Invincible 33 Catamaran review: All-American offshore sportsfisher that’s not playing around

Is the Invincible 33 Catamaran the ultimate high-speed sportfisher? It's certainly an example of a boat that does one thing very, very well says Alex Smith

Isn’t it funny how accustomed we’ve become to convertible multi-purpose leisure boats? We’re so attuned to the need for modular furniture and configurable deck space; for sheltered boats that feel open and for open sportsboats that can cruise, that when we come across a boat built to do just one thing extremely well – like the Invincible 33 Catamaran – it feels oddly subversive.

This smallest of Invincible’s twin-hulled offshore fishers is exactly that. Not a dayboat you can fish from, nor a fishing boat you can party on; just a serious sportsfisher. Plain and simple. Except not so simple because while its purpose might be disarmingly straightforward, its approach is actually quite unusual…

The Invincible 33 Catamaran comes with twin-stepped hulls that use differing deadrise angles and chine heights on their inside and outside edges. When combined with a modest beam (just 30% of the overall length), the idea is that this boat should heel into the turns in much the same way as a monohull.

The narrow tunnel, with its central fin-shaped baffle, is also designed to play its part, bringing both extra lift and a softer ride as you pile on the pace through rough seas – and the engine options are interesting too. You can opt for a pair of 300s if you wish, but to get the best out of the 33, either the test boat’s twin V10 400s or the top-of-the-line Racing 450s are more likely the way to go.

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In all cases, as we nestle in at the helm, we’re expecting good things. After all, these boats hail from South Florida, where people think nothing of charging 60 miles offshore to reach their favourite fishing spots, so it needs to take good care of you.

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As you would expect, then, the skipper sits slap bang in the centre of the deck, between a pair of equally well appointed offshore co-pilot seats. Above that, the aluminium T-top meets the rim of the upright screen and incorporates a pair of flared side panels, so protection is first-rate. And comfort is good too – partly because of the quality of the helm station and partly because of the Invincible 33 Catamaran’s combination of ride softness and splash deflection.

We have some really challenging seas here today in the exposed southwest of Mallorca. A cauldron of aggravated three-to- four-footers seems to be coming at us from every angle but we still manage to push on to around 40 knots, safe in the knowledge that if we get it wrong from the latest surprising crest, we won’t be punished by the savagery of our re-entry.

It’s easy to lift or pin the bow with those outboards too, which makes things extra controllable in a following, as well as a head, sea. And true to Invincible’s claims, the Invincible 33 Catamaran does indeed carve through a turn more like a monohull than a cat, which is something every right-thinking powerboater is likely to appreciate.

In terms of outright pace, this boat is designed to hit between 50 and 55 knots, and while the most we achieve on the test day is 40, that’s a pretty good rate of return in seas like this. But as expected, the fact that we have to be so active on the throttles means we can’t match the claimed cruising figures. While Invincible speaks about 1.5mpg (2.6L per mile for a range in the region of 470 miles), we find ourselves closer to 5L/Nm for a range of around 250 miles.

Even so, as we head back into the shelter of Santa Ponça, still impressively unruffled, it’s clear that the deck layout is beautifully conceived for the keen fisherman. There are deep, wide single-level decks all round. There are guardrails and cushions integrated into the bulwarks for extra comfort and security, as well as treadplates machined into the gunwales and the squared-off forepeak so you can step on and off wherever you choose.

That’s particularly handy because there are no side gates here, nor any option for them – but as a no-frills boat, that expediency-driven features list is mirrored elsewhere too…

One-trick thoroughbred

There’s no option here for cooking facilities and the furniture has none of the convertible flexibility we see so often in the ‘Adventure Boat’ market. Instead, the standard features list includes all kinds of useful (but resolutely practical) features like AGM batteries, multiple high-capacity bilge pumps and saltwater washdowns.

There are a couple of high-volume live bait wells, too – and while they are, of course, specialist fishing devices, the fact that, like so many other spaces on this boat, they are drained and insulated, means they work equally well for wet storage or for ice and beer.

There are additional compartments beneath deck hatches on both sides of the cockpit, plus a really big space with a chill plate inside the aft-facing bench seat, so even though there’s no wet bar on board, those who prefer relaxing with a drink to heading offshore in search of big game will find this purpose-built fishing machine relatively easy to enjoy.

In terms of seating, all you get aside from the aft-facing cockpit bench and the bow’s long (and supremely comfortable) two-person lounger, is the option of two removable benches – one at the forepeak and one at the transom.

You can detach these in a matter of seconds with a pair of quick-release retaining pins and simply leave them on the pontoon if deck space is what you need. And while it doesn’t come as standard, it’s also good to see space inside the centre console for a proper electric toilet.

Access through the port side of the console is also particularly well conceived because, in addition to freeing up the space required for those three big helm seats, it also provides a bit more privacy by increasing the sense of separation between the heads and the fore and aft seating zones.

You might be tempted to ask then just how effective such a finely focused sportsfisher might be as an everyday family platform. After all, who doesn’t want a soft ride, rock solid build and serious pace? Who doesn’t want deep secure decks, long range tanks and endless reserves of storage?

If you specced it up with the optional benches and sunshades, plus a portable outboard barbecue and a bow ladder, it’s easy to see how family gatherings and inshore cruises could work perfectly well. But the truth is that if you’re in the market for a family dayboat, there are plenty of manufacturers that can offer more boat and more versatility for less money.

However, if you are in the market for a seriously fast, focused, premium quality sportsfisher, then fill your boots. The Invincible 33 Catamaran may not do much but it does what it does extraordinarily well.

Invincible 33 Catamaran specifications

LOA: 33ft 11in (10.3m)
BEAM: 10ft 3in (3.1m)
DRAFT: 3ft 9in (1.20m)
DISPLACEMENT: 6,350kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 1,514 litres
WATER CAPACITY: 520 litres
ENGINES: 2 x 300-450hp outboards
PRICE: €700,000 ex VAT
CONTACT: invincibleboats.com

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