Twin Vee 35 Hydrofoil: Added Lift, Better Efficiency

Twin Vee Powercats build some unique boats, and the latest to enter their line-up of one-of-a-kind cats is the 35 Hydrofoil. This boat was designed and built for foils, and with a pair of 300-hp Suzuki outboards on the transom, cruises in excess of 40-mph.

The new 35 was designed purely for hydrofoils, and according to one owner, gets over three MPG at cruising speed.

“The fuel and efficiency difference with the hydrofoils is incredible,” Twin Vee CEO Roger Dunshee told me, when the boat was introduced at the Miami Boat Show. “We had to design the boat specifically for them and it was quite an investment, but I just can’t believe how well it runs,” he said.

The foils generate both lift and trim stabilization, and in some cases can reduce a boat’s lift/drag ratio from 4.0:1 to 20:1. That additional lift and reduced drag mean you can use smaller powerplants to get the same speeds out of a boat, and one of the first owners claimed that his 35 gets better than three MPG at cruise.

If foils are so darn good, why doesn’t every cat builder use them? Design costs are a major reason, but results seem to vary from one model to another, too, with smaller boats seeing reduced benefits. When I tested a pair of 29’ cats a few years ago, one with and one without foils, the efficiency gain we measured was under 10-percent.

The hydrofoils make the 35 a rare find among power catamarans.

Foils aside, the 35 is built to be a serious fishboat, and includes a leaning post with rocket launchers, a tackle station, and a livewell; a walk-in console head compartment; fore and aft seating; and gunwale rodholders. The helm has plenty of space for those big, beautiful LCD screens we anglers love, and coaming bolsters line the gunwales.

Other Choices: Another cat with a foil of this same size is the Mamba 350.

For more information, visit Twin Vee Powercats.

-Lenny Rudow

Specs:
LOA: 35’2”
Beam: 10’9”
Draft: 1’10”
Displacement: 8,500 lbs.
Deadrise: N/A (cat)
Fuel Capacity: 300

About the author:

Lenny Rudow

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Lenny Rudow is Senior Editor for Dominion Marine Media, including Boats.com and Yachtworld.com. With over two decades of experience in marine journalism, he has contributed to publications including Boating Magazine, Marlin Magazine, Boating World, Saltwater Sportsman, Texas Fish & Game, and many others. Lenny is a graduate of the Westlawn School of Yacht Design who has won 28 BWI and OWAA writing awards.

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This feature was posted on Sunday, August 26th, 2012 at 6:04 am and is filed under Boat Review/Test, Center console, Multihull, Powerboat, Review.

Tags: hydrofoil, hydrofoils, Lenny Rudow, power cat, powercat, powercats, Twin Vee 35