" in 1997, and then the "Generation 3 pontoon" in 2008.
Stabi still calls these components "pontoons", even if they are no longer circular in section. The "pontoon" design gives Stabi boats two great advantages over the mono hull, stability at rest and the lift of a "gull wing" hull shape.
kazbanz,
Dec 30, 12:47pm
thanks BWG/--For some reason I thought the Stabi's were rigid hull with inflatable pontoons. -My mistake.
a sealed air gap between a 2 layer hull doesnt make it a pontoon, & even the earlier designs had a sealed cavity not a the sole means of floatation, so again not really pontoon, they were just cavities on a fairly stock hull as extra floatation devices to make Mr Cotton Wooled modern man feel safer & his gluten free, irritable bowel syndrome, adhd, celiacs wifey ok the purchase of a boat
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