Perfectly set up for softbait fishing, the Surtees 5.5 Workmate is an ideal boat for those with limited budget and storage space
- Wide gunwales offer plenty of workspace
- Perfect softbait fishing platform, and possible dive
tender - Solid, smooth ride
- Surtees flooding keel offers 320kg of water ballast
- Seven rod holders and four drink holders
The standard Surtees 5.5 Workmate is fast becoming a Kiwi
icon, occupying a sweet spot of price versus functionality. Big
enough for two to four occupants, easy to store, light to tow, and
an excellent price, means it is a popular model.
It comes in an enclosed hardtop and open cabin options, and now
in a centre console configuration.
Why a centre console?
Softbaits are usually worked while the boat drifts, and the
fishermen typically casts their lure forward of the boat then work
it as the boat drifts past. This requires a boat with straight
walk-through access from the bow to the stern. The centre console
is the solution.
The boat is has the same 5.5m hull as the standard Workmate. It
gives a solid, smooth ride, with a beam of 2.15m and a freeboard of
710mm. It also has the famous Surtees flooding keel, providing
320kg of water ballast when filled.
Out of the hole
The review boat came with an Evinrude eTec 90hp fuel-injected
two-stroke outboard. The lightness of the Evinrude balances the
hull, and with its quick-revving power the boat quickly lifts on
the plane and empties the ballast chamber.
The helm station
The boat layout has the console unit exactly midships in the
hull, and features a folding down windscreen to reduce the storage
space required for the boat. A bench seat wide enough for two
people is tucked behind the screen, and offers support for the
skipper when standing while driving.
The dashboard on the review boat was dominated by a Lowrance HDS
7 chartplotter/sounder on a pedestal mount. The usual Evinrude
engine gauges provide a visual aid to the performance of the motor.
A useful lined parcel shelf is located under the dash, and a VHF
radio is fitted just below. A second storage tray at the bottom of
the console houses the battery but also provides space for items
like lifejackets.
A conventional steering unit is fitted to the boat, which proved
quite heavy when the engine was badly trimmed. However tweaking the
trim angle reduced the effort required to steer.
An 80-litre underfloor fuel tank is fitted, with the usual
Surtees gauge set into the floor. The fuel filler cap is also in
the floor just ahead of the console. The front of the boat has an
open anchor well with a welded alloy bollard. A grapnel anchor was
provided, well suited to the rocky terrain often encountered when
softbait fishing. A welded alloy bow rail and fairlead complete the
bow area.
Handling
On a perfect day, the boat touched 32 knots with two adults and
a full tank of fuel. The interior remained completely dry, although
this is an open boat and in rougher conditions you can expect to
take some spray. The windscreen adequately protected the skipper
from the wind.
We took the boat over a few wakes and some tight turns. The hull
is very smooth riding, and the chines grip well when heeled over to
give a tight and positive turn. When accelerating hard the centre
console lifts its bow more than the conventional layout, although
it quickly levels out when on the plane.
Fit for purpose
Once up close to the rocks we were able to test the boat’s
suitability for purpose. Surtees has widened the gunwales on this
model to make them very comfortable to sit on for extended periods.
Deck grip pads are fitted at strategic positions, and there are
four rod holders (plus accompanying drink holders) fitted around
the boat. The Surtees alloy bait board with removable wooden
cutting surface provides three additional rod holders.
Thanks to the extra ballast provided by the flooding keel, this
boat is superbly stable. There was no problem with two hefty adults
on the same side of the boat; even three or four people will not
make this boat tender at rest.
The hull features a wide parcel shelf running all around the
cockpit. The deck is finished in a non-slip checkerplate and is
uncarpeted. Along the transom the trademark Surtees alloy hatch
turns the full width of the parcel shelf into a locker, and when
opened up this forms a bench seat.
Versatility
This boat is also well set up for use as a diving tender. The
wide boarding platform is split in half by the outboard mounting
pod but still provides plenty of surface for sitting or gearing up.
An alloy boarding ladder on the port side swings up out of the way
when not in use. Although there is no step-through in the transom
it is easy enough to step over from the boat onto the boarding
platform. A centre console means that divers can gear up and then
make a backwards exit into the water from just about any point on
the boat.
Back at the boat ramp we were able to use the Surtees
self-loading mechanism to drive the boat onto the trainer
single-handedly. The boat is supplied on a single-axle unbraked
Surtees trailer, and the overall weight of the package means it is
easily towed by a moderately sized car.
Summary
The Surtees 5.5 centre console is a solid fishing machine,
perfectly designed as a no-nonsense softbait fishing platform. It’s
highly versatile but will still appeal to the specialists amongst
us.
Specifications
LOA 5.5m
Beam 2150mm
Weight 412kg
Water ballast 320L
Fuel tank 80L
Freeboard 710mm
Engine as tested 90hp Evinrude eTec