Surtees 4.85 Workmate

This is a boat that will stick with you when the going gets tough. Its strong plate-aluminium armour will handle seas and conditions well beyond its class, and all that adds up to extra peace of mind when you head to sea.

We put the little Workmate to the test on a sloppy sea and a confused Southern Ocean swell breaking over a reef just outside Warrnambool Harbour, on Victoria’s rugged and aptly-named Shipwreck Coast. The boat took it all in its stride, displaying a confident yet playful approach to seas that would have had many others heading for shelter. Its compact 15-degree vee hull, with six fully-welded stringers, runs, jumps and lands in a smooth and comfortable manner, and that’s a testament to its solid 4mm plate-aluminium construction.

Sure, she’s no show pony and the fitout is minimal, but that’s also a part of the Workmate’s beauty. This is a no-nonsense workhorse for fishers and divers -- a strong, practical package that doesn’t cost the earth to purchase or run. You can get yourself into this strong and capable little performer for well under $30,000, and it can easily be towed by your average family car. For the money you actually get quite a comprehensive package, and if I was packing the car for a lap of the country, I’d certainly be taking the Workmate along for the ride.

The little cuddy affords a pretty good helm height whether sitting or standing, although I did find the Workmate to be more of a "sit down" style of boat, even in the slop. Access to the bow is excellent for a little cuddy, and there is a small bowsprit, individual anchorwell and short bowrails for convenience. Although there are two welded bow cleats there is no way to lock the chain into place, so I’d consider the addition of a split locking bollard to ensure the pick is held securely in rough conditions.

The cuddy offers some space to keep fishboxes and safety gear under cover, but there aren’t any compartments or bunks, so individuals will have to customise the space to their needs, or stump up the extra for the optional cabin seating and storage. There is a pair of small sidepockets, but I emphasise the word "small". I really liked the elastic life jacket retainers. These line the internal cuddy walls and will keep your vital safety equipment accessible and in easy view, instead of becoming a damp, rotting mess under a seat box.

The checkerplate floor runs throughout the entire deck from bow to stern. Its non-skid work surface is easily cleaned and maintained, but remember that any water on the deck can run straight into the cuddy cab, so you’ll need to store anything in watertight containers.

The dashboard is minimal, but entirely suitable and practical. The windscreen isn’t just a bolt-on accessory; it’s formed as part of the cabin construction, with a strong frame. This frame also becomes a grabrail as well as a wind and spray deflector, combining well with the toughened glass windscreen to provide the occupants with decent protection.

The driver and passenger do got a pair of simple aluminium seat boxes. I’m glad Surtees has gone for the superior strength and storage of this configuration instead of cheap pedestals found in some boats -- they’re bloody dangerous for big blokes like me. The plastic moulded seats are quite suitable and surprisingly comfortable, and they come with removable cushions and swivel mounts.

The walk-up-style transom is very fishable. There are mounting positions on the floor for two 22-litre portable fuel tanks, leaving room under the floor for a large killtank. Having portable fuel tanks eliminates having to tow your boat to the petrol station, or carrying extra jerry cans for refuelling. They are also easy to keep clean, and they don’t really need separate fuel filtration systems, especially when combined with the more forgiving carburetted engines.

Underfloor fuel tanks are optional, but again it’s more money and this is a premium-quality yet budget-oriented package. The floor drains to an easily accessible bilge recess with pump. The workstation is nicely finished off with an aluminium cutting board with rodholders, and there are grabrails over each side to the boarding platforms.

I liked the half-pod transom configuration of the little Surtees. It has twin rear platforms with a fold-down dive ladder and plenty of room for batteries, oil bottles, pumps and associated plumbing. The transom combines well with small horsepower motors up to the maximum 70hp rating. Our test package performed really well with a good old Yamaha oil-injected two-stroke 60hp engine, while carrying two large passengers. Yep, a carburetted two-stroke -- and I loved it! For every reason you can give me to change up to a more expensive new-generation two-stroke or four-stroke engine, I’ll give you two reasons to stay with the cheaper alternative.

The Workmate battled on in rather treacherous conditions and its overall performance both surprised and thrilled me. It certainly lands very softly for an aluminium boat, although the relatively deep vee is understandably a little tender, as well as sensitive to weight and trim. The Surtees has a manually-operated gate to trap the water in the flooding keel, the extra ballast helping to stabilise the load. Personally I’d rather just see more permanent weight in the hull, as to my mind a manually-operated doorway isn’t an ideal alternative.

However, the boat certainly performed well with the weight captured underneath, and there was surprisingly very little difference in the speed figures, with or without the ballast. This indicates to me that the Yamaha has plenty of torque to carry the extra weight, with the horsepower in reserve to punch it out of the hole.

The layout is a bit Spartan but this little Kiwi has won my heart. There are very few 4.85m plate-aluminium cuddy cabins on the market, and this one is a purpose-built weapon. The quality of its construction is superb, and its strong, neat welds only instil further confidence in the product. On the water she’s surefooted in uncomfortable and unpredictable seas -- in light of her seaworthiness, you can forgive a little tenderness. Like all deep-vees, the 4.85 Workmate likes to get up and run. This is a tough, no-frills, no-nonsense workboat -- I guess that’s why it’s called a Workmate!