Powercat 268 Sports

The name Powercat has been noticeable by its absence the past few years, but recently pounced back on to the powerboat market via a sleek bluewater performer that is turning heads everywhere it goes. The man behind the rebirth, respected Queensland boatbuilder Steve Shaw purchased Powercat Marine Australia around a year ago and is convinced the Powercat name is here to stay.

Shaw managed to locate and obtain all the old Powercat hull moulds, including the popular 268 model which won an Australian design award in 1991. From his new premises at Caboolture, halfway between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, Shaw is matching the tried and proven hulls with new interior layouts.

The first model to roll off the new Powercat production line is the 268 Sports. This classy looking cat is available in either targa or hardtop configurations and includes a list of standard features which makes it appealing to just about everyone.

The versatility of the new 268 Sports is amazing - you can convert it from a hardcore fishing machine to a family weekender in a matter of minutes.

Our testboat was the hardtop version which is privately owned and permanently moored on the Noosa River. The owners are keen bluewater anglers and wanted a boat in which they could safely cross the treacherous Noosa Bar, and access their favourite fishing grounds quickly. At the same time, the boat had to be suitable for family outings and weekends away. So far, the owners are very happy with their purchase and the 268 Sports has performed all its required duties admirably.

BEAUTIFUL ONE DAY?
Our test day was far from a typically beautiful Queensland day, with showers and strong south-easters present. As we made our way down the Noosa River, it was like driving down a river of black tea thanks to weeks of consistent rainfall. The normally crystal clear waters of the Noosa River were replaced by less than appealing freshwater runoff.

We reached the Noosa Bar and were not only greeted by a metre or so of surf across the entrance, but about 200 onlookers, including television cameras. We soon realised that the audience wasn't for us, but for two new river barges that were being towed in through the bar. Not one to miss an opportunity for some free TV airtime, Shaw put the throttles down and we blasted out through the bar. The big cat handled the breaking bar with ease, each wave was jumped with a minimal amount of bow lift, and the landings were remarkably soft.

In the safety of deep water, we pulled the outboards out of gear and joined the rest of the spectators, and watched the barges cross the bar. They were being towed by local trawler operators who know the Noosa Bar like the back of their hand.

You can never have too much respect for a coastal bar as even the most experienced seafarers can get into trouble. We watched with mouths wide open as a wave broke right behind one of the trawlers, sending several hundred litres of water into its cockpit.

Fortunately, the little trawler had enough power to keep going and both barges crossed the bar without incident, but our observations certainly reinforced our respect for the bar.

With the entertainment finished, it was time to get back to some boat testing, so blasted further offshore and managed to find a few nasty holes in the road.

CAT AND NOUS
The Powercat performed just as you would expect from a cat this size. The ride was smooth and extremely stable. The only criticism I have is that we copped a bit of wind-blown spray when side-on to the south-easter. Of course, if we were really worried about a bit of salt spray we could have put on the clears, which were stowed in the side pockets.

The twin 150hp Yamahas seemed ideally suited to this boat and gave the cat an impressive turn of speed. The 268 seemed very comfortable cruising on about 3700rpm which translated to 25kt according to the GPS. Pushing the twin V-sixes up to 4300rpm, we pulled an honest 30kt and even offshore there was no bone-jarring indication that we were doing that speed. Back on the river, we opened it right up and hit 40kt, again verified via the GPS, with tachos reading 5500rpm.

It's not bad when you can get an 8.8m boat to do 40kt with four people onboard, along with 600lt of fuel and 120lt of water. Powercat actually recommends up to twin 200hp outboards on the 268 Sports. Now there's a boat that would boogie!

WALK RIGHT IN
What impressed me most about the 268 Sports was its versatility. The cockpit of our testboat was fitted with all the features a hardcore angler could hope for. The main feature of the cockpit is a central workstation, incorporating a sink, freshwater tap, workbench, storage cabinet and dual voltage refrigerator. The workstation also features stainless steel grabrails, recessed stowage for EPIRB and fire extinguisher, as well as providing folding helm and passenger seating.

The cockpit coamings are fully padded and there is a walk-through transom that provides access to a swim platform and boarding ladder. Incorporated in the transom on the port side is a plumbed livewell with teflon cutting board lid. A matching compartment, without the plumbing, is located on the starboard side providing storage for deadbait or burley, etc.

A removable cutting board, with sink, can be slotted into position on the transom and if access to the swim platform is required, it can simply be swung to one side.

Centrally-located in the transom bulkhead were isolating switches for the dual battery system. I thought these switches were very exposed and could easily be hidden. However, they do provide a healthy reminder to turn your batteries off.

At the centre of the cockpit floor is a stainless base which allows the use of a Reelax light tackle gamechair. The chair can easily be removed if not required. Meantime, the gunwales were fitted with heavy-duty rodholders and an eight-pot rocket launcher was mounted on the targa.

With all these fishing features onboard, I couldn't believe my eyes as Shaw transformed the cockpit into an entertainment centre in a matter of minutes.

A fully upholstered moulded rear lounge was locked into position and the gamechair replaced by a moulded table which, together, provided a very snazzy dinette. But wait, there's more - the table drops down and a fill-in cushion provided to produce a double berth.

ACTION STATIONS!
The 268's helm station is comfortable whether standing or seated thanks to the folding seats on the forward side of the workstation.

The dash was well laid out with a sports wheel mounted off-centre and binnacle-style engine controls just to starboard. The switch panel is above the steering wheel and all gauges, including tachos, speedo and hour meters are in clear view.

The testboat was fitted with a Furuno GP-1650F GPS plotter/sounder. The dash also incorporates two glove compartments. The port compartment housing a CD player and 27meg radio, while the starboard provided space for general items.

Access to the forward cabin is through a large hatch on the starboard side. The cabin is fully lined and carpeted, and features a generous double berth. Two large storage lockers are located beneath the bed, while a cabin light and two reading lights are strategically located. On the starboard side of the cabin is an electric marine toilet hidden beneath a bedside cabinet.

The foredeck features a stainless steel bowrail and a large anchor well with electric winch. The hardtop has stainless grabrails, a solar battery charging panel and various aerials. Make no mistake, Powercat is back. And if the 268 Sports is indicative of the craft the new factory will be producing, then it is here to stay too.