Floating at the dock, Starcraft’s tournament-ready 206 STX Viper looked set for battle. A fiberglass, multispecies craft, it features downriggers, a planer board mast, net and multiple rod holders secured in its standard track system. We discovered an aerated bow baitwell and a stern livewell with a standard Oxygenator. Starcraft clearly means fishy business.
The Viper is prerigged for a bow-mount electric trolling motor. To power it, lockable stowage in the cockpit sole offers room to mount five deep-cycle batteries. An onboard built-in three-bank battery charger and receptacle is located near the transom. Additionally, port and starboard bow rod lockers — with tip-protecting tubes and retractable tiedowns — keep rods secure yet handy during run-and-gun fishing.
Outfitted with an Evinrude 225 HO E-TEC, our test boat reached 30 mph in 7.4 seconds, topping out at 49 mph. Standard hydraulic steering delivered solid handling. Starcraft has raced the boat into the high 50s with a Mercury OptiMax 225 Pro XS and stainless-steel prop. Horsepower options run to 300. The high windshield offers generous protection. Behind, we noted a fiberglass console with lighted switches, power-pedestal seat and stereo with MP3 port.
Key Features
-Center rod storage is lockable and holds up to 10 rods.
-Dedicated stowage for large tackle trays ensures you’ll always have the right lure close at hand.
-A 39-gallon transom livewell with Oxygenator and aerated bow baitwell are on board.
Starcraft Marine – New Paris, Indiana; 574-831-2950; starcraftmarine.com
