I would like opinions on the pros and cons of both from folks that have been on both hulls. I’m at the age of buying one last boat for offshore fishing. I’ve fished a lot of hulls. Never been on a down easter like Duffy/Young Brothers or a Freeman. I will before buying but want opinions…everybody has one and I’m asking for it.
To compare a Freeman to a Duffy is tough.
Both are killer boats but not designed to do the same kind of fishing (or at least in the same time frame)
Duffy will cruise 15-25kts. Freeman will cruise 35-40kts.
What kind of fishing are you looking to do?
Before you make a decision, you might want to look at the wait times involved too. Some manufacturers have a substantial waiting list.
I’ve been on boats my whole life and just returned from Venice LA fishing with the MGFC. Their Freeman 37MVH’s were the best riding boat I’ve ever been on. Absolutely an incredible machine.
Do you like speed or comfort? Personally, when i reach the age where i think you are, i’m going to want something with air conditioning
Personally I’ve never liked the motion of a cat. But that’s probably because I always had mono hulls and that’s what I’m used to. I’ve been out with several friends on their cats and did not enjoy the ride. But I’ve also never been on a Freeman, and it could be a totally different ride than the ones I’ve been on. I couldn’t afford a Freeman anyway [:I]
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
I saw this video a long time ago. It shows a sail boat being helped by a catamaran rescue boat that ends up flipping. My concern with a catamaran is pitch poling in the Gulf Stream where the seas can get large quickly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGnPGxaWp4g
And Millacd, I like A/C at my age, which is 63. Never had A/C as a kid and saw the first one in a motel that was a window unit. Me and my sister stood in front of it in awe. I also like my body not taking a couple of days to recover from a 90 mile offshore trip. I’ve heard nothing but good about cats. I want to hear the bad as well. Speed is great but 40 knots in the dark makes me think about all the flotsam in the ocean I see in the light of day. Funny how cautious one gets with age. I’ve run my 25 Bertram for 20+ years out of here and for stream trips, I leave the night before and auto pilot at 10 knots to the ledge…slow and steady. I picked the furthest inland point on the eastern seaboard to fish from by chance on a job offer. No regrets other than that’s a long way in 2-4’s quartering the bow.
Its hard to compare when you have be running a Bertram for years, that Ray Hunt hull is almost perfect!
quote:
My concern with a catamaran is pitch poling in the Gulf Stream where the seas can get large quickly.
I used to do a lot of catamaran sailing in the ocean, not power cats but sailing cats. Have buried a bow and pitch poled them many times. Flip end over end, right the boat and keep on going. It was OK when I was young, but it would kill me now to do that. A sailing buddy and I decided it would be a good idea to enter his Hobie 18 in the Worrell 1,000, back when we were young and stupid. It’s a race from Ft. Lauderdale to Virginia Beach. 1,000 miles in a Hobie Cat, offshore all the way. No it wasn’t a very good idea, it beat the crap out of us. And no we didn’t win either [:I] But we finished 
Not many did.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worrell_1000
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
quote:You are a baddddddd man. I got a friend that did that race and described it as constant punishment. Think about the Polynesians that sailed all over the Pacific...different kind of race. I read the article about the sea cats that did the long distance in Hawaii years back and they had big seas. That's my only real concern with power cats and a following sea. The other is hitting something at 40 knots. If I get a Freeman, it will be a Kevlar bottomed hull. Might have one of those pods like on the speed boats too. That's if my stock pops...otherwise I'll be plugging along in that Bertram.
Originally posted by Cracker Larryquote:
My concern with a catamaran is pitch poling in the Gulf Stream where the seas can get large quickly.
I used to do a lot of catamaran sailing in the ocean, not power cats but sailing cats. Have buried a bow and pitch poled them many times. Flip end over end, right the boat and keep on going. It was OK when I was young, but it would kill me now to do that. A sailing buddy and I decided it would be a good idea to enter his Hobie 18 in the Worrell 1,000, back when we were young and stupid. It’s a race from Ft. Lauderdale to Virginia Beach. 1,000 miles in a Hobie Cat, offshore all the way. No it wasn’t a very good idea, it beat the crap out of us. And no we didn’t win either [:I] But we finished
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worrell_1000
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
I am hoping that Larry writes a book some day about his exploits. I want a signed copy.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?
quote:
You are a baddddddd man. I got a friend that did that race and described it as constant punishment.
No, I used to be pretty bad in my prime, but not any more. Which is why I spent all morning at the Neurologist office today. Way too much foolishness in my younger days. The mileage has caught up with me.
Yes, it’s constant punishment. Hell of a race. 12-14 hours a day hanging from a trapeze harness in 6’ seas, going balls to the wall, for 5 days straight. I couldn’t do it for 5 hours today. No way. I wonder if anyone ever entered that race twice 
If so, they are the baaaddddd SOBs. I reckon it’s something I’m glad I did, once. Never again 
[:0]
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
MDADDY
JUST BECAUSE THE BOAT WILL CRUISE 40 KNOTS DOESNT MEAN YOU HAVE TO RUN 40
IN A HEAVY FOLLWING, QUARTERING SEA, YES YOU HAVE TO BE A BIT CAREFUL.
JUST TAKES A BIT OF GETTING USE TO.
I HAVE RUN TWIN VEES, GLACIER BAYS, AND WORLD CATS, AND THEY ALL RUN DIFFERENTLY.
I HAVE BEEN IN SEAS UPWARDS OF 7’ AND NEVER FELT UNSAFE IN A 27 BOAT
www.teamcharlestonmarine.com
www.joinrfa.org
IF I RESPOND IN ALL CAPS, ITS NOT ON PURPOSE, AND I AM NOT YELLING
I’ve never felt unsafe in any of the power cats I’ve been on, been in some rough water and never came close to pitch poling. Sailboats have much different forces acting on them than power boats do, and when you’re racing you try to go as fast as you can, so it’s a whole different thing entirely. It’s only running on the leeward hull. Or sometimes it’s not running on either hull
I think power cat hulls are perfectly safe. I just don’t personally care for the motion of them. That’s just me. To each their own 
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
Today was a cat hull kinda day
SAFMC you suck!
Look at the America’s Cup boats now. A foil and a bit-of -a hull.
Oh sorry, not much help picking a fishing boat.
trolling with the family once retired- the Duffy
a weekender trying to scurry offshore for the day- the Freeman
Fishing here is different than Venice. You have a 25 mile run down the river, then a 25 mile run in the gulf. Here you have a 50 mile run in the open ocean. I own an express boat, but if I were going CC here I would go with a big CC with a sharp entry, the cuts the water. If you can consider a Freeman than it seems a Yellowfin would be in reach for you…
If you are used to running in a bertram 25, why not just upgrade to a bigger bertram? Good ride, faster than a duffy, air conditioning if you need it, plenty of room?
Whatever you buy, just be sure to post pics
Thanks for the comments. I will get a ride on a Freeman outa here…not the Gulf…and will pick an average 2-4 foot day and do the stream before I put money down. Same with a Downeaster. I wouldn’t buy anymore V hull boats as the 25 does fine compared to the others and is cheap to run(and paid for). I haven’t been on a power cat over 25 feet but I wanted opinions and I got them. Thanks