Boat description for cat fanciers....

Boats around 32-feet LOA are a popular choice in the Pacific NW. Vessels of this size are large enough to comfortably accommodate a couple for an extended summer adventure. Without becoming ridiculously close quartered, a cleverly configured 32-footer will be comfortable even for two couples (or a family of four or five) during jaunts into the San Juans, Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound, or beyond. Popularity is also enhanced because somewhere around the 32-foot mark more manufacturers begin offering enough beam to make twin engine installations practical. The additional beam creates lateral stability that allows builders to provide flybridge models for those boaters who would prefer a second or elevated single helm. Prospects for new 32-foot boats are lucky; some very fine manufacturers offer a variety of pretty decent boats from which to select. Many of the available choices are designed to a common concept, and in some cases the differences between one pretty good boat and another become rather miniscule; primarily a matter of personal taste.

Our Sea Trial boat this month is a 32-footer that, frankly, is different enough from most 32-footers to be almost in a class of its own. There's little chance of confusing a Zeta 32 catamaran with other boats of similar LOA, including most other catamarans. Zeta is sufficiently unique that it would be fair to say that anyone purchasing a 32-foot boat without checking out the Zeta hasn't actually considered all of the concepts available.

Anchor Land & Sea, in Anacortes, is the dealer/distributor for Zeta 32's. Not only are Zetas sold in Anacortes, but in the summer of 2006 the factory is also relocating from Bellingham to Anacortes. Anchor Land & Sea's customers won't have to wait for extended periods of time if communication between the dealer and the factory should ever be required to assure optimum owner satisfaction. We tried out a brand new Zeta 32 in July of 2006, accompanied by Norbert Tasler of Anchor Land & Sea and his grandson, John Michael Vinzant.

Catamaran hulls are increasingly popular in our region. The twin hull designs are particularly adaptable to the short, steep chop that we often encounter on windy summer afternoons in the Northwest. Well-designed catamarans will typically sprint easily through two or three-foot head seas that can slow a single hull vessel to a slow, splashing, crawl. In cases where a catamaran does experience bow lift, the "cushion" of air caught between the two hulls will help assure a softer landing and a generally more civilized ride. The catamaran concept won't be every boater's first choice, but shoppers might do well to consider experiencing the ride and handling differences between mono hull and catamaran configurations before making a final decision.

During the course of our trial, we would discover that the Zeta 32 exhibits the same positive attributes that we would expect from a highly refined catamaran hull, with some individual characteristics that were particularly noteworthy. We couldn't help noticing, immediately, that the Zeta 32 not only differs from the majority of boats by virtue of its twin hull design, but it differs from most other catamarans of similar size in some fundamental aspects as well.

The Zeta 32 is flybridge sedan catamaran. Few catamarans in this size category allow a boater to select a flybridge option. The designs of most of the more directly competing catamarans place greater emphasis on fishing, diving, crabbing, or other "sporting" activities rather than on maximizing interior cabin volume. While it would certainly be very possible to fish or crab from the cockpit of the Zeta 32, the larger main cabin with its solid aft bulkhead suggests the naval architect was more focused on creating a vessel for a family's extended cruising and exploring ambitions.

Zeta 32s are constructed with DIAB foam-core fiberglass hulls, while bulkheads and cabin soles are laid up with Nida-core fiberglass. Balsa coring is not used on the Zeta, nor is any other coring material that can absorb water, rot, or become waterlogged. Zetas are laid up with "vacuum bag" process, and the hull and deck are fiberglassed together to create a solid, one-piece boat.

At the dock

When stepping aboard the Zeta 32, it becomes immediately difficult to remember that one is aboard a boat that is "only" 32-feet on deck. The 13'9" beam creates a lot of square footage for both deck and interior space. Multiplying the length of the Zeta by its beam demonstrates about the same area as a 36-foot mono hull with typical 12-foot beam.

The Zeta is divided into two main cabin areas, with the master stateroom under the foredeck. The interior is nautical and traditional, with a generous use of hand-rubbed teak throughout the boat. Cabin soles are teak and holly in the main cabin, but barefoot boaters will appreciate the comfort of carpet underfoot in the master stateroom.

An honest-to-golly queen size mattress will be rare find indeed on most 32-foot boats, but the Zeta not only offers a centerline queen mattress in the master stateroom, but standing headroom for all but the tallest of boaters on both the port and starboard sides. A quartet of reading lights, a teak-framed mirror on the forward bulkhead, and generous stowage in a variety of drawers and hanging lockers (as well as a large general storage area under the bunk) provide additional comfort and livability in the forward stateroom. Two large overhead hatches introduce fresh air and daylight to ensure a pleasant environment. There are doors to both port and starboard through the aft bulkhead of the forward stateroom.

The vessel's head is to port in the main cabin, conveniently accessible from the salon as well as only a couple of steps directly aft of the port side door to the forward stateroom. There is a very long list of available 32-foot boats offering a marine toilet, a hand basin, and a shower in the head. The list shrinks dramatically when the shower becomes a dedicated shower stall with a bi-fold door, rather than a hose off the hand basin that soaks any towels, paper goods, or personal toiletries not locked away before the general spray-fest begins. The Zeta 32 will be on that short list of 32-footers with a dedicated shower stall.

The main cabin area seems almost "square", and features a centerline lower helm. Large, bright, powder coated aluminum windows forward and to both sides provide very fine visibility in most directions. There is one blind spot in the aft starboard quarter, necessitated by the access to the flybridge, but the availability of the upper helm on the flybridge offers a complete, 360-degree view when desired. (An optional radar would help detect anything approaching from the obscured corner when piloting from the lower helm).

Boaters used to moving around a traditional cabin layout may experience the need to spend a couple of minutes becoming used to the square configuration of the salon. There is more than ample room to maneuver smoothly from one end of the cabin to the other, but a "straight down the middle" approach customary aboard a monohull will introduce a boater's thighs to the dining table or pilot's seat. Once accustomed to the innovative use of the "extra" space, one can't help marveling that Zeta manages to place a settee large enough to fold out into a second queen berth, a galley with respectable (even if not actually enormous) workspace and a dual-door vertical refrigerator freezer into an uncrowded layout aboard a 32-foot boat.

The galley is in the aft port quarter of the main cabin, and includes a Force-10 three-burner propane stove with a traditional oven; (some boats of similar LOA offer only a microwave). The strategic placement of the dual door, vertical, refrigerator freezer on the starboard side of the aft bulkhead door will allow cold refreshments to be equally convenient to the salon, the cockpit, the galley, and the foot of the flybridge stairs.

Access to the flybridge is as easy as we have ever seen aboard any boat of similar size. Wide steps with a stout stainless rail make a 90-degree bend against the aft bulkhead. The design leaves most of the cockpit uncluttered with stairs while still allowing a gradual and sure-footed climb.

There is a pair of Todd helmseats on the flybridge, as well as centerline helm. A stainless radar arch is in place for optional radar and an array of GPS, VHF, and other antennas associated with optional electronics.

Underway

Standard power on a Zeta 32 catamaran is a pair of Cummins Marine 4.2 ES 250-HP diesels with Bravo II-X sterndrives. Our test boat was equipped with the optional 320 HP version of the same basic engines and outdrives. The Zeta 32 is rigged with Morse Teleflexmarine electronic controls at both stations.

Norbert Tasler fired up the engines and we pulled away from the dock in Anacortes. We didn't have the luxury of any extra room forward or aft, but one of the more easily appreciated characteristics of a catamaran design is that the wider distance between the props can make the boat easier to handle in tight quarters. John Michael gathered in the fenders and secured the deck lines as we motored through the marina toward open water. It was pleasing to notice that while Zeta built an incredibly wide interior they still reserved enough of the 13'9" beam to create easily traversed side decks. Unlike some other boats of similar size, the "bubble" profile of the high foredeck is of no consequence on the Zeta 32. The flat, non-skid walking surface of the side deck extends all the way to the bow so there is never a need to look for footing on the convex, possibly wet foredeck surface.

We reached open water and sped along toward Guemes Channel. An oil tanker was approaching Anacortes, and a large tug was steaming down the channel to meet the tanker and assist. "That tug's throwing a pretty huge wake," observed Norbert, "Why not take a run over there and see how the Zeta handles some lumpy water?"

Your reporter throttled up to 3400 RPM, and we dashed across the bay at about 28 knots. The wake from the tug lay across the surface like a foaming hedgerow, approximately 4-5 vertical feet of trouble dead ahead. "I suppose I should slow down a little before we hit that?" I asked.

"No need," smiled Norbert. "We'll be fine."

I deferred to Norbert's experience with this boat, and he proved to be right (of course). We sliced through the wake with substantially less drama than I would have anticipated. We were probably semi-airborne for a split second after we burst through the crest of the wake, and we did settle with a bit of a thump and a splash on the far side. If I had been sipping from a half-filled cup of coffee at the time I probably wouldn't have spilled a drop. Nothing squeaked, shrieked, rattled or groaned in our tight little ship. A very impressive performance.

We noticed an older model of a popular cabin cruiser bound for Cap Sante Marina, a boat that was built in its day with prop pockets- and vessels of this particular design and vintage are often accused of creating larger than average wakes. This particular craft appeared to be living up to its reputation, and we took advantage of this additional wave machine to experience the Zeta in beam and following sea conditions. We hardly noticed the large wake when we took it on the stern or the stern quarter, and when we came around to take it square on the beam the Zeta 32 simply "stepped" over the wave, one hull at a time, with a lot less commotion than one would expect in a monohull.

Handling engineered by Enzo Ferrari?

One of the pleasant surprises that we noted while testing the Zeta 32 was the lack of any tendency to bank "outward" in high speed turns. In fact, the Zeta didn't really bank inward, either. The Zeta features asymmetrical hulls that provide a nearly flat turning experience at almost any speed. The outward banking is an unsettling catamaran "ism" that some, but not all, catamaran builders are working to resolve.

"Let me take the wheel," said Norbert. "I've got something I'd like to demonstrate for you." And demonstrate he did.

If anybody ever establishes a slalom race for 32-foot boats, I'll want to enter with a Zeta Catamaran. I'm not sure who the naval architect was who originated the Zeta 32 design, but he must have consulted the ghost of Enzo Ferrari when he dialed in the handling. Norbert pushed the electronic controls to wide-open throttle, and we were scooting along at over 33 knots. With the aft bulkhead door closed, the engines are surprisingly quiet at even the highest speeds. We were running from the lower helm, and we could more clearly hear the sound of water against the hull than we could the 640 (total) HP propelling us at an exciting pace. When we were certain that we were well clear of all other vessels, Norbert put the wheel hard over to port.

We executed a tight circle, no more than two boat lengths in diameter, while remaining virtually flat at WOT. The Disney Corporation should figure out how to duplicate that sensation in Anaheim. Frankly, I would have thought it impossible to turn a boat in such a tight circle at that kind of speed. While your reporter has been aboard some boats that handle extremely well, none that respond to the wheel substantially better than the Zeta 32 come immediately to mind- especially among "family cruiser" sedans.

Conclusion

The Zeta 32 is relatively unique as a flybridge sedan catamaran. The model has a lot of offer couples or small families desiring to explore the coastal and inland waters of the Pacific Northwest, and it isn't difficult to imagine buyers being extremely pleased and satisfied with the concept, design, and build-out quality of the craft. The retail list price of a 32-foot Zeta with 320-Hp engines is $319,000. According to the Zeta web site, our test boat is being offered on sale for just $289,000. When compared to some of the other offerings in the marketplace, the Zeta 32 is as notable for its excellent value as it is for its roomy interior and exciting handling.