Adventure and sports fishing are now cemented in Tristram Marine’s ethos. Another in-credible demonstration of this has recently been created, further revealing the company’s world-class team’s insatiable appetite to venture beyond”.
TEXT BY BARRY THOMPSON
This new diesel-powered Tristram 821 Offshore features an array of advancements and technology to inspire aspiring Tristram owners with some serious inspiration for their new machines.
Kingsley Fink, GM of Tristram Marine, says it is all about the detail. Nothing is missed, and nothing is left to chance. “We have not only reinvented the art of luxury trailer boat building, but we have also taken it to a new level”.
He adds that when building and fitting out Team Tristram, they desired to create the perfect boat. Team Tristram is the company’s boat, so it goes without saying that it would be at the pinnacle of presentation, style and appointments. If there was ever a boat that had the right to be called the Rolls-Royce on water, it is the Tristram. The 821 Offshore and, more significantly, Team Tristram is impeccable in every aspect and faultless to the core.
Having reviewed most of the Tristram models over the years, the quality is no surprise to me. Every attribute of the boat, from the bowsprit to the underwater lights, pars excellence. And, yet, despite the unrivalled quality and high level of finish, Team Tristram is more than a magnificent boat for entertaining. It is designed primarily to go serious fishing. However, you don’t have to have built in tuna tubes, game poles, electric reel connections, or tackle drawers, as the 821 is available with a more family cruiser-based layout.
Team Tristram was launched late in 2022 and is based in Whitianga. Over the summer, or what there was of it, the Fink family have taken the boat to fish the depths of Cuvier, enjoy days diving The Aldermens, lunch at Peachgrove Bay, host snorkelling trips to Te-Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve, and tour Cathedral Cove’s idyllic surrounds to create unforgettable memories with friends and family. Unquestionably a genuine all-around Kiwi boat.
HISTORY
They used to say you don’t own a Tristram, you only borrow it, and during the early growing years of the brand, that was very true. Tristram founder, designer and master creator Lance Fink knew where every one of his boats was, and woe betide you if you let it fall into neglect. However, as the Tristram name grew throughout the country, and so to the sales, it became harder to follow the path of every boat. However, now that all sales are made directly from their Hamilton factory, keeping in contact with the owners is much easier and vital to the brand’s success.
“Our owners are like family, and we keep in touch as much as we can as this allows us to gain ideas for future development”, says Kingsley.
Four years ago, Lance took a step back and left the business’s day-to-day operations to his two sons, Tristram (CFO) and Kingsley (GM). Lance, however, is still heavily involved as a sounding board and continues to mentor his two sons, albeit with much less of the frantic pace of the past, from his second home in Whitianga.
The Tristram 821 Offshore, conceived in 2020, was an entirely new design for the company. Unlike some manufacturers that modify an existing model, the 821 was designed by Tristram Marine, using Computer Aided Design (CAD) with foam plugs made for the hull, deck, superstructure and all the various moulds. Kingsley explained that the CAD system’s accuracies are within 0.0025mm.
“It was the first time we had designed a new craft over 2.5 metres, with the beam taken from 2.50m to 2.78m, which presented a few design challenges, especially regarding the floatation of the hull. With the extra beam, the boat wanted to float higher, but after designing over 30 varied hull designs, we were able to get it perfect and not until then did we start crafting the plug on the CNC Router,” says Kingsley.
He added that this allowed them to learn the hull’s variables with different chine designs, deadrise, weight, etc. Valuable information that can only be sourced from designing by CAD.
The 821 hull is as perfect as you can get for a boat of its dimensions.
“We wanted to achieve the best possible stability with variable weight distribution, given the beam and deadrise and CAD allowed us to do that with so much accuracy”.
POWER
The 821 is available in twin or single outboards up to 600hp or, as in the case of Team Tristram, diesel sterndrive.
Team Tristram is powered by the Mercury diesel 270hp V6 Turbocharged with DTS and Mercruiser Bravo 3 drive.
Maximum speed with the 270hp diesel is around 35 knots, but if you go for the outboard version, you can expect 53-56 knots. Based on 90% of the 400 litres of fuel, Team Tristram has a range of 270 nm @ 3000 rpm, using 28.5 lph / 1.30 lpnm and a speed of 22 knots.
As this boat will be used a lot for trolling, it is crucial to have a good range at low speeds. Team Tristram can cover over 400nm @ 7.6 knots, using less than one litre per nautical mile.
The 821 hull has extra wide downturned chines, with a 21deg vee at the transom. Thanks to a deep keel, the boat tracks perfectly and goes precisely where you point it. It holds its bow up nicely in a steep following sea, and you don’t have any wavering or issues with broaching. Trim tabs are built into the hull, so there is no obtrusion off the transom.
When you offer two power types, there will be some variances in the transom design. The usual method is two different transom moulds. However, not so Tristram Marine. Tristram has two deck moulds. Kingsley explains that they didn’t want to see any joining lines between the transom moulding and the coamings.
A very clever feature is that the inboard engine is fitted under the live bait tank, so the intrusion into the cockpit is the same whether you have inboard or outboard power. With the inboard arrangement, there is the bonus of a double seat. But with the outboard version, the live bait tank is moved forward over the seat to allow enough room to trim the engines. This means that the footprint on the cockpit sole remains the same. Very clever.
Another example of detailing that sets Tristram apart from many of its competitors is the design of the underfloor gutter system around all the hatches. Hidden out of sight, the cockpit is quickly drained through a series of channels. Draining the cockpit is critical if backing up hard on a fish in choppy water.
A deep sump and bilge pump take care of the flow very quickly.
READY FOR FISHING
With fishing in mind, Team Tristram is loaded. The full beam boarding platform features high profile wrap-around rails and non-slip SeaDek flooring, which extends the external area into a safe fishing environment. There is a telescopic drop-down ladder recessed into the platform, a pair of tuna tubes on the back of the 70-litre live bait tank and below a couple of underwater lights to bring up those squid at night.
There is twin access to the cockpit with a storage bin built into each step. The cockpit sole has three extra large lockers, which can be used for rod storage, fish bins or as wet lockers. Team Tristram has one dedicated just to lockable rod storage. There is enough length for 8′ 8″ stick bait rods and large reels such as 50 Wide Golds.
Wide side trays provided space for the tag pole, gaff, and net. Deep toe kicks and padded coamings mean you can utilise the foot space right to the edge. There is also a couple of built-in tackle drawers.
The dash is adorned with a Fusion Signature Series entertainment system, including subwoofers, a Simrad Komodo glass dash with 3D StructureScan transducer, Simrad Autopilot, and Simrad HALO 24″ radar. Team Tristram also has Ocean Blue game poles, a rocket launcher, a cray pot hauler, and the electric bow-mounted Minn Kota.
UNDERCOVER
From the seat modules through to the bow, the layout of Team Tristram is very much the same as other 821s. To port is a double seat arrangement with reversible backrests on both. Under the aft seat is a pull-out sink and cooker, plus a Dometic Coolice 70-litre cooler box.
Following the family cruiser mode, you can convert the twin seats into a dining area with a separate table and, with another infill, transform the space into an adult length berth. Again, very intelligent use of space. Storage is plentiful, and there is even space for a 36-volt/100amp-hour battery for the Minn Kota.
As an overnighter, the Tristram 821 offers it all; head, shower, cooker and accommodation. Forward in the lockable cabin is an electric head under the rear of the starboard side squab.
Privacy is available by locking the sliding cabin door. The two 2.3m squabs can be transformed into a large double with an infill. As the boat is over-width you can actually sleep widthways. There is also a bunk option across the forward bulkhead, which is great for kids or somewhere to stow your gear. Cabin windows and an overhead hatch offer plenty of light. Storage trays on either side and under the squabs handle a lot of extra gear. Foam under the bunks adds extra sound deadening to the cabin.
ULTIMATE FUSION
Team Tristram is built from an impeccable heritage and puts a new perspective on trailer boat luxury. You don’t have to have all the options, but why not. If you spend large on a big trailer boat, then I would tick all the boxes. Designed by CAD and hand crafted by the talented team at Tristram Boats, Team Tristram epitomises what this brand is all about. If you desire to own an outstanding example of Kiwi trailer boat craftsmanship with a performance to match, I say it’s well worth the wait to have one built by the team of memory creators at Tristram Marine Both a family cruiser and a sportsfisher, Team Tristram is the ultimate all-rounder.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Design Name Tristram 821 Offshore
- Price POA
- Year Launched 2022
- Builder Tristram Marine
- Designer Tristram Marine
- LOA 8.77mm
- Beam 2.78m
- Deadrise 21 deg
- Trailerable Wght 3500kg
- Max Speed 35 knots
- Construction Fibreglass
- Fuel Cap 400 litres
- Water Cap 100 litres
- Engine Mercruiser 3.0L V6 270hp Diesel
- Drive Train: Mercruiser Bravo 3
- Propeller Mercruiser 24P
- Trim Tabs Lectrotab
- Lighting Hella Lighting
- MFD 2 x Simrad 12”
- Windlass Maxwell
- Ent System Fusion
- Underwater Lights Hella
- Flooring SeaDek
- Contact: tristramboats.com
PERFORMANCE DATA : MERCRUISER 270HP DIESEL
| rpm | Knots | L/h | L/NM | Range (NM) |
| 1000 | 5.6 | 2.6 | 0.47 | 760 |
| 1500 | 7.6 | 6.6 | 0.87 | 410 |
| 2000 | 9.9 | 13.8 | 1.4 | 250 |
| 2500 | 16.5 | 22 | 1.4 | 250 |
| 3000 | 22 | 28.5 | 1.3 | 270 |
| 3500 | 28 | 39.5 | 1.5 | 240 |
| 4000 | 35.5 | 58 | 1.7 | 210 |
