The Stabicraft boats were chosen by Saltwater, a private organisation that gathers data on wildlife and fish stocks for the Alaskan Department of Fish and Game, and by the National Marine Fisheries Service.
"Saltwater, which is located in Anchorage, Alaska, ordered the vessels as part of a US federal government contract with national marine fisheries," said Adams.
"That contract will last for the next two summers and will be located in the Petersburg-Wrangell area of southeast Alaska."
Adams said each of the nine 659 Wheel House vessels had to meet stringent design and performance requirements such as visibility, stability and strength to cope with the often treacherous water conditions of Alaska.
Each will work with an operator and observer on board.
And Adams said that some days the boats would have to travel up to 130km in all conditions to observe the vessels in the gill net fishery.
"They will be used in a variety of roles, mainly based around rivers and estuaries and offshore work," he said.
Adams described the order as a significant one for Stabicraft.
"It has traditionally been very difficult for non-US boat manufacturers to supply vessels to be used in government projects. It is a real coup.
"We are led to believe that this is a high-profile operation and everyone in the area will be watching these boats."
Adams said that even though the boats would be used in the inside waters of southeast Alaska, the wind often whipped up the seas in the area and the performance of the 659s would be tested.
Among the features that impressed the American buyers was the 659's continuous tubes of individually sealed flotation chambers.
Adams said those provided a "life ring" of buoyancy (equivalent to 2276 litres) on the upper-outer extremities of the boat.
"With the addition of an airtight chamber between the floor and the hull, these boats are virtually unsinkable," he said. "At rest, the GII Pontoon design sits in the water, giving increased stability for when the observers are moving around the forward cockpit."
The 659s also feature 6mm toughened glass around the aft wheelhouse, with access to the cabin through full-length twin sliding glass doors at the front and rear of the cabin. The cabin is also wider at shoulder height than at the gunwales to make it more comfortable for the crew.
Extra emphasis has also been placed on the vessel's gunwale height, with this increased to 873mm; the design team believes this will not only keep passengers safe on deck but also reduce the chances of the vessel taking on water.
Adams said that while Stabicraft boats were inherently strong - with the pontoon design adding a lot of rigidity - further modifications were done on the Alaskan boats.
"On these particular 659 Wheel House vessels, we have used 6mm plate alloy for the hull, 4mm for the pontoons and 4mm for the cabin," he said.
"Those Saltwater Inc observers are going to be very, very safe when out on the job."
Stabicraft 659 Wheel House
LOA 6893mm
External beam 2361mm
Internal beam 1700mm
Gunwale height 873mm
Cabin height 1988mm
Cabin width 1842mm
Fuel capacity 284 litres
Weight 1100kg (approx)
