The wind is pumping at 15 to 20 mph and our drone is struggling to keep up with the World Cat 325 DC as we charge through the Chesapeake at 30 mph, but one thing I am NOT struggling to do is hold on. In fact, the boat is squishing the chop under its twin hulls as though there were mere ripples to contend with. Thus, the single most important thing to know about this boat is apparent from the moment we hit the throttles: when it comes to smooth cruising you just can’t beat that powercat ride. We shot our video of the 325 DC in these conditions, but as you watch, remember that on video the waves never appear as riled up as they are in reality - and no, we didn't use a camera gyro when this was recorded.
What’s even better is that despite cool temperatures and gusting winds I was also completely comfortable. While the dual console fishing boat design may give up a bit of fishing space as compared to a center console, with the full wraparound windshield and closed passageway door the helm deck of this boat is as protected as any boat with a full cabin and pilothouse. If the sun were blazing no doubt it would still be uber-comfy, thanks to the air conditioning vents at the helm and passenger’s seat.
That A/C doesn’t just chill the helmdeck, either. It’s piped into the console compartments, which on this boat, are much more expansive than one might expect. In fact, the 325 DC will prove an excellent weekender with a passenger’s side console cabin that includes seating which converts into a full berth, a TV, a microwave, and a cedar-lined hanging locker all built in. In the helm console there’s a roomy head compartment, including a sink with a pull-out sprayer that hangs on a wall mount to become a shower.
Air conditioning, TV, a shower, and a big berth? Those are just about all the comforts of home, but a microwave alone won’t cut it when you’re ready to cook up the catch of the day for your family. Good thing there’s an electric grill built into the helmdeck entertainment center, right above the refrigerator.
Back in the cockpit where the serious action will take place there are four flush gunwale rodholders, three rocket launchers going up each side of the hard top supports, a 35-gallon livewell, and a raw water washdown. The whopping-big 62.5-gallon fishbox gapes open from the helmdeck sole, and your tackle will live in the port-side stowage drawer and the drawers that swing out from under the entertainment center. One unexpected cool touch we found in the cockpit was the transom freshwater shower, which is a hot/cold version. Again, comfort gets a boost.
While you could certainly leave the cushions at home and cast from the bow cockpit, again, in this case comfort gets the emphasis. Remember, this is a 32-footer. There’s some serious space up there, and World Cat utilizes it by integrating in doublewide loungers on each side. “Doublewide’ is no exaggeration. Each has plenty of room for a couple to kick back and relax, or you could toss in the bow filler cushion and it becomes a gigantic U-shaped lounge-o-rama.
Our test boat was rigged with a pair of Mercury 300-hp Verado outboards, which gave the boat plenty of speed. At a 4500-rpm cruise we ran in the mid-30s, and at wide open, ran in the mid-40s and touched 47 mph. What’s critical to note, however, is that you’ll be able to enjoy those speeds when the wind is whipping and other captains are yanking back on the throttles to avoid getting pummeled by the waves. Added cat bonus: with the engines spaced widely apart on each hull, close-quarters maneuvering is excellent and spinning the boat on a dime is a piece of cake. Double-added bonus: with no deep V protruding beneath the waterline hull draft is a mere 16”, so you can take this boat where other 32-footers dare not tread.
So: are you ready to go for a sea trial on a World Cat 325 DC? Wait for a windy day so you can get the full flavor of the ride, open up the throttles, and hold on tight. Wait — never mind that last part.
World Cat 325DC Specifications
- LOA – 32’2”
- Beam – 10’6”
- Displacement – 12,500 lbs.
- Draft (hull) – 1’4”
- Transom Deadrise – NA (cat)
- Fuel Capacity – 279 gal.
- Max. Power – 600 hp
Area Dealers – Bosun’s Marine, Grasonville, MD, (443) 347-6314; Taylor Marine Centers, Milford, DE (302) 251-2506 and Ocean City, MD (443) 647-8265; and Norfolk Marine, Norfolk, VA, (757) 895-7432.