Steber 43 Flybridge Performance Motor Cruiser

When your marina bears the title the 'Home of Steber Boats,' there's only one brand of craft you can choose as your personal gamefisher. But just what Steber do you choose? The bells and whistles 52? The Taree (NSW) company's latest 34-footer - the nimble 1050 Super Sedan? Or perhaps a tricked-up version of one of the cab-forward workboats that are Steber's bread and butter?

The choice was not really a hard one to make for Soldier Point Marina's Ken and Moyra Stewart when they started planning their new boat early in 1997.

Having had a number of Stebers pass through their hands, this one was going to be for the long term. This one wasn't for sale and it was the boat that was going to deliver Ken and Moyra and clan to the best fishing locations up and down the east coast when the hectic hours at their Port Stephens marina business slowed just a bit.

Of course, the boat would bear the name of the Stewarts' previous craft Moet. And of course it would be a Steber 43 - one with the lot...

BRAND NEW BABY
The Stewarts took delivery of their latest Moet just days before March's Port Stephens Tooheys Billfish Shootout. And while lack of time precluded fishing the vessel in the tournament, even with just seven hours on the Detroit DDEC multi-function engine gauges, Ken was more than keen for BlueWater to sample the boat during our tournament visit.

Those seven hours correspond to sea-trial and delivery hours from Steber's home base on the Manning River at Taree to Soldiers Point. Just three days before our test, Moet had made its way through the sometimes treacherous Harrington Bar, spent a day moored at Crowdy Head waiting for its new owner and was then run down the coast past Seal Rocks, inshore of Broughton Island and through Yacaaba and Tomaree into its new home.

Stebercraft's Alan Steber explained that around double these sort of delivery miles and a thorough dealer prep would usually grace a customer's boat before the buyer stepped aboard. However, as Ken is one of Steber's most experienced dealers, the formalities had been dispensed with.

Ken had barely had time to straighten out the cushions and bunk valances before yours truly grabbed the keys, so this was literally a case of testing a boat straight from the box. It passed with flying colours.

HISTORICAL PRECEDENT
But let's have a little history first. Voted Australian Boat of the Year in 1994, the Steber 43 Flybridge Performance Motor Cruiser (to give the craft its full title) was first sketched by Bruce and Alan Steber's crew in 1990.

The craft followed the styling set by the company's 52 Flybridge Motor Cruiser which also won a Boat of the Year gong - in its case, in 1991.

According to Alan Steber, the company committed to a 10-year plan to totally revamp its model line-up in the late 1980s.

"It might sound a bit grandiose now, but we thought at the time it was important to set some achievable goals.

"We started on the 52 in 1988 with the hull. It was designed in-house and then we went to work on the deck, etc," Steber explained.

"It wasn't until late 1990 that the first 52 was finished. We believe that it was not only an improvement in the level of our production but it also left the existing Australian boat builders behind."

The 52's modern soft curves and three-quarter hull 'knuckle' became trademarks of the new Steber. So did the 52's enclosed flybridge.

"The 52 stood out from the crowd and put our name to the fore. Big radius curves, a deck that was formed from bow to stern in one mould - it became our way of doing things," Alan explained.

FAMILY RESEMBLANCE
The next boat on the drawing board was the 43. Naturally, the family resemblance was strong and many of the 52's styling cues are reflected in the 43.

The hull design was again the work of Stebercraft itself, rather than outside consultants. Drawing on the variable deadrise design of the proven 41 and the keel and planing strakes of the new 52, the 43 was mocked up and fiddled with in a series of models. It was fine-tuned and finally had its numbers crunched by a marine architect and built up.

And 'built' is a good description - it's a structure in keeping with the Stebercraft's obsession with toughness and quality control. Around 38mm thick, the hand-laid GRP-Divinycell sandwich construction hull features two watertight bulkheads in addition to the hefty collision bulkhead up front. Survey boats get an extra bulkhead aft.

Right from day one, the boat was designed to be a 30kt-plus craft. One that had to be both dry and soft-riding with a hull that provided plenty of lift so large payloads would not faze it - even in low horsepower twin or single engine installations.

The one-piece deck was the next task and again it featured soft curves and incorporated the enclosed flybridge.

All in all, it took three years before the first 43 hit the water. It was in fact, Tim and John Dean's Nelson Bay-based charterboat, Calypso, which still holds the unofficial record for the most marlin tagged in a day (see separate box story).

Since then, around 29 Steber 43s have left the Manning River - though not all flybridge cruisers. The same hull now graces the 43ft workboat that the company produces and the latest order is 10 navy workboats for the Defence Maritime Services. If it's good enough for the Navy...

With Stebercraft now operating under ISO9002 quality assurance accreditation, military, institutional and commercial work makes up a large part of the company's turnover.

However, there's no doubting it's pleasurecraft, and in particular gamefishing boats, that the Steber boys enjoy building the most. Eyes light up when they talk about their latest craft, the 1050, and special projects like Moet.

I can imagine they were in seventh heaven when they delivered one of their recent boats - a twin 625hp DDEC-engined 43 workboat with custom luxury fishing fitout - to its Sydney owner.

OWNER INPUT
Stepping aboard the brand-new Moet at Soldiers Point, it was clear that plenty of input had come from Ken and Moyra regarding the interior.

It's common for Steber owners to tailor the interior to their own likes and wants and it's something the company easily accommodates.

Step through the paired glazed aft-bulkhead doors and Moet welcomes you with a large, open saloon - much larger than you'd expect from most 43ft gamefishers. (With 4.70m of beam amidships, there's no escaping the fact that the 43 is a big 40-footer).

The open feeling is highlighted by glass on three sides, and especially by the light window furnishings and limed silver ash timberwork.

So it's not too stark there's just a hint of warmth in the liming, and it's all contrasted by quality charcoal coloured carpeting and leather upholstery on the portside U-shape dinette and long starboard side lounge.

Such is the size of the built-ins that you can easily, and comfortably, seat 10-plus persons. And an added bonus is that under both units there's heaps of storage - in the case of the starboard lounge via lockable roller-slide drawers.

Another neat touch is the angled bulkheading of the aft corners of the saloon.

Around two-thirds of the way into the saloon a step down puts you at galley level.

The galley itself is to port and has room for two - though it's a tight squeeze. For one, however, there's all the mod cons to hand - well-sized single bowl sink, two-burner electric hotplate and the gamefisher's friend, a convection microwave.

A raised counter hides vol-au-vent creations from your guests, though as the whole galley is down a step, it does not intrude on their view forward.

On the starboard side at galley level there's a narrow counter top with pigeon-pair fridge and freezer to store the essentials. This is an ideal place for the maitre'd to work, without crowding the chef.

Like the saloon, no opportunity for storage is passed up in the galley and associated area. Doors and drawers all feature spring-loaded push-button locks and are usefully deep, without exception.

By the way, even in this configuration there's room for a lower station, though it's an option no 43 flybridge buyer has ever chosen to take up.

COMFORT BELOW
Three plush-pile carpeted steps down the companionway stairs takes you to Moet's accommodation level with master cabin in the bow, a double cabin to port and en suite to starboard.

Flooded with natural light thanks to well-sized hatches and portlights, the cabins feature creme vinyl headliners - a finish that is carried down the bulkheads.

Solid timber doors have proper shiplike curved heads, with a paired set adding effect to the entry to the master suite.

The visitor's cabin features a single bunk over a small double while the master gets a queen-sized island double.

There's hanging space to port and a mirrored vanity to starboard - and plenty of room to rhumba about your cabinmate while he or she readies themselves for the day's festivities.

The fully-moulded en suite will be easy to care for and features a real shower and a head on which you can sit and read the newspaper. Now, nobody's going to tell me that isn't important to gamefishermen.

OUTDOOR LIVING
Probably more important to fishermen and skippers, however, are the cockpit and flybridge. In the case of Moet's teak-laid cockpit there's more than enough room around the heavy-tackle Reelax chair. There are also twin hatches down each side with enough room inside for gaffs, tagpoles and the like.

Under the sole there's also a huge lazarette accessed view to almost door-sized hatches.

Twin livewells are located in the transoms. They're big enough for small livebaits but would have trouble coping with big slimys and the like.

Against the aft bulkhead are twin fridge/freezers which can hold much more than it appears. The soft curves of the 43's wide coamings mean that there's plenty of 'air' under the gunwales. Ken has taken advantage of this by extending the fridges outboard of where they appear to 'end'. The result are fridges that will easily swallow a hefty tuna or mackerel whether they are destined for bait or the table.

The molded hinged lids of the fridges are good for both bait-prep areas and as an elevated perch while watching the Pakulas bubbling away in the wake. As a bonus they are shaded by the overhang of the flybridge.

There are two more molded seats available by way of the steps from the relatively deep cockpit to the side decks (which are generously barred and railed, making the trip forward safe, even at sea).

Steber, and 43s in particular, have been criticised by some because of the height and width of their cockpit sides. Built to survey requirements and 750mm above cockpit sole level the sides are higher than, say, a Blackwatch 40. This lends a drier, perhaps more secured feel to the cockpit - definitely a plus when fishing juniors (and heavy tackle stand-up) - but it does mean it's a bit of a lean-over to dehook a fish. You can't have it both ways, I guess.

EATING YOUR CAKE TOO
What you can have is the security and dryness of a lower station and the all-round vision and convenience of a flybridge, with the 43's enclosed flybridge.

While I'm still not totally convinced that the 43's upper station could not be a little more glass and a little less 'frame', it's an ideal position from which to command the vessel - even in bad weather.

Thanks to the glass windows, there's none of the distortion even the best clears deliver, and the hopper-style front pane and sliding side lights mean that you can access plenty of cooling air if things get a little warm.

At rest, the large lounges on each side of the bridge deck give the impression of a comfortable nook in which to entertain. Indeed, at anchor it'd make very comfortable sleeping quarters for those that miss out on a berth below.

The lounges are white vinyl-covered on the deck, but could have easily been charcoal leather, like the saloon.

When it's action stations, the centreline helm is terrific. The console is large and uncluttered but the sounder, GPS and radar are not so far away that you have to move much to take a closer look.

Stewart favours Raytheon equipment, so Moet is equipped with a 21XX radar, V850 sounder, matching Raychart and Raypilot.

A Raydata repeater, VHF and 27meg radios are housed in a neat overhead console.

A single Reelax helm chair has been added, but there's ample room to port away from the inboard flybridge access for a navigator/spotter's chair.

TRAPS FOR YOUNG PLAYERS
Pride of place on the helm console are the multi-function displays for Moet's twin 625hp Detroit DDEC-equipped 6V92 powerplants.

These displays can be configured to convey a wealth of information from engine rpm and oil or water temperature to turbo-boost pressure and fuel consumption - all in metric or imperial units.

Ken opted for Detroit's 'Standard' single-lever controls which are wide set on the console like all good gameboats. These rugged bare alloy units are a little at odds with the sophisticated feel of Moet. Personally I would have opted for the company's neat slimline units.

The trap for young players with the DDEC system is that in normal usage once the engines are bumped into gear, you only use one throttle lever. That is, the electronics take over from this point and instantaneously synchronise the two powerplants to the single throttle input.

This can be bypassed for manoeuvring and when you're fighting a fish. And for nervous nellies like yours truly, there's even a slow idle (400rpm) function that shuts down one bank of each of the V-six powerplants for berthing. Believe me, this came in handy when putting Moet away into the tight confines of its berth with a proud new owner at my side. At a normal 600rpm idle, Moet's big 29-inch diameter four-blade Teinbridge props bump her along plenty fast enough in the confines of the marina.

BOOGIE TIME
Slow idle systems dispensed with, the DDEC system comes into its own. Mash the single throttle to the stop and Moet elevates onto the plane quickly with little or no bow up attitude and none of the throttle-induced delays some users are used to.

For those used to boats that climb out of the hole when the throttle is tweaked, the 43's flat transition to plane is quite uncanny. And it's done without trim tabs or the like.

In deference to powerplants that were still tight we kept a little in reserve but still Moet jumped to an easy GPS-confirmed 26.5kt cruise at right on 2100rpm.

At this rate, with Moet's 2600lt fuel and 800lt water tanks about three-quarters full, the DDECs were registering a fuel consumption rate of 106lt/hr per engine.

Stebercraft estimated Moet will top out at over 32kt when the engines were run in at the time of the test. This figure has since been confirmed.

Drop the cruise speed back to about 21kt (under 1700rpm) and Moet's sipping at under 70lt/hr per side. This will deliver a range of over 360nm with 10% fuel capacity in reserve.

Consider the above, the fact that a usefully-sized Onan generator is standard equipment, and that even with fuel capacity bumped over the 3000lt mark there's still plenty of room for a de-sal plant and aircon in the spacious engine room, and you'll understand why Steber 43s have become favourites of long-distance charter operators.

PAST LIFE EXPERIENCE
With a reputation for handling the nastiest seaways with aplomb and an equally enviable reputation as a fish-raiser, the 43 is a soft-riding and very dry boat - as advertised.

There is a distinct feel of quality to the boat - not the sometimes chintzy impression that gold plating and flash cabinets lend to a craft, but rather a machined from solid feel that you experience every time you tie off on one of the oversize stern cleats or grab a flybridge handrail.

A slight vibration from one of the props (since rectified) was the only noticeable buzz, creak or groan from Moet as we drove her out through Port Stephens heads on a perfect day for gamefishing.

After an hour or so at the helm, I've got to admit, it was hard work to point the big white Steber shorewards.

Not because of any fault of the boat - far from it. It'll turn and burn like a boat 10ft shorter.

Rather, there was bait on the sounder and birds on the water and a big wide ocean in front of me.

Moet and I just didn't particularly want to go home. It's times like these I wonder just what I did right in my past lives to have deserved this job...

Box1: STEBER KNOW-HOW

I remember the day when the Steber 43 won the Boat of the Year. It was 1994 and the just-launched Calypso came away with the accolade after much discussion over hot coffee and carrot cake.

As one of three judges based in Sydney, the final decision required taking to the road to revisit Calypso in its home port of Port Stephens. A few more trial runs and some hours into the bowels of the boat were needed - at least that was the excuse for a day out of the office, I remember that much.

When it came to the crunch, the 43 won the Boat of the Year because of something called engineering. Engineering is a Steber strongpoint. And it's reason enough why Calypso, almost five years of hard fishing later, is still running as sweetly as the day it was launched.

In fact, of all the gameboats in Port Stephens, Calypso holds the record for the most number of marlin caught in one day. I can't remember how many exactly, but it was a sh... Err, boatload, somewhere close to 20 fish.

So what made the Steber 43 an award winner? It was a whole host of things, but five years on, I reckon you can forget the judging and look at the runs on the board. Calypso is obviously a great gamefishing boat with impressive seaworthiness.

I also liked its down-to-earth, timeless interior which can still satisfy a family or a couple for at least another decade of advancing design. Inside, lime-washed wood tones, beige-coloured carpets and white headliners gave a sense of understated comfort.

While there was sleeping for six (up to nine if you must) and a good-sized forward cabin with an island double berth, there was also some innovation on this 43. The island galley and servery located amidships made the boat ideal for entertaining.

Matched to twin Detroit 565hp DDECs, Calypso remains a 31.5kt boat. You can fish the canyons all day long or go no further than Broughton Island for a weekend away. Basically, you can do whatever takes your fancy in a Steber 43.

Selling for $539,000 as a second-hand item, Calypso has obviously held its value well, which must also count for something.

When I look back at it, we made the right choice in '94 alright... Right down to the coffee and carrot cake. David Lockwood

Box2: STACKING THE DDEC

At the heart of Moet is a pair of Detroit 6V-92TIA DDECs.

The 90° V-six turbocharged, intercooled and aftercooled diesel boasts just slightly undersquare bore and stroke of 123 x 127mm for a total capacity of just over nine litres.

Rated at 625hp, in pleasure applications the powerplant achieves peak power at 2300rpm, although there's over 600hp available from under 2000rpm.

The 6V-92 is a proven and favoured powerplant among many boatbuilders. In this rating, it benefits from the application of Detroit's latest version of its electronic engine control system DDEC III.

Simply, DDEC (Detroit Diesel Electronic Control) replaces mechanical controls with an electronic governing and fuel-injection system. This system is configured so that it automatically compensates for intermittent accessory loads, accurately synchronises powerplants in multi-engine installations, increases torque during acceleration and promises improved emissions and less smoke.

The basis of the system is a relatively simple 'read-only' electronic control module and electronically controlled fuel injectors which work together to precise meter, and time the fuel delivery to each cylinder.

According to Detroit, DDEC offers a number of advantages, including diagnostic functions for fault finding, improved performance (increased torque and horsepower up around 3%), reduced smoke under acceleration and cold start conditions, and a full range of engine monitoring functions via DDEC's Electronic Display Module.

The information available via this instrument - which replaces the battery of gauges usually associated with high-performance diesels - deserves a story in itself. In brief, however, the unit displays engine performance, control, programming and historical data on a system of menus.

In the case of Moet, the 6V-92s proved both willing and muscular. They were commendably quiet, but the trademark Detroit beat was still there to be heard... and enjoyed.

For more information contact Detroit Diesel-Allison Australia, tel (02) 9794 2600.