Why Surtees® Owners Choose More Than Just a Rod Rack
Surtees® has built a reputation for designing practical fishing boats that simply work.
From the Workmate through to the Game Fisher range, every Surtees is engineered with fishing in mind. Practical storage, clever layouts and robust construction have helped make them one of New Zealand's most respected aluminium boat manufacturers.
One area where Surtees has always done well is rod storage.
Their factory rod rack is a tidy, well-priced solution that suits many owners.
So why do some Surtees owners choose Ultimate Rod Racks?
Because they're not simply looking for somewhere to put their rods.
They're looking for a complete rod protection system.
Storage Is Only Part of the Story
Holding a fishing rod isn't particularly difficult.
Protecting it properly is.
Modern fishing outfits often represent thousands of dollars' worth of equipment.
Premium graphite rods.
High-end spinning reels.
Electric reels.
Custom jigging outfits.
Game tackle.
Simply preventing those rods from falling over isn't enough.
The real challenge is reducing movement, vibration and unnecessary contact while travelling, towing and fishing.
That's where Ultimate Rod Racks takes a different approach.
Engineered Around Protection
Every Ultimate Rod Rack begins with GunnelCore™ Technology.
Many Surtees boats feature folded C-section storage pockets that are ideally suited to our 34mm Hybrid™ GunnelCore™ System.
Rather than relying on a universal bracket, the Hybrid™ system creates a secure Mechanical Friction Fit™ that distributes loads evenly while positioning the rod rack low within the cockpit.
Combined with premium marine-grade EVA padding, the result is a removable installation that helps minimise movement without drilling into the boat.
But the mounting system is only part of the story.
More Than a Rod Rack
Ultimate Rod Racks has gradually evolved into something much bigger than rod storage.
Today it forms the foundation of our complete Rod Protection & Stabilisation System™.
Depending on how you fish, your Surtees setup can also include:
- DeckLine™ Lock Inserts to reduce rod movement within the holder.
- Adaptive Base Protectors for lighter spinning outfits.
- Game Wedge Stabilisers for heavier tackle.
- Big Foot™ Home Storage for protecting rods between trips.
Together these components work as one integrated system designed to organise, support and protect valuable fishing equipment both on and off the water.
That's something traditional rod racks were never designed to do.
Designed Around the Way You Fish
Every Surtees owner fishes differently.
Some spend their weekends straylining close to shore.
Others chase kingfish over reefs.
Many head offshore for tuna or marlin.
That's why Ultimate Rod Racks are available across the Core Series, Game Series and Home Series, allowing your rod storage system to evolve alongside your fishing.
Rather than replacing one rack with another, you simply build on the same GunnelCore™ foundation.
Developed on Real Surtees Boats
Over the years we've configured Ultimate Rod Racks for a wide range of Surtees models, including the popular Workmate, Workmate Hard Top, Pro Fisher and Game Fisher series.
Because Surtees has maintained remarkably consistent folded C-section storage pockets across much of its range, the 34mm Hybrid™ GunnelCore™ System provides one of the cleanest and most refined installations in our lineup.
As layouts continue to evolve, we keep expanding our fitment database to ensure every compatible installation delivers the standard Ultimate Rod Racks is known for.
Built Around Your Boat
Ultimate Rod Racks is proudly designed and manufactured in New Zealand.
We're not trying to build the cheapest rod rack for a Surtees.
Surtees already offers an excellent factory storage solution.
Our goal is different.
We engineer complete rod management systems that help protect expensive fishing equipment, organise your cockpit and grow with the way you fish.
Because great rod storage isn't simply about holding rods.
It's about protecting everything you've invested in.
Continue Exploring
Every boat presents a different engineering challenge. While this article explores why many Surtees® owners choose a complete rod protection system, we've also documented how different boat designs have shaped the evolution of Ultimate Rod Racks.
Learn how the strengthening bevel on Stabicraft® boats led to the development of our 34mm Hybrid™ Back Frame, and how the angled gunnel pockets found on many Senator® boats inspired the Silverback Low Rider™ (SLR™) mounting system.
If you're looking for the right Ultimate Rod Rack for your own boat, our Shop by Boat™ guide is the easiest place to start. It matches your boat with the correct GunnelCore™ mounting system and rod rack configuration.
To better understand the engineering behind our systems, we also recommend reading GunnelCore™ System: A Smarter Way to Mount Rod Racks on Modern Boats, Hybrid™ vs SLR™ – Which GunnelCore™ Mounting System Is Right for Your Boat? and Why Universal Rod Racks Don't Fit Every Boat.
