Fort Pierce Inlet can be one of the trickiest cuts on the East Coast of Florida to negotiate, but Capt. Fox Watkins has probably made more trips through this challenging ocean entrance than anyone in his pursuit of offshore fish, such as dolphin and sailfish, in the 35 years he has been guiding here. Today he surveys the confused conditions, and without hesitation, glides on through the sloppy waves and wakes chaotically ricocheting off the sea walls. Although experience is a key trait to safely navigating the gauntlet, the Twin Vee 29 catamaran Capt. Watkins is driving makes it look easy. Stretching 29 feet long with an ultra-wide beam that measures just 2 inches shy of 10 feet, this big cat has more floor space than a New York City department store.

Most of the time when writers test a boat, it's with a fresh-from-the-factory model that still has that new boat smell. But this particular boat has not only been flogged by the press, it's also seen regular service as a demo model and working charter boat. In other words, it's been ridden hard and put away wet. But for all the touristy traffic tredding upon it, and the more than 700 hours put on its twin Suzuki DF200 outboards, it's still looking good and running strong. Since the test, the boat has even received a sailfish graphic hull wrap from JaxWraps ($3,750) that really makes its appearance pop. Thanks to the rolled edge of the Twin Vee, which sticks out and gives the catamaran a bit more protection against dockage scrapes, the wrap might last longer than usual. New for 2008 are optional hull colors like Bimini Blue, First Strike Yellow, Key Lime Green and Gulfstream Teal, which are reasonably priced at $1,290 for the 29-foot model, and also come with matching canvas in the soft version of the T-top. White isn't even white anymore, having been replaced by an off-white oyster hue.          

There are several outstanding catamarans on the market that would be great choices for all those offshore anglers with bad backs looking for a little relief from the pounding conditions that frequently occur. Unfortunately, a lot of cats require a dual form of payment: the proverbial arm and a leg. Twin Vee, however, takes a different approach. Its main objective is to give owners function at a reasonable cost, so instead of having a pretty cockpit liner that gives a boat the look of an upscale yacht, all but one model of Twin Vee cats feature a rolled edge design (which is less expensive to produce), giving it a skiff-like interior appearance from inside. To enhance its rough-around-the-edges-but-tough-as-nails image, Rhino Lining - the same stuff you apply to the bed of a working pickup truck - is sprayed on the deck for extra traction and durability. However, because this boat has been in constant fishing use, the deck has been painted several times to make it prettier, and in bare feet, the "rhino hide" gets a little slippery when wet.

  

Slipping out of the inlet, the open ocean swells in the Atlantic aren't too frantic, and Capt. Watkins slices through the 2-footers at 40 mph. Unlike some cats that use displacement hulls, Twin Vees have planing hulls and are fast through the chop. After a couple of miles, Capt. Watkins sees a red flare arc on the horizon and pushes the throttles to the stops, and the 29 slashes along at a top speed of 45.4 mph toward it. On the radio he discovers that it's

a commercial fisherman whose boat is disabled with a diver down who isn't aware his boat has drifted away, unable to start. After a careful search in the choppy swells, they spot the faded diver's float and wait for him to come to the surface to apprise him of the situation. Just a little rescue-at-sea excitement to start off the day. Twin Vee Operations Manager Preston Yarbor-ough, who's fishing today, says with a lighter load and the right props, the 29 is capable of hitting 50 mph.

On the way out to the Gulf Stream, which entails a run of about 20 miles, Capt. Watkins spots a weedline, and the crew gets busy putting out a spread of six lines, including two off the optional Taco telescoping outriggers ($1,860). The first strike happens quickly, when a skyrocketing 15-pound bull dolphin slams a ballyhoo. On this boat, there's an optional padded 200-quart cooler in the stern that serves as a fishbox as well as stern seating. Although the 29 CC doesn't have any problems getting on plane (3.5 seconds), the added weight of the iced-up box, plus a couple of anglers, makes the Suzuki DF200s sit pretty low in the water. Twin Vee has since come up with a better fish storage scheme, which is to order the SLBDF option ($1,710). This wryly stands for Small Live Bait/Dead Fish, meaning it's a 50-gallon livewell/469-quart combo that sits behind and beneath the leaning post. There's now a standard flip-up stern bench to replace the cooler.

Unlike a lot of center console fishing boats, the Twin Vee 29 has no problem shifting into entertainment mode, thanks to features like the huge padded U-lounge up front. Some hard-core anglers might not like the fact that the cushions can't be removed since they form the lids for the dry storage. But they're well designed with hinges on the centerline side, which allows the lids to pivot 270 degrees to get them out of your way, giving complete access to the lockable compartments, which also have rod racks for storage. You can even order fill-in cushions to give you a larger-than-king-size sunpad or a catnap berth. There's an optional cockpit table that sets up in the bow section for your snacking pleasure, and on the forward casting deck, there's a small hatch for access to the massive storage compartment underneath that's secured by twin plastic dogs. If a guest needs to answer the call of nature, they can easily access the console's Porta-Potti through a large front-opening door. In the lockable compartment, there's enough room to store more fishing rods in the wall-mounted racks that help the 20 CC attain a storage capacity of 50 rods throughout the boat - you heard that right - five-zero. 

  

A couple more dolphin attack their offerings, so it can be classified as a successful outing, and for the ride home, you slip behind the helm. Like the rest of the boat, it's a no-frills station with lots of room for electronics. The no-tilt, destroyer-type wheel is positioned correctly, as are the throttles and analog gauges. The standard leaning post (complete with seatback) is comfortable and has a 50-gallon livewell underneath along with three tackle storage drawers. The leaning post could use a shotgun rail, however, for those wanting to stand behind it when running.

The 29 is extremely easy to drive, and instead of trim tabs, you adjust any list by trimming the engines. Basically, you let the boat drive itself using little steering or throttle input to obtain the best results. Unlike some cats, you can take a sharp corner without experiencing a frightening outward tilt.

If you're interested in joining the fraternal order of anglers who run cats, Twin Vee can get you into a 29 CC for a base price of $113,570 when rigged with a pair of 200-hp Suzuki 4-strokes. This gives you a competent, fuel-efficient, twin-engine offshore boat with loads of fishing room and standard features that spend your money in all the right places.

 

The Verdict

 

The 29 Center Console gives you the fishing space and smooth ride of a larger boat in a more fuel-efficient package. As an added bonus, it has no problem shifting into entertainment mode. Some might not like the spartan, rolled-edge interior finish or non-removable cushions, but you will be hard-pressed to find its equal in terms of fishing proficiency for the money.

 

Twin Vee 29 CC

LOA 29'
Beam 9'10"
Weight 4,700 lbs.
Fuel 240 gal.
Top Speed 45.4 mph
(w/twin 200-hp Suzuki 4-strokes)
Time To Plane 3.5 seconds
0-30 mph 6.5 seconds
Decibels @ Idle 59 dB-A
Decibels @ 30 mph 83 dB-A
Decibels @ WOT 93 dB-A
Base Price $113,570             
(w/twin 200-hp Suzuki 4-strokes)
Price As Tested $116,430
(w/twin 200-hp Suzuki 4-strokes)
Hull Warranty Lifetime Limited
NMMA Certified? No

 

Twin Vee Boats
3101 S. Federal Highway
Fort Pierce, FL 34982
(772) 429-2525