2002 Fish Hawk 310

Testers Notebook: 2002 Fishhawk 230      Location: Intracoastal Waterway, Grant, Fla.      Test load: light load, two adults, 3/4 fuel, safety and testing gear.      Test day conditions: One to one-and-a-half-foot chop, temperature 75 degrees F.       Synopsis: Evinrude's 200-hp direct injection FICHT outboard pushes the Fish Hawk 230 CC - another new member of the Bombardier family -- to top speeds of 50 mph, while offering plenty of mid-range performance and a easy cruising speed at 25 mph.

By: Peter Wilson
     Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.
     When Bombardier acquired the outboard motor division of OMC, you just had to know that it would not take long before there would be an in-house marriage between motors and boats. Bombardier instantly had the motors, Johnson and Evinrude, they just needed a boat line.
     Something old. In this case old is a good thing. It refers to Bombardier's experience in the marine industry, and when you combine this with the two oldest names in outboard motors, you know you now have a recipe for success.
     Something new. Bombardier wanted a line of boats to package with their outboards. It would have been easier and faster to acquire an existing boat line, but launching a totally new line of boats is far more exciting and allows you the freedom to create your own designs using your own ideas and thus the creation of a new line of boats: Fish Hawk.
     Something borrowed, something blue. Borrowing a marketing concept from the Ford Model T, you can have any colour you want… as long as it's black; all Fish Hawks are white with dark blue hull accents. There are no other colour options.   
     The flagship hull in the Fish Hawk line is the 230, available as a walkaround cuddy or in the case of our test boat,  a centre console. Measuring 23' 11"  including the 21-inch bow pulpit, with a beam of 8' 9" and sitting on a substantial galvanized tandem axle trailer, the Fish Hawk 230 CC looks more like a 25-footer that should be capable of running and fishing offshore.
     Knowing that many customers who purchase this size of centre console do in fact run in "big" water, Bombardier has designed the 230 CC cockpit to be deep and secure. We measured a depth of just over 26 in. from the top of the bolster pad to the fibreglass floor in the aft cockpit, and a depth of 31 in. from the deck to the floor just ahead of the console. The entire cockpit sole is covered with a diamond-patterned non-skid that we found effective for deck shoes but not so coarse that you couldn't walk around in bare feet. The Fish Hawk's extra-wide beam allows for generous passageways between the console and the gunwale that makes moving fore and aft easy. For those who do venture offshore, Bombardier has designed the 230 with a full transom, electing to mount the outboard motor on a Stainless Marine transom bracket.
     Although Bombardier has built some creature comforts and equipment into the 230 CC that should appeal to boaters who cruise or enjoy an array of water sports, perhaps at the cottage, it is primarily a fishing boat full of fishing features. Beneath the bow cushions are two large insulated fishboxes. There are tackle drawers built into the starboard side of the console, an insulated baitwell beneath the helm seat and rod storage racks moulded into the both sides of the cockpit. Built into the rear deck is a complete bait rigging station with cutting board, sink, raw water wash down and fishbox.
     On the comfort side, the 230 CC's bow casting platform can be used for seating or as a large sunpad when the upholstered cushion is in place. Forward of the console is a large cooler that doubles as a seat; there are two fold-down jump seats in the rear cockpit. Within the console there is plenty of storage and a marine toilet.
     When it came time for our sea-trials, two things became evident very quickly. The small one-foot chop in the Intracoastal Waterway off Grant, Florida was no match for the modified-V hull of the 230 CC, and although power options go right up to 250hp, the Evinrude FICHT 200 on our test boat was more than up to the challenge of powering over 4,000 pounds of boat, motor, people and gear. We recorded a top speed on GPS of 50.8 at 5,900 rpm and found a comfortable cruising speed of 25.3 mph at 3,500 rpm. From 30 mph to full throttle, when we compared GPS speed readings to those on the Faria speedometer we were never more than one mph out. Very impressive. With the Evinrude FICHT 200 quietly going about its business well behind us on the transom bracket, we pulled the throttle back to 3,200 rpm and stayed on plane at 18.7 mph. At all speeds the Fish Hawk 230CC handled very predictably, due to a well-designed hull, a good match of power for the hull, and the Sea Star hydraulic steering.
     For years Bombardier has had a reputation for building excellent recreational products that perform well. With the introduction of boats like the Fish hawk 230 CC, they now have a real contender in the popular trailerable fishing boat market.

Specs:

For the dealer nearest you contact:

Bombardier Recreational Products,
6545 US 1, Grant,
Florida 32949 U.S.A.
321-722-4000