Luke Seuren has not been out fishing for several months. This sad state of affairs is because he’s been flat out keeping up with demand for his Blackdog Cat aluminum pontoon catamarans, and this latest model is only likely to extend his fishing drought.
The 5m Blackdog catamaran hull has been well proven, with a
centre console layout being first off the rank. Trade-A-Boat
reviewed this in 2010 and found it to be stable, smooth-riding,
fuel-efficient and simply heaps of fun. Although that layout suits
soft-bait fishing, as well as being a perfect diving platform, the
lack of protection from the elements meant it didn’t satisfy the
needs of conventional fishing methods or serious offshore
expeditions quite as well.
Luke Seuren therefore developed a cuddy cabin solution,
initially on the 4.5m hull. They recently expanded this option to
their bigger 5m, producing a boat that should satisfy the most
hard-core fisherman. With the space and capability of the bigger 5m
hull, and the protection provided by the cabin (a bimini top can
also be added), they now have a boat that is a serious contender
for bigger trips.
Strangely enough, catamaran hulls have never really entered the
mainstream in New Zealand, which is something of a mystery given
the benefits of this style of boat. The twin narrow hull sections
reduce drag, creating a boat able to be efficiently powered by a
smaller motor. At the same time, the stability is unequalled by a
monohull, even by some pontoon-style boats. Plus, the square bow
section provides interior space that would require extra length on
a monohull. All these are reasons why many commercial vessels are
cats, since space and economy equals money for those operators.
Seriously unsinkable
Cats are certainly popular in markets like Australia, South
Africa and the USA, and if the busy production schedule of Blackdog
is any measure we’ll be seeing more and more of them in New Zealand
as well.
Although this latest model from Blackdog is 5m in overall
length, it has usable space exceeding most 5.5m conventional hulls.
Seuren has made good use of this space, with helm seats mounted on
welded aluminum pods inclining at their base, taking up minimal
deck area. Although only two seats are fitted, there is plenty of
space for further seating options or for passengers to simply perch
on the gunwales.
Seen from a distance, the gleaming alloy hull with distinctive
black graphic stands out in the sun, although paint or vinyl-wrap
options are also available. Six separate floatation chambers give
an estimated 1445 litres of sealed buoyancy, meaning this is a
seriously unsinkable boat. Plus, the cockpit is self-draining. A
box section on top of the pontoon provides a broad, flat gunwale
topped with a soft foam pad to make it comfortable to sit on. The
underside of the same box section provides a broad, full-length
parcel shelf. Seuren has cleverly built a grab-rail extending the
full length of the cockpit, but has positioned this outside the
hull where it doesn’t get in the way of someone sitting on the
gunwale. Passengers who choose to sit there have something to hold
on to.
This boat does not have a forward cabin, but the cuddy provides
sheltered storage for gear bags and so on. The dash area is split
to allow a walk-through to the bow, and a hinged bow door and
windscreen (supported by a gas strut) allows easy access. On each
side of the bow is a flat deck area with a non-slip pad, and this
can be used for boarding from the bow or even fishing from in calm
conditions.
The gunwales have several rod holders fitted, and a fixed bait
board is mounted on the transom, raised to a comfortable height. A
sturdy arch around the motor has multiple uses, including towing
skiers or water toys.
The stern has a boarding platform stretching the whole width of
the transom, with a T-style boarding ladder fitted to the port
side. Although there are no specific grab handles, the base of the
ski arch is perfectly positioned to serve this purpose. The
combination of the non-slip pads on the boarding platform and the
position of the ski arch makes this area a suitable fishing
platform as well, with the arch providing something to lean
against.
Seuren fitted a Yamaha 115hp four-stroke motor to the review
boat. This is one of Yamaha’s top-selling models with, arguably,
unequalled reliability and economy. However, this is at the top end
of the range for this hull, and other options are obviously
available. Tote tanks provide fuel, with space for up to three to
be tucked below the transom.
Flying cats
It was a brilliant summer afternoon when we got a chance to take
the BDC 500SS out for a spin, and Seuren met us down at the
Westhaven ramp. The boat slipped easily off its custom trailer, and
the Yamaha was soon purring quietly. We headed out through the chop
towards the harbour bridge, passing another famous catamaran,
namely the team Prada AC72 with its immense wing sail. Their
support vessels are also cats, attesting to the speed and stability
of this style of boat. As coincidence would have it, we passed
another catamaran sailboat out in the harbour, flying along with
one hull out of the water.
The helm seats were comfortable enough as we scooted through the
nasty inner harbour chop. As with the 5m center console model, the
hull proved stable and comfortable even as we blasted out at top
speed. Whereas a vee hull would probably be banging and crashing,
the twin Thunder Cat-style pontoons easily skipped along the top of
the chop and swell, and in short choppy conditions this type of
boat is often best driven at speed. We were soon ready to have a
play.
Many misconceptions abound about the handling of cats. One of
these is they’re dangerous when making high-speed turns. While it’s
true a cat can’t heel over into a turn, only a very badly balanced
hull would lean significantly outwards. If you picture a car
turning at speed, in a cat there’s a similar centrifugal force so
if it feels uncomfortable, you’re turning too fast. On the other
hand, in extreme turns the Blackdog stays almost perfectly level,
behaving like the racing Thunder Cats that formed the basis of its
design. We were able to make 180-degree turns while at speeds few
5m boats would handle, but we did need to hold on securely.
Super stable
The stability of the boat, both while underway and at rest, goes
without saying. Forget the phrase ‘tender at rest’ – this boat
would not lean over even if all the passengers were on the same
side. The Blackdog website has some photos of people doing extreme
things to demonstrate the hull stability on some of the smaller
models. The volume inherent in each pontoon ensures this stability
and with each side having separate compartments, this boat would be
almost impossible to sink even if a catastrophic collision were to
occur.
We were going to be taking photos from Auckland’s Birkenhead
wharf, and the only way to get there was by hopping off onto the
rocks. I would not dare attempt this on anything but a catamaran.
Seuren simply nosed the boat into the breakwater so I was able to
step from the non-slip surface on the bow directly onto a suitable
rock. I didn’t even get my feet wet, and despite the swell there
was no need for the boat to get close enough to risk touching the
rocks.
Getting back on board after completing the shoot was just as
easy, and the split windscreen and folding hatch meant I simply
stepped from rock to bow, then onto the deck with no trouble.
We had a go at getting the boat airborne a few times, which was
fun and totally different from expectations. Instead of coming down
with a bang, the hull kisses the water as the trapped air cushions
the blow. While scooting along the top of the chop, it would be
fair to say the hull was fairly noisy. There’s no carpet or any
other sound dampening, and although the hull didn’t crash and bang,
it does tend to act as a big soundboard. Of course, the fact you
can get to your destination quicker would mitigate the extra noise
somewhat.
The verdict
This boat is certainly a contender for anyone looking for a
fishing boat around 5.5m. The shorter length of the cat, for the
same usable space, makes transport and storage slightly easier,
with the trailer fitting into a standard-length garage. The ride
and stability are fantastic, and the build quality is very
good.
Blackdog has also recently launched a bigger brother to this
model, the 5.5m. For more details, or to arrange a test ride, call
0800 262 876 or visit blackdogcat.co.nz.
|
SPECIFICATIONS |
|
|
BLACKDOG CAT 500SS |
|
|
Construction: |
Aluminium pontoon catamaran |
|
LOA: |
5m |
|
Beam: |
2.35m |
|
Deadrise: |
n/a |
|
Engine: |
Yamaha 115hp |
|
Fuel: |
Tote tanks |
|
Towing |
900kg |
|
Price as |
$56,900, with F115 Yamaha |
|
Base boat with F100 |
$49,900 |
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Photography: Norman Holtzhausen