Boat Building and Marine Services
The Whakatāne District has built an industry on its sensational marine recreation resource and is now one of New Zealand’s major boat building and outfitting centres.
Key businesses include aluminium boat manufacturers Surtees, which employs over 45 people, and Extreme Boats, which employs over 20.
Surtees Boats
Surtees Boats was born in the early 1990s when Neil Surtees decided to design and build his own aluminium boat to fish Whakatāne’s prolific offshore waters. Other local fisherfolk were so impressed with the way it performed that they asked him to build boats for them. They’re still asking, and so are an ever-increasing number of boating and fishing enthusiasts around New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific region.
Today, Surtees Boats employs more than 45 people and manufactures in excess of 350 vessels a year. Quality, stability, safety and practicality are Surtees hallmarks, but their boats also look great and perform superbly in all sea conditions.
The Workmate, Sport Fisher and Game Fisher ranges are produced in a variety of dimensions, from 4.85 metres to 8.5 metres long. All feature Surtees signature nonpounding, super deep V hull, stabilising ballast technology and ultra-strong deck system.
Winner of the 2014 Bay of Plenty Exporter of the Year Award, the company continues to amass industry accolades. Surtees’ commitment to innovation and uncompromising quality control will ensure there is a waiting list of eager buyers far into the future.
Extreme Boats
From small beginnings, Extreme Boats has grown into a major industry force. Its superb range of offshore pleasure-craft has taken out 14 best aluminium fishing boat awards at the country’s premier boat show since 2007, and it has become New Zealand’s most-awarded aluminium boat builder.
Established by Glenn and Diane Shaw in 1998, Extreme Boats’ products have always had a point of difference: the characteristic deep vee hull and other design features ensuring unmatched stability, performance and build quality. The company uses only the highest-quality, marine-grade aluminium to create a robust, safe and lasting product, distinguished by an ultra-high quality finish that leaves its admirers wondering whether or not the hull is fibreglass.
The company’s 40-plus staff produce more than 200 quality boats a year, but a constantly-growing waiting list attests to the esteem Extreme Boats are held in by buyers throughout New Zealand, Australia and Europe.
Extreme’s Sport Fisher series ranges from 5 to 6.1 metres, while the Game King ranges from 5.7 to 11 metres. The Centre Console model ranges from 5.4 to 8.5 metres.
Comfort and safety are integral design factors. All hulls are built to survey standards and are New Zealand Boat Building Standard certified. Extreme Boats has recently obtained CE Certification, ensuring their boats meet the requirements of the applicable European conformity directives. A lengthy list of innovative ‘standard’ features completes the Extreme offering.
