Looking at a 19 to 22 foot catamaran fishing boat for both lakes and bay fishing. I am considering these boats or any opinions, good and bad. I am only considering them because they can handle shallow bays from 8" to 10" and offshore fishing too. I understand the hul can handle rough water better than V-Hulls. Is this true? Has anyone rode in one?
There several party boats running out of San Francisco Bay and everyone try to get on them first so hard to get a ride. They are faster use less fuel and ride better but not cheap.
Only time I would worry is when the swell are so big and close together that the area between the hulls hits the swells and lifts the boat.
Fishermen like them for the ocean here.
__________________
Have some fun and enjoy the Great Outdoors.
Love to fish out of Bodega Bay, California.
The FastCat is a high performance design. Very different from the TwinVee. Be sure to get a demo and see for yourself how cats run. Some folks love 'em, some won't go near 'em.
we all need to support iboats marine store when ever possible. you get, competitive prices. fast shipping, top notch customer service. also it provides us, this great FREE forum.
Rob, The "hype" on Power Cats is that when planing, air under the center part of the hull provides lift, thereby giving a softer ride than the mono hull. I find it hard to believe that a Cat will out ride a mono hull in rough water. I base this on the unlimited hydroplane boats on the ocean racing circuit. The cats are faster then the monohulls, so when the conditions are calm, the cats win. When it gets rough however, the monohulls win, because they ride better in the big waves.
Results on customer input for fishing catamarans as follows. All agree that the catamaran rides alot better than conventional V-hulls. Also can withstand 4-5 foot waves in the gulf and draft less than 10" on some cats.
The manufacture list and links below are of the top performers that customers like the best. This list was compiled from five other forums.
I like the looks of the SeaCat Comet 20 and the FastCat C20...I am looking now to test drive. Most said I would have to go to Houston for the FastCat C20 and Victoria for the SeaCat test drive. Again, I am looking for a bass and bay boat....I will post my results!
Rob, It is not that I don't trust articles published by Catamaran manufacturers, but "I'm from Missouri", when it comes to evaluation of performance, by people with interest in seeing you purchase one of their products.
I am starting to see power cats bought by my neighbors. Perhaps one will take me for a ride, and I will have some first hand experience. However, good ride or not, they are IMHO, ugly boats!
PS usually when you buy a cat, you need to buy two motors as well.
Looking at a 19 to 22 foot catamaran fishing boat for both lakes and bay fishing. I am considering these boats or any opinions, good and bad. I am only considering them because they can handle shallow bays from 8" to 10" and offshore fishing too. I understand the hul can handle rough water better than V-Hulls. Is this true? Has anyone rode in one?
I've been doing research for over a year and I just decided to go ahead and buy a Prokat 26 dual console cat. I could not be happier with my decision. The boat is so versatil that I go to the same places my kids go in their Boston Whaler. At the same time, the ride offshore is even better than advertized.
For those that still think that mono-hulls are better I suggest you go out on a very rough day a ride both a cat and a mono-hull and compare notes. You won't believe how much better the cat takes on the big seas.
I say you get the 36 Walk-around Weekender Power-cat ....and take me fishing ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE PROJECT.......
s99.photobucket.com/albums/l309/kallaman/
You can't use the "what is everyone else using" trick in this case, because most people either can't afford them, are put off by their looks, or didn't know they existed. Besides, who cares what everyone else is doing. Just find out a way to run one in the conditions you expect to see, and make your decision based on your experience with it. Also, if you do talk to owners, make sure you talk to owners who actually use the boat for more than just putting around. Look for someone who uses the boat like you want to. To many people base their decisions on someone else and that someone else might not have a clue at all...
Catamaran Fishing Boats? Good or Bad??
Linear Mode
