World Cat 235TE

World Cat and skinny water are two terms that don’t seem to go together, at least not until now. With a 9-inch draft, the new World Cat 235TE (Tournament Edition) provides outstanding inshore capabilities, as well as  the ability to straddle offshore seas in comfort.

We hit the throttles on the twin Yamaha 150 hp outboards and headed out into Florida’s Sarasota Bay on a 10-knot windy day. It kicked up the ideal chop to test the 235TE, and we weren’t disappointed in this boat’s abilities in any respect. 

A cat needs choppy water, a job for the two sea-slicing sponsons to keep them busy like two fine trotters in harness, each one holding the other steady. On every cat I’ve ridden, choppy seas seem to tell them to get down to business. They each take the waves separately, on a slightly different but parallel line, and somehow that balances the forces, keeping the deck nice and steady. 

Mike Myers, World Cat’s VP of dealer development, was my partner in this test, and we set a pace in the 30 mph range with the throttle and began to rein the cat into broad circles, first one way, then the other. In modest turns, the 235TE stayed level instead of heeling into the turn. But when we sharpened the turn, it heeled in, keeping the crew steady with the turn’s centrifugal force. It wasn’t like a V-bottom boat, but it held enough of those characteristics to replace the negative view of cats that too many boaters possess. The 235TE replaces that view with admiration for this cat’s ­handling benefits.

Our top speed was a sprightly 51 mph. Fuel burn at the most economical speed of 27.4 mph at 3,500 rpm gave us 2.6 mpg. While my partner Myers handled the helm, I jotted notes in the steady vessel and found them surprisingly legible. In too many V-bottom boats, I’ve had to rerun a speed increment or two to correct scribbled writing. 

We measured acceleration time from zero to 20 mph, a speed most boatbuilders agree represents a fair planing speed. We marked 3 seconds for time to plane. The 235TE hit 30 mph in just 6 seconds. 

Fast, smooth and predictable were three good descriptors for our test results so far. We wanted to check some other data points, so we slowed down to trolling speed. Myers and I are both big guys, and when we moved to one gunwale or the other, as a pair of anglers might do when gaffing a fish, the 235TE remained steady, with only moderate give beneath our weight. Our footing remained secure for the work. At rest, as if casting a shoreline with the nudge of a trolling motor—there’s plenty of deck space to mount one, and the deck is reinforced to distribute its force—the deck still offered solid footing.

There is a helpful step up to the bow casting platform to save the knees and encourage following a fish from bow to stern or vice versa, keeping one eye on the fish and one on the pathway through midship to the aft deck. At the stern platform, a center step is lower, leading to the boarding platform extending between the motors. A reboarding ladder of 2-inch aluminum tubing stands thigh-high in the retracted position. This is an ideal bully pulpit to finish the fishing battle. The ladder looks tempting as a leaning bar, but it’s magnetically latched and won’t tolerate leaning on it unless it is lashed up with a strap. If that tactic is used, be sure someone remains on board to deploy it from within in case of a man-overboard event. 

We found not only the 235TE highly fishable inshore or offshore, but also the deck features kept the interior organized for battle. Tackle cabinets on the aft deck bulkhead stow utility boxes. There’s a 30-gallon livewell with a powerful pump. A shelf tilts out of the back of the leaning post, revealing storage for tools, leaders and such, and the door itself makes for a platform for rigging tackle. Underneath is a rollout cooler; use it for frozen bait or drinks. Foredeck storage is ample and insulated. 

Four rod holders residing in the leaning post hold rods for rigging. Five rocket launchers in the hardtop stow more sticks, and three vertical rod holders in each side of the console hold rods of any length thanks to the ports in the hardtop for the tips. Horizontal rod racks under each gunwale hold gaffs, boat brushes or, for the guy with too many rods, more sticks.

In our testing, we look for access to the bilge for maintaining pumps, through-hull fitting and valves, and we look for logical, traceable wiring too. When we find them to be in order, we know professionals designed the systems for serious boaters. Wiring was clear, access to the pumps and batteries was ample, and fresh- and raw-water outlets were located for easy use. 

Options on our test boat included dual multifunction displays, to which the engines revealed their operating stats. A windlass at the bow eases anchoring duties when bottomfishing—that is, if you aren’t using station-keeping on an autopilot-equipped trolling motor, which is fast becoming the norm.

The only dilemma World Cat 235TE owners might face is deciding between easing over the flats or sliding through the seas for pelagics or reef-fishing. You may have to flip a coin. Or do both in a day—there’s enough tackle storage on board to accommodate both quests. 

Read Next: World Cat 400CC-X

Specifications

World Cat – Tarboro, North Carolina; worldcat.com