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The Surtees Boats Surtees 610 Sports is a mid-size bowrider built in welded and pressed marine-grade aluminium by Surtees Boats of New Zealand, a builder trading since 1980s. On our measurements it works out at roughly 20 ft 0 in (6.10 m) of hull with a beam near 8 ft 7 in (2.62 m), which places it squarely in the trailerable family bowrider class: one vehicle, one trailer, one afternoon of prep, and the boat is in the water. New Zealand plate alloy builder with a ballast system and a fearsome offshore reputation.
Layout is classic bowrider and that is the whole point of the boat. Twin lounges run forward of the windscreen with a walk-through to the anchor well, the helm and companion seats sit amidships behind a wrap screen, and a full-width lounge spans the transom for sunbathing and socialising. Around 10 people fit aboard comfortably in sheltered water. Cushions lift out, backrests fold and filler pads convert the cockpit from a conversation pit into one long sun bed in a couple of minutes.
On the water the Surtees 610 Sports is easy to like because nothing about it is demanding. Trim it out, settle into a mid-throttle cruise and it holds course with a finger on the wheel. Turns are progressive rather than sharp, wake crossings are soft, and the boat is forgiving of an inexperienced driver — an underrated quality in a family bowrider.
Power is a 145-220 hp four-stroke outboard package, and that suits both the hull and the way these boats are used. Keeping the machinery outside the hull frees up stern storage, simplifies servicing and removes the bellows and gimbal wear items that punish neglected stern drive boats. It also lifts the swim platform clear of the exhaust.
Watersports are well covered. A tow point is standard on almost every boat in this class, and Surtees Boats owners regularly add a pylon or a folding tower for wakeboarding. A healthy outboard package pulls a slalom skier out of the water cleanly and tows children on an inflatable biscuit all day without protest. Skis, ropes and vests live in the under-floor and under-seat lockers so nothing sits underfoot while the boat is loaded.
Fishing is the quiet strength of this hull. Pull the bow cushions and the forward lounge becomes an open casting platform with clear access all the way around the bow, and the rear lounge lifts out to open up the transom and side gunwales. Ten minutes of work turns the family boat into a genuinely capable fishing boat, and ten minutes the other way turns it back again before anyone gets home.
Build and finish sit where you would expect for a premium boat from New Zealand. Surtees builds heavy plate aluminium boats in Whakatane, New Zealand, for some of the most demanding water on earth — open Pacific swell, exposed bar crossings and long offshore runs. The hulls are known for a fine entry, high deadrise and a manually controlled flooding ballast chamber that lets the skipper settle the boat low and rock-steady when drifting or fishing, then drain it for planing. That combination makes a Surtees notably more comfortable at rest than most alloy boats, which directly benefits families using the boat for swimming and diving. Bowrider and sports configurations sit alongside the better-known hardtops and centre consoles, with plate thicknesses, welding standards and transom construction well beyond recreational norms. Fit-out is practical and robust rather than luxurious, and boats are usually specified to order with the buyer's choice of seating, storage and power. Surtees holds value exceptionally well in New Zealand and Australia, and the brand has a genuinely devoted owner community.
Options worth having on the Surtees 610 Sports are the practical ones: a bimini for shade, a decent bow and cockpit cover so the upholstery survives being stored outside, an upgraded sounder if you fish, and a stereo package that can be heard over the engine. Aluminium hulls also reward a good trailer with proper skids, because the plating marks more easily than fibreglass on a poorly set-up trailer.
As a used buy, check the same things you would on any bowrider in this size band: transom firmness, stringer and floor soundness, hours and service history on the engine, steering and trim function, and the state of the upholstery seams, which are the first thing to fail on a boat that lives uncovered. Boats from this builder hold their money well, so a tidy example will not be cheap, and that is usually a sign you are buying the right one.
Our price guide for the Surtees 610 Sports is US$59,000 - US$78,000 new, which moves with engine choice, trailer, tower and how recently the boat was refreshed. Judged as a whole, it does what people buy a bowrider for: cruise, tow, swim, fish and entertain in one boat, without asking the family to compromise on any of them. Surtees Boats has been refining that formula since 1980s, and the Surtees 610 Sports is a straightforward, well-judged expression of it.
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Featured Boat of the Week
This week we are putting the Bayliner Bayliner DX2000 in the spotlight, and it earns the spot. At 20 ft 2 in (6.16 m) long on a 8 ft (2.44 m) beam, this is a bowrider that reads the water well and still feels roomy enough for a full day out. A 20-foot deck-boat-width bowrider with outboard power and a huge social cockpit. Power comes from 115-150 hp mercury fourstroke outboard through a outboard package, and the fibreglass hull keeps the ride settled when the afternoon breeze puts a chop on the surface.
Seating is rated for 8 people, so there is space for family, friends, towels, eskies and the tow rope without anyone climbing over gear. Owners tend to buy it for family, water ski, leisure — which is exactly where it shines. Fuel is 30 us gal (114 l), and on the second-hand and new market you should expect to land somewhere around US$42,000 - US$58,000 new depending on hours, trailer and options.
Our full deep dive covers the layout in detail: bow lounge comfort, helm ergonomics, the rear entertaining area, storage that actually swallows a weekend, plus standard features, popular options and honest notes on where the boat compromises. If the Bayliner DX2000 is on your shortlist, start there — and check back next week, because the featured boat changes every week as we complete more full model reviews.
Featured Bowrider Article
Buying Advice
Your first boat teaches you what you actually want in your second. The trick is to make that lesson cheap. A first bowrider should be easy to launch, easy to drive, cheap to keep and simple to sell — everything else is a bonus. For most first-time buyers, 4.8-5.8 m (16-19 ft) is the sweet spot. Boats this size tow behind ordinary vehicles, fit in a standard garage or side yard, launch single-handed, and carry four to six people comfortably. They are also forgiving to dock, because you can push them off a pontoon by hand. Resist the urge to buy 7 m as a first boat. Bigger boats cost more to store, need more capable tow vehicles and heavier trailers, and are far less relaxing to manoeuvre while you are still learning. Plenty of owners upsize later; almost nobody regrets starting smaller. A single modern four-stroke outboard is the easiest introduction to boat ownership. It starts reliably, services simply, tilts clear at the ramp and can be flushed in minutes. Aim for a mid-range engine option rather than the smallest one offered — an underpowered boat struggles to plane with a full load, which is when boats feel worst.
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