34 Magic Cat: Powerboat Performance Report

The 34 Magic Cat was built as much for its creature comforts as it was for its top speed. (Photo by Tom Newby)

For performance boaters who do most of their boating at small, out-of-the-way lakes, they're likely to find plenty of service stations that sell beef jerky, firewood and ice.

But when it comes to finding high-octane fuel for the boat's engines at the gas station, you might as well purchase a map and get information on a local airport. Magic Powerboats knows that consumers want engines with significant horsepower but don't want the hassle of finding aviation fuel.
That's why it equipped its new 34 Magic Cat with 750-hp engines that run on 87-octane fuel—the same gas you use to fill up your tow vehicle. One-stop shopping has never been so easy.

Performance

With the cost of boat insurance going up sharply in recent years, Magic wanted to offer consumers a cat that performs, yet is still insurable. The company dressed the boat with a pair of naturally aspirated fuel-injected 750-hp engines built in-house by Steve Faller. By offering nonsupercharged motors, Magic believes, buyers will have an easier time finding insurance.

Magic channeled the nearly 1,500 horsepower through Mercury Bravo One XR drives with IMCO lowers. Gear reductions were 1.5:1 and the 15 1/2" x 32" Maximus five-blade stainless propellers turning in were from Mercury.

The 34 Magic Cat was built as much for its creature comforts as it was for its top speed. Though the top speed of 99 mph on GPS was solid, even more impressive was its midrange acceleration. Going from 30 to 50 mph took just 4.9 seconds and with the engines turning a mere 4,500 rpm, the cat was traveling almost 85 mph.

The boat had a tendency to lean to the outside during slalom turns, but still felt secure. Tracking at low, mid and high speeds earned top marks from our testers, and throttle response was surprisingly good for a boat of its size, weight and power.

Most buyers likely will opt to use the catamaran on big lakes rather than offshore. During our test on the Colorado River in Parker, Ariz., several tow boats were leaving some pretty large wakes. The Magic feasted on the chop and offered a good indication that it could handle virtually any rough water that comes its way.

Workmanship

Magic opted for a variety of knitted fiberglass and balsa core for the hull and deck. Built at its manufacturing facility in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., the boat was vacuum-bagged and the results were some of the best we've seen from Magic.

The hullsides were straight and free of waves, especially challenging for a 34-foot cat with deep sponsons. Paint was also top-notch with sharp lines and appropriate fades, but the rubrail protecting that work could have been a little straighter.

Magic equipped the boat with six Accon cleats and opted for pop-up navigation lights on the bow and stern. On the stern the builder included a trim switch on the platform, making it easier to raise and lower the drives. Other hardware included a nice stainless handrail on the back of the swim platform and billet grilles to cover the vents.

Two electric screw jacks opened the engine compartment lid to a near-vertical position. Hinges were custom billet pieces. The builder had plenty of space to work with in the compartment, considering the boat had a 9-foot, 6-inch beam. Unlike V-bottoms where the builder often has to shoehorn in the motors, the 34 Magic Cat boasted an extraordinary amount of room between the engines and gunwales.

A center box in the engine compartment housed the boat's batteries and trim pumps. The wiring and cables in the compartment were generally well supported.

Interior

Magic acknowledges that its goal isn't to build the fastest boat on the market. Rather, the company wants to provide amenities the whole family can enjoy.

"If you want a head with a shower and your wife to be extremely happy, and your buddies to bring their kids, feel safe, listen to music and have a lot of room, people are responding to that," said Magic's Brett Durante. "We've got a lot of respect for other people that build 140-mph boats, it's just not our bag."

The 34-footer was stocked with amenities. Take the midcabin, for example, which featured a pump-out porcelain head, shower and sink. Along with the facing lounges, the midcabin included two coolers with the Magic logo embroidered on top and a Sharp flat-screen television with a DVD player.

In the cockpit the builder opted for Livorsi Monster gauges with a GPS tattletale at the driver's station. The tilt helm was from Zeiger and the throttles and shifters were from Mercury Racing.

Trying to improve the ride for the driver and observer, Magic installed acrylic screens that can be powered up or down to deflect the wind. During our testing, the windscreens did provide some protection but not as much as we would have liked.

Over at the co-pilot's station, the builder protected the Kenwood stereo with satellite radio in a heavy-duty billet case. A 10-disc CD changer was installed in the midcabin. If the driver wanted to take control of the tunes, a remote was installed to the right of the steering wheel.

Under the rear bench, Magic included a couple of spots with draining coolers that could double as stowage. Passengers could hold onto the grab handles that were securely mounted to the backs of the bolsters. Our testers, however, would have liked to have a little more space between the bolsters and the rear bench.

Up front, the bow was nicely finished with elliptical grab handles for passengers to hold onto while the boat is moving.

Overall

If your shopping list includes a cat that runs 100 mph, stocked with amenities, and engines that run on pump gas, the Magic showroom might be the only stop you'll need to make.

Hull and Propulsion Information

Centerline	34'
Beam	9'6"
Hull weight	9,200 pounds
Fuel capacity	194 gallons
Engines	(2) Flat Top 750 EFI
Cylinder type	V-8
Cubic-inch displacement/horsepower	612/750
Lower-unit gear ratio	1.5:1
Propellers	Mercury Maximus 15 1/2" x 32"
Base retail price	$199,350
Price as tested	$265,111

Options on Test Boat

Upgrade to twin custom 750-hp engines ($49,880), upgraded tires and wheels on trailer ($8,500), stereo system ($2,977), Teague Custom Marine mufflers ($957), GPS ($799), VHF radio ($671), bimini top ($659), Fire Boy extinguisher system ($522), dual batteries ($480) and electric stern light ($317).

Top Speed

Radar	97.9 mph at 6000 rpm
GPS 99	mph 97.9 mph at 6000 rpm

Acceleration

5 seconds	27 mph
10 seconds	48 mph
15 seconds	66 mph
20 seconds	76 mph
30-50 mph	4.9 seconds
40-60 mph	5.2 seconds
40-70 mph	8.9 seconds
Time to plane	5.2 seconds
Minimum planing speed	20 mph