Our very first of the updated Stabicraft 2050 Frontiers - and what a package it was! This was a vessel we initially had in stock and fully kitted out as a display, before the new owner, a repeat Stabi customer, added a few more accessories and took it to the next level. It recently completed a photoshoot with The Captain up on the Murray River and it just proved the incredible versatility and fishability of the Frontier platform.
The first thing you'll notice about this Stabi is the sleek, stealthy appearance. The boat came from factory with Stage 1 gunmetal grey paint; which we tied in nicely with a matte black lower pontoon wrap. This is our preferred method of protecting those lower pontoons better than paint with a replaceable material whilst also looking stylish, as you can match or contrast your paint colour. The boat also was optioned with black U-Dek flooring which again looks incredible, but eliminates slipping when wet, and reduces noise when objects are dropped onto the floor which is inevitable! However, the real star of the show is Suzuki's matte black Stealth 200hp outboard - we can't get enough of these engines! Being fly-by-wire the throttle response is instant; and the 200 provides the same reliability, economy and power Suzuki engines have become so famous for. There is absolutely no other engine as deserving to be on this transom as a Stealth 200APX.
From factory, the hull was well optioned up - partly because it was our first of the refreshed 2050s and we simply wanted to try everything at once! Options included a raised forward casting deck with lockable cargo storage, dual-width centre console, suspension seat bases with storage drawers and Fish Pro seats, and dual-width helm seating with an integrated storage box. Additional highlights include closed-cell baffling in the pontoon chambers, EVA flooring throughout, coated bow rails and boarding ladder handrail in a Spica Pearl finish, EVA foam-lined coaming pockets, lockable port and starboard coaming pocket doors, and a ski/tow hoop — just to name a few. Those gunnel lockers in particular are well worth considering for your own 2050 - being able to store 8 foot rods and fully lockable. The trailer of choice was the Easytow 6M tandem alloy trailer; a robust trailer built from Australian steel right here in Victoria, custom crafted to suit the 2050 hull using Stabi CAD drawings. Boat buckles and Boat Catch were fitted; absolute must haves on any Stabi we reckon.
Electronics wise, this boat was well equipped. A Garmin Echomap Ultra 12" was flush mounted into the dash; which covers down, clear and side view with a crisp GT56 transducer, plus a GT5-TM for deeper ocean work, and comes pre-loaded with mapping. This customer is mostly fishing inshore and freshwater so this should cover everything he needs. He also requested a Echomap Ultra 105SV to be fitted to the bow on a Ram swinging mount, which links into the second GT56 transducer which comes pre-fitted into his electric motor. This electric motor of choice is a Garmin Force Kraken 75" 100lb, running off a massive 36V 100ah BLA lithium battery. These Krakens are incredibly powerful, quiet and efficient with multiple days fishing off a single charge under normal conditions. They're smart - linking to compatible Garmin devices such as watches, Active Captain app, remote and of course the Echomap sounders. Offshore, electric motors make so much sense; quicker and easier than dragging up and down a physical anchor, with jogging and moving all done quickly at the touch of a button. They can also navigate to your GPS marks and follow pre-defined tracks. Sometimes though, an anchor winch is still needed - and this boat got the best of both worlds with a Lonestar anchor winch kit also installed.
What a package - and a top bloke who owns it too! It's been great to see him getting out on the water and enjoying the incredible array of fishing opportunities we have on offer here in Victoria - and it certainly helps when you have a boat that does it all!