Surtees 6.1HT

It’s not usual for us to put together two tests from the same manufacturer in a row. However this was too good to miss. We planned to pick up the 6.1 Hardtop from the Surtees factory and keep driving to Waihau Bay. There we would hook several large blue marlin while completing the test and we would capture the cover shot all at the same time. There is only one response. Bugger the wind….

If you’ve attended an Auckland Boat Show over the last few years one thing will have been quite conspicuous; Surtees boats account for the bulk of the awards presented to aluminium boats every year. A close look at the product will reveal why; they are exceptionally well devised, constructed and finished. The thought and detail Neil Surtees has added to his vessels lifts them above many other production boats.

A visit to the Surtees factory helps explain some of the success, as everything is handled in house, right down to the upholstery. When I was there recently another section of the building project was being completed. With such control over the finished product the final result is the boat the manufacturer wants it to be. Which means when it’s good, it’s very good. Surtees builds very good boats.

Our timing for this test couldn’t have been worse. Two weeks prior to the date we became aware of the sad news that Jan Surtees had cancer and only a short time to live. Like so many businesses (this magazine is another example) the woman behind the man is so often the driving force. The day before we collected the test boat we received the news of Jan’s death. We would like to offer our deepest sympathies to Neil and family members. Jan will be missed by the industry.

Fortunately, the Surtees were astute enough to employ Phil Noblett as their production manager. He is very much on the ball and all the arrangements for our test went smoothly, even when we made him get out of bed early on a Saturday morning to meet us. Things are running better than ever in the factory and a full order book shows the standing the products have in the local market.

First Impressions

I’m going to start at the end. According to my darling we males often do such things anyway. The reason is, I’m going to be very critical of this boat, and that on its own is a compliment. The reason I will be so critical is that I believe it’s a very, very good boat. And, I have to be honest and say, it is of a size and style that would really suit my lifestyle and fishing, so I probably looked at it with more intensity than some. I could really be happy owning this hull. That’s why I looked at it so intently to see what I would do differently.

When viewed from the side, the boat looks too short, with lines reminiscent of an early Westcoaster. It gives the impression it needs another metre tacked on the end. The one and only time that was an issue was the first viewing. On the water it wouldn’t be noticed at all. The hardtop design suits the lines, the steep rakish bow line looks fast and impression is of a solid and serious performer, a bigger boat than the number on the side shows.

The Rig

This is a boat that has already received recognition in the form of “Fishing Boat of the Show” at the 2002 National Boat Show in Hamilton. There are a number of configurations available, the standard hardtop, which we tested, has 2.0m bunks which can be slept on (we did). Next is the Hardtop Extra which puts 400mm extra in the cockpit and shortens the bunks by an equivalent amount (this was the award winner). Finally there is a Cuddy version available as well.

The hull is 6.1m overall with a beam of 2.35m and freeboard of 730mm. Hull construction is of 5mm, sides 4mm and deck 3mm. There are six fully welded stringers and a fully welded treadplate floor. The signature feature of all Surtees hulls is the flooding chamber for the water ballasting. If you have any doubt about the efficiency and practicality of this feature then get a copy of issue 12 and read what we did at Port Waikato with this boat’s big brother. There is little doubt we kept afloat because of it after bringing a rescued boat in through the surf. It’s claimed the drain time for the ballast water is around five seconds and there is a simple pull cord arrangement that either holds the water in or keeps it out if required. Noblett even uses the chamber to bring home salt water to rinse his fillets in! The hull is of variable deadrise. The bow sports a very sharp angle of entrance which works back to an 18 degree vee at the transom.

Hull weight is 650kg. There are 150l of fuel under the floor. Most noticeable on the boat was a new clear finish. Supplied by Altex, it requires specialist application but is as hard as nails and unaffected by fuel as some other products are. It looks fantastic. Expect to hear more about it in the future.

Out test rig was powered by a 140hp Suzuki 4-stroke. This falls at the upper end of the 100-150hp recommended horsepower range. Certainly the boat was far from overpowered by the combination; in fact my notes said “adequate” for horsepower. However if I was designing my own 6.1 it would almost certainly wear the same power plant, particularly if trolling was high on the priority list.

The rig sat aboard a Surtees trailer. They are well built and while clearly not a new trailer fresh off the rack (this was a demo/work unit after all) it worked perfectly with the boat and towed rather well. In fact we effortlessly towed it Whakatane to Waihau Bay and back with a 2.4l diesel Toyota Surf. I wouldn’t bother with anything other than a single axle unit as long as weight allowed.

As tested the rig costs $62,400 although the motor has since reduced in price by $1000. The US$ is a wonderful thing.

The Cabin

The cabin on this model, as mentioned, is the full version. We did sleep in it, well one of my crew did, and while it was narrow at one end, he did survive the night. Of course the first thing Phil Noblett said to us was “why didn’t you take the infills?” At the additional cost of $250 they would be good value if you expect to use it this way. The storage under the bunks is really well done, including treadplate bottoms which keeps thing above the getting wet level. This is a genuinely usable space on this boat which is quite voluminous.

The traditional full length side pockets are fitted and everything is carpeted. Access to the front is through a very large opening hatch. I think it’s too big. Standing to anchor leaves no support whatsoever. It would be uncomfortable to do so in a large sea. On the positive side, the standing position is designed so that a squab can be moved leaving a panel to stand on so the upholstery is not damaged.

The anchor well is sufficient and the fairlead set up is superb. It incorporates the bow rail as part of the structure which prevents the anchor rope jumping out of position. There isn’t enough room for an anchor winch in the traditional position. Surtees fit theirs at a point on the cabin. I know it works really well but I still can’t get used to the concept.

The Dash

Huge. There is a ton of space on top to mounting everything from a sounder to a small nuclear reactor. A raised section means no protruding bolts. Below this, a simple polycarbonate panel contains the gauges while the switch panel and cig socket sit just above the flush mounted VHF. To the side is a pocket for keys and wallet. Another is below the dash giving somewhere for those bigger sundry items as well as doubling as a footrest. The driving position is very good with the throttle falling perfectly to hand. The driver’s swivel seat is on a pedestal which is of a size that provides limited useful storage. We had a ton of gear but none of it resided there.

One small negative, not restricted to Surtees either, is the continuing insistence of manufacturers to screw the back panel of the dash. Worse still are those who use square drive screws, a type not found in your garden variety screwdriver set. Do these people never have to replace a blown fuse or check that the aerial is properly connected on the VHF? An access hatch is a cheap addition.

The Cockpit

This is a Hardtop boat (just in case you hadn’t noticed) so the design of the lid is critical in the overall way it works. At first glance this one looks like its been built half a story too high (or the boat is missing that extra metre) but the reality is this is one of the best hardtops I’ve used. The visibility at all levels is sublime. The expanse of toughened glass provides a feeling of being behind a panoramic window rather than inside a goldfish bowl. Another nice touch is pre-drilled holes in the glass, plugged and ready for windscreen wipers if desired. One of the options fitted to the test boat was an extension sunshade off the back ($350). It proved to be an excellent addition but recognise that the rocket launcher is unusable when the shade is fitted.

The passenger side has a Surtees special drop down seat. This proved adequate for general use and was supplied with the optional backrest. Additional seating was provided by upholstery on the inside of the panel that encloses the transom. It folds down to become a seat when required. Most useful was the clip-on cockpit seat. It hooks over the side pocket and can be moved to either side of the boat.

The treadplate floor had the optional tube mat overlaid. Its great stuff that lifts the look of the vessel while being very practical in use. I think it’s an essential fit. The cockpit side pockets conveniently swallowed all our gear including multiple gaff handles, rods, paddles, boat hooks, fixed gaffs and a zillion other things. The coamings have grip pads fitted each side, four plastic rod holders installed and the inevitable can/sinker holders as well. Below floor is a smallish, but useful compartment or fish bin. Also in the floor is the standard fuel gauge fitted by Surtees.

The transom had the well thought out step through/bait tank combination fitted. A nice touch, although now not such a remarkable extra any more, is the glass front. Above was a Surtees manufactured bait station with rod holders. The walk through is closed by a hinged flap which is easily tilted up and secured by window type catches.

Our test vessel had only a single battery fitted. A Racor sight glass fuel filter/water trap was a notable addition. I did unfortunately spot automotive terminals used to connect the bilge pump to the loom. No excuse nowadays; it’s these sorts of basics that will fail when the pressure comes on, and inevitably it’s the bilge pump area that sees the most salt water. The back platform carried a plastic berley bucket and sufficient room to be useful. A diver’s style single step ladder folds down perfectly and returns back unobtrusively out of the way when not required. Simple design that works is a beautiful thing.

Even better still, the transom has plates fitted for the attachment of trim tabs and transducer. I have battled manufacturers who believe they know better than me how to allow for a transducer (I have fitted a few…..). It’s a simple process of making the plate an extension of the hull. Nowhere have I seen it done better than on this Surtees.

Performance

This, as mentioned earlier, was to be a serious assault. We rented a house at Waihau Bay and a large group of us made our way there. The main bunch, including Andy McGrath, new owner of my old boat, (which would hopefully be required as the camera boat), went down a day before me and my crew member Paul. We collected the boat from the Surtees factory to be greeted with the sad news about Jan; the inevitable had taken place the previous day.

We arrived at the Bay to be greeted by less than perfect conditions. The superlative fishing of a week earlier had cooled a little and the wind was up. We knew the boys had raised a marlin the previous day, and another that morning, so we were still hopeful of serious action. It didn’t take long to convert the rig from family boat to gamefishing weapon. We managed to jury rig the outriggers in the rocket launcher and make a mountain of equipment disappear. The only concern was the plastic rod holders. I can’t for the life of me figure out why anyone would fit plastic holders to a $60,000 boat. After all, if you can’t afford the extra few $$ for stainless or alloy you aren’t going to be able to afford the boat and I can’t believe that the dollar savings will make any difference to someone shopping for quotes.

Waihau is an easy place to fish out of. We were launched and on the way in no time. The Suzuki started like a dream as all good 4-strokes do. While waiting for our truck driver so we could pick him up off the wharf, it was clear that this is a very stable hull. I’m a true fan of the water ballasting system. I also noted good toe space and a very comfortable coaming height as well. We trickled through the slow zone before applying the power. The hull lifted easily away although it wasn’t long before we were in 15knot plus winds (something we’ve gotten to know well this season) and we were forced to ease off a little. There were some obvious conclusions to be drawn early on; at higher revs there was a lot of resonance through the hull. (Don’t be fooled into thinking fours are quieter than two strokes when the hammer is down. My experience is the sound curves come pretty close together at that point). I also found the drivers seat swivel needs a lock to stop it swinging.

With half a day gone we elected to begin fishing at the earliest sign of good water. The hull trolled well, in fact it trolled very well. We weren’t stretched by the conditions and we were completely comfortable in fact. We wore water. We would have taken on less with clear panel extensions on the sides. As it transpired all we did was swap the clip on seat to the opposite side each time we changed trolling direction. It wasn’t a problem but I’d add them if I owned the boat. The fishing was quiet for us with just a small yellowfin that fell off soon after hook-up. The run back showed no vices in the hull. I took a quick opportunity to try various directions at speed but I couldn’t trip it up.

The only problem during the return journey was something that is an inherent problem with all hardtops; visibility. A low sun angle made it difficult to see through the glass while negotiating the beacons. Fortunately the side panels are short enough to see around. Someone needs to design an efficient front screen opening hatch arrangement….

Day two saw a more serious assault. Again we had wind to contend with although not quite as much as the previous day. One noticeable plus to the hull was the almost complete absence of any hull slap. It was so conspicuous it was impossible to miss. We found a leak though; the hydraulic hoses had been routed below water line through glands. One need some work. It is a very tidy way to organise the tubes but I do hate to see anything through the hull below water line. Certainly the cables were well sorted leaving lots of useful space.

The fuel gauge showed we’d used very little fuel. In fact it lied. It was jammed. It contained one of a faulty batch of senders Surtees was already aware of. Our fuel consumption worked out to be approximately 120l for 15 hours of running time. That represented a very good return. Treat the figure as a guide only; for various reasons we were unable to get an exact figure. It won’t be too far off the mark though.

Our enjoyment of and faith in the hull grew with every hour of use. We desperately wanted a fish though. Big blue was being bashful. As it happened, a southerly change came through and that transformed things. We had to take a crew member in early so I elected to catch a skippy for bait then return for an evening fish. Of course we proceeded to be pack attacked by yellowfin and believe me, braid definitely cuts even heavy mono. You can read the story and ensuing battle elsewhere in this issue.

With our yellowfin on board we headed in at a good clip. I was just about to run some more tests when a red light went off on the Suzuki gauge. We checked everything and all systems appeared to be in order. Playing safe we radioed ahead and trickled our way in. The light stayed on so we kept below 2000 rpm as a precaution. It was a slow trip but we made it with no obvious problems. We had a sneaking suspicion that it was more than coincidence that the mechanical gauge clicked over to 50 hours as the light went on. With no manual aboard, we rang back to Rollos Marine the following morning expecting the Johnson version to be the same. They are not, so the boys couldn’t find the answer for us. I didn‘t have contacts for Suzuki and as the Surtees staff were hosting a funeral we didn’t bother them. To cut a long story short, we curtailed our trip to play safe and found on our return that it was indeed a service indicator light. Still, better safe than to return a pile of scrap metal.

Summary

I have yet to run into a dissatisfied Surtees owner. Try and find a second hand one if you can. They are a rare thing indeed. After using the boat I can see why. Noblett was at pains to tell how much better the 6.7 is again. I’ve been in both but I think the 6.1 is the better boat. Sorry Phil… Put it this way, you can’t beat hull length but this smaller sibling doesn’t have to make any apologies. While the trend for the last few years has been to go bigger, we’ve shown with the magazine boat that it’s not essential to be the biggest on the block to be competitive. This boat will still fit most people’s driveways, is very affordable to run, has a huge volume for its size, handles like a dream yet can still ride on a single axle trailer. It won’t scare the lesser experienced members of the family when it gets a little willing out there. I’ve noticed increasing numbers of them showing up at tournaments around the country. We haven’t scored it due to the fact that I didn’t complete all the tests I usually run. It would have been a good total.

Would I own one? You bet. In fact I’ve already made a few sketches of how I’d want the cockpit set up…..

This article is reproduced with permission of Coast to Coast Magazine 2006 Re-publishing elsewhere is prohibited