NORTHBANK 750HT

Looking back on our boat reviews over the past few years, I notice we had our first glimpse of the Northbank 750 Hard Top way back in 2011. This was the 750 prototype, and I can recall being super impressed by a lot of what I saw. It was at the beginning of the era when big, beamy offshore trailer boats were strengthening their position in the national market, and when hard tops were really coming into their own.

Going forward, Northbank designers recognised quickly that they had a couple of wrinkles to iron out, but that their hull and hard top had surpassed expectations. They knew their flagship model would be good enough to take on the big-name opposition, and that there was still plenty of room in the market for a hard top with plenty of range and serious blue water capabilities.

A couple of years later we climbed aboard for a followup run in a subsequent 750HT, which featured several subtle, but extremely beneficial design modifications. The Northbank crew had obviously been toiling away, refining bits and pieces until they were happy to start pushing the 750 out into the national market. It had been a long process, but one that ensured the boat had every box ticked and couldn’t be faulted.

Fast forward a decade, and we reckon it’s time to see where the big Northbank sits today. I knew that a new one was due to come out of the Lonsdale factory a couple of months ago, and had heard that this boat would probably be the most comprehensively fitted out 750 ever built. Its owner is an extremely keen offshore angler who obviously had the resources to deck it out as he wanted, and I can tell you we were quite blown away when it arrived at the Adelaide Shores ramp.

The 750 Hard Top is a massive trailer boat that requires a big, capable tow vehicle. I would suggest a Toyota Landcruiser as a minimum, and preferably something like a Ford F250 or Dodge Ram to tow, launch and retrieve comfortably.

Northbank recommends 450 as maximum horse power for the 750, and you can order your boat with a single outboard, dual outboards or a single sterndrive. The test boat was wearing a pair of 200hp Mercury four strokes, which seems to be the most popular power choice for blue water work. These were white Merc’s —which look stunning on this rig —but still something I find difficult to get used to!

One of the features that hits you in the eye when you climb aboard the 750HT is the amount of internal freeboard. It’s a metre from deck to gunwale coamings —something I really like in a serious offshore boat. The cockpit is enormous; in fact, you get an honest five square metres of fishing space in this boat, enabling the installation of a large central icebox if so desired. Taking four or five mates out for a day chasing tuna is no drama at all.

The cabin is now better designed than it was in the original model, and there have a couple of subtle adjustments made around the helm position as well. Seating for driver and passenger is about as comfortable as you ever want, with room beneath the helm seat for a large icebox and a storage locker beneath the passenger’s seat. The dash/helm station eats up large electronic displays, and there are plenty of sturdy stainless grab rails positioned around the boat (and under the hard top) for security offshore on a bumpy day.

The Northbank standard features list for the 750HT is indeed comprehensive. Hydraulic steering is naturally included, there are four stainless rod holders, a six-rod overhead rack, a driver’s side windscreen wiper, auto bilge pump and gas-assisted pedestal seats.

It's a monster on the trailer

Optimus Full Electric Steering in action

The 750 offers a staggering 5 square meters of cockpit space

Joystick control provides amazing manoeuvrability

The optional extras list is equally comprehensive, offering extremely useful features such as a walk-though transom with 40 litre plumbed live bait tank, deck wash system, 1200mm side kill tank, rear door to close off the hard top, a hinged side boarding door (ideal for dragging in those barrel bluefin!), and a fuel tank upgrade from 350 to 400 litres. A quick look through the Northbank website will reveal quite a few other hull, stainless steel and accessories worth considering if the budget permits. There are a dozen different hull colour combinations available, too.

The owner of the test boat had opted to fit a high-capacity bow-mounted electric motor up front on the port side, which is worthwhile accessory in a number of situations. A long-shaft electric can be extremely useful when fishing in good conditions, offering several modes to suit the chosen style of fishing. Of these, the ‘spot lock’ function enables you to remain stationary without having to drop anchor —a wonderful feature when you’re chasing fish in shallow water that may spook when a heavy anchor and chain are deployed. Electrics also facilitate super-slow trolling, such as when you are towing bridled live baits for billfish.

Conditions for the test run out of West Beach were moderate, with some chop from a 15 knot southeasterly and the odd whitecap. As had been the case the first time we stepped aboard the big Northbank some 12 years earlier, the hull flew out of the hole and onto the plane with 400 Mercury horses out back. Naturally, the current crop of four strokes is even more efficient than those that powered the original 750 prototype, and I guess ‘breath taking’ is the best description of the way the new boat got up and away.

A big live well is a handy optional extra

Running at better than 40 knots with the twin 200s purring away out back

Top speed through the light chop was in the order of 42 knots, but at a sensible cruise of 28 knots the fuel burn was well within reasonable levels. Heading into the sea with the bow trimmed well in, the 750 carved its way softly and surely through the chop. We did cop a bit of water on the fivepiece windscreen, but that was dealt with in the blink of an eye by the wipers.

Running across and with the sea was equally impressive. The big, heavy hull with 21 degrees of transom deadrise works a treat in moderate conditions, tracking nicely and throwing water well clear. It’s an extremely predictable boat to drive, and although I’ve never been in a 750 on a rough day, I have no doubt it would get you out and back with a minimum of fuss.

For those with the right tow vehicle, the right budget and a desire to chase, big fish in blue water, the Northbank 750 Hard Top will take a lot of beating. It’s a homegrown South Aussie product that more than holds its own among the big names from interstate.