Invincible 37

Do you really need a 37ft centre console with a blistering speed of 60kt? You haven’t driven the slightly insane Invincible 37 if you're asking.

O ne test drive of the impressive Invincible 37 from Sydney importer Boat Monster and any doubts become irrelevant for any salty with the $1m to hand over.

Husband and wife team Lucy and Sam Wallrock recently introduced the boat on Sydney’s Pittwater to the Sydney press, and even that cynical mob of scribes was properly impressed. A seafood buffet and open bar will do that, though. But if the howl of 32-cylinders from a foursome of Mercury 300hp V8 engines doesn’t stir the blood, then there’s no hope. 

Against the proud history of many American boatbuilders, Invincible is a virtual start-up. The story goes that company founder Alex Lipworth wasn’t happy with the boats on offer and decided on investing big dollars in creating one to his requirements. With deep pockets and an unshakable determination, he commissioned top-shelf designers and builders to develop a boat that was fast and user-friendly enough to suit his competitive fishing needs. The outcome was a freshly designed Stepped-Vee Ventilated Tunnel 36ft centre console monohull that went into production in 2006. 

Over the next 12 years, a corporatised Invincible established itself as an expensive boutique fishing boat line in a sea of similar offerings in the USA. Over there, productive fishing grounds, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico, along with a significant population with money to spend drive competition and innovation. For their dive into a catamaran model range, Invincible went to a team who are arguably the leaders in twin-hull design at Morrelli and Melvin. The studio is behind many advanced sailing and powerboat projects, and they went on to later pen America Cup winner Aotearoa Team New Zealand.

Drawing on their computer-based fluid dynamic research, the team drafted a hybrid semi- asymmetrical cat with the benefits of a wide multihull beam, and the handling characterises of a mono. Following the launch of 33ft and 35ft models, the 37ft version on review here was released in 2018.

The ice blue finish of the review boat is fitting. This boat looks cool from every angle, while the size is imposing when you see it with a crew onboard to give perspective. And even though there is a massive amount of seating and driving room, the walkaround space for fishing is impressive.

IT’S BIG

Sharing the limelight with a range of similar size boats in the US, by Australian standards the Invincible is a big centre console. Measuring 11.3m, or its namesake 37ft, and with a beam of 3.7m, there’s a lot of prime waterfront real estate to explore. A broad and accommodating console is centre stage, but there’s loads of room and seating throughout to relax, or to fight a big fish from all around the deck.

While they look impressive, the four 300hp Mercury Verados are the base offering. You can go totally insane with a gangster barbershop quartet of 450hp Mercury Racing engines, each with over 600L of fuel on tap from the 2411L tanks — what fuel shortage?

The rising popularity of big fishing cats in the US is fuelled by advances in computer design and the advent of ever more powerful outboards. The twin-hull layout has advantages of increased deck space and a softer ride, and the lower wetted area can also boost performance figures of both speed and economy.

In the past, however, many cats earned a poor wrap because some models could be wet, bang in a heavy sea, and handling was less than perfect in some situations. 

In the Invincible design, the sponsons take on a semi asymmetric shape with slightly rounded internal walls rather than the flat shape of a more traditional asymmetric design. The extra volume adds buoyancy, and pronounced chines deliver lift. Meanwhile, a narrow central breaker under the forepeak helps cut through waves in heavy going. 

The tunnels have a high, inverted U-shape to avoid banging and allow air to escape without spray. Two steps in the hull, starting aft of amidships, force a flow of air under the sponsons for lift and improved performance. 

THE LAYOUT

Boarding is accessible over the side decks, but there’s a portside dive door for heavy items or the less agile. The centre console has three seats with a rear-facing lounge behind and a couple of fold-down dicky seats in the transom corners. Upfront is a long central lounge with seating for six or a place where a couple of the crew could stretch out against comfortable backrests.

The high freeboard makes for safe movement around the boat, and the padded coamings have a neat looking stainless steel recessed handrail for added security. 

Storage is everywhere. Two monster insulated fish lockers under the non-skid cockpit deck are supplemented by two more at the bow, so bringing home a feed won’t be a problem. The lounges have storage below, and there are plenty of nooks along the side deck. 

Finding a place for your rod shouldn’t be a problem with slots along the deck, behind the helm and on the rocket launcher. All up, I counted over 40 dedicated holders and provision for more in the console cabin. In addition, tackle storage and preparation space can be found by folding down the rear lounge, and live bait tanks, each with a 70L capacity, are located at the transom and under the deck.

At the helm, the skipper gets the central bolster seat, so there’s provision for driving from a seated or standing position at the wide helm. Twin 14in Simrad touch screens face the driver on the near-vertical dash, but you could fit a couple of 24in units if you wanted. Lower down a single 5in Mercury SmartCraft panel shows readouts for all four engines while the motors are paired on the twin throttle control to starboard of the wheel.

A JL sound system blasts music to all corners, while overhead, a beautifully integrated T-Top extends welcome shade over the helm and rear seat. A ladder helps access to the roof if you want to install a small tower, and the review boat was fitted with remote control Rupp outriggers.

A starboard side door opens to the console cabin, where an electric flush head and the main electrical panel are secured. 

THE RIDE

For our review, we had a mix of drives with as many as eight passengers and at no stage was anyone crowded. But for our speed/ fuel-use and offshore runs, we pared the crew back to four. Conditions on Pittwater were relatively flat with only a slight wind chop, but out past Barrenjoey, we found a 1.5m swell and 1m wind waves — enough to give the Invincible a decent workout. These are the conditions the extended waterline length and soft riding hull of the big cat just eat up. At over 30kt, both into the sea and when we turned around, the boat was solid, dry, stable and very comfortable. 

Sharp turns in the flatter water at speed were a revelation. There was a slight lean into the turn, so none of the sometimes worrying outward roll that most cats adopt when driven hard. Slow speed manoeuvring with the multi-engine setup was also straightforward.

Planting the throttles from rest got an immediate response as the boat surged forward with hardly any lift from the bow. Acceleration through to 45kt was impressive, and once we found some space, the pace increased gradually to wide-open throttle where the GPS flashed onto 60kt. At this speed, the 37 felt rock steady and predictable. Mind you, the scenery is flashing past at 30 meters a second, so you need to keep an eye on what’s going on around you.

If you have the wherewithal to own a quad-engine, 11m fishing extravaganza, then maybe the cost of running it isn’t a factor. But, for the rest of us, it’s worth knowing that fuel is going through the 32 cylinders at a combined rate of 368L/h with the throttles open. 

More sedate cruising can be found at 3500rpm and 31kt, where you should expect a range of close to 500nm with a 10 per cent reserve. That’s an impressive range. From Sydney you could run to Port Stephens and back and fish for three days without filling up. 

THE WRAP

Expensive software and many hours of supercomputer time have brought advances to boat design that has been reliant on decades-old formulas. The results are real and have progressed boatbuilding for those companies who can afford it into the new millennium. Of course, not all builders can meet these development costs, but those who can will have a point of difference that can’t be matched. 

As tested, the Invincible 37 is $980,000.  Options include the hardtop, Rupp outriggers, live well, rod holders, electric head and dive ladder so that price reflects how most fishing folk would want the boat to be. 

We have already talked about the cost of ownership, and while not everyone can afford the entry price, there are those, for example, with flybridge gameboats who might be tempted to downsize. The idea of getting to the grounds quickly has a lot of appeal and Boat Monster already has two Invincibles on the water, with more on order, so the momentum is rolling. 

Find more Invincible boats here.

FACTS & FIGURES

OPTIONS FITTED

Mercury HP 450hp x 4

PRICE AS TESTED:

 $980,000

GENERAL

MATERIAL GRP

TYPE Power catamaran

LENGTH 11.28m (37ft)

BEAM 3.65m (12ft)

WEIGHT 6350kg

CAPACITIES

PEOPLE (DAY)

FUEL 2422L

WATER L

ENGINE

MAKE/MODEL Mercury Verado 300 x 4

TYPE Four stroke V8

RATED HP 300hp

DISPLACEMENT 4.2L

WEIGHT 272kg (lightest version)

GEAR RATIO 1.75:1

PROPELLER 23in

MANUFACTURED BY 

Invincible Boats USA

SUPPLIED BY Wallrock Marine

60 Garden Street, North Narrabeen, Sydney, NSW, 2101

Ph: 0432 736 500

W: boatmonster.com.au