You may not yet have heard of Australian manufacturer, Northbank. The brand has thus far, yet to be discovered on the East Coast. Luckily though, this is expected to change, as Northbank establish some quality dealers and a larger distribution. Back home in South Australia, it’s a completely different story, where the company are revered for their performance.

The test boat was a ‘bare bones’ set up. This allows you to choose exactly what you need and leave what you don’t. I know, I know, fishermen like having everything thrown in but the kitchen sink. However, I much prefer personalising a vessel and selecting my immediate needs and having additional options to choose from later. As it stands, the Northbank 750 Hard Top is a usable craft with nothing but an engine and multi function display added.

We tested the boat on a windy day out of Sydney Harbour. With a forecast of 15 knots on the back of four days 20 knot Sou’ Easters, it was looking like a difficult day on the water. It also rained and looked mighty dark above at 6am on the way to meet the team. I was tempted to call it off. I’m glad I didn’t.

This boat is impressive. It’s hard to think of another 7.5 metre boat that has impressed me so quickly. The Northbank 750 Hard Top may have a basic set up, but it allows you to really think about what you would like onboard. You could set it up for game fishing and it would be an excellent hull for that.

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