Marco Boats has earned its reputation by building tough alloy boats that handle whatever the New Zealand coast throws at them. Lunatic, a heavily customised 700 Souwester completed for a private client, takes that foundation well beyond what most people would expect from a trailer boat. Built on the proven 700 hull, the specification sits closer to a small launch than anything you would expect to find parked in a suburban driveway, making this the most comprehensively equipped 700 Marco has ever put on the water.
The platform itself is classic Marco construction. The 700 runs an 8mm bottom and transom with 5mm sides, supported by the full-length stringer system that gives these hulls their reassuring ride quality. Overall length is 7.55 metres, and at 2490kg dry on its custom Marco alloy trailer it remains a towable proposition for the right vehicle. Once afloat, the boat carries itself with a presence that exceeds its dimensions. The wider Souwester family has always been known for sitting firmly on the water, delivering a soft bow entry, a composed ride in a following sea, and the kind of settled authority more typically associated with a heavier launch. Every one of those qualities is present here.
Where Lunatic departs from the standard 700 build is in everything fitted above and around that hull. Most significantly, it is the first Marco 700 to be fitted with a Seakeeper gyro. On a boat of this size that is a major statement about intent. Stability at rest was a clear priority for the owner, particularly for deep-water fishing scenarios where lying to a drift for extended periods in any kind of chop is simply part of the day. The added mass of the gyro also deepens the hull's planted character, nudging the 700 even further toward the launch-like composure noted during Boating New Zealand's review of the 750.
The electronics package would be at home in a far larger wheelhouse. Twin Furuno TZtouch 16-inch screens anchor the helm, supported by a 3kW CM599 transducer and a 360-degree sonar system mounted through the hull. That hull-penetrating sonar installation is genuinely rare on a trailer boat and tells you a great deal about the style of fishing Lunatic was conceived for. Radar and autopilot complete a navigation suite that would draw no embarrassment on a commercial vessel. House power comes from a 330 amp hour lithium battery paired with a comprehensive monitoring system, giving the skipper live visibility of charge levels and electrical loads at all times.
The layout innovations on Lunatic are equally notable. It is the first Marco 700 to feature a second helm station, positioned to give full vessel control from the cockpit, and the first to include a second bunk in the forward cabin. The additional berth transforms the cabin into a practical space for an overnight or a weekend away, fitting neatly within the existing moulded structure without sacrificing the cabin's sense of space or its storage capacity.
The reasoning behind the second helm station becomes clear when you understand how the owner actually fishes. He regularly operates solo and works a 50w outfit from a gimbal belt, a technique that makes it essentially impossible to remain at the main helm while keeping the rod tip positioned out and over the side. For anyone who fishes that way, a cockpit station offering full control is not a luxury but a genuine working tool.
Cockpit fishing systems have been specified with equal seriousness. Tuna tubes, a dedicated live bait tank, Marco's own Stealthtech outrigger bases, a washdown pump and a secured bay for a 160-litre Icey Tek chilly bin are all integrated cleanly into the layout. The workmanship running behind the scenes, covering the wiring, plumbing, sealing and routing, reflects the same standard Marco applies to its structural builds. The custom alloy trailer has been set up specifically to accommodate the extra weight, transducer clearance requirements, and the altered balance point introduced by the gyro and full electronics fit.
Lunatic shows what Marco Boats can deliver when a client arrives with a precise vision and a builder has the skill and flexibility to meet it. The 700 Souwester has always been a capable offshore performer, but this build moves it into different territory. It sits on a trailer yet functions as a genuine expedition boat, ready for whatever New Zealand's coastline presents, from the calm settled days to the genuinely rugged stuff. How far a proven Kiwi alloy hull can travel when serious offshore ambition and thoughtful custom design pull in the same direction is on full display here.
