18' Sharkcat

[seatime]

Yep, the podded 560 Sportsman is better for room. The extra cuddy cab weight and length gives them a better ride too, IMO. Can't overpower them, or the balance is lost with too much weight hanging off the back. The motor well boat is nippier and a bit more agile, and has a good PTW ratio.
There's a podded 560 and 18'er on boatpoint atm.

[Grand_Marlin]

That one at scarborough sold ... boat was in good nick, bu tthe motors were old 110 johnno's.

They made a number of Kevla Sharkcats when they experimented with pods - they werent any where near as good as the standard glass boat.

Cheers

Pete

[seatime]

Pete, that model goes well with the right OBs. There's a few pod variations around on the different models.
The standard 18' motor well boat with 90s goes pretty good too.

[Kerry]

That's the one thing with 18' Sharkcats, Which one?

[Grand_Marlin]

G'day Gelsec,

One of the Ab Divers I knew tried one of the Kevla models ... they always ran in Tandem with another standard build, motor well 560 Fisherman, ans he said the Kevla one could never match the performance of the standard one, except in flat water.
Obviously just a weight thing.

Kerry, you are right ... with so many owners of Sharkcat in that time, so many ideas and changes, it is hard to know.

They are all good boats, but some do shine above others.

I think the best balanced boat of the lot was the 560 sportsman with V4 OMC motors, or 90 Yamahas.
The 70's were not quite enough power and the 135 V6 Mercs were too heavy.

Cheers

Pete

[Noelm]

had an 18' with 90 yammies, it was reasonable good, very light engines for their output, BUT I think a bit "weaker" than a V4 90 (had that setup as well) but the 18 footers were/are a very good cheaper option for those wanting to move into the world of cats, and can be setup into a very good game fishing/bottom fishing rig.

[mhdbl]

I had a 18ft shark cat with 2 old 85hp evinrudes orange in colour. the ride in the boat was the best i've had in any boat but the motors were old and you could watch the fuel gauge move which was a bit disapointing due to the cost of fuel.

I sold the beast becuase I couldn't afford to upgrade the motor and the home finacial advisor advised me to get a smaller boat that I would use or she would get rid of it. It was the worst thing I ever done I should have kept it and faced to wrath or taken it and kept it at a mates place and work harder and get two new donks.
The guy who bought it has done it up and has 2 90hp mercs on it and I have noticed that he hasn't taken it out for a while ( might offer to buy it back now).

Overall the best boat I have had and given the chance would have another one

Mark

[vet]

A slow cat is a bad cat. Cats sit low in the water at the back so despite the low hours there will probably a lot of corrosion problems. I would only by it if you can afford to put new motors on it straight away. I have had 2 cats with older (10years) motors and have spent heaps on maintenance.