PowerCat 2600 Sports Targa: Boat Review

The PowerCat 2600 Sports Targa is tailored to suit those looking for a trailerable powercat with refined finishes, lots of inbuilt creature comforts, a boat suited to family and entertaining and of course, is fishable and looks the part.

POWERCAT 2600

For the cruisers, entertainers and island hoppers the PowerCat 2600 ST has all the necessary creature comforts to keep you, the family and guests super-comfy onboard. Of note are the wraparound lounge and large table insert in the stern (covered by a bimini extension), easy-to-clean Flexiteek flooring to the cockpit, an off-centred mini-galley/prep station with sink, portable gas cooker, storage for cutlery and crockery, and a small fridge to keep the champers and prawns cold. As an option, you can upgrade to a larger built-in cooker which would be ideal for those doing extended stays aboard.

LAYOUT

In the cockpit, the PowerCat 2600 ST has a slightly different design to the norm, having the helm station on the port side rather than starboard. A moulded dual helm seat backs onto the mini-galley and as positioned you can access the helm from either side, thanks to the small walkthrough against the port side.

The helm station then consists of a classy-looking dash with loads of space for gauges, switch panels and a separate flush-mount section for the sounder-GPS. If I had to critique this section the only thing I would say is the flush-mount space is limited to medium-sized sounders, but it’s not a train smash as there is still heaps of space on the dash to bracket-mount other electronics without restricting your view.

Cockpit protection is in the form of a solid and stylish looking hardtop with half-screen and clears. Up front the cab is a fully-usable area due to the full beam spanning through to the bow. The double bed is full size, in fact more like a king bed, with additional storage space, full lighting, as well as the cabin having an inbuilt head that’s hidden but easily accessible. The internal trimmings are stylish, plush to the touch and overall, it’s a really nice, comfortable area to kick back in or sleep. If overnighting is part of the plan and you have a few extras onboard then another bonus is the rear lounger that converts to a double bed.

FISHABILITY

The rear loungers on the PowerCat 2600 are moulded inserts and can be taken out, transforming the rear deck into a good-sized fishing platform suited to both game and bottom angling.

Each corner of the stern holds good-sized storage tanks which can be plumbed for livebaits, as well as plenty of space available for a baitboard to be slotted in on either side of the boarding walkthrough off the transom. As tested the coamings had flush-mount rodholders fitted, as well as a rocket launcher to the hardtop for extra rod stowage.

On the fishing side, the stability and comfort will score highly when trolling for gamefish, as well as at rest when cranking the big reds in. Like any fishing craft, one will adapt or add accessories to suit.

The economy of the two Suzuki 140 outboard motors is exceptionally good at troll speeds and low revs and twin 200lt fuel tanks make this a boat that can handle long range and rough conditions with ease. Think big fishing days or trips out to the islands of the Whitsundays or Lady Musgrave Island on the Barrier Reef.

HANDLING AND RIDE

Having previous experience on PowerCats, I really wasn’t perturbed about crossing Moreton Bay to Tangalooma, as these boats do a pretty good job at annihilating chop and swell.

Being a twin hull, you can run a far heavier deadrise without the compromise of stability. The PowerCat 2600’s hefty 28° deadrise does a fine job at slicing chop and swell to create a sweet ride throughout the rev ranges.

As previously mentioned this was not a normal recreational boating day, probably the type where you would rather polish the boat at home. At the helm, seated or standing, driving is comfortable – although doing this from the port side can feel a bit odd but after a while, you do get used to it. Personally I do prefer my helm stations to be on starboard, the main reason being that I don’t like anybody near my control box. Regardless, that is a personal preference and as it is, it doesn’t make the driving experience uncomfortable.

Of all the Suzuki four-stroke outboards, I do have a soft spot for the 140hp. It has a superb all-round torque curve and pretty impressive reliability. Although twin 140s might seem conservative on a sizeable boat like the 2600 ST, I found the combo to be ideally matched. Plenty of guts low down, with a nice midrange cruise speed of around 25kts at 4500rpm and a very acceptable 37.5kts at WOT of 6200rpm.

Impressively, at 25kts and 4200rpm the twin motors chew a combined 34lt/h, which is not bad considering the boat’s size, weight and horsepower of the engines. This shows the efficiency of these hulls, as you can get monohulls chewing the same or similar fuel off one motor.

THE VERDICT

The overall versatility of the PowerCat 2600 Sports Targa, combined with quality build and some really nice finishes throughout, make it very appealing indeed. As a touring boat, local family weekender, serious fishing boat, dedicated dive boat or just a nice entertainer for friends, it’s all the above and more.

POWERCAT 2600 SPORTS TARGA SEA TRIALS

*Sea trial data supplied by the author

POWERCAT 2600 SPORTS TARGA SPECIFICATIONS

PowerCat 2600 Sports Targa price: $176,871 w/ standard features and twin 115hp Suzuki four-stroke outboards (priced from)

GENERAL

MATERIAL GRP

TYPE Power catamaran

LENGTH 7.75m

BEAM 2.5m

WEIGHT Approx. 2200kg

DEADRISE 28°

CAPACITIES

PEOPLE (DAY) 8

REC. HP RANGE 2 x 115 to 150

FUEL 400lt

WATER 80lt

HOLDING TANK 30lt

ENGINE

MAKE/MODEL 2 x Suzuki DF140ATX outboard motors

TYPE DOHC 16-valve four-stroke petrol outboard motors

RATED HP 140 (each)

DISPLACEMENT 2044cc

WEIGHT 184kg (each)

GEAR RATIO 2.59:1

PROPELLER 22in counter rotating

SUPPLIED BY

Powercat Marine

14 Roseby Road, Caboolture, QLD, 4510

Phone +61 7 5428 0043; 0411 477 795

Email sales@powercatmarine.com.au

Web powercatmarine.com.au

See the full version of this review in Trade-A-Boat #463, March / April 2015. Why not subscribe today?