Butt Cats have long been regarded as the ‘it’ boat of the sea. The industry has long awaited this arrival and the 64-year-old company is proud to finally launch their first-ever 750 version – but is this 2014 arrival all-new? The Editor finds out in Cape Town.
The Butt Cat 750 XL’s design is based on the popular 685 version. You’ll notice a lot of the characteristic traits from the smaller model, but take a closer look beyond the styling to see the new elements – such as shaving around 600 kg off the total weight while time should prove that the craft retains its integrity.
Deck layout
The main new characteristic of the 750 is the hull extensions. These aren’t just out mounts – it’s a physical extension of the hull which moves the motors further aft. This means that the engine wells are no longer ‘inside’ the boat, but are instead outside of the false transom to give you more space on the deck. This has created suspicion that the helm is situated forward, lessening the bow room – but it’s merely an illusion as the motors are simply further back than you’ve come to expect.
Created to forge on with the company’s heritage of deep sea angling, the 750 doesn’t disappoint. She has a full wet deck, plenty of storage for your gear and fishing equipment, and sufficient rod holders for your needs. Built into the deck, you’ll find hatches for your catches as well as storage for four to six jerry cans of fuel. The skipper is treated well with a good position from which to drive and is able to maintain good visibility around the boat, making the handling just that much better.
Performance
What is remarkable about the Butt Cat 750 is that it is paired with mere twin 90 HP Suzukis. That may sound like a lot when you total the horses under the cowling, but this is essentially a 1 050 kg (bare hull), 25-foot boat which is made to perform. The team over at Butt Cat have employed their age-old knowledge to produce a boat which is wood-free – which contributes in a large degree to one of this boat’s main strengths; the fact that it is light and strong.
Of course, the powerful 4-Stroke, light-weight Suzukis have their own list of benefits – but the blend of hull and motors seem to have defied the odds during the building stages when few believed that twin 90’s would suffice. Not only are they enough – they’re plenty!
