Caymas 34 CT

Double-stepped, semi-asymmetric sponsons and a wide beam make the 34 CT a capable offshore cat

- Randy Vance

The Caymas new-school 34 CT is a cat with dual-stepped, semi-asymmetric hulls. These semi-asymmetric sponsons are mirror images of each other, and an important key to this design is that the outside running surface of each is longer than the inside running surface of each. This allows the boat to comfortably lean into turns at high speed like a mono-hull (more on this later). A cat's sponsons also need to give you a smooth ride, and Caymas' Earl Bentz got this down pat when he and his team pulled together their engineers to design the 34 CT, the first multi-hull model from this brand.

Our test boat planed in around 4 seconds. It punched through to 30 in under 9 seconds, impressive for a boat weighing almost 14,000 pounds with twin Mercury V-10 400 hp outboards. We had 25 to 30-knot winds on test day, so we stayed in the Intracoastal Waterway, which was miles wide in our location. Waves rumpled to nearly 3 feet at times, but the 34 handled them like warm butter. Mega-yachts plied those waters, and we slid over their wakes without slowing or shaking the crew. At rest and idle, we turned our beam to the seas and the 34 CT straddled them with the grace of a hurdle jumper in slow motion.

A quick spin of the helm and a heavy hand on the throttle dissolved any doubt about handling. At barely planing speeds, the 34 CT heeled a little outwardly in turns. But at speeds closer to cruise-about 4,000 rpm-the 34 CT tucked its inside shoulder, heeling into the turn safely, swiftly and comfortably, thanks to the semi-assymetric design of the sponsons.