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Kevlacat
Offshore 2400
By pioneering innovative lay-ups (including kevlar) and experimenting
with extended motor pods, Kevlacat led the way in improving
the hull efficiency of cats, thereby reducing the need for
powerful and thirsty motors.
These days Kevlacats are going through a continuing process
of evolution and refinement. Always very desirable to the
offshore fishing crowd, theyve built on that reputation.
The 6.5 metre "Offshore 2400" is a prime example,
and we are indebted to the owner of Intruda, Glen Pieper,
for allowing us to let his baby loose off Mooloolaba in Queensland
for a few hours.
It was an overcast day, with the surfers enjoying a fair swell,
as we exited Mooloolah River. Often test boats come lightly
loaded and minimally powered but for once we had a kitted-out
and fuelled-up boat ready to go fishing.
Glen chose twin 130hp Johnsons for Intrudas motive power
and the boat was no slouch.
Tapping the throttles as we cleared the breakwalls produced
a noticeable shove into the seat.
The new hulls are a little finer in the entry but otherwise
unchanged Kevlacat have got it right. Up swell, down
swell, across swell, quartering the swell. Intruda had impeccable
manners. Could we bury a sponson? Nope, and it wasnt
as if we didnt try.
Glens 6.5 is the more extensively optioned version.
Theres also a basic cuddy which comes standard with
twin 90s, while twin 140s is the max.
The expansive cockpit had full and unrestricted leg support
without any toe busters around it periphery. Although thats
no less than how a proper offshore fisher should be, few are
this well done.
Specifications
LOA
(inc engines): 7.68m
Beam: 2.48m
Weight (dry): 1400kg
Draft: 0.40m
Rec power: 2 x 90hp
Max power: 2 x 140hp
Price (on trailer):
For more information please contact Kevlacat by phone on 07
5493 3799, fax 07 5493 3168 or email:
info@kevlacat.com.au
Article taken from Modern Boating, May/June 1998.

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