Dispatches Stagepoint 17
Stagepoint 17
The Stagepoint 17's roots extend back to the 1970s, when a Massachusetts boatbuilder combined the lines of a Nova Scotia lobster skiff with a more modern hull bottom. The beam was increased and a small step was added to the bottom to enable the vessel to maintain planing speeds. The 7-foot, 4-inch beam also increased stability.
It's the Stagepoint's look - the proud bow, tumble-home transom and teak console - that initially attracts buyers.
With a Suzuki DF70 4-stroke bolted to the transom, this center console cruises at about 25 mph and tops out in the low 30s. It has a capacity of six people and moves right along at 25 to 28 mph with four or five on board.
The hull consists of hand-laid solid fiberglass, and the transom and decks are cored.
Other small boats