Thread: Boat advice

Hi chaps. Have been thinking of upgrading my 14 footer to something I can get out a bit wider in chasing Canterbury puka or even bluefin when weather allows.
Have been looking at the Frewza f16s or a surtees 5.5, has anyone had experience with both and have and have any insight on what is the safer option out wide? Any other suggestions welcome around the 30k mark second hand

I’m not bagging the surtees as they seem like a great boat but there’s been a lot of them sold through insurance auctions that have been fully submerged which puts me off. (Sink a lot)!
Worlds your oyster as a buyer right now, you’d get a very capable fibreglass boat in your price bracket as well.

I don't know much about Frewza boats but the surtees do have one weakness and that is to do with having such a sharp bow, they have a reputation for 'chine walking' it also means that they do cut through waves well but sometimes it's better to go over a wave not through it.

Mate had a Surtees 5.5 and claimed the bow dug in when he turned at speed. He sold it.

a lot of the alloys that are made light weight have handling problems many chine walk if cranked up - that is they walk from side to side - its not an issue if you moderate ones speed - air under the hull can make alloys behave badly - the big fiberglass ride very well the older Haines Hunters 198 handled like a dream- the newer 700 probably handles as well as anything so do the Buccaneers - but some are getting on now and any fiberglass needs a damn good inspection for chips and fiberglass pox basically delaminating - another problem is kids and idiots allowing sinkers to bang against the sides of fiberglass boats causes chipping - I would go a heavier alloy and just take it bloody easy its a fishing boat not a speed boat - the worst handling alloy I have ever struck was a 17foot pontoon made by Senator in Hawkes bay - we called it the pig boat it just would not plane ran flat everywhere and was damn wet running flat it caught spray in front and dumped it on top of you behind the wheel we tried a dolphin set up on out board but nah did nothing ( basically fins that bolt onto cavitation plates either side - heavy alloy job done and take it easy

A lot of it is knowing your hull and not doing what it doesn't like. The narrow bow on a Surtees is what gives them the really good ride through a short wind chop without being as boneshaking as something like the Stabi's.

I've seen a few 'unsinkable' pontoon hulls come up at auction after being written off by insurance, so I would not just tar the Surteees with a brush on that one. A 5.5 isn't a big hull and care needs to be had whatever breed it is.

My personal thing is if going wide, bigger gives you a safety margin in a lot of different ways as a lot of hulls are graded in some form of overall length - what you need to look at is the waterline length going back to the surtees example and the finer bow and entry. This gives it a smaller wetted area (the amount of hull in the water) and this means it's not as good at carting a load of gear (I've had four divers in a Workmate, you fit but the hull does not like that much weight).

And on the seventh day god made the Haines Hunter .

Ive had a surtees 5.5. I thought it was a good hull with a 90hp Merc.

Didnt like the motor much, bit agricultural for me and it loved oil and gas.

I did sell it for more than I paid for it which was good. Ive never heard of them sinking like in a post mentioned above.

I eventually sold it and brought a 6950 Seahouse Liberty. That is an amazing hull. Sadly, they arent made anymore.

I use mine for everything from shallow water live baiting to deep drops out from north cape. It handles anything that you can throw at it. On its 2nd motor now ( 200hp Yamaha) . It will stay with us til were too old to use it.

Try and find an Aqualite. They were made in Timaru, Deep vee pontoon designed by Scott Robinson. There is a 601 Aqualite on FB marketplace which looks like an absolute weapon that's been for sale for a while they are asking 50k for it but in this environment I'm sure you would get it for less.

I know that's a bit more than your budget, but it would take you pretty much anywhere you would be comfortable to go and more importantly get you back home.
It is way up north so a bit far from you, but I would think more should be available in your area.

Mate had a f16 frewza think they have changed transom design since. He has a 80hp Honda. But he is having problems with it poropsing. Had issues with the underfloor tank too leaking. But like everything if you look hard enough you will find a problem.

Yes that last comment should be in truths - boat I have felt for a long time is spelled wrong, should be boatt (bring on another ten thousand, twenty thousand, thirty thou...).

I much prefer ali to glass, simply that it's harder to bust it and if I do, I have the gear to grind ali up and reweld it myself. Glass I have to get everything in, and it's a pain in the arse.

I have a Frewza F18 HT, so a little bigger than the F16. But from all the boats I've been on it has amazing bang for buck. Being a pontoon boat it's stable as when on anchor and walking around, drives really well in rough waters. I would recommend Frewza all day

I have a Frewza 535 and love it, it's basically a F16 hull stretched out a few hundred mm.
You're South Canterbury yeah? I keep it down Moeraki and I'll be down there Matariki if you'd like have a look/spin in it.

Do Surtees really sink a lot or is it that are just a very commonly owned boat, so appear more in incidents? I don't own one and don't think I've ever been on on, but people do seem to like them.

For the OP, Frewza and Surtees are completely different shaped hulls. Pontoon versus "V". After deciding on fibreglass versus aluminium, shape of hull would be my next decision. For a smaller boat, I would say that a pontoon boat has to be the safer option. For long rides in the chop, I think most people would agree that a V-shaped hull would be the most comfortable option.

go a metre bigger than what you think you want, you will be thankful if your going wide.