There is no doubt that under the new ownership of entrepreneurs Stephen Julius and Steve Heese, Chris-Craft is building fine-looking boats. A Corsair Launch in my marina spins heads every time the little dame sprints down the river on a sunset cruise. And the interiors of the Roamer series are as functional as they are elegant. In my opinion, this aesthetic assault on the senses has been a major component of the builder’s success during the last five or so years. Well, after having spent some time on the new 29 Catalina, I’ve learned about the other components to this success; great engineering, construction and performance. This makes it tough to avoid cliches such as the 29 is not just another pretty face. But there’s no way around it!  The eye-catching lines of the 29 would motivate the dead to get up and give her a little pat on the stern. After you dig deeper, you’ll discover this sex appeal is only a small part of this center console’s winning formula.

  The designers did a superior job of creating a boat that the serious angler can take for offshore canyon runs, raise some tuna and return home to take the family on a cruise. The 28-gallon livewell is abaft the helmseat and two fish boxes flank the console. Five rod holders line the after edge of the T-top and additional rod storage are beneath the gunwales.

  Every hatch I opened was expertly constructed and infused to provide a smooth finish. The T-top is supported by the console and there are no horizontal supports going from the T-top to  the deck. I have the bad habit of never wearing shoes once I’m on a boat, and have banged toes on other T-top supports, so to me, this was a nice touch. All the aluminum is powder coated which adds to the Chris-Craft’s upscale pedigree.

  Under the double helm seat is a 12-volt drink box that can be switched into a freezer by turning up the thermostat. No more coolers to slide around. The console itself could be a stand alone display at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art. The rounded top edge blends seamlessly into the windshield. This line is accentuated by the T-top supports—very classy. There is ample room to install a complete array of electronics on the console. The forward facing seat lifts up to reveal the 29’s head compartment. And this is a complete head, with a marine MSD and a shower, not a shoe box with a toilet bolted to the sole.

  And the hits keep coming! This is one fun boat to drive as well. The power-assisted steering allows fingertip-control, even at speed. We turned her hard over at full speed and made the turn in less than a boat length, with hardly any speed loss. The 29 felt solid and I didn’t hear one ominous crack or grind while bouncing over waves at speed. I never touched the trim tabs during our trials. With twin 250 hp Yamaha four-strokes, we hit a top end of 47 knots. If you throttle back to 27 knots, you can achieve nearly a 400 mile range giving anglers and cruisers alike a lot of options.

  Chris-Craft offers a 23 and 26 foot Catalina series as well. And yes, each one of these siblings is not just a pretty face.  Chris-Craft, (941) 351-4900; www.chriscraft.com.