Loyal readers know we have a soft spot for catamaran hulls: They handle rough seas better and more comfortably than monohulls. World Cat has always built high-quality, planning-hull multihulls, and its newest offering — a dual console 29-footer — carries that tradition admirably. And with each new hull, World Cat continues to chip away the perception that catamarans are ugly. The euro-styling and handsome shear belie the cat heritage.
 
World Cat's signature Vectorflo Air Cushion hull design makes for a very smooth ride in a rough head sea, while the wide, blunt bow provides considerably more usable room forward than a comparably sized, pointy-nosed monohull.
 
The 290 quickly and easily converts from a dedicated offshore fishing vessel to a family cruiser by the simple addition of seat cushions and a removable table and by folding out a retractable transom seat. For cruising, the 290 can accommodate an astounding 12 passengers. The 290 also comes equipped with a head, complete with Corian counters and sink.  
 
World Cat has made the twin windshields noticeably larger than on most dual consoles, leading to more palatable running offshore in inclement weather. And you'll find a broad, double helm seat on each side rather than a single pedestal seat. A hardtop with integral lighting and an available enclosure option offers additional protection for up to six in your fishing party on the helm and guest seating.
 Anglers will particularly appreciate that World Cat has also boosted the volume of the livewells and in-deck fish boxes.
 
World Cat's unibody construction bonds the hull and deck into a single, seamless unit, using advanced adhesives as well as epoxy-coated screws that mix the resin and catalyst as they are inserted, thereby becoming a solid part of the hull.

World Cat prides itself on no-wood construction featuring Penske urethane-composite transoms with integrated aluminum engine backing plates. It all works well enough for the company to offer a 10-year transferable hull warranty. And though it's hard for us to imagine why anyone would want anything other than a white hull, World Cat offers optional colors including Fighting Lady yellow, Carolina blue, sapphire blue and ruby red.

LOA......29 ft. 1 in.
BEAM......9 ft. 6 in.
DRAFT......1 ft. 3 in.
DEADRISE......Catamaran
WATER......250 gal.
FUEL......35 gal.
MAX POWER......T250-hp OB
MSRP......$160,000 (w/T250 OB and hardtop)

World Class Catamaran / Tarboro, North Carolina / 866-485-8899 / www.worldcat.com