Blumper dangler or red toby? The wrong decision could have ruined my whole day. Fortunately thanks to the cunning and experienced fishos I was with, the right choice was made and I scored my limit bag in less than an hour.
If this all sounds a little confusing, let me explain. I was on Lake Taupo for an exclusive test on the all new Buccaneer 720 Elite and just as it happened there was plenty of trout fishing gear aboard. After a photo session between rain squalls and cloud cover I was treated to a few hours trolling around the Western Bays as I talked to designer Gerry Gerrand, between hauling in a full legal limit of healthy rainbows.
The Buccaneer 720 Elite is more than a simple revamp of the established 720 Executive, with the only similarity being they are based on the same hull. Also there has been a major step forward in the hardtop option, that truly transforms this boat into an ideal weekender. On Lake Taupo, when the rain squalls came through and the westerly wind settled in, you really appreciated the hardtop option.
The first Buccaneer 720 was released for the summer of 1989 and initially in its highly optioned form sales were slow. However with a downspec of the standard equipment list, sales of the 720 suddenly took off and it quickly established its place in the big trailer boat market. Up alongside the Haines Hunter 700 when first introduced the Buccaneer was the biggest most practical trailerboat on the market for its size and represented a major step up from the companies previously largest model, the Buccaneer 605. Since then it has had to compete for sales against boats such as the Haines Hunter 730 and the Rayglass Legend 720.
Following on from the 605 Elite and the 525 Elite, the 720 Elite is the latest in the new model line-up from the countries most prolific trailerboat builder. The new generation styling Buccaneer 720 Elite totally replaces the 720
Executive which is now no longer available. So where are the major differences ?

BIG VOLUME
Most obvious is the volume of this open plan boat. It's higher in the topsides, bigger in the cabin, wider internal beam, has more headroom and a larger cockpit. Gerrand is a hands-on boat manufacturer who knows what's needed in a boat, especially one this size that he uses constantly...especially trout fishing on Lake Taupo. He also appreciates that what was accepted five years ago isn't necessarily the trend today and that existing 720 owners have the opportunity to upgrade to a newer model.
The deckline is a lot higher, therefore the stylish low profile lines of the 720 Executive have gone, replaced by a somewhat bullish foredeck, necessary to accommodate the increased cabin headroom. There's now a fibreglass moulded bulkhead (as per the 605 & 525 Elites), toughened glass Taylor windscreen, larger fuel tank, moulded bow sprit, much more storage throughout, new dash layout and a complete redesign of the seating style, to name just a few of the changes.
The open layout marries the cabin and cockpit areas together nicely and you have the impression of being in a big sport boat. Inside there is exceptional headroom right through to the front of the cabin, the starboard bunk is longer than in the previous 720 and with the in-fill in place you have a large double berth. The
increased cabin height has also
allowed for higher side windows which let in a lot more light.
Storage is provided in wide deep side pockets, under the side squabs and in a small locker built into the starboard bulkhead. A fully plumbed TMC toilet fits under the forward squab and a draw curtain completely privatises the cabin when necessary. Above, the Weaver friction hatch offers access to the foredeck for someone to assist in anchoring chores, although with an automatic system most of the hardwork is carried out from the helm.
If you are going to call your boat a weekender then you have to have cooking facilities. The Buccaneer 720 Elite has a small two burner stainless steel gas cooker, with moulded sink unit and either manual or pressurised fresh water accessed from a 50 litre built in tank. A small fridge can be fitted in front of the passenger seat.
The cockpit has come in for special attention with moulded footrests, upgraded upholstery and a new seat design. According to Gerrand the moulded seat unit plugs took 148 man-hours, plus another 60 hours to build the moulds. Mounted atop the moulded base, the passenger bucket seat fully swivels, with the helm seat both swivelling and with fore-aft adjustment. The base storage is massive and is accessed by lifting up the rear seats, held open by lock springs. I found during our quiet trolling period, the seats were comfortable and well designed to support the base of your back in a semi side lounging aspect.
Other storage in the cockpit of the outboard model is in side shelves, and under the rear deck, plus twin lockers in the transom. The sterndrive model differs only in the loss of the central storage top opening locker which now gives access to the rear of the engine.
Long range cruising is a prerequisite of a boat like this, so the fuel capacity has been increased to 250 litres standard, (option to 300 litres) with a sender unit and gauge backed up a by a sight-glass so you can check what you've got in the tank should the gauge look suspect.

TOP STUFF
Hardtops are now commonplace on large cruisers and although they have not yet become a standard item amongst trailerboat owners. In fact very few manufacturers even offer them. Buccaneer have now, for a number of years had a hardtop option and it has proven popular in both the 720 Executive and the Billfisher series.
With the new 720 Elite, Gerrand wanted something that was more than a bolt on option attached to the screen, with the customary cleats on the side and held in place by heavy stainless steel stays.
What he's come up with is a tough, heavy duty, all weather hardtop that he classes as Cook Strait material! Constructed of solid grp and coremat reinforcement, this $4000 option is bolted to the deck, (the standard screen is removed) and transforms an open sports cabin boat into a small cruiser. The toughened glass forward screen also allows you the option of having windscreen wipers and the sliding side windows and overhead Sandbrook sliding hatch let a little breeze through. Side rails give you something to hang onto and you have the option of a soft canopy extension that also rolls up out of the way. An overhead moulded section houses your stereo unit and a couple of speakers, as well as the VHF. The hardtop represents a personal approach by Gerrand that represents what he wanted to suit his weekends away and mid winter fishing trips. It certainly proved it's worth on Lake Taupo as I hauled aboard my third rainbow, sheltered from the wind and rain by the hardtop and the extension over the back of the cockpit.
With side and rear curtains in place the cockpit is fully enclosed and it's then that you appreciate the overall size of the boat and why it can truly be classed as a weekender. Take three days if you like!

SMOOTH AND EASY
Our Lake Taupo trip gave me the opportunity of looking over both the open and hardtop versions of the 720 Elite. Moller Yamaha's Greg Fenwick turned up with the open version complete with a Yamaha 200 V6 and we had Gerry Gerrand's own hardtop version with a Yamaha V6 petrol sterndrive. Whilst Yamaha are currently not marketing the petrol sterndrive anymore, it did give me the chance to experience the difference in the two power options.
Outboards from 150 to 225 and petrol or diesel sterndrives from 150 to 300 are suitable. Interestingly both boats topped out across the lake at 40 knots - the outboard pulling 5800rpm and the sterndrive 4600rpm. Acceleration was good on both accounts, although I must admit I liked the sterndrive for extended slow speed trolling. The sterndrive is a little noisier, but then with the hardtop the sound tends to be retained more than the open boat.
The 720 has a deep 21 degree deadrise at the stern and returns a soft dry ride that makes this an ideal boat suited to moderate to rough water. Mind you anything this length has an advantage, especially on the fickle waters of Lake Taupo. I found driving the hardtop version more akin to being in a small cruiser and certainly gave all aboard a sense of comfort and security. The open boat was nimble and very responsive to the helm, not doing anything stupid and is a pleasure to drive either seated or standing.
Construction is gunstock and handlaid, with triaxle glass for extra strength and a stiffer hull. Towing weight on the multiroller DMW Premier series trailer is around 1900kgs, depending on your engine options and is ideally matched to a 6 cylinder diesel 4x4 or V8 Holden/Falcon or similar.
This is a boat that is designed both as an overnighter and day cruiser and whilst not pitched at the serious fisherman, (the Billfisher 237 is better placed for that), it would more than cater for their needs. It's a boat that you can feel confident taking offshore and with the hardtop option even Cook Strait wouldn't seem so daunting.
Whilst the hardtop may not be for everyone, it offers a different alternative to what is already a great boat. Buccaneer Pleasure Boat Company are continually
introducing new models and in all cases they are not just revamps of existing product in their range. The 720 Elite is testimony to that and will no doubt soon be joined by even more models following a similar theme.

Buccaneer 720 Elite XL
Hull
Model 720 Elite XL
Designer Gerry Gerrand
Material GRP
Type cabin runabout
LOA 7.54m
Beam 2.45m
Deadrise at Transom 21 degrees
Engine Capacity 150-300 hp
Power Options outboard or sterndrive
Fuel Capacity 250 litres
Manufacturer
Buccaneer Pleasure Craft Ltd, PO Box 10433 Te Rapa, Hamilton
Ph 07 849 7129, Fax 07 849 7389