World Cat Boats 290DC Dual Console - Power Catamaran Boat

Do you love the dual-console layout but hate that most DC boats are too small and designed to handle only inshore seas? Then take a ride on a World Cat 29 DC. And when you do, make sure the wind's howling and the waves are crashing.

I tested this boat in the open ocean, facing a 3' chop, then was blessed by the passage of a 70'-plus motoryacht. I already knew the three-footers were no challenge to this powercat's dual-hull design, which packs air into the tunnel to cushion impacts and eliminate slams and bangs. So when that motoryacht went by, I shouted to everyone to hang on tight, firewalled the twin 225-hp Hondas, and pushed it well past 40 mph. I shouldn't have bothered with the warning; the 29 DC met the vertical wall of green water, passed over it, and re-entered on the other side without slamming -- earning a "Woo-hoo!" from everyone onboard.

Although most of the smooth-riding credit goes to the hull, some must also be chalked up to construction. World Cat molds major parts such as seat bases into the deck, and the hull and deck are fused together with methyl-methacrylate adhesive. The transom is formed with high-density Penske Board and is backed with aluminum plates. Hardware and hinges are secured with nylock aircraft-style locking nuts. Wiring is tinned copper with Deutsch connectors.

One thing about the 29 DC that surprised me was the absence of sneezing (a fine mist blowing out of the tunnel). World Cat says its Hydro-Ram pod under the foredeck creates a vacuum that inhales sneezes before they can exit the tunnel. Handling was crisp but different from a monohull. Most noticeable is the flat or slight banking in the turn, but that outboard lean of yesteryear's cat designs is finally history.

Although DCs are usually thought of as multipurpose boats, not pure fishboats, all the angling features you need are onboard: a large integrated fishbox, lighted livewell, under-gunwale rodracks, and 12-volt plugs in the cockpit for your electric reels. Plus, there's a locking rodbox in the port side head compartment, and there are spool holders for your leader under a cockpit inwale hatch. So whether you're dropping hooks or doling out drinks, the 29 DC can handle it.