At a Glance
A wide footprint and deep-riding sponsons give this Glacier Bay a smooth, stable ride in the roughest waters.
During our test, the ocean at Miami’s Government Cut pounded ashore, driven by a wicked easterly wind. The rollers swept into the cut, echoing off the rock jetties and creating what the people at Glacier Bay considered perfect testing grounds for their new 3065 Canyon Runner catamaran. So we powered into the corn-cob roughness with high expectations — and we were not disappointed.
The wide stance of the sponsons gives the boat an uncommonly stable ride. Special pads on the bottom of each sponson are designed to enhance tracking. In fact, the boat powered through sharp turns with a comfortable attitude that most catamarans can’t equal.
Lifting strakes on each sponson raise more of the boat out of the water. According to the manufacturer, they reduce drag at high throttle settings and increase speed. We couldn’t measure that difference with a GPS, but what we found was a ride as pleasantly nimble as a V-hull boat, but softer.
Still, with the Yamaha 250s turning 19-inch Saltwater Series II props, we could see there was something to that speed claim. Our boat stepped up to 40 mph carrying a party weighing approximately 1,300 pounds — hard not to be impressed. Yamaha engineers clocked 43 mph with a two-man crew earlier that day.
Performance is only one test of a great boat, though. Comfort and utility are others. The wide center console gave us plenty of comfortable seating for two adults. There were no white knuckles on board, but for the unnecessarily nervous, handrails are well-placed practically everywhere. A roomy head and hot shower option makes the boat into an all-day model.
One of the side benefits of a catamaran is the enormously wide deck, giving plenty of space for fishing or just relaxing. Livewells, plenty of rod storage and fish lockers large enough for a manatee round out the 3065’s fishability.
VITAL STATS
Length Overall: 32’5″
Beam: 10’8″
Dry Weight: 9,300 lb.
Fuel Capacity: 240 gal.
Maximum HP: 500
MSRP (base boat): $165,560 w/ Twin Yamaha 250s (price starting at $159,000)
MSRP (test boat): $199,315
TEST DRIVE
Test Engine: Yamaha F250 (Twin)
Test Prop: 15.25 x 19 Saltwater Series II
Test Load: People (1,300 lb.); Fuel (100 gal.)
Top Speed: 42.8 MPH @ 5800 RPM
Minimum Plane: 40.6 MPH @ 6,000 RPM @ 86 db
Power Curve
RPM MPH Sound Level
Idle 3.0 64 db
1,000 3.6 66 db
1,500 5.9 67 db
2,000 7.3 69 db
2,500 8.4 74 db
3,000 15.7 77 db
3,500 17.8 79 db
4,000 20.7 83 db
4,500 23.9 85 db
5,000 28.9 86 db
5,500 33.6 86 db
6,000 40.6 87 db
