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TWIN VEE
22 HAWAIIAN
Melissa Benton, Sales Manager for The Fisherman, and I met Peter Jones
from Power Cat Marine Group in Annapolis on a blustery September
morning. The wind was howling at 20 to 25 knots out of the south and the
sun kept going behind some very high clouds, but the predicated
thunderstorms were nowhere in sight. The south wind had been blowing for
several days, pushing water up the bay into the South River; some docks
were underwater! Fortunately, the 22 Hawaiian Fisherman was on a lift,
and the dock next to it was still out of the water.
LOTS OF ROOM
The first thing you notice when climbing on board the Twin Vee 22
Hawaiian Fisherman is the exceptionally large cockpit. There is enough
room there for at least four and as many as six anglers to fish without
getting in each other’s way; pretty impressive for a 22-foot boat.
The center console is well placed, giving the captain excellent
visibility all around the boat. The controls are easy to reach, and the
twin four-stroke Suzuki motors were quiet and responsive.
Once underway, the boat ran smoothly even in choppy seas. The water in
the upper river was flat calm, and we were able to let the Twin Vee have
its head. With both motors at 5,000 rpm, the boat clipped along at
better than 40 knots. We were able to maintain this speed even as the
seas built to a 1 to 2-foot chop.
In the boat, the helm seat is a modified leaning post and is comfortable
for the captain and mate. Behind the seat is a live well and a pair of
rod holders. Additional rod storage is available under the gunnels and
in the cabin. There are flush-mounted rod holders on each side of the
boat that can be used for trolling or just dead sticking while you take
a break.
The cabin on the 22 Hawaiian is small, but it still has enough room for
a Porta-Potti and a single berth. There is space for stowing tackle,
rain gear and anything else required for a day of fishing. The
compartment is lockable, and even my ancient 6-foot 4-inch body was able
to access the space without permanent damage.
The 22 Weekender has a much larger cabin. It boasts a queen-size bed,
Porta-Potti, and a freshwater sink below a counter top. This boat still
has plenty of fishing room along with the ability to keep a couple of
people comfortable on a weekend trip.
Our boat was equipped with a canvas top, and I would highly recommend
this option for everyone. The top keeps the sun and rain off, and with a
full canvas enclosure, will make the boat fishable during the early or
late striper season.
ROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD
As we motored further down the river toward the Chesapeake Bay, the
south wind began to work on the water. The seas were building to 3 and 4
feet, and we had to cut back on the throttle. Even with these steep,
sharp waves, the 22 Hawaiian’s catamaran hull was able to maintain a
20-knot speed without pounding.
In general, catamaran hulls provide stable sailing even in choppy seas.
The tunnel between the twin hulls acts as cushion, trapping air and
softening the hull’s entry into the water This air cushion does have a
tendency to blow a very light spray back towards the windshield. This
“sneezing” did occur once or twice during the day, which is much better
than most other catamarans I have run.
The other great advantage to the Twin Vee catamaran’s hull is its
ability to remain steady in a beam sea. Once we were in the middle of
the river with waves running 3 to 4 feet, I took the motors out of gear
and let the boat come about into a beam sea. We were able to move about
with ease even in these conditions, providing anglers with the ability
to bottom fish or drift eels without holding on for dear life. I do not
recommend going out when sea conditions are unsafe, but this boat will
give you a margin of safety even under less than ideal situations.
I ran the boat in every direction from head to beam to following seas,
and it performed flawlessly. Unlike some catamaran hulls, the Twin Vee
does not bow steer at high or low speeds. I was able to take my hands
off the wheel, even at top speed, and the boat ran straight and true.
Naturally, it will fall off a wave in rough conditions, but over-all, it
was very easy to control.
THE 19 BAY CAT
Back at the dock, I moved to the 19-foot Bay Cat Twin Vee that is
powered by a single Suzuki. The boat is the largest Twin Vee model that
is designed to perform with a single motor.
While I motored out in the 19 Bay Cat, Peter and Melissa remained on the
22 Hawaiian. The idea was to get some running shots of the larger boat,
but this setup also gave me an opportunity to try out the smaller boat.
This would be a perfect boat for fishing the shallow waters behind the
barrier islands along the Delmarva coast. It only draws 8 to 10 inches
of water, and it is quite stable. The 2005 models will have a forward
casting platform and a live well, perfect for light tackle and fly
anglers. The boat tracks true and has plenty of fishing room for up to
four anglers. The fact that it is designed for a single outboard keeps
the initial investment down, making it a great buy.
Peter and Melissa came past at top speed then shut down one motor and
were still able to plane the boat; try that with a mono-hull!
There are several models in the Twin Vee line, including the new 3212
and 3612 Ocean Cats. These big boys can run to any offshore canyon with
speed and safety. Both sport an 11 -foot, 11 -inch beam and a 17-inch
draft. With twin 250 Suzuki four-stroke outboards, they top out at 48
mph. The 3212 has the cockpit space of a 45 sport-fish, while the 3612
has the space of 50 footer.
Be sure to check out the Twin Vee line at this week’s Annapolis Power
Boat Show or log on to their website at
www.twinveeboats.com. You can
also contact Peter Jones at 410.626.0888 or toll free at
877.TWIN.VEE.
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