2022 Maven VII review

The Maven VII is an all-new powered catamaran and fishing platform built on the Gold Coast by family-run business, Maven Boats. 

The Maven VII is the company's debut model, the hull designed by leading Gold Coast naval architects, Oceanic Design & Survey. 

Setting out to establish a new company and to build an all-new boat is an ambitious project, and more so when the boat is a multihull; a traditional monohull would have been a more straightforward proposition. 

Powered catamaran design is complex; it is much easier to get the shape, size and width of the individual hull sponsons wrong than it is to get it right. 

Not willing to cut corners, Maven Boats engaged Oceanic Design & Survey to crunch the numbers and produce a powered catamaran design that performs to the maximum. 

And perform it does. The Maven VII delivers a smooth, stable, dry ride, along with 40-knot performance from a pair of Mercury 135hp four-stroke outboards. 

The Maven VII is also a proper looker, drawing long, admiring stares where ever it goes. The angular twin hull design looks tough and purposeful with its high topsides, uniquely curving sheer line and broad hull sponsons. 

Maven Boats has Maven VIII centre console boat packages starting at $202,180. This price includes a pair of 115hp Mercury extra-longshaft (25-inch) four-stroke outboard engines and a dual-axle alloy trailer with electric-hydraulic break-away brakes.  

The price also includes the smaller of two centre console options, and an alloy framed overhead canvas bimini cover. 

Our test boat was optioned with a larger, dual-width centre console, along with a fixed, welded aluminium hardtop and a deluxe, heavy-duty tandem trailer.  

The test boat also gained a Muir electric drum anchor winch; freshwater washdown; USB power socket; underwater LED lighting; hardtop LED lighting and spotlights; forward-facing hardtop light bar; upgraded, two-tone upholstery; bow table/infill board; coaming bolster padding; upgraded lean seat post with tackle drawers.

Electronics gear includes a pair of Simrad NSS12 Evo3S displays, a Fusion stereo with four speakers and subwoofer, and a GME VHF radio.

With the above options, and a pair of larger 135hp Mercury outboard engines, the test boat package price rises to $268,515.

The Maven VII has a hull length of 7.0 metres, a road-legal maximum beam of 2.5 metres, and a dry weight of about 1815kg. 

The catamaran hull is made using 5.0mm plate alloy for each sponson below the chine line, while the topsides and deck are built using 4.0mm alloy (3.0mm in low-stress deck areas).

The Maven VII has a high, but relatively narrow tunnel configuration, with wide sponsons to ensure the hull is very stable and quick to plane.

The sponsons are symmetric in shape with a fine stem shape which broadens out quickly to pronounced spray/lifting chines. 

The entry shape is not as knife-sharp as some rival catamaran designs, but there is ample edge to each forefoot to cut through the chop.

To assist with low-speed trolling, and to reduce tunnel slap at displacement speeds, the hull has a full-length wave breaker in the tunnel. 

The Maven VII is available to buy in survey for commercial applications. As this requires the hull sponsons and internal structure to be accessible for inspections, the prototype Maven was not fitted with foam flotation, although foam is optional.

The Maven VII has a centre console configuration that suits offshore fishing, and can double up for family day boating with the inclusion of U-shaped seating in the bow.

The bow seating area also converts into a casting deck with the option of an infill board that is also used as a table to form a dinette, and a cushion.

Beneath clip-on vinyl cushions are three big storage bins with reinforced aluminium deck hatches. These bins are large and ideal for stowing safety gear and tackle boxes, clothing and docking accessories. 

The front seating area/casting deck is a permanent, welded aluminium feature of the Maven VII, but offshore anglers can have it deleted should they prefer to have a high freeboard and a flat deck all the way to the bow. 

Other bow features include a large anchor well with a reinforced alloy hatch, a pair of pop-up stainless steel cleats, speakers for the optional audio system, an optional Yeti ice box/front console seat, and four rod holders, two of which double as cup holders. 

As noted, the Maven VII is available with a choice of centre console units. Standard boats come with a small console to boost interior fishing room and an alloy-framed canvas bimini cover/T-Top overhead. 

Our test boat was optioned with the dual-width helm console along with an alloy-framed, fixed alloy hardtop with aft rocket launcher rod rack and mounts for radio aerials and outriggers. 

This larger helm console also has a head compartment/change room accessed via a port-side opening door. 

A matching, double-wide lean seat post with tackle storage drawers and a diamond-stitched vinyl upholstered bench seat for two people fronts the large helm console. 

A reversible backrest on the bench seat allows the crew to face aft while fishing. 

The helm console itself has a port side offset stainless steel steering wheel, and a centre-mounted dual-engine throttle box with a pair of cup holders alongside.

Overhead there is a full-width, angled fascia panel large enough to flush-fit a pair of 16-inch multifunction displays.

Our test boat was optioned with a couple of Simrad NSS12 Evo3S combo units incorporating a fishfinder, engine display/monitoring, and GPS chart plotting functions.  

Above the fascia panel is a wide, flat dash beneath a single-piece glass windscreen with small side windows wrapping aft to shield the helm from rain or spray.

It is also worth noting that the test boat's optional dual-width console is also very high. Vertically challenged skippers may struggle for clear vision over the bow. 

This issue is easily resolved with an optional fold-out step/platform to give skippers more height for better sight lines forward.

Having noted the above, there is also the option for a custom-designed centre console.  

The Maven VII is a fishing boat first and foremost, and this is reflected in the uncluttered design of the aft cockpit, and the abundance of fishing features.

Standard gear includes 200mm wide side coamings with four built-in rod holders; port and starboard gunwale rod racks; two huge sub-floor kill tanks with overboard drainage; raw water washdown; elevated cockpit side pockets; enclosed transom battery platforms; and a large transom live well with plumbing and a clear acrylic viewing lid.

The cockpit in the Maven VII is also self-draining in the sense that the transom is wide open, with the cockpit extending out to a platform between the outboard engines. 

A transom door is included but was not fitted to the prototype boat. 

Optional fishing features included full-length coaming bolster padding above the 700mm high side decks, freshwater washdown with 65-litre tank, underwater LED lighting, and a transom bait board.  

The Maven VII is designed with wide, high-lift, symmetric-shaped sponsons to provide ample buoyancy and weight support aft. This allows the hull to glide easily onto the plane with minimal bow lift, and to carry plenty of weight in the rear cockpit should the boat be used for commercial work. 

The buoyant sponsons also lift the tunnel clear of the water at the stern, even when at rest. 

I personally like a high-tunnel catamaran such as the Maven VII as it is less affected by the addition of weight to the boat; low-tunnel cats can sometimes be hard riding when loaded up with crew, gear and tackle. 

Another definite benefit to the Maven's wide sponson, high tunnel design is that the boat sits very flat underway with very high resistance to listing or leaning over when weight is moved about, or when running beam to the wind and sea.

During the sea trial, for example, I barely had to touch the engine trim buttons, and when I did adjust the trim, it was to lift the bow up and down to suit the sea conditions. I rarely had to compensate for any lateral list. 

On the subject of boat trim, however, I did find that I hankered for a little extra negative trim to drop the nose of the boat down into the chop. Future models will have the fuel tanks situated a tad further forward to address this minor issue.

Generally, however, the prototype test boat performed exceptionally well. There was some alloy hull noise/patter at speed, but the ride was smooth, stable and comfortable. 

Conditions were quite lumpy offshore, yet we were able to rip along at 25-knot-plus speeds without bouncing about. 

The Maven's high topsides and pronounced spray chines also make for a remarkably dry powered catamaran; I did not see any spray over the bow during our time offshore.

The Maven VII is currently rated for a pair of 135hp outboard engines as tested, but regular production models will be re-rated to accept a pair of 200hp engines. 

Not that you really need the extra grunt. Paired with the dual 135hp Mercury four-strokes, the prototype test boat pulled a top speed of 37.9 knots whilst also being responsive throughout the rev range. 

Performance*

Range on 95% of the 300L fuel supply: 174.1nm@3000rpm

Australian-made powered catamarans have been dropping by the wayside in recent years, so it's great to see a new brand and a new model enter the fray. 

The Maven VII is a welcome addition, a terrific new powered cat, and a very capable offshore fishing trailer boat and family day boat.

And how about those tough guy looks? The Maven VII looks the business whether it is towering above you on a trailer, or ripping across the bay at 40 knots.

Specifications
Model: Maven VII
Hull length: 7.0m
Beam: 2.5m
Draft: 0.45m (loaded)
Deadrise: n/a
Hull weight: 1815kg (dry)
Towing weight: 2940kg (dry)
Alloy: 5.0mm (bottom and transom); 4.0mm (topsides)
Engines: 2x135hp (max)
Engines as tested: 2x135hp Mercury four-stroke outboard engines
Fuel: 2x150L 
Water: 65L (optional)
Passengers: 8

Priced from: $202,180 including a pair of 115hp Mercury extra-longshaft (25-inch) four-stroke outboard engines with hydraulic steering and Mercury VesselView display; dual-axle aluminium trailer with electric/hydraulic break-away brakes; Simrad G09 XSE multifunction display or similar.

Price as tested: $268,515 including 135hp Mercury V6 four-stroke outboard engines; upgraded heavy-duty trailer; electronics upgrade to a pair of Simrad NSS12 Evo3S displays, Fusion stereo with four speakers and subwoofer; GME VHF radio; upgrade to dual-width centre console, upgrade to fixed, welded aluminium hardtop with rocket launcher; Muir electric drum anchor winch; freshwater washdown; USB power socket; underwater LED lighting; hardtop LED lighting and spotlights; forward-facing hardtop light bar; upgraded, two-tone upholstery with diamond-stitching; bow table/infill board; coaming bolster padding; upgraded lean seat post with tackle drawers.

Supplied by: Maven Boats