Caymas 29 CT

Power catamarans designed for offshore fishing have today grown to immense sizes, with models emerging in the upper-40-foot range with quadruple-outboard power to match. That’s a lotof boat with a lot of power that burns a lot of fuel and requires outstanding docking abilities in a crowded marina.

If you’ve got the juice and skills for such a beast, te saludo. 

I, on the other hand, I want something a bit more manageable and less thirsty, yet retaining the offshore chops of a cat with plenty of room for my family and friends to fish and cruise. At the same time, I want a cat that fishes inshore as well. I want something exactly like the Caymas 29 CT. 

Don’t get me wrong. This mid-size cat with a 10-foot beam possesses a big-boat feel with great stability. Yet, it’s also easy to maneuver in tight quarters, especially with the twin Mercury 300 Verado V-8 outboards and Joystick Piloting for Outboards low-speed control system. Drafting just 18 inches of water, the 29 CT can sneak into the shallows to cast-net some pilchards for bait. 

The 29-foot cat showed off the seakeeping ability of its Ride Dynamic Ventilated Stepped (RDVS) running surface as Capt. Billy Burns of Black Label Marine (serving the Tampa, Florida, area) and I challenged gnarly wakes and waves on an otherwise glassy morning on Tampa Bay. The 29 CT landed with a whoosh, not a thump, owing to the sharp sponsons that cleave the water and a cushion of air in between them to soften the descent.

Built-in electric steering rendered handling fingertip easy as I carved sharp turns at speed, the hull banking slightly inward, lending a comfortable, familiar air to the cornering characteristics of this cat. 

The 29 CT jumped on plane in 4.8 seconds, reaching 30 mph in 8.5 seconds. The hull lifted appreciatively with the
application of engine trim and throttle, reaching a top speed of 56.8 mph at 6,000 rpm. 

I stood amazed at the quietness of this center-console fishing machine with its 100 percent composite construction, Tri-Core composite transom, hand-laid fiberglass, and high-performance resin with a barrier coat. There was not a single creak from the hull or full inner liner. Need more evidence of the quiet ride? From the helm, my decibel meter (set on the A-scale) registered just 87 dBA at a cruising speed of 34 mph at 4,000—quiet enough to carry on a conversation without shouting.

As I poked my head into the bilge, the center-console interior, the fish lockers, the anchor locker and elsewhere, I witnessed what I expected to see: top-quality fit and finish throughout, reminding me of Caymas’s unflinching attention to detail. 

Caymas knows its stuff when it comes to saltwater fishing. Live bait is often the focal point, and the 29 CT delivers with a 39-
gallon transom livewell. A pair of optional Power-Poles can be added to enhance shallow-water fishing capability. 

Want to ice down some fish? You’ll have plenty of room thanks to a pair of 348-quart forward insole insulated fish boxes, plus a pair of 132-quart insulated insole aft fish boxes. You also have 328 quarts of dry storage available under the chaise lounge on the forward console.

The Caymas 29 CT recognizes the angling precept that you can never have too many rods. That’s why flush-mount rod holders line the gunwales, the transom, the rigging station and even the chaise lounge on the forward console. Two racks of rod holders reside on the aft frame of the hardtop (easy to reach thanks to a pull-out cooler/step below the rigging
station). You’ll find horizontal rod racks under the gunwales in the cockpit.

One element that’s important to fishing is gunwale height, especially aboard a cat, with hulls that are sometimes inherently tall. That often leads to high interior gunwales that impede fishing. Not so with the 29 CT. The coaming pads (which encircle the interior to protect your legs) were right at knee level in the cockpit for me. This also makes it easy to reach down to release a fish. The gunwales rise a bit, but not excessively so, as you step forward on the 29 CT’s level deck. At the very bow is a casting platform (that doubles as a forward lounge seats/sunpad for days when fishing is not a top priority).

If you’re a captain to the core, the helm of the 29 CT should make you very happy. The console, windshield, helm seating module and hardtop are integrated so seamlessly that it all melds into a single unit. A pair of deluxe captain’s chairs feature fold-down armrests for sitting comfort and flip-up bolsters to lean against. Two tiers of footrests let you brace yourself while underway.

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You and your co-captain are protected by a wraparound full-height glass windshield with a vent at the top to usher in fresh air on sultry days. The dash serves as control central. Our test boat featured a pair of flush-mounted Garmin 17-inch multifunction displays with a Mercury display directly above the throttle-and-shift control at the center of the helm with the wheel to port. The joystick control resides to the right when you need it for a tricky docking situation. There’s a handy glovebox, and above it all is a pair of compartments for stowing sunglasses, cell phones, and the like. 

Owing to the lack of depth amidships aboard a cat, the console interior provides only a modicum of headroom, but it does have room for a permanent marine head and access to the immaculate rigging behind the helm, as well as circuit breakers for onboard systems and the keyed ignition switches for the twin Mercury 300s. There’s also a port window and a vanity mirror inside. 

I pay heed to the rigging stations on test boats. As with the 29 CT, they are often abaft the helm seating. I imagine myself in rough seas with a crew of anglers fighting fish all around me, while I frantically try to rig as tuna erupt off the stern. Caymas might have gone through the same thought process, as the rigging station is a very practical design. There are flush mount rod holders to secure sticks, a fold-out tray to keep stray hooks handy, and drawers to access tools and other gear. 

From my point of view, the 29 CT might be one of today’s most practical new fishing catamarans. This mid-size twin-outboard cat can fish in close and far offshore, and do either with exceptional comfort and greater efficiency than the beastly quad-engine felines. It’s just my speed. 

Specifications

Caymas Boats – Ashland City, Tennessee; caymasboats.com