2022 Stessl 660 Seahawk review

Stessl is best known for its range of innovatively designed pressed aluminium boats, but in recent years the Stessl line-up has grown to include the Platerix2-hulled plate alloy boat range.

The latest Stessl production-plate alloy boats are as tough as anything else on the market, and available with configurations ranging from centre and side console through to cuddy/half cabin, runabout and centre cabin.

Most models start at 4.9 metres and run right through to 6.6 metres in length.

Smaller boats have carpeted timber floors (with sealed alloy decks optional), while the largest models come standard with a welded self-draining alloy deck.

All are made from heavy-duty plate alloy side and bottom sheets, and with a matrix of welded bulkheads and stringers underfloor.

In the latest Stessl plate alloy trailer boat range there is a model to suit most boating and fishing applications.

For wide offshore fishing, the Seahawk half cabins and Coastrunner walkaround centre cabs are the boats of choice. For this review we have one of the former, a Stessl 660 Seahawk powered by a 250hp Yamaha 4.2-litre V6 extra-longshaft (25-inch) four-stroke outboard engine.

With a smaller 200hp Yamaha F200 bolted to the transom, Stessl 660 Seahawk package prices start from $115,000 complete with a dual-axle Redco aluminium trailer with electric-hydraulic break-away brakes.

This prices does not include electronics, but you do get a large cabin with two full-length cushioned berths; a portable toilet; foredeck access hatch; a self-draining welded aluminium cockpit with full-height transom; spacious helm station with deluxe pedestal helm chairs; folding rear lounge and backrest; Lenco trim tabs; boarding platforms with ladder; 250mm wide side coamings; hydraulic steering; white painted hull; SeaStar hydraulic steering; and a bunch of cup and rod holders.

The Seahawk is also equipped with Stessl's new TE Trac side deck/coaming mounting rail/channel designed to accept the New Zealand-made Railblaza range of boating and fishing accessories.

Each Stessl fitted with the TE Trac now comes with one of two Railblaza accessory packs. Each includes four Railblaza Sideport mounts, four Starport mounts, and a different mix of Railblaza rod holders, cup holders and Stowpods.

Our Stessl 660 Seahawk test boat gained a number of options that lifted the drive-away package price to $175,000.

Options included the semi-enclosed overhead hardtop with rocket-launcher rod rack and toughened glass front windscreen; a Stessl hull wrap; underfloor kill tank; bait board; deck wash; transom-mounted live bait tank; Garmin GPSMap 8412xsv multifunction display; GME VHF radio; and a Fusion audio system.

Instead of pedestals, the helm seats were mounted above aluminium frames that allow portable iceboxes to be stowed underneath.

The test boat was fitted with Yamaha's Helm Master EX joystick navigation control system (at a cost of more than $20,000) to accompany the big 250hp Yamaha four-stroke outboard engine bolted to the transom.

The Stessl 660 Seahawk has an overall length of 6.7 metres, a wide beam of 2.5 metres and a hull weight of 960kg. With the 250hp Yamaha outboard engine and Redco trailer, I would expect the dry towing weight to be around 2300kg.

As noted earlier, the Stessl 660 Seahawk is fitted with Stessl's latest Platerix2 hull that has a sharp, wave cutting entry shape stretching aft to a modest 15-degree transom deadrise.

There are no strakes on the tough 5mm plate alloy bottom, but the boat does have welded chines extrusions to deflect spray, along with wide, flattened chines aft to boost stability and to glide the hull easily onto the plane from displacement speeds.

The raised sheer in the smooth, 4.0mm topsides also heightens the front of the boat to keep wind-blown spray at bay.

Internally, the Stessl 660 Seahawk has a fully welded 3.0mm checker plate alloy deck with large scuppers (with shut/off flaps) in the transom corners to drain water quickly overboard.

The heavy duty plate alloy bottom and side sheets, in combination with a full length keel, longitudinal stringers, and full-height, welded frames and bulkheads provide hull strength and stiffness.

The Platerix2 hull is foam-filled to reduce hull slap/noise underway, and to provide inherent buoyancy/flotation.

The Stessl 660 Seahawk is a traditional half cabin boat with a large V-berth up front. A half bulkhead separates the cabin from the helm station, so there is no provision in the standard configuration for a lockable cabin.

A more open plan layout makes it easier to get in and out of the cabin, so you are more likely to actually use it.

There is ample headroom in the cabin, with more than a metre of space between the vinyl-upholstered bunk cushions and the ceiling.

The full-length side berths are 1.92 metres long with maximum width of 780mm. There's enough space here for two adults to stretch out for a nap, and to bunk down overnight.

Adding an infill board and cushion converts the two single berths into a large double bed, creating a comfortable sleeping space for a couple.

Storage lockers are below each of the three berth cushions in the cabin, one of which is designed to accommodate a portable chemical toilet.

The removable berth cushions clip down on carpeted plywood hatch covers. Importantly, these hatch lids are carpeted front and back to prevent mould and rot.

The interior of the cabin is quite plain and austere, although carpet has been used to line the ceiling and upper cabin surrounds, and alongside the clear foredeck access hatch.

The latter is just wide enough to climb up through to reach the front deck and the large, open anchor well.

The dash and helm station are low key, unadorned. That said, the layout is practical with loads of flat dash space beneath the toughened glass windscreen, along with a full-width fascia panel suited to flush-fitting radio head units and the like.

A ledge beneath the broad dash fascia will contain keys and mobile phones, but these items are best stowed in the separate port side lockable glove box.

A separate, squarer fascia panel fronts the skipper, above the sport steering wheel, and alongside the mounting platform for the Yamaha Helm Master EX joystick control.

The helm's fascia is finished with a neat-looking carbonfibre-look veneer over the painted aluminium. There is panel space here for the optional Garmin GPSMap 8412xsv multifunction display, along with the Yamaha Command Link digital gauge and switching.

Overhead, beneath the hardtop, there is another carbonfibre-look panel for mounting extra radio head units such as the GME VHF radio in the test boat.

Ceiling lighting and two very sturdy overhead grab handles are located nearby, the latter complimenting the excellent welded dash grab rail.

The Stessl 660 Seahawk is comfortable to drive while seated or standing. The steering wheel and throttle are nicely positioned, and the view forward through the two-piece front windshield is excellent.

The pedestal chairs are great too. They don't have armrests but they swivel, slide fore and aft, and have flip-up bolsters for maximum adjustment.

Other notable features hereabouts includes the hardtop's sliding side windows that breeze air into the helm, an eight-rod rocket launcher storage rack, and the excellent grab rails on the back, or cockpit, side of the hardtop.

Anglers will love the huge size of the Stessl's self-draining cockpit. It stretches 3.2 metres from the cabin bulkhead back to the 700mm high transom wall, by 2.32 metres wide.

Behind the helm chairs is 2.32 metres of uncluttered, wonderfully open deck space. You can easily fish five blokes from this boat, and/or fit a centre fish box or game fishing chair and still have ample space to move about.

Flanking the cockpit are elevated side storage pockets that are low enough to keep your feet wedged beneath.

Coaming bolsters to the cockpit sides (and on the transom) would be nice, but they are not really needed as the coaming/gunwale top sits 715mm above the floor.

The lowest point in the aft cockpit is down at the starboard side transom door, which sits 625mm above the deck.

The transom door opens inwards so you can step out to the aft boarding platforms and the starboard side swing-down step-ladder.

Most of the fishing features are optional in the Stessl 660 Seahawk. They include the underfloor kill tank with overboard drain, the transom bait board/rod rack, and the port side transom live bait tank.

This optional bait tank should be okay for keeping a dozen small live baits, but I would be fitting a bigger-capacity live well for wide offshore sport fishing.

Other cockpit/transom features include enclosed transom shelving for the batteries, a fold-down and removable bench seat, exposed deck stern cleats, stern rails, four flush-deck alloy rod holders, and welded transom transducer plates.

The Stessl 660 Seahawk is a high-volume trailer boat with a strake-free monohull bottom with high topsides to suppress spray, and a finely drawn bow entry shape to smooth out the chop.

Underway, in relatively mild sea conditions off the Gold Coast, the test boat performed well, riding easily, comfortably into the swell, and safely before the sea.

In a beam sea, running across the breeze, the Stessl Platerix hull runs quite flat. This is impressive as most hulls with high topsides and a hardtop will catch the wind, and lean down into it.

The Stessl 660 Seahawk does have included Lenco trim tabs to correct any lateral list, but these plate-style tabs were not needed during our test.

The Stessl 660 Seahawk is a large, reasonably weighty trailer boat with full fuel and gear so it feels big, almost cruiser-like on the water as opposed to nimble and sporty.

That said, it turns tightly, safely when pressed, and there is no shortage of grunt with the big 250hp Yamaha V6 mounted out back on the transom.

We were not able to run performance trials during our time on the water, but according to data supplied by Yamaha, the Stessl 660 Seahawk runs to a top speed of 43.3 knots at 6000rpm. That's quick for a sea-going trailer boat.

Given the high performance with the maximum-size outboard engine on the transom, I would consider dropping back to a 200hp outboard engine for wide offshore fishing applications.

Fitting the smaller engine will save a bundle of cash, and yet still provide ample performance, yielding a maximum speed in the 34 to 37 knot range.

Performance*

*Data supplied by Yamaha
Range on 95% of the 250L fuel supply: 217.4nm at 3000rpm

For a mix of bluewater sport fishing and family day boating, the Stessl 660 Seahawk earns my thumbs-up endorsement. This is a versatile, relatively inexpensive, full-featured plate alloy boat with a seaworthy hull and an excellent, uncluttered interior fishing layout.

It's a big rig, likely to top 2500kg wet on a trailer, so you'll need a large 3000kg-rated towing vehicle to haul it about. Otherwise however, this boat is quite easy to handle, simple enough to launch and retrieve, and well-mannered out on the water.

Priced from: $115,000 including a 200hp Yamaha in-line four-cylinder, extra-longshaft (25 -inch) four-stroke outboard engine with hydraulic steering, and a Redco Sportsman dual-axle aluminium trailer with electric-hydraulic brakes.

Price as tested: $175,000 including a 250hp Yamaha V6 extra-longshaft (25-inch) four-stroke outboard engine with Yamaha digital electric steering and the full Helm Master EX joystick navigation control system; semi-enclosed hardtop with rocket launcher rod rack; Stessl hull wrap; underfloor kill tank; bait board; deck wash; transom-mounted live bait tank; Garmin GPSMap 8412xsv multifunction display; GME VHF radio; Fusion audio system with speakers; aluminium helm seat frames in lieu of pedestals.

Supplied by: Stessl Boats