B&WB test

blazr21 · January 16, 2007, 11:04:15 PM

Just though you guys would like to see this.
http://www.bwbmag.com/output.cfm?id=943291

OutdoorFrontiers · January 17, 2007, 10:14:04 AM

I have been suscribing to Bass & Walleye Boats magazine for years, finding them to be a pretty darned good source of information.

I still have that copy of B&WB and I remember the day it came in the mail. My son and I drooled over the cover photo of the FastCat and I think I wore the ink off the pages of the actual review. We both fantasized about owning one, but with the price quoted at the time, I knew there was no way I'd actually be able to afford one. I mean, c'mon, there's no way I could afford a custom built boat.

Little did I know that in Feb. 2006, I'd be touring the factory with Jerry Kilpatrick and end up owning one later in the year!

The article is a good one, but it can no where do justice to actually being in one of these unique boats. The stability of it is nothing short of incredible and when the water gets nasty is when it really shines. I've run at never before dreamed of speeds in three foot waves and have been dry and comfortable. The amount of storage in the boat is phenomenal and even though my previous boat (which was a foot and a half inches longer) was jammed to the gills with gear, I have all of the same gear in this boat, and still have empty compartments!

As a fishing guide, I like the fact that I can safely and comfortably take three clients in the boat, and have seating while running for everyone. I don't know of any other high performance "bass boat" that can do that!

There's nothing I've found yet that I don't like about the boat, other than the fact that I get stopped constantly at the gas station and boat landings to talk about the boat! I have to add 15 minutes to fuel stops and landing getaways because everyone wants to look at the boat and talk to me about it! People swing out of their way to slow down and run past me when I'm fishing. They all have to stop and gawk at the boat! But, I can live with that!

I'm sure I'm a bit biased, but my advice to anyone considering a high performance fishing boat, to contact either me or the FastCat staff and seriously talk. I've been in Rangers, Skeeters, Cobras, Legends, BassCats, Champions, Blazers and Tritons. Nothing offers the ride, room and stability of a FastCat.

Steve

here fishy,fishy · January 17, 2007, 11:36:08 AM

Wish there was a dealer near Denver to go take a test drive! That looks like one fast boat.

OutdoorFrontiers · January 17, 2007, 11:44:42 AM

Well, either plan a vacation to Florida yet this winter, or come on a smallmouth trip with me this spring. We'll get you in one if you really want.

Steve

scawdthedog · January 20, 2007, 05:03:19 PM

There has been many set up changes for speed since that B&W article was printed...
That same boat that is on the cover has run over 105mph with a 300X.......

Just last week a Yamaha Boat ran 94.3......

Brent

Stever · May 01, 2007, 08:00:11 PM

Hey, Steve. Got a question about your FastCat. I believe I read you have the 250 XS Merc on the boat. What type of top end are you getting out of the boat? Mid 80's? My question is whether you would recommend one of the heavier Verados on the boat? If you look at the pictures of the boat with 275 Verado, probably 100 lbs heavier than the 2 stroke motor, it looks like the transom is a few inches lower in the water than the boats with the lighter motors on the boat. I tested a fastcat with a 300X on it, and like the idea of the new 300 ProMax, but everyone's going to the 4 stroke motors, and now they have the 300 Verado, and how about the new V-8 Yamaha 350? Just wondering if the boat needs to be re-tooled to accomodate these heavier engines? Personally, I have run Cats with twin Merc 300's and there is nothing better than the sound of a growling 2 stroke at high rpm, but just wondering, if you had a choice of putting any of the new engines on the boat, which would you go with. I actually saw a Fastcat down in the Keys with a 275 Verado, pictures are on the website, and it looks awesome. I'm wondering if either of the 300's will push the boat into triple digits? Also, as far as accomodating passengers, I believe I read that you were happy with the room in the boat, and I was worried that this boat wouldn't have the room of most 22 V-Bottoms out there. Am I wrong?

Bottom line: Once you've experienced the Cat at speed over rough water, you'll never go back to the v-hull, and I believe the Fastcat turns on rails without the negative G's associated with other cats I've driven.

Best Regards,
Steve in Florida

Sabertooth · May 01, 2007, 08:17:07 PM

Steve,
Sent you a IM.

OutdoorFrontiers · May 01, 2007, 08:43:29 PM

Quote from: Stever on May 01, 2007, 08:00:11 PM
Hey, Steve. Got a question about your FastCat. I believe I read you have the 250 XS Merc on the boat. What type of top end are you getting out of the boat? Mid 80's? My question is whether you would recommend one of the heavier Verados on the boat? If you look at the pictures of the boat with 275 Verado, probably 100 lbs heavier than the 2 stroke motor, it looks like the transom is a few inches lower in the water than the boats with the lighter motors on the boat. I tested a fastcat with a 300X on it, and like the idea of the new 300 ProMax, but everyone's going to the 4 stroke motors, and now they have the 300 Verado, and how about the new V-8 Yamaha 350? Just wondering if the boat needs to be re-tooled to accomodate these heavier engines? Personally, I have run Cats with twin Merc 300's and there is nothing better than the sound of a growling 2 stroke at high rpm, but just wondering, if you had a choice of putting any of the new engines on the boat, which would you go with. I actually saw a Fastcat down in the Keys with a 275 Verado, pictures are on the website, and it looks awesome. I'm wondering if either of the 300's will push the boat into triple digits? Also, as far as accomodating passengers, I believe I read that you were happy with the room in the boat, and I was worried that this boat wouldn't have the room of most 22 V-Bottoms out there. Am I wrong?

Bottom line: Once you've experienced the Cat at speed over rough water, you'll never go back to the v-hull, and I believe the Fastcat turns on rails without the negative G's associated with other cats I've driven.

Best Regards,
Steve in Florida

From Steve in Wisconsin,

With my FastCat and the 250 XS, I could run into the mid-80's when I was running a light load. With the boat loaded with guiding gear, I could get into the upper 70's, low 80's. But that's running a lot of gear and a full load of fuel.

As far as powering the boat, I would consider the Merc 300, but I wouldn't dream of fooling around with a four stroke. The way my 250XS sipped fuel when running at moderate speeds, I can't imagine where I'd do any better with a four stroke. Why do you want to add more weight, more cost and not get the performance out of it? In my estimation, the only reason for a four stroke would be if you were pulling crankbaits or planer boards, trolling a large portion of the time. For the typical fishing application of running to a fishing spot, putting down the trolling motor and fishing, then running to the next spot, a two stroke is the way to go. As much as I love the idea of a supercharged outboard motor, I'd still go the OptiMax route and stay away from the Verado.

I doubt if the boat would need to be re-tooled to handle one of the larger 300+ horsepower motors. I've ridden in a FastCat equipped with twin Merc 300X motors and the only "retooling" was to accomodate the added width of the twin engines. The actual stance of the boat in the water wasn't that different from a single engine boat.

If I had my choice of outboards, I'd run the new Merc 300 ProMax two stroke. I'd stay away from the 350 for a little while. Do you really want to be the guinea pig for a motor that cost what they do?

Will a single 300 push it to triple digits? I believe it would, and do it safely and comfortably. But remember that a lot of your speed is going to come from water/weather conditions, propping and load on the boat. A cat hull at speed over rough water is something that has to be experienced to be believed.

As far as room, my previous boat was 21'6" with tons of storage. When I first started considering the Cat, I too was concerned. I took everything that I had in the previous boat and loaded it into the Cat with room to spare. I actually had one large compartment that only had one toolbox in it! Carrying passengers was better than any other bassboat on the market. It's the only boat I know of that has the room and capacity to carry a guide and three clients when running. There's no other bass boat that can seat four people that I know of.

I guided a group of three last summer. One of the guys was my size, 5'9", 190 - 200 pounds. The other guy was 6'2", 280 and his "baby" brother was 6'7" and 310 pounds. I was on the bow running the trolling motor as we worked a shoreline weedbed for bass. The baby brother was up on the front deck with me, his brother was on the back deck and the other guy stood on the rod locker/gunnel as they all worked the same side of the boat. The boat never tilted, listed or leaned. It came up on plane well and ran comfortably and dry. You'd be hard pressed to find a bay boat that will accomodate passengers so well.

Steve