EdgeWater 225 Express

EdgeWater has put a new spin on the overnighter fishing boat with the 225 Express.

by Alan Jones

July 1, 2001

The 'father of the center console' should start passing out cigars, because it looks like his company is about to become a 'daddy' again. Bob Dougherty, the longtime chief designer at Boston Whaler who founded EdgeWater Power Boats seven years ago, has put together a design team that has created a highly original small overnighter fishing boat with its 225 Express. Rather than just slapping a cabin on an existing hull for its first non-center console boat ever, it took a clean piece of paper (or in this case a blank computer screen) and created a 22-foot-6-inch boat that is unlike anything else on the market.

One of the first things that catches your eye is the 56-square-foot cockpit on the 225 Express. On the port side is an array of storage and convenience features. There are three standard-sized drawers that are perfect for small tackle boxes, two larger drawers for bulky items, a tip-out trash compartment, and an ice chest alcove to secure a standard 25-quart Igloo cooler. All the drawers feature push-button, twist-to-open knobs for security.

The full transom employs a notched engine well, which allows the integration of the 28-gallon livewell on the port side and a bait station with plenty of room for trolling rigs on the starboard side. And there's no space-robbing integrated swim platform ' instead there's an optional bolt-on starboard-side 'platformette' with a three-step stainless-steel swim ladder that folds up when not in use, and a pair of grab rails to make boarding easier. Plus, since there is no transom door, backing down on a fish won't result in the instant creation of a wading pool in the cockpit.

Powering the test boat is a 200-hp Yamaha HPDI engine, and despite the fact the 225 Express is rated up to 250 hp, it's a good match. The Yamaha gets the EdgeWater on plane fast and pushes it to 30 mph in just more than seven seconds. There are three-foot swells in the Intracoastal Waterway near New Smyrna, thanks to 25-mph winds. But fortunately the Express' extended waterline, which provides extra buoyancy to help offset the weight of the cabin, allows the boat to stay on plane at a very slow speed. This, in effect, makes it ride like a larger boat.

In calm conditions, trimming up yields better fuel economy, more than three miles per gallon under ideal conditions, according to EdgeWater. High-speed electric Lenco trim tabs keep the Express running on an even keel and are a welcome option. The variable deadrise deep-V hull meets the waves with a sharp 50-degree entry, and tapers off to 22 degrees at the stern, though it does make the 225 draw 17 inches with the outboard tilted up. Later, with thunderstorms quickly approaching, the sprint back to the dock reveals a top speed of 43.4 mph.

Ever since people have been fishing on boats, it has been the usual procedure to put your rod in a holder and get a drink, only to have a fish strike when you are least prepared. You then set the drink on the gunwale, grab the rod and wait for a wave to tip the drink into the cockpit, splashing it all over. When a fish strikes on this excursion, however, the angler simply sets the drink in one of the two cupholders mounted into the engine well and then fights the fish. This clever feature, made of molded polyboard, also has a slot for a filet knife and pliers for angler convenience. This may seem like a minor thing, but virtually no fishing boats have cupholders on the working end of the boat. For anglers who carry an arsenal of rods, there are two under-gunwale racks that hold six poles, four in-gunwale holders and a standard raw-water washdown for easy cleanup. Within the captain's seating console is a rectangular, insulated 40-gallon fishbox, although long fish like smoker kings or giant wahoo won't fit.

One of the characteristics that separates the 225 Express from the competition is the abundance of comfortable seating. For example, the test boat comes with twin cockpit bench seats. There's one behind the helm and another in the stern. Both are easily removable and can be folded down when not in use, and the legs feature gas-assisted struts to keep them firmly splayed outward to avoid any accidental fold up/crash downs.' The rearward-facing seat behind the helm station is a comfortable place to monitor a trolling spread.

The helm seat is a double-wide bench that can double as a leaning post when adjusted all the way back. The dash is big enough to accommodate large electronic display screens, and the Yamaha throttle is ergonomically placed, as is the standard tilt steering wheel. A recessed footrest allows those sitting to avoid dangling their legs like a kid in a high chair. The beefy-yet-short American Marine windshield doesn't keep all the wind off the crew, but many anglers prefer not to have glass intruding into their vision while looking for signs of fish beneath the surface. Visibility over the cabin is good, and the anchor can be seen even though there is no protruding pulpit.

Although the 225 Express is not a walk-around, there is still plenty of room to walk around on top of the gunwale, and to conform with European market requirements, there is an outboard lip to prevent slips. There are steps on both sides, which make it easy to board or to head for the bow. The T-top has been made small enough not to hinder forward movement and provides a good handhold in rough water. The Edge-Water's tall bow rails are made from 1-inch tubing ' the largest you will see short of a six-figure motoryacht ' and provide an extra measure of safety for those going to the bow. And if your boat is equipped with an electric windlass, anchoring from the comfort of the helm seat is push-button easy.

Because it's not a walk-around, the 225's cabin is wide and results in a spacious area for weekenders. With the dining table dropped, the entire cabin becomes a berth and yields 6 feet 2 inches of stretch-out room. Inside, there are dry storage compartments beneath the starboard settee and bow cushion, a sink with an optional 12-gallon freshwater tank, and a Seaward stove. There is also a portable head that slides out from underneath the cockpit sole, helping maximize cabin space.

Things sure have changed at Edge-Water. During a visit five years ago, Dougherty was still sketching out designs on a chalkboard. Eventually, the lure of the high-tech world won out. Today, EdgeWater designers use computer-aided design (CAD) to create new boats, then send the downloads to Marine Concepts, which uses a state-of-the-art five-axis mill to render the design into 3-D by robotically carving it from a block of foam. Molds are then made to exacting tolerances and delivered to EdgeWater for production. EdgeWater has developed a unique construction technique used on the 225 Express called Perma grid, a one-piece stringer and beam system. With Permagrid, longitudinal stringers and beams interlock to form opposing right angles. This structure is then bonded to the transom, hull, and deck, and injected with foam, producing a boat that is essentially one piece, with a very rigid hull.

The price of the 225 Express, when loaded with options and powered by the high-tech 200-hp Yamaha HPDI, is $58,399. For the money, you get a good-looking, capable offshore boat built using state-of-the-art techniques and materials. Plus, it's backed by a trans-ferable lifetime limited hull warranty. Maybe 30 years from now we'll be calling Dougherty's design team the 'fathers of the modern express.'