The market for offshore catamarans has exploded in recent years, and catamaran fishing boats are driving much of the surge in popularity. Newer catamarans are bigger, faster, highly fuel efficient and a near ideal fit for the angler on the west coast of Florida that needs to run 50 to 100 miles to his favorite fishing spot. The new breed of catamaran fishing boats not only have impressive range and quality of ride, but new designs bring about improved handling that might even convert the most fervent monohull enthusiast.
With the ever increasing power of outboard engines on the market today, manufacturers are emphasizing larger catamaran models. The notable catamaran brands such as Invincible focus on the 35-foot to 46-foot range of models. These larger cats are spacious, can hold a massive amount of fuel with space to store all your gear and belongings and offer a better ride quality than previous generation, smaller catamarans.
Catamarans vs. V-Hull (Monohull)
Much of the discussion when comparing the multihull catamaran design with a standard V-hull or monohull design surrounds ride quality. Ride quality of course can mean a number of things such as how the boat deals with rougher conditions, stability at rest, handling and more.
The multihull design of a catamaran fishing boat is well known for reducing vessel roll at rest and at trolling speeds. Increased stability is a key attribute of any multihull boat when compared to a monohull.
Generally speaking, when running in rougher seas, the catamaran’s multiple sharper hulls will slice through the water providing a very comfortable ride. Catamarans typically won’t handle hard turns as well as a monohull since the multihull vessel will tend to remain flat or even lean outboard, but newer designs and innovations have narrowed the gap between monohulls and catamarans in this area. Invincible catamarans even introduce a lean into the turn helping mimic the handling of a monohull. Still, even with these gains in handling ability, experienced boaters can tell a difference between the monohull maneuverability at speed compared to a multihull.
Worth noting also is the spaciousness provided by the multihull design. Because the beam is carried forward, giving the deck a more rectangular shape, there is more space to move around.
The multihull design does more than just provide additional stability and deck space. Because less of the boat is sitting in the water as a result of two hulls, the fuel economy on catamaran fishing boats is outstanding. Less displacement means a more efficient fuel burn. Combine the efficiency with the bountiful storage, and you’ve got a range on offshore cats worthy of anyone’s consideration.
Whether you need a center console capable of carrying 800 gallons of fuel or just need storage for all of your supplies for a few days in the Bahamas, a multihull can meet these needs.
Catamaran Fishing Boats by Invincible
When Tom George Yacht Group sought to carry a line of catamaran fishing boats for TGYG customers on the west coast of Florida, Invincible was the ideal fit for a number of reasons. While other manufacturers have introduced catamaran models adjacent to existing boat lines, no manufacturer invested the time, money and research & development resources into a launch of high performance catamaran models like Invincible.
Invincible hired legendary naval architecture firm Morelli & Melvin – renowned for catamaran racing hull design – to assist in the design of Invincible’s first offshore catamaran. The significant investment of time and resources led to the hybrid, semi-asymmetric design for which Invincible catamaran hulls are known. These boats are made to be fast and highly fuel efficient, but they’re also made to handle. The patented hull design enables high speed maneuvering turns unlike any similar-sized catamaran on the market.
As Invincible says, “no other catamaran possesses the seakeeping abilities of an Invincible hull without the aid of trim tabs or ballast tanks.”
The success of the 40 catamaran launch paved the way for the roll-out of the smaller 37 and 35 and now, also, the 46. The result is a lineup of offshore catamarans customers love and competitors envy.
For the customer, the ability to customize an Invincible catamaran is impressive. Everything from cup holder placement to rod holders, from the seating configuration to the type of windshield can be perfectly dialed into a customer’s exact needs and desires. Overwhelmed by too many options? The TGYG team can help guide you through the process. Simple put, when you purchase a catamaran, Invincible bends over backwards to meet your every need.
For the Florida west coast angler where long runs are typical, the Invincible offshore cat might be an ideal fit. As a general rule, every model in the Invincible line has a minimum 400 mile range at 40 mph. With the Invincible 40 catamaran, that range gets you over 650 miles at 40 mph.
Interested in learning more about catamaran fishing boats or the Invincible line of offshore catamarans? Please feel free to contact Tom George Yacht Group. Our team can help guide you towards the right boat for your experience and needs to help ensure maximum long-term satisfaction on the Florida waters
