Afri-Cat 420: Power Cat Panache
When it comes to mid-sized cruisers, are the twin hulls of this power catamaran better than one?
August 20, 2011
One great thing about powercats, including Afri-Cat Marine’s 420 Power Catamaran, is the vast amount of deck space they provide. On small boats this is a tremendous advantage, and is evidenced by the popularity of 20-something powercat fishing boats. But when it comes to mid-sized cruisers, does this advantage still shine through? After a tour of the Afri-Cat 420, I’d say the answer is a resounding yes.
Above the twin hulls of the Afri-Cat 420, the wide foredeck area offers plenty of options for fun.
The space advantages are obvious from the moment you board via the built-in boarding/swim platforms in the transom. The cockpit, shaded and protected from the weather by the extended bridgedeck, takes advantage of nearly all of the boat’s 22-foot beam. Yes, you read that right – this 42-foot-long boat is about half as wide as it is long. Try that with a monohull, and you’ll end up with a tub of a boat. But spreading the two hulls wide apart is a major advantage with a cat like this, giving it incredible stability while allowing the pair of narrow hulls to meet the waves independently, reducing impacts and virtually eliminating pounding. And abovedecks, the acreage per LOA is amazing: There’s room in that cockpit for eight people to dine alfresco, to accommodate a dive party with full gear, or to rig up for angling, should you so desire.
In the saloon, again, the spaciousness this boat’s footprint allows is nothing short of stellar. There’s a huge C-shaped settee, a lower helm station, and a galley which, despite this boat’s South African heritage, is stocked with appliances common to boats from the US of A.
The saloon and galley areas are light and airy, with smooth contours and easy-to-maintain surfaces.
The downside to available space when it comes to power cats is, of course, the narrow nature of the staterooms belowdecks. Both the master and the guest’s staterooms may feel a bit short on elbow-room to some folks, since they’re no wider than their queen berths. But just how big a deal is it to have relatively tight staterooms? Ask yourself: where do you spend most of your time, anyway? In the saloon and cockpit, or in the staterooms?
More space to enjoy fun in the sun is, of course, equally or more important than the interior space for many boaters. On common monohull boats the foredeck is poorly utilized, but on the Afri-Cat 420, you can take full advantage of that wide-open area. It’s ringed in its entirety by a double rail, and offers tanning space for a half-dozen people. There’s room for a half-dozen more to enjoy the views from that oversized flybridge, too.
Just as the copious deck space gives you plenty of options for fun when you shove off the dock, Afri-Cat gives you a lot of options when it comes to powering this boat. It can be had with a pair of 190- or 315-hp Yanmar inboards, 480-hp Zeus pod drives, Volvo IPS 500s, or IPS 600’s. In all of these cases handling is excellent, since the powerplants and running gear are separated so far apart. In the pod rigs handling is even better, plus you get the easy-to-use joystick control options.
Folks who don’t mind mellow cruising speeds will be extremely happy with the small powerplant choices and the ability to get several miles to the gallon, while those who need a bit more speed can up the ante, cruise in the mid 20s, enjoy a top-end just over 30 knots, and get by with respectable economy (a hair over one MPG at cruise, with the IPS 600’s). Those speeds aren’t exactly eye-watering, but are they pleasing to most folks looking for a mid-sized cruiser? Do they seem even better when one considers the expansive deck space the boat also provides? And the multi-use opportunities that go along with it? The answer for most of us will be a resounding yes.Comparison shoppers will want to see the Manta 44 Powercat, the PDQ 41, and the Kit Cats Powercat 40.
For more information, visit Afri-Cat Marine.
Lenny Rudow has been a writer and editor in the marine field for over two decades and has authored five books. He runs his own web site at HookedOnFishingBoats.com and writes weekly for Boats.com reviewing new models and covering marine electronics.
