I know they are not very popular around here, but I’m thinking about buying new-to-me cat. I’ll be replacing my key west 2300 with a cat between 24 and 27 feet.
My key west has always been a big inshore boat, and a small offshore boat. It’s a tank and eats through some pretty bad situations. I’m looking to get a smoother ride, and a larger deck for all my gear. Besides, those large ladders on the back of the cats are appealing for me, since I dive a lot.
For those of you with experience, how large of a cat do I need to get out there? I’m looking at world cat boats. The 246 sf or the 266 sc.
The 246 sf would be a nice center console, and would feel right at home to me since I’m used to the key west center console. The 266 has plenty of deck space and a small cabin that the wife would enjoy.
The difference would be cost of ownership and overall size. The 266 is a monster up close. That thing is huge on a trailer. The 246 is still a big boat, but its an easier size to deal with.
So what do you think? Will the 246 be a big enough boat, or do I need to go crazy and move up to the monster 266?
Are there any other comparable no-wood cats that can take a beating?
I don’t want to muddy up your waters even worse, but I’ve got a good friend in Tarpon Springs, FL that I fish with a lot. He’s got a 27 World Cat. I’ve fished on it and beside it 100 miles offshore many times, and I’ll take a mono hull any day over that. I don’t like the motion of it at all. Running, trolling or drifting it doesn’t feel good to me. But that’s my only experience with power cats. My friend loves his and catches a shat load of fish every trip, and that’s all that really matters. He is a maniac though
Now a Freeman might be a whole different story altogether. They seem to have happy fishermen I don’t know. I wouldn’t buy a cat unless it was a sailboat, but I’m old school.
either of those boats are going to be a huge upgrade, so it boils down to what you are willing to spend.
I have never run the 24, but have run the 26-27 many times, and its a solid ride.
takes some getting use to, its completely different than a mono hull.
Just returned from Ft. Morgan Alabama, there are a lot of big cats there! Did not see any Freemans but some from Texas, wish I could remember there name brand. We fished mostly in shore but some of the cat that ran 110 mi. out got some nice YFT.
Ment to mention, saw a lot of tritoons out at the rigs 20 mi out and they ran better thru the slop better than my CC they looked to be about 30’ with twin 250s.
I have 2860 Prosport catamaran center console with twin 225 Yamaha and it is a beast. The boat has a huge deck, plenty of room to walk around without bumping into your fishing buddies. I feel really safe on the boat because I know what sea conditions it can take. The ride is different that a mono hull boat and it takes some getting use to as Chris said, but I like it. We troll a lot but when you anchor, the boat does not roll very much, very stable. The boat will go faster than I care to push it. I wish I had more time to use it.
First ride on a catamaran was on a 33?? benchmark at the Miami boat show in the 80’s. Went out the cut at full throttle and was shocked at the ride. Ridden on a 24 pro kat?? and the entry is smooth but the following sea is unsettling till you get used to it. Next boat I own will be a cat…Freeman??..I’ve been on a lot of different hulls and have run a 25 Bertram for 20+ years. Totally different hulls and boat responses to conditions. I still have reservations of pitch poling a catamaran over a v hull in big seas in the stream.
23sailfish that is the first Cat I went to look at, but there are already two people ahead of me. That boat is at hankel, and they said it needs a bit more work and two others need to see it first, so I cant make an offer on it.
There are two in Florida similar to it that I would like to go check out. The center console 266 boats are pretty sweet, but the wife wants a cabin. I don’t think anyone will actually use the cabin, but she thinks she needs one.
The 246 would be easy to operate and tow, but I feel like if I’m going to go bigger I should just go big. I cant imagine ever wanting to pay to maintain a boat bigger than that 266.
I fished on the World Cat 266 a lot and loved it. Really good ride and plenty of room to troll or bottom fish. I will say, the Cat drifts the ledge better than any mono-hull. We have caught loads of fish on that thing.
quote:Originally posted by MuddyWaterFisher
The center console 266 boats are pretty sweet, but the wife wants a cabin. I don't think anyone will actually use the cabin, but she thinks she needs one.
Honestly, of all the days you were in a boat last year, how often was she with you? I’m not saying to not accommodate your wife, but don’t make sacrifices detrimental to your style of fishing to please someone who’ll be on the boat a handful of times a year. Unless they’re air conditioned, cabins aren’t that great, especially in a small boat offshore.
Now, if she is one of those that’ll spend the night with you in the harbor on the boat, then just tell me to shut my trap and carry on. . That’s not my wife!
She said she would like to go more often, but during the cooler months she hasn’t gone with me much. Most of our good fishing is during the cold months when the fair weather boaters stay home.
I’m probably going to tell her that the cabin is too heavy for my truck and I need to get the center console because its cheaper to own.
I also run the boat with just the two of us sometimes, and that can be a challenge since she cant drive the truck in reverse or drive the boat onto the trailer (we tried both, they are bad ideas). I think its easier for me to run around and dock the center console since I have a cleaner path and less blocking my view.
Like Larry said! I installed AC in my Bertram and my wife would get sick in the cabin. Unless you sleep(campout) on a boat you don’t need a cabin. A lot to clean, it always has mildew!
It looks small for a 25. It also doesn’t look very sturdy. Looks like there isn’t a walk in console either. It seems that world cat and glacier bay boats are a lot more sturdy.
I know older glacier bay boats were made with wood. Since I’m looking at older boats, should I stay away from the glacier bays? I’ve pretty much decided I should shop around and wait for the right world cat 266 sf to come up.
I’m looking for something 45k max, but I would rather spend around 30k. I can’t see myself spending more on a boat that I’m going to beat the you-know-what out of. We fish pretty hard core when we do.
I’ve pretty much decided to go with the world cat 246 or 266. I might have to buy a cheaper boat and re-power/refurbish it to get what I want. I’m going to go look at a 246 that needs a re-power tomorrow. I haven’t put my hands on one yet, so we will see when I get there.
I like the 266, but it seems bigger than I need. That 246 would look good with a couple new yamaha or mercury 4 stroke 150’s hanging on the back.
One of the wisest men I’ve ever known told me the truest words when it comes to boats, “The max is the min”. Don’t get that smaller boat if you can get the bigger one. You’ll never regret going bigger on an offshore boat. Just think about how much space your dive gear alone takes up… Get the 266. Personally, if I were in your shoes, I’d be looking at that 31 twin vee. Not a lot of frills, but a great fishing and diving platform.
