Karnic 2250 W/A

The first impression of the Karnic 2250 walkaround reminded me of boats from North Carolina, where the sea demands that builders create deep, seaworthy hulls with big-V deadrises, swooping sheerlines and widely flared shoulders to knock down Atlantic rollers. Then I noticed the Karnic's highly-polished fibreglass, coloured hull, moulded liner and comfort factors, which all add to a complete package in a trailer boat.

The fact is the Karnic is a European marque, made in Cyprus. The glossy brochure boasts of 3D CAD-CAM software used in design, 5-axis CNC robot technology used in mould building, and gelcoat, resin and fibreglass materials all to Lloyds and Des Norske Veritas standards.

According to the brochure, the Z-section marine plywood hull stringer system of marine ply encapsulated in glass provides extra strength and stiffness. The deck side is bonded on to the stringers to achieve a durable and stiff structure. The hull has a 10-year limited warranty. The deck sole is a sandwich laminate construction.

The hull has twin strakes per side and huge reverse chines which narrow towards the bow. It's a very sexy-looking package with quality features such as 316 stainless steel split bowrail through bolted to the deck with three bolts per stanchion. This makes a very strong and stable unit. Other stainless hardware on the boat is cast, not pressed. Through-hull fittings are stainless.

When you look at the specs though, you see some differences to the American look-alikes. For example, the Karnic's deadrise is just 18 degrees, and hull weight for the 6.3m hull is 1080kg. Both those factors affect the way the boat rides. I hear tell that the cost of fuel is so expensive in Europe that some manufacturers build lighter than other countries to boost fuel economy, though the flipside could be a loss of hull efficiency, thus negating the intended benefit.

INNER BEAUTY
Getting into the cabin was a squeeze past the passenger seat because the bi-fold polycarbonate door and plastic lift hatch on a retaining spring is directly in front. But that squeeze is par for the course on a walkaround of this size. Once inside, down the step and onto the fully moulded, non-skid sole, the cabin is quite roomy and comfortable with full light-coloured carpeted lining which includes padding under the roof lining material. It wasn't nice to see water staining on the lining beneath both flywire-covered portholes. They open, so perhaps someone just didn't shut them properly at some stage. The portholes, though small, and the overhead hatch, also flywired, let in plenty of light.

The twin bunks are covered in a blue and white fabric and plenty long enough for a comfortable snooze. There's lots of headroom and space for a head.

In the action station, comfortable twin white vinyl pedestal seats are mounted on open-backed storage boxes. There are no footrests. The steering is set quite low but the throttle falls well into the right hand. In front on the moulded dash are a marine radio, tape player and a switch panel. Twin, multi-function Yamaha electronic dials are mounted either side of a Humminbird Matrix 97 GPS fishing system in a plastic woodgrain panel with a compass mounted directly in front on a raised binnacle. Lovely, except for the mock walnut burl, which wasn't to my taste. There is a grabhandle mounted on the bulkhead and another to the left of the passenger seat. The four-piece, lightly tinted wraparound windscreen is quite stylish and strongly supported centrally. Speakers are mounted in the moulded panels behind the seats. Overhead a bimini and clears keep most of the wet stuff out.

FUNCTIONAL FOR FISHING
Grey carpet lines the cockpit sole and, unfortunately, also covers a fish bin moulded into the sole across the boat towards the transom and in front of the centrally mounted 180-litre fuel tank. Still, it wouldn't take much sewing to make the killtank easier to get to. The flat gunwales contain only two stainless rodholders and had only two non-skid spots moulded in, one where you'd place your foot to climb aboard from a jetty and the other around the transom corner. Coamings are thigh-high and thickly padded around the cockpit, which wasn't overly large.

Rear cleats are recessed but those amidships are not, and don't need to be. Sidepockets are economical and made from a light poly material. Removable corner seats give access to battery and oil bottles.

The Yamaha V6 200hp motor mounted on the boat (no pod) sits in an old fashioned, huge outboard well between two mounting platforms. The interior wall of the well is cut away quite low but not low enough to allow water to spill in when reversing hard. Two cup holders are moulded in. Above that are a waist-high, hinged baitboard and a couple of light rodholders. The fuel filler is amidships in the starboard gunwale.

The calf-deep walkaround is wide enough for easy walking and is accessed from the cockpit via a large wet-box step-seat complete with cushion top on either side. The boxes could be plumbed as livebait tanks. The excellent bowrail gives good support as you wind you way to the rope locker in the front of the walkaround moulding.

The anchor sits on a long, wide bowsprit with a cleat centrally mounted behind that.

SLOW AND STEADY
As we headed from Sorrento to the Rip on smooth seas at a very respectable GPS-recorded 55kmh at 4000rpm to find a bit more rough 'n' tumble, the boat tended to lean a little too much on to its port side. With the Yammy 200 trimmed in, the steering pulled heavily in the opposite direction, which made for some tough work behind the helm. Trimmed out, the lean remained but the steering was a little easier to handle. Maybe trim tabs would help but with only an 18º deadrise, the hull really shouldn't need them.

On this tack the boat got a little untidy once or twice over relatively small swells. Like a good workhorse, the hull seemed to know its limitations and was not keen to be pushed beyond them.

 One look at the Rip determined that we'd arrived at exactly the wrong time as the tide was ripping out quickly creating dangerous pressure waves against the incoming swell. So, we gave that a miss, although local surfers on Corsair Rock were having a ball after hitching rides out there on fishing boats from Sorrento ramp.

The Karnic drove better on the return run via Queenscliff and we achieved a top speed of 72kph at 5300rpm before good sense overcame valour and I backed off on the throttle. I would not have felt comfortable going any quicker.

The height of the windscreen was bothersome too. My head was bobbing up and down as I tried to look through glass, then clears which weren't very clear at all. I'm glad they were there, though, because we had a bit of spray come aboard including one lovely white wall as we pushed through a swell.

Driven within its capabilities, the Karnic is a nice unit. It will attract quite a few buyers with its price compared to its Aussie-made rivals.

The Aussie craft are probably closer to the market in design, fitout and ride but what you get for your money with the Karnic is certainly well put together, and it's an undeniably handsome, well-presented boat.

HIGHS

LOWS