There is a moment at the end of a long year when the work finally speaks for itself. For Cliff Schick of Surtees Boats in Whakatāne, that moment arrived as the last camera was packed away following the photo and video shoot for the new Surtees 770 Game Fisher XL. Hull one sat ready in the yard. The shoot was done. What remained was straightforward and very real: hitch up the trailer and head south to Napier, where a new owner was waiting.
That delivery, completed on 18 December, marked the final hand-over in a full year for the Whakatāne builder. Once the 770 Game Fisher XL left the yard, it would be time to step away from the factory floor and take a well-earned Christmas break. A new model completed, a new chapter under way, and a boat that had been anticipated for some time now on its way to its first home.
Surtees officially released the 770 Game Fisher XL this morning, and it represents a genuine shift in thinking about what a large trailerable fishing boat can be. It is not a cruiser with a handful of rod holders bolted on, nor a crossover dressed up to look capable offshore. The 770 Game Fisher XL was conceived as a fishing platform first, one that also delivers real shelter and the ability to stay aboard overnight without compromise.
Built at Surtees' Whakatāne facility, the boat reflects years of feedback from owners who wanted to fish further afield, stay out longer, and return home with fewer compromises. It is larger and more capable than what came before, yet it carries the same characteristics that have defined Surtees boats on the water across the range.
Understanding where the 770 Game Fisher XL sits within the Surtees lineup matters. It is an elongated version of the 750, not a trimmed-down 800. That distinction shaped every decision made throughout the project.
The Surtees 800 has attracted consistent interest, particularly from Australian buyers, but its 2.7 metre beam places it outside Australian standard road transport limits. That practical barrier has held back export sales despite genuine demand. Rather than modifying the 800, Surtees returned to the proven 750 hull as the starting point.
"We didn't want to redesign the eight metre boat," Schick explains. "The problem wasn't the boat, it was transport. So we took the 750, raised the sheerline, gave it more room in the cabin, and made it longer. It gives people what they've been asking for, without creating problems getting it on the road."
The outcome is a boat that feels substantially more spacious than the 750 while remaining easy to manage both on the water and on the road. Added length, refined proportions, and greater internal volume all contribute without pushing the design into difficult territory.
The cabin can be closed off at night using bifold doors, creating a proper enclosed space rather than a makeshift overnight arrangement. By day the boat operates as a fishing platform; when the weather turns or the light fades, it becomes a comfortable shelter.
Hot and cold water, an internal sink, electric hot water, and flexible sleeping arrangements provide genuine overnight capability for up to three berths. For cooking, Surtees took a safety-led approach, opting for diesel rather than LPG. Consumption is minimal and suits the boat's offshore role without adding complication to extended trips.
Roof-mounted solar panels keep the house batteries charged while the boat sits at anchor, letting owners remain off the grid without much thought required.
None of that comfort comes at the expense of the fishing. The anchor well is covered to produce a clean forward casting area. Rod storage is generous and distributed sensibly around the boat. The bait station is plumbed in but removable, keeping the cockpit adaptable and easy to clean after a session.
Lighting has been specified with night fishing in mind. High-output external scene lights and red and white LEDs fitted under the roof help preserve night vision during after-dark work on the water. Provision has also been made for a bow-mounted trolling motor, further reinforcing that this boat was built with serious fishing at its core.
Power output is rated to 350 horsepower. The launch boat runs twin Honda 150 hp outboards, a configuration chosen for redundancy in bar conditions and for precise low-speed control in tighter situations. Fuel capacity sits at 400 litres, paired with an 80-litre water tank. Electric steering and Zipwake trim control contribute to predictable handling even when the boat is loaded up for an extended trip.
Construction follows the same tightly controlled process applied across the Surtees range. Build, fitout, upholstery, painting, and fabrication are all completed in-house at Whakatāne. Flooring is CNC cut using 3D mapping, and custom paintwork is handled through Surtees' own paint shop. That level of integration gives buyers greater choice and consistency, while keeping quality control in Surtees' hands at every stage.
Demand for the 770 Game Fisher XL had been building well before the public release. Seventeen confirmed orders were placed ahead of the announcement, many from buyers who had been searching for a boat with genuine overnighting capability that stayed within standard road transport dimensions. Multiple hulls are already in build and fitout at Whakatāne as the team works to keep pace with that early interest.
The 770 Game Fisher XL reflects how experienced fishers are using their boats today. Longer runs, remote anchorages, extended time offshore, and an expectation that the boat will support the trip rather than limit it. For Surtees, it closes out a busy year with something that feels considered, practical, and ready to be used as intended.
Hull one headed south on 18 December. The holidays could wait just a little longer.
