| The
559XR is the start of a new look for Stabi-Craft, with the softer
lines and radical new styling that presents a vision of what Stabi-Craft's
new releases will look like in the future. When I first saw the 559XR alongside the jetty on Lake Dunstan I did a double take. The pristine white painted pontoons, the graceful lines of the cabin top and the general impression of the boat didn't at first say Stabi-Craft. |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||
| On closer inspection it was obvious that this Stabi-Craft was like no other and that this highly successful and motivated lnvercargill boat builder has really come up with a winner. No one can deny that pontoon boats can take a little getting used to with their distinctive shape, but with the 559XR Stabi-Craft have done away with a lot of that negative imagery. Our test venue of lake Dunstan was chosen because that's the boat's home base, being the proud Harbourmaster's new boat. Lake Dunstan's Harbourmaster had just taken delivery of the boat a week prior to my arrival and christened it in true Southland fashion by spending a week deer shooting. He was somewhat reticent to talk of any success with the deer, but he couldn't give his new boat enough praise. | ||||||||||||||||||||
 |
"I
came out of a fibreglass boat and if anyone had told me a few years
ago that 1 would own a tinnie, or more precisely a Stabi-Craft 1 would
have told them they were bloody mad", he said. However time and
experience saw a change of mind and speak to him now and he'll have
you rapt for hours over a cold Speights and talk of his new boat.
The 559XR is basically a replacement for the 533. When Stabi-Craft first conceived the idea of the 559XR it was to be something that would supersede the 533. The Stabi-Craft design team felt that while the 533 was a great boat, they could engineer something better. Something that was not just an aesthetic change but also a significantly different model that incorporated both new styling and performance attributes. In the 559XR they have unquestionably achieved their goal. |
|||||||||||||||||||
| From
a glance there is more internal beam with slightly narrower Generation
2 pontoons that still provide a high ratio of depth for their volume
and the hull has more turn-down on the chines. "We didn't just make a change and leave it at that, we had three variations on the underwater sections alone until we arrived at the final shape", said Adams. "it's a very easy hull to push and up along side a 533 it's a little quicker with the same power, so the alterations certainly have achieved what we desired", he added. |
||||||||||||||||||||
 |
Stabi-Craft
went right back into the archives with the interior concept and have
resurrected a lot of ideas from the 550XC. First released around 8
years ago, the 550XC had a step-down floor and extra-wide V-berth,
both of which have found their way into the new boat. As both features were not in the 533, this has certainly opened up the size and usability of the cabin now and it's certainly a lot more than just a place to toss your gear. Dimensionally the 559XR is a bigger boat than the 533 it replaces, but is about the same price. |
|||||||||||||||||||
| The cabin top is all-new and was developed on a 3-D CAD system to present a whole new soft image to the Stabi-Craft line. The new style is the first of a whole new look for future Stabi-Craft models. There is a pronounced swage line that runs along the side of the cabin and lines up with the swage line on the coaming. Where the 533 had a very wide walk-around, the cabin on the 559XR has been taken out further to the coamings at the expense of the side decks, which are in fact about half the width of those of the 533 it replaces. However, this has been more than compensated for with a huge forward hatch. It's a new direction for Stabi-Craft, but one that provides better use of space, without compromising the stability and general "Stabi-Craft" look. There is plenty of width forward with a large anchor locker that is now fitted with a lid, so anchoring chores can be carried out without leaving the security of the cabin. The new design means the 'wide' side decks are no longer necessary. The cabin layout provides two full-length squabs with storage underneath and sitting headroom for 2-3 people. Interestingly, the squabs are longer in the 559XR than in the 759HT Stabi- Craft that I tested last year, which says a lot for the way the space has been so well conceived. | ||||||||||||||||||||
 |
The XR model comes standard with a fully lined interior. There's also extra storage in side trays and with no bulkheads there's a nice open plan feel to the boat. A soft vinyl cover gives easy access to the back of the helm. The 559XR has the first of the new Ultimate upholstered seats from Australia. Cockpit seating options are like all Stabi-Craft models, very flexible with the standard option back-to-back king/queen on the port side with plenty of storage underneath and a single pedestal helm seat. There is the option of a Softrider, with a fully adjustable or a fixed base. However you have the choice of single and twins or a combination of both. The fold-down rear seat is standard and drops out of the way when you want the extra rear cockpit space for fishing. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Behind the rear curtain you find the battery on a raised tray, extra storage and oil tank reservoir space if required. While the 533 didn't allow for flush mounting electronics, the new boat has a totally redesigned fascia, which caters for reasonably sized units such as GPS/plotters and sounders. There is also space above should you prefer bracketed units. | ||||||||||||||||||||
 A wide beam adds to the stability |
The
collapsible fold-down arch is a neat option and allows somewhere for
the bimini to mount as well as a place for the rocket launcher. If
you don't have a rocket launcher to stow the rods, then cockpit side
trays provide adequate space for the tackle and they are even a big
enough to stow the waterskis. There's also another smaller open locker
beside the driver to stow the phone, keys or handheld VHF. Clip-on
side and front clears provide extra weather protection, which is something
that for those cold winter days on lake Dunstan would certainly be
a must. |
|||||||||||||||||||
| The 559XR comes with a standard 100 litre underfloor fuel tank below the chequerplate sole, with the rest of the areas all sealed for positive buoyancy and pressure tested to ensure there are no air leaks. Unsinkable? You bet, and like all Stabi-Crafts, you can fill the 559XR with water and still drive away. | ||||||||||||||||||||
 |
The
transom is conventional with a walk-through recess to port with drop-in
infill, fold-up ladder and central outboard pod. The 533 had the outboard
transom mounted. Power range for the 559XR is 90hp to 130hp, with
the Johnson 115hp pushing the new boat along at 41 mph on the mirror
smooth waters of Lake Dunstan. If you go for the lower option, a 90hp
outboard will be good for around 35 mph and at the other end of the
scale, a 130hp will rocket along at upwards of 50 mph. Our 115hp was
a good mid-range choice and on the 559XR probably the best overall
package. There is enough power for towing water toys and plenty in
reserve if you have to get back home in a hurry. |
|||||||||||||||||||
| As
the photos clearly show, our test was on an idyllic windless Central
Otago day with Lake Dunstan showing off its picture postcard image
to its best. Wakeboarders and skiers alike would have loved it, although
it was perhaps little too calm to really test the true handling of
this exciting new Stabi-Craft. Based on past experience, if the 559XR
is a better handling boat than the 533 then it must be damn good!
I'll have to wait until another time to prove it for myself. The 559XR is Stabi-Craft's all-round answer to the family boat market and after four years of building the 533 is certainly a well deserved replacement. It's a lot of 'bang for the buck' and as Paul Adams likes to put it, it is the S.A.V. (sports activity vessel) of the Stabi-Craft range. |
||||||||||||||||||||
 A comfortable driving position with large split level dash 
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
