Please see our new web site at:
for more information.
E.Q. Harbor Service & Sales is Rosborough Boat's exclusive West Coast dealer for the U.S.
Click logo to go to the Rosborough factory site.
We now have a demo RF-246 Sedan Cruiser available for viewing and sea trails.
RF-246 capacity plate...pretty much says it all!
I'm often asked what makes the Rosborough Boats "different" or "special" when compared to other boats. There's an obvious answer from an aesthetic and layout standpoint but each and every boat has its own allure depending on what one is looking for in those regards. The primary thing (at least to me) that sets the Rosborough apart is the hull running characteristics. There are darn few trailerable boats built today that are specifically designed to run at mid-range speeds of 10 to 15 knots. If fact, that's the exact speed range that most boats have the most trouble with and one that affords a comfortable ride with decent economy and can eat up the miles on a long cruise; at 12 to 15 knots this hull is absolutely in its element. If 8 or 10 knots is more comfortable on any given day it will do that well and if it's calm and the desire is for 20 knots it will do that too; just not quite as well as it does the 12 to 15 knot range. I challenge you to find many other 25-footers that will chug along all-day at 12 knots yielding great visibility, a comfortable motion, and good economy. It's a perfect speed to get somewhere but still enjoy sightseeing in a relaxed manner; set the autopilot and throttles then sit back and enjoy the ride (also leaving lots of time to scout for logs and debris in the water so prevalent in the Pacific Northwest). This is the kind of boat you most love at the end of a long travel day having put 50 to 100 miles under the keel and still arrive feeling like you're up for a walk to the restaurant rather than a visit to the chiropractor's office. If you're fishing it's the kind of boat you can run offshore with at a speed that doesn't beat up the crew or the bait in the tank yet still covers the miles necessary to get out there and back. It has a solid in-the-water feel and a motion that won't have you holding on for dear life; in fact, most of the time just the roll of your hips will keep you comfortably standing or sitting where you'd like to be.
Powering the RF-246...more info.
I must also say that while not everyone will trailer the boat it is intended to be a trailerable boat and as such it shouldn't be a chore to do so. It isn't; at least not with the King triple axle galvanized trailer we've had spec'd for the RF-246. It launches and retrieves like a big skiff and I never hesitate to do it by my self even with some wind and wave action. We've gotten lots of comments at the launch ramps from folks with much smaller boats wondering how we launch and retrieve so easily and quickly when the boat seems so big. Since a large part of the pleasure for trailered boat is the ease with which it can be launched and retrieved (or maybe I should say the big displeasure is usually with the difficulty involved) we paid a lot of attention to getting the trailer "just right" to make the process a true "non event". I'm extremely happy with the King trailer; it has triple axles to spread out the load (from the engines cantilevered out back to the fuel load forward), it uses 14" tires to get the load height down (the cabin top is just 10' 4" off the ground) and the waterline closer to the water for easier launching and loading, it has six hydraulic disc brakes to really slow down if necessary (electrically controlled from the cab of the tow vehicle), and LED lights so cold water launches don't blow the bulbs. And finally, lots of rollers (non-marking yellow poly rollers) to fully support the hull.
Two boat models built on the same hull are available as shown below; click on the photos for more model specific information and some pricing comments. The hulls are identical as is the excellent construction; the difference is in the length of the house which changes the ratio of cabin to cockpit. The Sedan Cruiser on the left is shown with the optional hard top extension over the cockpit. The Custom Wheelhouse on the right is shown with the standard cabin top which it shares in common with the Sedan Cruiser (it's shown with the custom canvas enclosure we designed for the boat). Since the cabin of the Wheelhouse model is shorter using the same cabin top (as the Sedan Cruiser) results in having an overhang at the aft end...sort of a covered "porch" if you will.
Click the photo for more information on the Sedan Cruiser Click the photo for more information on the Custom Wheelhouse
The Sedan Cruiser The Custom Wheelhouse
Click HERE for information about how we rig the RF-246 and some of our available options.
Click HERE for photos of the Sedan Cruisers we've rigged.
Click HERE for photos of the Custom Wheelhouse we've rigged.
12 January 2008 - We've rigged out four RF-246 boats now and I've really come to appreciate how they're put together and how well they rig up. I've also had the opportunity to get out in some rougher weather and the boats are just great. I added some photos to the link "the Sedan Cruisers we've rigged" above for the boat that we just delivered the day after Christmas. Even in "almost ice on the dock" weather the Wallas 30-D heater did a great job and kept folks aboard quite comfortable. The new owners spent several days aboard and enjoyed a brief cruise.
16 October 2007 - I've now rigged two Sedan Cruisers; one for a customer and one for us. The customer boat is powered with twin Honda BF150 engines and our boat is rigged with twin Honda BF90s. Both boats operate wonderfully and handle rough water superbly. I would say the main difference between choosing a pair of 90s, a pair of 135s, or a pair of 150s (or an equivalent single engine) will primarily be target cruise speed, or at least that speed where the boat will spend most of its time. In round numbers I'd say the three target points are 15 knots, 20 knots and 25 knots using the 90s, the 135s, and the 150s respectively (although I could argue the BF135s are still quite viable at 25). I'm quite happy with the power of the twin 90s on our boats as my favorite cruise speed is 12 to 13 knots at 3200 rpm burning 5 gph (total for both engines). 8 knots is very relaxing and economical and is a good speed if just puttering around (it's a bit slow for "destination" speeds since 3 knots of current on the nose really knocks the heck out of ground speed) and the 90s will cruise the RF-246 at 20 knots if some distance must covered more quickly but it comes at a noticeable reduction in economy. The 135/150s are more fuel efficient in the 20 knot (and up) range so if the boat will spend much time in this range those engines would be a better choice. For all around good performance, economy, smoothness and quietness I'd recommend the BF135s.
31 August 2007 - OK...the first of our RF-246s has hit the water. Wow! I've been boating for over 50 years and this is finest hull I've run in the last 30 of those (and as good as those I knew before that); it really reminds me of all those classic boats we ran when I was growing up around Chesapeake Bay. I can't think of a better Northwest cruiser if the size of this boat fits your needs. It's quiet, it's comfortable, it's economical, it's good looking and it's built like a tank.
These are NICE boats! They're the kind of boat you can spend the rest of your boating life with. They deserve to be rigged right with care and quality and that's the way we do things. It does prevent us from delivering a lot of boats quickly and churning them out like ice cream treats on a hot summer day but we'd rather have a few very happy customers than to lower our standards for the sake of quantity.
From an operational standpoint the RF-246 exceeded all my expectations; I expected good to great and I got superb.
********************************************
Here's what Rosborough says about their RF-246:
While other 25ft. boats may pound and flex noticeably in heavy seas, the Rosborough possesses the hull strength to handle even the harsh North East Seas. This is only one of the reasons why the CANADIAN DEPT.OF FISHERIES & OCEANS have 45 of these hulls in service.
There are over 430 of these boats cruising the waters, giving the owners many enjoyable hours on the water. Repeat buyer’s are a testament to their satisfaction with the Rosborough.
”Built in the Atlantic North East where boating has been a way of life”
This practical, trailerable family cruiser is probably the largest 25ft.boat on the water, offering so much storage, large tankage and 100% POSITIVE FLOATATION.
The Rosborough is a boat that devotes a large percentage of her overall capacity to the comfort and convenience of her owners. That is, she’s quiet, smooth riding, not flashy, economical to operate and has some working boat heritage. A boat that makes you smile.
Real Boats for Real People.
