Arvor 250

The Arvor 250 is designed as a family fishing boat, but is also starting to be seen in marinas and ports as a working charter fishing vessel, typically taking out smaller parties of 4 to 6 anglers for bass, tope and ray action.

I already know a guy who owns a 250 which he uses for fishing weekends and the like, and he said to me he's not surprised that this boat is making a name for it's self as a working boat too. This based on his assessment of the boats stability and see keeping qualities.

Cambrian Boat Centre kindly agreed to organise a test day, so it was back down to Swansea for me on a breezy and wet morning, though the weather was supposed to brighten up.

PERFORMANCE
I'd being revising my homework on the 250 learning that the overall length including the marlin board at the stern is 8.20-metres, though the actual hull length makes 7.49-metres with a beam of 2.93-metres and a draft of just 0.88-metres. Water displacement equates to 2550kgs.

The keels have protective stainless steel strips, plus a protective propeller shield to guard the prop and the rudder.

The test boat was fitted with a 230hp Mercruiser Turbo Diesel engine. Quoted performance figures suggest she'll achieve a top speed of close to 26-knots, cruise at around 22-knots and burn around 6 to 7 gallons of fuel per hour. I checked with my mate and he said the fuel consumption in normal usage is closer to 6 than 7, so she sounds pretty frugal for her size and power.

Pointing her nose in the general direction of The Mumbles, as we left the dock a steady wind was just easing in to the north from the west and a decent swell was pounding in from the open sea.

Throttling her up the power surge is smooth. Speed builds up steadily and doesn't suddenly pile in making for a much more comfortable ride for the passengers.

Running her at cruising speed I was looking for signs of slamming and hull noise as we charged the waves, which I remember was a slight factor with the older Arvor 25, but this is much less evident nowadays and both the ride is smoother and the hull noise far less than I remember before.

Swinging the boat around and going with the waves she holds a good steady course, only a little wheel adjustment being needed when a big wave tries to shove the stern sideways. Slowing down and selecting reverse I also checked the water bulb created at the stern when you need to reverse in to an oncoming sea. The wave climbs up over the marlin or dive board and a little way up the stern but apart from a little mainly wind borne splash the water is turned back on itself keeping the rear deck pretty dry.

Back in forward gear and swinging the boat around I chose a heading at an angle to the swell and waves. She holds a true course and lifts up the angle of the wave and over their top with barely a sign of sideways shift

Knocking off the power and leaving her to free drift I saw the bow come around to sit at an angle just downside of the wind direction giving a nice position for drift fishing.

Stability wise you can have several people walking about on deck without noticing it much at the wheel, and at anchor and on the drift she remains very stable showing minimal roll. You can see why she is rated so highly as an angling craft.

Sitting at the helm seat you have good forward sea visibility through the split windscreen, plus the window situated in the rear cabin bulkhead allows the helmsman to see exactly what's going on on deck and for backing in to pontoon berths. If you prefer to stand to steer the throttle lever is at a good height on the right-hand side, though when sat down I did find it just a touch high for perfect comfort. I also found the seat very comfortable should you need to be at the helm for long periods.

All your instruments are immediately visible directly in front of you, and the compass positioned behind the instrument panel equally so. I also liked the ship type steering wheel with the stainless steel outer ring which is really comfy when long haul steering. The hydraulic steering also makes for a light work load when manoeuvring the boat.

The boat is very spacious both in the cabin and out on deck, and the new type flush deck, the old types having a raised engine hatch, makes for easy fishing and plenty of room to land fish in for unhooking such as tope, congers and the like. The fish handling is also aided by the dive platform at the back accessed through the transom door.

DESIGN FEATURES
So how is she built?

Starting at the sharp end you have a spacious walkway with a high safety rail on the starboard side of the cabin to get to the bow. Up front the test boat was fitted with an electric winch and stainless steel post cleat, plus fairleads either side. The safety rail is split in the middle at the bow to allow ease of hauling anchor. The anchor rope locker is on the port side of the bow with a flush closing hatch.

Looking back at the cabin the front screens both have electric windscreen wipers fitted. The cabin top often has the Nav light just fitted to the roof as well as the GPS receiver, which is fine, but a boat of this calibre looks really smart with a stainless steel gantry fitted which also gives you the advantage of getting your aerials higher for better transmission and reception, plus gives added fixture points for deck lights, radar reflectors and the like. If you fancy a gantry, then there is stacks of room to fit it up there.

You also have a grab rail each side of the roof to hold when using the walkway or the port side. Also grab rails positioned on the rear cabin bulkhead.

Back on deck the cabin roof extends forward over the forward deck area to protect the cabin door and also to provide additional shelter when it's raining and you need to be on deck.

The deck is now a flush deck, fully self draining giving a fully flat area to work from. The engine hatch is in the middle and forward towards the cabin, with a spacious rear storage locker which also houses the batteries.

The gunnels come up to upper thigh height, but also have a 9-inch safety rail fitted giving a full metre of height, which is bang on for safety should you get pitched off your feet in a really wild sea. The gunnel tops also have a capping of teak with rod holders in the middle, with a net roller on the outside of the gunnel middle.

The inside gunnel area also houses a superb hinged down wooden rail seat for additional seating which folds away when not required.

The transom sports a bait board and live well, plus a full length safety rail and T cleats for mooring up at each corner. You also have a seat locker with masses of room at each stern corner. The 250 also sports an emergency tiller steerage point under the transom.

The transom door is on the starboard side leading on to the dive platform. The platform having a stainless steel dive ladder fitted with grab handles at strategic points on the stern.

A really brilliant idea is that the stern is made with a locker on the port side designed to take a life raft. This is held on with clips and instantly springs free to get access to the raft.

Regards the cabin you enter through a slide across door. The helm position is on the starboard side with two built in shelves immediately to the right of you on the cabin wall. Also built in to the helm console but on the cabin side is a toilet cubicle.

On the port side you have a galley featuring a sink and cooker area with a locker area beneath. Above this is a large shelf area for additional storage.

The sleeping accommodation comprises a double bunk with storage lockers both port and starboard side underneath superbly comfy upholstered cushions. Lift the middle bunk section out and you have a dining table hidden below. A shelf area runs fully around the sleeping quarters and you have light vents in both bunk and cabin roofs, plus lighting. The cabin side windows also sport air vents.

The cabin floor also has an additional storage locker in the cabin floor capable of taking masses of extra kit.

THINGS I'D CHANGE
Not much! I'd add a grab handle to the facing edge of the windscreen shelf on the port side, and one on the cabin top for stood passengers to hold on to when you need two sets of eyes looking forward in bad sea conditions.

Grab handles on the underside of the extended roof over the cabin might be the other thought.

MY VERDICT
The boat has masses of space making for an easy fishing and working environment, and is well designed so that everything is to hand easily.

The boats performance means you have good speed matched to excellent sea keeping abilities in all weathers you're likely to be out in, and excellent fuel economy. She drifts well for those who fish on the move, but is stable, and stable at anchor too. Three of you on the one side has little real effect creating minimum lean. She's also a dry boat underway taking little if any spray on deck

At the beginning I said a family boat gaining favour with small boat charter skippers, which is correct, but she's also bang on for small groups of friends or wealthier angling clubs that are looking for a group or club boat.

It's hard to pick fault with the modern Arvor range and I rate the 250 as one of the top buys in her class.

INFORMATION
If you need further information on the Arvor 250, would like to arrange a boat test on the 250 or any other Arvor craft, or need further information on possible fixtures and electronics, the Sales Director at Cambrian Boat Centre is Robin Vaughan on 01792 467263, or Fax 01792 467263. You can also e-mail Robin at robin@cambrianboats.co.uk or check out the full Arvor boat range on their website at www.cambrianboats.co.uk