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RT Firefly

RT Firefly

Enigma
Joined
Oct 21, 2007
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Bumpkin?
Greetings,
Not to derail the thread on "power cats" I'd like to pick the collective brain on a replacement for our recently sold trawler.


New boating focus. "Offshore" (not too sure yet but 10-15 miles, perhaps?) fishing, Canal cruises, weekends away, Bahamas and just messing around.


From what I've read, a power catamaran similar to this Glacier Bay (GB) 3080 will fit the bill.


iu



Another contender is a World Cat (WC) 320EC


iu



Would prefer less "canvas" on the WC...compromises.


Again, from only what I've read, the GB has displacement hulls and the WC has planing hulls. Both symmetrical hulls.


Anyone care to comment of the handling or sea keeping abilities in this type of vessel? Comparatively speaking, having come from twin diesels, the fuel mileage is abysmal (1.5 mpg on average). Compromises...


We've been looking just shy of a year and by far the VAST majority of cats are center consoles. In any case.


Must have: Fully enclosed head
sleeping cabin
Set up for fishing (bait well, rocket launchers, spreader poles
etc.)
Minimal canvas/isinglass.
Some sort of galley
Possible fly bridge but NOT pipework.
AC



Don't want: Transom grill
"disco" sound system and light show equipment




Would like to keep the size between 28' and 32'. We've been aboard a couple of GB 34' and they are a BIG boat with lots of "systems". Trying to dumb things down and keep it simple.
Budget? $150K +/-.



Comments? Thoughts? Psychiatric counseling? Any leads? Thanks.
 
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I previously owned a 26’ World Cat with cuddy cabin, slept 2, head, twin Honda 115’s, slightly under powered, but great boats, well built, good quality, expensive
 
I've fished on a 32 World Cat several times. It's a beast. Lots of beam, great ride in 4 ft. seas.

I owned a 23 World Cat that I fished as far as 70 miles offshore. It was a solid little boat that road like a 27 ft. monohull. Factory support was great. World Cat always answered the phone when I called, usually the same lady, and was helpful in obtaining replacement parts.

World Cat and Glacier Bay are owned by the same parent company, or at least they were when I owned my boat. I think of World Cat as more fishing-oriented and faster than the Glacier Bay.

All that being said, there are some negatives to these big cats. They're too big to reasonably trailer, but they have few of the amenities of a wet slipped boat with a cabin. No marina in my area will dry-stack a cat, even if you buy a cradle.
 
Greetings,
Mr. B. Thanks for that one. We went aboard her last March. She's done been rode hard and put away wet! There was about a quart of hydraulic fluid in one of the bilges supposedly due to a recent steering "repair". Evidence of water leakage around all the ports (rust tracks). What I couldn't figure out about that particular boat was all the teak and holly hatches in both sponsons had damaged finish with most of the varnish cracked and peeling and this is inside the cabins-an area that's supposed to be dry.
I suspect someone trying to take advantage of the bull boat market and asking way too much for a boat in poor shape. Was originally listed last year for $215K, dropped to $165K, then to $150K and now, just this morning in your link to $127K. She might go sub $100K in another few weeks/months...


There IS another we've inquired about but I see she's "sale pending" this morning.
 
My limited experience is with a Glacier Bay 26' cuddy/express fished offshore 40 miles. It rode great for it's size but does not rise up as much as the World Cat due to the displacement vs. planning hull types. There is some air effect lift with speed but not as much as much as the WC. A short chop somewhere around 3.5' with a short period will force you to slow down, then the waves hit the bottom of the tunnel and it feels like a carolina skiff. It also has an odd feel of leaning to the outside of a turn or side-to the waves more like a car than a planning boat, unnerving at first but you get used to after a while. Build quality is good and well thought out. I don't think any boat in this size range can handle tall and short chop so it is nitpicky to mention but may be worth noting.
 
I have a 29' World Cat. It's a dual console, so no berths, but it does have a stand-up head with a sink.


A solid, heavy boat which is excellent at ignoring chop and wakes. Cruises at 28-30 knots, tops out at 42 knots. Turns flat, without leaning either way.


Nitpicks: will sneeze if trolling directly into chop (the solution is to alter the heading); will rock violently if drifting beam to the waves and the wave period is exactly wrong so that the peak of a wave is under one sponson and the trough is under the other (the solution is not to be beam to the waves).


I am happy with the boat.
 
Hello Mr. Firefly:

We visited Wefings Marine in 2016 and looked closely at a new C-Dory Tomcat. We are slow cruisers, and to a much lesser degree fisherpeople (we buy our snapper filets at Publix).

It is a spartan boat, but beautifully usable.

The Tomcats are so-so in regards to fit and finish. But considering their resale value, we should have bought a Tomcat instead of the disastrous Great Harbour TT35 we ended up purchasing.

If we could find a used TomCat today for under $75k we would grab her in a minute.

Warm Regards,
Mrs. Trombely
 
Greetings,
Thank you all for your comments, thus far. Seems the sampling prefers the ride of the World Cat over Glacier Bay. VERY valuable insights! A 1 or 2 hour sea trial in benign conditions really doesn't give one much of a feel for any vessel much less one that is purported to handle sportier conditions better than a similar sized mono hull.



Ms. T. Very early on I looked at the Tom Cats but decided they're just that much too small. Nice boats with good use of space but...


The overwhelming majority of cats in the 28' to 34' range are center or dual consols with bow seating instead of a cabin/cuddy.


We put an offer in on an Arrow Cat 320 but it sold for full asking which was out of our $$ comfort zone. I can't see investing 1/4mil in a depreciating asset that will sit idle for 6 months of the year.


Gotta go make dinner for the memsaab. Will comment further...
 
An old class mate has a 30 ft cat and absolutely loves it. Fast, nice ride, good platform for water sports and to have a group of people aboard. He got the bends when he was diving in his early 20’s and requires crutches to walk around (limited use of his legs). He manages fine on this boat, including some solo runs to the Islands where he meets other boating mates to tie up with.
 
Fished a world cat out of Marathon FL and sanibel. It was a truly wonderful platform for fishing. Prior experience was mostly on deep Vs (favorite remains regulator). Unlike the Deep Vs totally stable at rest with a pleasant motion. Had twin Hondas on the back and sipped fuel. Mostly fished the mound but did some skinny water for Spanish mackerel on the fly. Not as good as a real flats boat for that but surprisingly decent. Wife wasn’t impressed. No comforts for her. Her judgment was if your going to do the canyons get a deep v. If skinny water get a flats boat.
 
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Cats beach very well. Even if you dry it out, it eventually floats up without drama.
 
RT Firefly said:
...one that is purported to handle sportier conditions better than a similar sized mono hull.
Click to expand...

Well, that depends on how sporty it is.

As long as you keep flying over chop it's a magic carpet ride with no pounding. In fact, for "medium" chop, around 2' for a 30' boat, your ride often improves if you accelerate and get on top of the waves.

However as things get sportier, you start to launch off waves and are forced to reduce speed. At some point you will be have to get off the plane and there the advantages over a monohull radically diminish. Granted, you have to screw up in the first place to find yourself in such a situation, but if it happens being in a cat won't help you much.
 
Greetings,
Mr. D. Yep. Goes without saying. When I bought my Ferrari I didn't turn into Mario Andretti (yet).

I expect there to be a learning curve but ONE thing I won't have to learn is that weather and sea conditions determine whether or not I fish or polish the boat regardless of WHO wants to go boating. I'm even quite seriously considering taking Cat lessons and have almost insisted that my Admiral does, as well. She's quite keen to do so. Who am I kidding. I'll hire a boat polisher.



iu




Horses for courses. For the past 25+ years, or so, we've had trawlers. They've served us very well and had a lot of fun and adventure BUT now that we have a land base in FLL, our long range cruising is at an end AND our boating styles, needs and desires have changed.


A run over to Bimini (weather permitting) for a long weekend is now possible without 2 days travel. We will be able to actually gaff and land fish without having to work 5' off the water. We can zip over to Hooters on the ICW for lunch. Out for a morning or the whole day trolling for mahi or tuna. Canal cruises to see how the "Rich Folks" live. A plethora of options that will be MUCH easier to indulge in in a smaller boat.


I haven't read many comments by Cat owners that suggest they made a mistake in going to 2 hulls.



Different? Why not?
 
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Greetings,
Mr. BK. Thanks but WAY too slow. We just sold a 10 knot boat. Too much cockpit overhang for fishing.


iu



Vroom!
 
RT Firefly said:
Greetings,
Mr. BK. Thanks but WAY too slow. We just sold a 10 knot boat. Too much cockpit overhang for fishing.


iu



Vroom!
Click to expand...
You speed demon! How about a pic of the Ferrari?
 
Greetings,
Mr (Dr.) H. We are one step further along. Thus the search for " Strong, next to no maintenance, minimal draft, good in a seaway and room for everyone to fish or hang out. Maybe not the next to no maintenance part.


Interesting, at least to me, is we're going through EXACTLY the same process as most of the "newbs" are. "What boat should I buy?" or "What is the best boat for the loop?" or "How big a boat can/will...?" Very common questions posed by new members. MY stock question that I always ask is "What do you want the boat to do for you?" Hence out search for THE Cat.


One non-eligable candidate (wrong coast) is this: https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/2008-glacier-bay-3080-coastal-runner-8276507/
Totally closed cabin and no generator. NOT ideal for Florida due to need for AC on this particular boat but a generator can be fitted. Low hours on the engines and it shows nicely. Propane stove and solar panels are a plus IMO but no bait tank. Compromises...
 
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Greetings,
Mr. CO. Indeed it does but the sheer logistics of going to see the boat, arranging survey and sea trial, arranging transport and selling the trailer on arrival is more than I want to take on.

There have been boats on the east coast and several we have been aboard BUT as the age old sayings go..."You'll know THE boat when you see it" or "the boat chooses you" just hasn't happened yet. We've put offers in on 2 thus far and even had one surveyed. The stars weren't in alignment. Manana.
 
Patience is needed when looking for a GB. It took me over a year to find even just a 2270 that I am now working on.....

Worth the wait, BTW.
 
Greetings,
Mr. b. Oh, I'm well aware of the patience end of things both from a nautical AND a life's perspective. Took me 4 years of searching to find our "northern" boat (23' Penn Yan SF). She's out there. Just gotta keep digging.
 
Greetings,
Mr. CO. Thanks but I'm more of a Karma person than a luck, coincidence or chance type.
I saw that one in LA but one MUST HAVE for the Admiral is a stand alone head. No porta-potties. In the GB range that eliminates 27's and below. One reason I posted the GB 3080 and the WC 320EC in my first post.
 
Greetings,
Mr. d. Damn near perfect except...As much as I love the Tauranga region (we have friends just outside of Hamilton-Kihikihi), it's a bit far to commute. It's quite similar to the GB 3080 and the WC 320EC. Thanks.
 
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