Princecraft’s New Deckboat Is 33% Lighter than Glass

Princecraft has introduced a new 22’ aluminum “fish n’ ski” deckboat that it
says weighs 2208 lbs. and is 33% lighter than similar-sized fiberglass boats. In
fact, the folks at Princecraft are being far too modest. When we compared the 220
WS to the deck boat company that created the type – Hurricane by Godfrey – we found
that the new 220 WS at 2208 lbs. is actually 35.2% lighter than the fiberglass Hurricane
2200 Sun Deck. This huge weight savings means a lower horsepower outboard can be
used than with a glass boat, and operation will be more fuel-efficient.

Called a “fish n’ ski” deckboat, Princecraft's new aluminum 220 WS promises to be fuel-efficient, nimble and versatile.

Princecraft says that it introduced the 190 WS last year and it was a sales success
so they are now introducing the 220 WS for 2009. In fact the company builds a similar
boat that is sterndrive-powered, the 220 LPW I/O. She weighs in at 3534 lbs. with
stern drive.



Princecraft describes the boat’s bottom as a “deep-vee” and says that it will have
options such as an anodized aluminum tow tower for wakeboarding, underwater lighting,
flush mount halogen docking lights, a pop-up privacy enclosure and a chemical toilet
with holding tank and pump-out system. This all sounds pretty cool to us.



The new Ventura 220 WS has a walk-through windshield. "Our goal with the Ventura
220 WS was to give recreational boating families the added space and functionality
they need for long days on the water," says Donald Dubois, executive vice president.
"We are committed to making the best aluminum deck boats on the market, and our
entire Ventura line is proof of that."


The new boat comes standard with a fully-lit, chrome trimmed, Thermoformed LaserWave
dash panel equipped with lighted switches, a No-FeedBackTM steering system with
dual cables, and an AM/FM/CD stereo with iPod controls and four waterproof speakers.
The music system on the 220 WS is also Sirius Satellite compatible.



With 5052-H36 marine grade aluminum alloy which is 2.8 mm thick on both the bottom
and the hull sides. Princecraft is a Brunswick company so you can have any outboard
you want so long as its black. The company offers Mercury Four-Stoke or Mercury
EFI Two-Stoke engines ranging from 115 to 200-hp.



Princecraft engineers also designed the boat to feature an engine that is clear
of the convenient boarding ladder and has an over-sized sun pad which could be used
as a pop-up privacy enclosure for changing, or as a head.



The company supplied us with the following specifications:


SPECIFICATIONS



• LOA: 6.6 m (21' - 9")


• Beam: 2.6 m (8' - 6")


• Approx. weight: 2208 lbs., 1002 kg.


• Max. person cap.: 10


• Max. H.P.: 200 hp.)