A boat with a name like White Shark suggests it should have some pretty awesome performance, plus my initial research in to the range found they’d enjoyed increasing sales over the past year or two here in the UK. A friend, who sells boats for a living, but not the White Sharks, was gracious enough to tell me that I wouldn’t be disappointed and that I was in for quite a ride!
Built in Vannes, France by Kelt, a company with a background initially in sailing craft, then motorboats, they’ve built up a reputation for excellent build quality with a high performance, both regards speed and sea keeping ability making them a true offshore craft. The range has also capitalised on a growing market, a pass on from the USA, with UK anglers looking more and more towards super fast open craft for fishing, but with some home comforts for taking the family out.
BUILD FEATURES
Getting my first look at the boat tied up to the marina pontoon, my first impression was what a superb looking boat. It’s very streamlined with a slightly flared up bow and a shallow V hull. A dark blue hull and white topside give a real air of quality, but its side profile truly does look a little mean and I instantly made the connection with the White Shark name. It looks like predator!
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My second glance was at the mighty Yamaha 225hp 4-stroke motor bolted to the stern. The boats own basic weight is around 1050Kgs with a total hull length of 7.07-metres, but there was definitely no shortage of horses to push this craft along.
Studying the boat, the stern features built in dive platforms either side with a deep splash well, plus single rod holders where fitted to the rear gunnel tops along with stainless steel T cleats for tying up.
The port side of the transom has a neat hinged access door for access to the dive platforms, and sports a stainless steel safety rail along the top.
A full length bench seat is built in to the forward transom and houses a spacious locker system with the battery housed on the starboard side of this. On the port side the bench seat features a hinged seat that lifts to give free access through the swing door in to the splash well and on to the dive platforms.
This a centre console craft with two top quality Springfield helm swivel seats positioned side by side and fully padded for comfort. These not only give good all round visibility when seated to travel, but are also at just the right height to lean back against when standing to steer.
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The wheel is on the port side of the console. This has a red leather look covering giving superb grip, even when your hands are wet. The console configuration has the instruments on a neat panel set almost vertical behind and slightly above the wheel. The starboard side of this panel has a small locker built in for additional storage of personal items. Below this is a deep narrow gutter to again take small items of gear such as bottle of water, and to the starboard side there is a cut out area again for storing smaller items. The top of the console is spacious and carried the compass on the test boat, but has acres of room for placing GPS and Sounders if preferred.
What I also liked was that the switches and VHF radio were below the wheel protected by a lip of GRP that sticks out slightly from the main console. This stops your knees touching the switches etc, but also better protects both switches and radio. Also built in to the base of the console is an angled recessed are for your feet when seated.
The upper console is surrounded by a substantial stainless steel grab rail frame that comes around in front of the passenger seat to give them full security, plus sports a clear vision spray screen at just the right height to divert any spray over the seated occupants. The Steaming Light socket is on the starboard side upper corner of the console.
You get some idea of the intelligent planning that’s gone in to this boat when you also realise that the console has a twin hinged door and separate hatch on the port side that opens up in to a spacious central locker area that also houses a toilet.
The inside of each gunnel is recessed to take a couple of rods, or deck brushes etc.
The bow has bunk seating either side with a recessed middle that can take a table via a bayonet socket. The deck side ends of the bunk seats also feature a built in step for easier access. This middle section actually hinges upwards to reveal a massive additional locker area ideal for storing fenders and the like.
At the sharp end you have a large anchor locker hinging open to starboard with an electric winch fitted, plus T cleats either side for tying off. The bow also features a fully around stainless steel safety rail. There are also T cleats fitted just forward of the console on the gunnels.
The test boat was fitted with a stainless steel framed sun canopy, which anglers also find handy to prevent over exposure to the sun, as well as for protection when taking the family offshore.
Having had a really good look over the whole boat, you realise that everything is a moulded fitting, neat, tidy and secure. No sharp edges, no scars on the mouldings, no blooming great gaps between fixtures with care having been taking in putting the boat together. All the fixtures and fittings are top quality too.
PERFORMANCE
The test was from Poole Harbour and I was lucky to be working with Keith Gatehouse of Cruise Control Ltd, Keith being an instructor in motor cruiser and powerboat handling, RYA courses, Sea Survival and much more. Keith had brought the boat via sea to Poole Marina and was already well used to her.
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Heading out past some of the most expensive real estate in the UK we headed for Swanage Bay. Sea conditions were good with wind and tide together, but there was a little chop, and an intermittent sun trying to poke through the clouds from time to time. Underway through the harbour speed restrictions you couldn’t help notice a real cold edge to the wind though.
Keith initially at the helm, once in open water he opened up the throttle, just to get an idea of the speed capability. In a straight line with three aboard we touched 43-knots, and there was still some left. She cruises very happily at around 32-knots.
We wanted to find some rougher water, so heading out off Durlston Head where a tide rip would give a better indication of what the boat behaves like in a real chop. It was a short and very confused sea here, and we attacked it with real purpose working the boat hard and at a speed way beyond typical usage given the water state.
Hammering the White Shark both straight at and at an angle through the heavy chop she holds a straight course making life at the helm easy. We were pushing 25 to 30-knots working on and off the throttle reading each wave as we approached it and taking them full on, but no spray came back over the bow.
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The hull seems to soak up wave impact, and though we were holding on to the grab rails pretty tight, I felt no fear of being thrown off balance, nor did I feel noticeable hull vibration through the deck. Noise levels are also quite low thanks to the inclusion of polyurethane closed cell non absorbent foam during hull construction.
We decided to work back in to quieter water and to see what angle of lean the White Shark could handle. Keith still at the wheel and me hanging on for dear life at the bow with my legs jammed hard up against the safety rail trying to get a photo or two we had the Shark over on her side deliberately at close to 45-degrees with the top of the port gunnel almost shipping water, but the boat stays stable, predictable and bone dry. Look at the photo and you’ll see what I mean about induced lean.
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Jumping in the helm seat I’m usually pretty careful at first and work my self steadily in with a boat making sure I get a good feel for them always cautious of being over confident. Not so with the Shark, I’d already made my mind up this boat was in a different class.
Piling on the power immediately the boat takes off with no power pause and is over the hill and on the plane before you can blink. What you also notice is that when you add more throttle when cruising the increase in speed is again instant. This is a very aggressive boat with that 225hp punch via Yamaha producing startling performance.
Making fairly tight turns with the boat at speed the stern digs in and holds, showing only a slight tendency to slide if you add more power and tighten the turning circle a little more. These were exaggerated turns and unlikely to be used by lads out for a days fishing but are indicative of the boats high performance capability.
The steering is nimble and instantly reactive, a slight turn at the wheel being visible at the bow. Manoeuvrability is outstanding, with the boat remaining stable for those on board at all times. I was really getting used to her now and was also starting to like the feeling of throwing this boat around at speed and taking some quite tight turns without decreasing speed at all.
Running up to the full 40-knots I dragged the throttles all the way back and the boat kills speed rapidly should you need to ever make an emergency stop. Back to cruising and with people walking around the boat she remains stable with no need to adjust her course at the wheel, she just keeps heading straight on.
I couldn’t find a situation where I could get a following sea, but Keith assured me this boat behaves exceptionally well in such conditions, and that’s good enough for me.
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Visibility is good when seated, but at the speeds this boat is capable of, then I chose to stand to give myself maximum visual search of the water in front.
From a fishing viewpoint, then the bow offers stacks of room for two anglers, or for the family to fish away in comfort. You also have the option of swivelling the seats around at the helm and staying seated while you fish off the stern.
The layout of the boat is excellent with working room maximised, but with heaps of storage space and no forward clutter.
The boat is recommended to carry a 200hp motor, but still enjoys incredible performance with a smaller Yamaha 175hp engine, but having had the horses from that 225hp at my disposal, which I personally felt suited the boat really well, then I’d prefer to spend the extra dosh and live to enjoy that rarely matched feeling of real power under your hands.
Yamaha quote the fuel consumption as a maximum of 70-litres per hour for the 225hp, but in general with a much more typical sedate use than we gave the boat, then you’d do much better than this.
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THINGS I’D CHANGE
If I was working the boat offshore, and especially so if I was taking the kids on the boat for a days cruising and fishing, then I add a 4” safety rail to the middle gunnels, and across the stern just to increase safety should someone inadvertently slip on deck.
If I could pick something else, I obviously would, but I can’t!
CONCLUSION
The White Shark 225 tested is the best example of why the American market went big time towards centre console craft for major offshore fishing. This boat is capable of not just getting you out to the far offshore grounds damn quick, but has the true ability to fight back against horrendous seas should you ever get caught out. They are regularly used to run across the Channel and to the Channel Islands, which is a good indicator. I personally have not tested a centre console that is so dry when at the wheel.
The stability is outstanding and she makes a superb angling platform. I also like the ease with which you can fully walk around the boat making her ideal for those of us that love light tackle shark fishing.
I can’t think of an angling niche I couldn’t cover with this boat. You could reef bass with here, work the offshore wrecks, ray fish the banks and you’ve still got a boat that will fit in well with family life, which is all too often the criteria that anglers have to choose a boat from.
In years to come when I look back in some dreamy moment at all the boats I’ve tested, this one is going to come right at the top of my list of all time greats. The 225 is a boater’s boat! One with the power and handling that, trust me, will leave you really looking forward to the journey home, just for the sheer thrill of blasting across the ocean.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 7.07mtrs
Beam: 2.42mtrs
Draft: 0.40mtrs
Boat Weight: 1050kgs
Fuel Tank capacity: 290 litres
Category: C 7 passengers
CONTACTS
White Shark UK Ltd, Cobbs Quay Marina, Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset, BH15 4EL. Tel: 01202 661630 E-mail: whitesharkboats@aol.com Website: whitesharkboats.net.