Arvor 25

This was a customer boat just purchased by father and son team Davy and Andy Dodd. Davy was Coxswain of the Hoylake lifeboat and until recently a commercial shrimp fisherman, and son Andy is an Able Seaman currently working in the North Sea. Getting out with the boat owners, especially experienced sea people like Davy, highlights to a greater degree just how the boat has performed in a variety of situations beyond a standard boat test.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
On the mooring the Arvor 25 looks chunky and strong. The stern is rounded off, the cabin slopes slightly forward, and the gunnels are good and high. This gives the boat a real tough, strong outline, and with the tinted screens it looks really smart too.

The stern has an access door on the port side with grab rails either side of this. This made for safe and easy access transferring from the dinghy to the Arvor. No need to clamber over the gunnels hanging on for dear life.

On deck your first impression is that the boat feels bigger than she is. It's an often used phrase this, I know, but it's true and created by the height of the gunnels and the generous beam.

DOWN TO BUSINESS
The gunnel tops come up over high hip height on me and I'm an average 5' 10', hence that feeling of total security. No chance of falling out of this boat. The height is just right though, for comfy fishing, and you don't whack the gunnel top if you are working the rod up and down for mackerel or when pirking. In the middle of the transom is a stainless roller guard for protecting the gunnel top when hauling rope if say you had a couple of lobster pots out or worked a sandeel net. A useful and interesting addition you don't so often see.

The gunnels are recessed facing deck side with moulded holders to take deck brushes, boat hooks etc.

Working round the gunnel across the transom you have cleats at each corner for mooring, and there is a built in bait board in the middle. Also one rod holder positioned flush in the transom.

The transom door is set back in the transom when viewed from the deck and has a large gap underneath to potentially exit water if you were ever unlucky enough to get a deck full. The emergency tiller steering is visible under the transom and the vessel comes complete with a tiller arm, just in case.

There are two large lockable storage lockers built in to each stern quarter capable of taking ancillary equipment, and you have the choice of using a removable fibreglass bench seat that spans across these two lockers to provide additional seating.

There is a huge storage locker in the middle rear of the deck for additional fendering, spare rope etc, and a livebait well positioned on the starboard side. The engine sits rear of the cabin, and the engine hatch cover is raised slightly above deck level. Being forward towards the cabin and relatively low to the deck this does not impede your movements on deck and actually provides a useful area for placing boxes and equipment you need frequently, but keeping them out of the way.

The deck area has a stippled non-slip finish. The deck is self draining and very easy to keep clean.

Access to the bow is via two moulded in steps, with a comfortable width between the safety rail and cabin side to walk forward. You also have grab handles on the cabin roof for extra security.

Up on the bow there is ample room to work and haul anchor. The bow cleat is big, strong and top quality, something some boat builders can skimp on and it's no good if the boat is to be moored on an exposed mooring as this Arvor is. You obviously have a stainless steel bow roller for the anchor rope, and the safety rails are full length either side from the bow to the cabin rear, but with the required gap in the middle at the bow for hauling anchor access. The bow anchor locker sits up front on the starboard side.

Looking back at the cabin front, the tinted windscreen is split in to three, the starboard screen in front of the helm and the middle screen both having windscreen wipers. The cabin roof has masses of room for the placing of aerials, GPS, radar, and also a stainless gantry if you prefer.

The rear of the cabin has an extension eave to keep rain off the doorway and also houses a deck light giving coverage of the rear cabin and engine hatch area. There are also two grab handles, one each side of the cabin.

Access to the cabin is through a wide fixed door. As you enter the galley sink and draining board with cupboard space and water tank are on the port side.

Beyond the sink is the main cabin. This has cushioned seating over storage bunks running fully around the bow section with seating for up to six people. In the middle of the seating is a lift up dining table. This seating area also doubles as a bed with the table flat. You have storage shelving above the seats too.

On the starboard side is a toilet cubicle. This is hidden below the steering console. The cabin deck area is teak type non-slip surface with a large storage locker between the galley and helm.

The helm seat is a cushioned bench type and wide enough for two people. Both Davy, having worked the boat, and me while steering find this seat way to low to steer from. You have minimal visibility and you need to stand and steer for clear viewing of the sea in front. Standing with the backs of your knees braced against the seat though, is quite comfortable for long sailings.

I was intrigued to see that the wheel is a traditional ships wheel, but with a stainless steel surround. This is comfy to use and is well clear of the cabin sides for exaggerated arm movement when needing to whip the wheel over quickly for tight manoeuvring. A separate console above the wheel carries the instruments. This gives a clear unimpeded view of all your gauges, essential when running for long periods.

You have a vent in the cabin side screen, plus a roof vent for ventilation, and a strip light. There is also a window in the rear of the cabin bulkhead to view the deck area. In the starboard side cabin corner by the helmsman is more shelving, with two small shelves by the cabin door at head height on the portside cabin corner. If you're tall, then there is plenty of head height to accommodate the 6-foot plus lad or lass.

If you took a peak at the hull under water you'd see a stainless steel band protects the keel, and that the rudder and propeller also have protector shields fitted. A useful addition that gives peace of mind!

FULL AHEAD
While Davy was checking everything over before releasing the mooring ropes, I had a quick look inside the engine hatch at the 220 Mercruiser diesel unit. There's plenty of room in the engine compartment for working on the unit and for general maintenance. I was also impressed to see that the air intakes are moulded in underneath the gunnels eliminating the chance of water ingress. The stern tube is also water-cooled.

We were heading out towards the Hilbre Islands in a lumpy force 4 and short choppy sea. Pushing the throttles forward this deep V variant hull steadies first, not hesitantly, but more in preparation before you feel the lift come in as the hull starts to plane. She settles quickly to a steady speed, but answers the throttles immediately when you add more power.

She is quite light on the steering and I found I need to keep adjusting her course a little when running at speed in to a good chop, but that's not unusual and to be expected with some fast hulls. I found her happiest cruising at around 3000 RPM and about 14-knots.

Finding some deeper and very short waves, and running at 17-knots, I did notice she has a habit of bouncing off course slightly to one side. She takes waves head on and forces her way through which can give you a bit of harsh ride at times. Davy agreed with my observation and says he also eases back on the throttles when hitting head on seas to reduce the crash and bash. Don't read too much of a negative in to this comment. The boat works a sea well and is predictable in how she reacts and responds, but you do need to work the wheel when taking on a decent sea. I found her best steerage was when taking her a few points off the wind and slightly beam on to the waves.

The deck is pretty dry, just the very rear deck area Davy tells me gets wave spray over the cabin at cruising speed when running in a decent sea.

Backing the boat down in to a following sea saw no water access through the stern door, and with only a touch of throttle added the boat does not slew sideways as a wave pushes on the stern. She has a tight turning circle and is easy to manoeuvre.

One last thing was to throw the boat fully sideways pulling 3600 RPM and probably 17-knots. I was braced for pretty much anything, but this frankly way over the top manoeuvre sees the hull sit tight in the water with minimal lean and no signs of skidding across the water.

I set her up to drift, as you would when wrecking or working the banks. The bow will come around with the wind partially, maybe about 30-degrees, then stops to hold a steady drift. Good and predictable and easy to set up. She does not roll much either, making for a very comfortable fishing and working platform.

Checking over this boats personal performance figures and with a full 300-litre fuel tank, three on board and al the usual boat gear she was clocking 15-knots at 3200 RPM, and 17-knots at 3600 RPM. Davy feels fuel consumption is somewhere between 5 and 6 gallons an hour at cruising speed.

WOULD WE CHANGE ANYTHING?
The helm seat is too low for safe steering. You need full view of the sea in front to identify floating logs and other hazardous debris, especially as this is a fast vessel.

Davy has had problems with the engine hatch seal. This has small gaps in it that allowed water to seep through in to the engine well. He cured this by adding silicone to the gaps and a drain valve, but an improved seal is needed.

We both also have some reservations about the solidity of the stern door bolt fastening and the door itself. This maybe needs strengthening should someone fall against it at sea and fall out.

All small and easily rectified points, but worth doing to make the boat safer and comfier.

CONCLUSION
Boats are always a compromise. The Arvor 25 is not quite the fastest 25-footer I've been on, but she has the speed to get you out to the wrecks and distant fishing grounds. She also offers good sea keeping abilities at normal speeds and is economical on fuel.

Where she really excels is as a fishing platform. She is stable, roomy and comfortable. She'll fish four with all your gear easily, plus is a very safe boat due to those high gunnels. She's an excellent choice if you've a young family to occasionally take fishing, as she has the room both on deck and inside the cabin, and again the safety of the high gunnels.