Embarking on a fishing expedition on your trailerboat is not just about having the right hull, engine, fishfinder/chartplotter, and trailer. The often-overlooked elements - the 'bits and bobs' - are equally essential for a successful and enjoyable day on the water. In this article, we'll delve into these seemingly small accessories on the NZ Fishing News Project Boat - an Extreme 745 Game King - and discuss how they contribute to the efficiency and comfort of our fishing experience.

While many budding anglers cut their teeth in modest vessels, after many trips out you come to appreciate the joy of fishing in comfort (especially important for the NZ Fishing News crew because we’re all Aucklanders with no backbones!).

SeaDek is a product we would never be without. It offers great grip, is soft for bare hooves, and quietens down noise on the boat while fishing. The Project Boat is covered with the product, including the cockpit, transom, side decks, bow, and even the roof. The SeaDek is easy to clean, particularly with our Jabsco 60PSI Hotshot washdown pump.

You can never have enough rod holders (or drink holders for that matter), and the Project Boat offers capacity for even your most overly equipped mate… you know, the one who walks down the jetty bristling with rods like a porcupine. We opted for the versatility of the Evo360 Bluewater rotating rod holders along the side decks. With the push of a button, they can be rotated to allow the perfect angle for bottom fishing or trolling (or staying dry when underway).

In the cockpit shelves, we have conveniently located electric reel plugs so we don’t have to mess around with portable batteries. Our Ocean Blue outrigger bases and poles also make setting up for gamefishing a breeze.

A crucial part of keeping morale high during a day on the briny is a decent sound system, and the Project Boat more than delivers on that front with a Fusion MS-RA210 stereo package including two 6.5” 200-watt speakers.

It can be a fair amount of effort taking out a decent-sized vessel for the day, so all the things that make life a bit easier can add up to a more enjoyable day on the water. Our trips start with confidence due to the comprehensive battery, charging and monitoring package put together by Lusty & Blundell. We keep our batteries topped up with a CTEK CS Free and solar panel system combined with a Victron SmartSolar charge controller. When underway, a Sterling Pro Charge IP68 battery-to-battery charger ensures our batteries fast charge and the Victron BMV-712 Smart battery monitor makes keeping an eye on things a breeze. Another extremely handy bit of tech onboard is a Scanstrut Rokk wireless phone charger – no messing around with cables and very secure even in rough conditions.

Conveniences up for’ard include a Jabsco electric toilet under the squabs, a hammock bunk for extra sleepers (or gear), and a lockable cabin roller door to keep everything safe and secure. The Maxwell Tasman 8 Drum Winch has never given us any anchoring hiccups and our comprehensive Hella lighting setup makes those early starts or late finishes that much easier.

Investing in the small but important accessories will make your boat a well-equipped and efficient fishing vessel, giving you more time to enjoy the fishing.