| |
|
World Class
Catamaran 250 DC
The center-console has
become so ubiquitous it’s difficult to imagine a fishing boat
configuration that doesn’t have that monolithic pod right smack in the
middle, but World Class Catamarans made the curiously satisfying
connection between twin hulls and dual consoles. The 250 DC has a unique
layout that’s as practical as it is comfortable.
The dual console layout makes a boat that’s not only more family
friendly, providing a spacious lounge area in the bow and a smooth,
stable ride, but also an eminently workable fishing platform.
The bow is accessible through the windshield between the two consoles.
(below) The bow features seating with a 360º water view.
The twin semi-displacement hulls cut through the waves with ease.
The “bowrider” configuration, which you access through a three-part
safety-glass windshield from the cockpit, provides a comfortable space
about 6 feet by 6 feet. Imagine a mobile sectional sofa with a
360-degree water view. Remove the cushions and the diamond pattern
non-skid surface molded into the hatch covers allows you to use the
seats as a raised casting platform.
Underneath the seats, there’s a large dry-storage bin across the bow and
the port side, but under the starboard seat is a deep lazarette that
extends aft underneath the helm console. This area is accessible through
the hatch in the seat as well as a second hatch in the side of the
console. There’s secure storage for six fishing rods plus more room for
bulky items like fenders and life jackets or pull toys.
You can tell a lot about the
quality of a boat’s construction by looking at the details. Just look at
the hatches on this boat. Each one has full-length 316 stainless steel
piano hinges. They’re all gasketed with overboard drains for weather
protection. They’re all equipped with through-bolted stainless steel
struts. The three forward hatches have lockable latches for security.
The helm console has a broad, high dash with ample room for additional
electronics. A G.G. Schmitt deluxe stainless steel wheel features a
dual-ram hydraulic Teleflex Pro Helm tilt steering system with Kevlar
hoses. The electrical system includes a carbon-fiber dash panel with
full instrumentation, a Grayhill digital control system and Deutsch
sealed connectors on all bilge accessories.
The port console opens to reveal a large head compartment with plenty of
sit-down headroom and enough elbow room while using the standard
portable toilet or the optional marine head so that you don’t feel
claustrophobic.
The cockpit has storage for three rods under both 25-inch-high gunwales,
which are protected by removable knee-high bolsters all around. The
transom features a removable bench seat, with three hatches underneath.
The center hatch has the battery switches, the two engine batteries are
under the starboard side and a third house battery is under the port
side.
To port, there’s a 25-gallon insulated livewell with an 800-gallon per
hour magnetic drive pump and flow regulator. A 300-quart fishbox is
mounted in the starboard side. Note that there are no hatches in the
cockpit sole to fall into if left open. All wells are self-bailing as,
is the cockpit.
Rocket launchers line the supports for the optional hardtop. This has an
aluminum frame and a lockable overhead electronics box. Taco Grand Slam
outriggers with 15-foot poles are a nice option.
The boat was powered by twin Honda BF 150-hp four-stroke outboards. The
BF 150 is an in-line four-cylinder motor with four valves per cylinder,
a displacement of 2,354 cc or 144 cubic inches, double overhead cam
induction, programmed fuel injection, and a gear ratio of 2.14:1. Dry
weight is 478 pounds per motor.
We headed out of Biscayne Bay with Scott Ellis, World Class Cat’s
quality control guy and Rod Antonioli, the regional sales director from
Cape May, N.J. Three- to five-foot waves met us outside the inlet, with
a light southeasterly breeze coming over from the Bahamas.
Despite the rough conditions, the semi-displacement sponsons cut through
the waves and when we did go up, we came down softly. Even in these
seas, we were making 19.4 knots at 4000 rpm against the wind and into
the waves, and 23.2 downwind. With the tabs trimmed down to keep the
bows up there was very little squirreliness to the following seas. Back
inside where the topography was a little smoother, we opened up all the
way and got an average of about 35 knots at 5400 rpm.
This ride gave you what you’d expect —smack on tracking, very little
banking in the turns, and great stability; but the surprises were how
astonishingly tight the turns were and how responsive the wheel was. In
short, this was a fun ride.
World Class Catamarans builds 10 models from 23 to 33 feet in length in
their state-of-the-art factory in Tarboro, North Carolina. The hull is
their patented “Vectorflo” semi-displacement design, built wood-free
with high-tech materials like Kledgecell and Divinycell that are
completely encapsulated in multiple layers of resin-impregnated triaxial
and biaxial multidirectional knit fiberglass. All the through-hull
fittings are chrome-plated Gemlux 316-stainless steel.
###
|
|
