The backstory

Just in case you needed further incentive to head along to the 2023 Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show, this year’s Surtees/ Yamaha Grand Prize boat package will be worth over $300,000 – making it the show’s most valuable must-be-won prize ever offered. Everyone who attends the show will have the chance to go into a draw for this fishing machine.

Also, thanks to the latest ‘scan and win’ ticket technology being introduced by new show organisers XPO, patrons can simply register their tickets online or onsite at the numerous iPad registration areas before scanning their tickets at all eight of the show’s scanning booths. I was fortunate enough to get out on the impressive Surtees 750 Game Fisher before the keys were handed over (to the envy of all Boat Show attendees), and I can tell you the photos don’t lie: she’s a beauty!

Design and construction

On a quiet weekday morning in the sleepy seaside town of Sandspit, the Grand Prize rig wasn’t exactly inconspicuous; the 7.5m hull dwarfed the Ute of Surtees’ General Manager, Cliff Schick, and the Krakeninspired black and gold wrap, courtesy of wrap-wizards Brave Design, shimmered in the dawn light. The colour scheme is consistent with the Surtees’ anniversary theme, celebrating 30 years since Neil Surtees decided to design and build himself an aluminium boat to handle the inclement conditions thrown up around his home port of Whakatane.

His design, and its soft ride across the town’s notoriously rough bar, instantly created a strong demand from other fishing locals, keen for one of their own. Of course, the company’s hulls have been refined since those days, but their design principles remain the same. The 750 Game Fisher features Surtees’ renowned non-pounding hull design and a 20° deadrise.

Typically, a deeper V hull design usually means a trade-off in stability while underway and at rest, but Surtees combat this with their Anti-Roll™ ballast stability control, and the 750 has provision for 530 litres of water ballast. The hull construction includes six fully welded stringers, 6mm hull plates, spray deflection chines and buoyancy airtight floatation compartments – all backed by Surtees’ 10-year hull warranty.

The 750 Game Fisher has been designed specifically for extended offshore cruising, with a large 400-litre fuel tank and an 80-litre freshwater tank. The Grand Prize comes on a GFAB tandem-axled trailer specifically designed and built for the Surtees 750 Game Fisher.

Rated to 3,500kg GVM, it comes with a Credo, in-cab wireless braking system, which enables safe braking from any suitable tow vehicle without requiring specific hard-wired systems to be installed. Innovative UniHubs with a sealed wheel bearing mean regular bearing re-greasing is not required, an electric winch and boat catch system delivers simple retrievals, and a checker plate alloy half-walk board that runs down the centre of the trailer makes it easy to connect the winch to the boat. Like all GFAB boat trailers, the Grand Prize will come with an impressive 12-year chassis warranty.

Layout and fishability

Like all Surtees boats, practicality and fishability are at the forefront of the 30th Anniversary Surtees/ Yamaha Grand Prize build. Its 2.5m beam provides a large, uncluttered cockpit with convenient walk-through transom access to an enclosed swim platform.

The protective pushpits on the platform allow safe fishing in offshore waters, and there’s a robust boarding ladder for divers. Brushed mocha SeaDek panels with faux teak lines make standing on the cockpit and platform comfortable and protect side decks.

With four rod holders, a handy tackle drawer, and a ski pole, the bait station is complemented by drinks holders and Exploding Fish 360° rotating rod holders along the side decks, capacity for six rods in the rocket launcher, and a 4-rod clip-on shelf holder. Although there are no tuna tubes, keen gamefish anglers will appreciate the large Ocean Blue outriggers.

The livebait tank is not huge but would accommodate around 30 jack mackerel. The fully enclosable cabin is perfect for comfortable overnighting or adventures over the colder months, and while also great for security, it does marginally hinder visibility and flow between the cabin and cockpit.

There’s plenty of storage room and a generous double berth on comfortable squabs up front. The crew’s comfort is further ensured with an electric hot water shower, and sink, Engel electric fridge, an electric toilet, twin cabin roof hatches and sliding rear windows, comfortable twin Hi-Tech Plastic carbon deluxe bolstered seats, and, should the weather turn nasty, three Exalto Pantagraph wipers complete with washers.

Well-thought-out switch placement on the dash rounds off a pleasant helming experience. Garmin has come to the party with a full electronics suite valued at over $20,000. There is a 16” Garmin GPSMAP 8416xsv linked to a cockpit-mounted 9” GPSMAP 953xsv remote screen that enables the crew to keep an eye on what’s happening below. Of particular note for fishos is the additional Garmin LVS32 Livescope Panoptix transducer, which offers real-time 3D imagery. This front-facing transducer allows anglers to locate fish fore of the bow and track their movements (fish targets move across the screen and leave a trailing signature like a comet trail).

The black Garmin 24” FantomX radar has a 48nm range for tracking objects and boats, watching the weather, or looking for birds. A Fusion’s Apollo MS-RA770 Stereo has been paired with a digital amp, Signature series 3i speakers, and a Signature 3i subwoofer. A remotely controlled Lone Star GX3 Drum Winch, wide roller, bow sprit and Sarca anchor take care of the anchoring duties. Hella Marine has supplied a comprehensive LED lighting package (trailer, navigation, spotlights, blue livebait, red/white cabin, strip and underwater) to illuminate where and when required.

There is also an Icey-Tek 70-litre chilly bin and 1000-litre and 700-litre Kai Cooler insulated catch bags for larger quarry. To further enhance the winner’s fishing enjoyment, the Grand Prize will come with a $5,000 Okuma fishing gear package, Hutchwilco lifejackets and safety equipment, a Jabsco washdown kit and a year’s worth of Yamaha Marine Insurance.

Performance

Powering the 2023 Grand Prize is a Yamaha F250 V6 DES Offshore series engine incorporating technological advancements previously only seen on Yamaha’s flagship V8 425hp XTO models. The 250hp 4-stroke V6’s 4.2-litre engine has been designed to be completely integrated into the boat’s power, steering and control systems.

This includes the Helm Master EX boat control system that allows close-quarter joystick manoeuvring, one-touch autopilot and navigation options, and fishing functions like FishPoint, which uses minimal engine RPM and electric steering to maintain your position – perfect for holding over schools of fish marked on the sounder. Upon clearing the entrance to Sandspit, we pushed the throttle down, and the F250 roared into action.

The hull was on the plane in no time, delivering a comfortable and efficient cruise speed between 24-26 knots. Conditions for our filming around Kawau Island were mild, although a brisk wind from the southwest quarter did pick up for the return leg to Sandspit. Nothing to worry the 750 Game Fisher, however, as it carved through the modest chop with ease and maintained a very steady nose. The Zipwake Series S 300mm trim tabs and their built-in gyro were set to automatically control both pitch and roll, but I doubt they were working too hard on our test day!

Get your tickets today via the link here.

For more info: https://boatshow.co.nz/

The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show | 18 - 21 May | Auckland Showgrounds
 

April 2023 - Nick Jones
New Zealand Fishing News Magazine.
Copyright: NZ Fishing Media Ltd.
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