Top speed for the cat was 95.7 mph on radar, and GPS had it even better at 98 mph. (Photo by Tom Newby)

Top speed for the cat was 95.7 mph on radar, and GPS had it even better at 98 mph. (Photo by Tom Newby)



Getting comfortable at speed is an incremental process. If you doubt that, just remember how fast your first powerboat ride felt. Cruiser, tow-boat, runabout—the type of boat that carried you really didn't matter. All you knew at the time was that it felt fast, and that you probably liked the feeling.

As you make the transition from passenger to driver, gradually becoming comfortable at speed is crucial. Time behind the wheel is at least as important as natural ability or talent.

The Force 29 is one of those rare catamarans in which you could progress incrementally through various speed thresholds without feeling limited—or over your head. Even with a brawny 800-hp carbureted engine from Teague Custom Marine, the uncommonly stable and predictable cat feels manageable. It inspires confidence, yet the boat is anything but dull.

Our test model was equipped with the aforementioned power plant as well as a TCM Platinum drive. Top speed for the cat was 95.7 mph on radar, and GPS had it even better at 98 mph. With a lighter load of fuel on a cooler day with slightly rougher water, the midcabin 29-footer might well have cracked 100 mph.

But what mattered most was how the Force 29 behaved at top speed. The ride could not have been more civilized. Tracking was precise. At more than 90 mph, the cat knifed through 1-foot boat wakes from all angles without getting unsettled.

And yet the Force 29 was a light touch in turns, responding crisply in slalom drills. The catamaran did exhibit minor outside lean in circle turns at middle and upper speeds, but the tendency was not out of the norm for a catamaran.

Tooling of the cat's hull and deck was smooth, perhaps the best we've seen from the builder. So, too, was the vibrant multicolor gelcoat. Best of all was the boat's rigging. The engine was installed on L-angles through-bolted to the stringers, which were dressed up with powder-coated mounting plates. Stainless-steel cushion clamps secured all the neatly aligned wiring in the engine compartment, and the wiring behind the dash was handled with equal precision.

More than a hot rod, the Force 29 boasted an exceptionally comfortable interior. Its designers paid close attention to every seat in the boat. For example, the rear bench was designed with a center section love seat flanked by single-person seats. Two people could get cozy on the love seat, but the seat also would be ideal for one large person.

There were other goodies that came with the custom boat, including anodized grab handles throughout the cat, as well as anodized bezels for the gauges.

The Force 29 is comfortable at speed, and that should help drivers gain confidence. But it's also comfortable sitting still.