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Wild
Catter
By Lenny Rudow
We Fish
Series
THEY CAST: Sea Cat's new 18 is twice the boat in any sea.
WE CAST: To us, it feels like 20 percent more LOA - trotting over a two-foot chop at 36.1 mph, the ride felt as smooth as it would on most 22' monohulls! This single-engine, fully lined powercat also had a lot more stability than most 18' boats, and when a 200-pound angler went from port to starboard, the deck barely moved. At 1,350 pounds, the Sea Cat 18 is a bit more beefy than some similar-size cats, and it features such construction techniques as a poured urethane transom, glassed-in console, and bolted and puttied hull-to-deck joint. This boat comes ready to fish, with a great list of standards, including a 56-quart livewell in the stern, four gunwale-mounted rodholders, and twin 72-quart coolers. Complaints? The nonslip may be easy on the knees, but I thought it was a bit too slick when wet, and the anchor locker hatch didn't have a notch, so it can't be secured closed when line's running out of it.
WHO WILL FISH IT: Anglers who like small boats but hate getting beat up in a chop. Another Choice: Twin Vee's 19 Bay Cat doesn't have a liner, is lighter at 950 pounds, and costs $7,995. Equip it to mimic the Sea Cat, and the cost gap will narrow by half.
THE NUMBERS: $10,900 without power.
Contact Sea Cat at 321/268-2628
www.seacatboats.com
-L.R.
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