Noosa Cat 670 Walkabout

A centre console gives you nearly as much fishing room but still little protection.  A half cabin gives you plenty of cover but reduces the fishing area.

So what's the answer when it comes to the 'perfect' fishing boat?

Of course, there is one more option that we see more of these days and that is the centre cab.  It's like a big centre console with storage room and often an area with berths extending under the foredeck.

This style of rig is regularly seen on plate aluminium boats in the 5.5-7m range.  The idea is that when fighting a fish or casting to surface feeders the angler can walk right around the boat.

But if the weather turns bad, or you just want to get out of the sun, the cab offers an undercover area that is protected from the weather.  Most keen anglers don't mind basic sleeping arrangements as long as there is room to stretch and remain out of the elements.

Another big benefit is the dry storage offered in such a set-up.  Normally the centre cab isn't very wide due to the beam on monohull boats, and since it is located forward of amidships, this area is reduced even further as the boat tapers towards the bow.

If you look at the hull style of offshore fishing boats I doubt you will find one with more stability or a bigger working area than the cat.
With the popularity of centre cabs and the excellent stability and performance of some cats, it was logical that the two would be combined into one, producing a very effective offshore fishing rig.

That's what Sunshine Coast (Qld)-based boat manufacturer, Noosa Cat has done with its recently-released 670 Walkabout.

The beam of a cat is generally consistent right up to the bow so there is heaps of room to build a substantial centre cab.

With a fibreglass structure it is also possible to make the cab and the entire foredeck as one mould.

The drawback of having no depth in the centre of a cat because of the tunnel running between the two sponsons is thus overcome by raising the foredeck.

The sides are deep enough, combined with the raised deck, to have the sleeping area placed under the foredeck and forward section of the cabin itself.

The centre cab takes up most of the boat's beam, with a walkway up either side of the cabin and a small area up front.

On a cat, unlike a monohull, you have plenty of stability for fishing up front.

If you've ever been up at the bow of a mono trying to cast in a bit of a sea then you'll know what I mean - any increase in stability here is well and truly appreciated.

The anchorman also benefits as he just has the standard up and down motion of the waves to contend with when dropping anchors from the 670's twin wells.

The top of the centre cab is useful for resting your butt while fishing too!

The interior of the Noosa Cat's centre cab is pretty straightforward with a flowcoat fibreglass finish on the deck and sides of the boat.

The bunks themselves are covered with marine fabric and are long enough to allow you to stretch right out.

Headroom is limited and you can't stand fully erect but you can sit up straight while on the bunks - which is more than can be said for some centre cabs.

Ventilation and further access to the foredeck is through a hatch in the cab.  The Noosa Cat's helm is what you would expect to see in a working boat, with clear access to the two solid pedestal seats and down to the cabin.

Bi-fold style doors allow the cabin area to be locked if required.

The skipper of the boat has a raised platform to stand on for improved visibility in rough conditions.

The self-draining aft deck is all work area with enough room to mount a small gamechair.
Outriggers could be mounted on the sides of the centre cab or on a bimini/hardtop if fitted. For big game trips, when you may need to reverse to back down on a marlin, the stern lifts slightly under reverse power which helps to keep the engines out of the water.

Naturally, you are going to cop some water over the back, but this is where the big centre scupper and the self-draining deck get you out of trouble.

A platform with stainless steel rails extends out between the two outboards and can be used as a diving board for swimming or to haul in bigger fish.

There's also a folding ladder for climbing in and out. 

Rough water handling is where the Noosa Cat shines.  We ate up the conditions passing through the Noosa Bar, although as always we treated even the moderate sea with caution.
Since you have no trouble getting and holding speed in the Noosa Cat you can all too easily become airborne off the top of swells.  This is fine for the skipper since he has plenty to hang onto and knows when to brace himself, but the crew and passengers may not always be on the ball!

The 670 Walkabout will still maintain a comfortable and even relatively slow planing speed, allowing you to glide over the waves instead of jumping them.

If you have never driven a cat before, you will soon learn that you can't throw it around in tight circles like you can a monohull.

On the other hand, when it comes to slow speed manoeuvres at the jetty, the ability to spin and manipulate the direction of a cat with wideset twin engines is quite good.

Power for the testboat was a set of 115hp Mercury outboards.

Given the boat's capabilities these were middle of the range in power terms.

Buyers may opt for bigger or smaller motors, depending on what job they have in mind and the loads they are likely to be carrying.

Apart from the boat there is the trailer to consider.  Noosa Cat custom builds its trailers to suit.  They are designed, the maker says, in such a way that a novice could drive the boat all the way on without even getting his or her feet wet.  Having said this, the trailer adds a bit to the overall price, coming in at just over $7500.

The 670 Walkabout from Noosa Cat is certainly well worth a closer look if you enjoy offshore fishing.

Stability and performance in rough conditions are hard to surpass and the overall layout is extremely workable.