Home › Forums › Bass Cat Boats › Differences between the Puma and the Puma FTD?
Other than the fuel capacity? I see that the fuel layout on the Puma is a single 43 gal tank in the belly, does the Puma FTD have two 26 gal. saddle tanks? Difference in ride and shallow water fishability (draft)? Thanks
The Puma is a 10 gallon rear tank, and 33 under the seat. A Puma FTD is twin 26 gallon rear fuel tanks. As the EPA regulations change for opacity the fuel tanks will loose about 5% in the future boats once those guidelines are initiated. Though for now these are accurate. BCBLast edited by Bass Cat Boats on August 21st, 2009, 10:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dave – Yes the Puma FTD has two saddle tanks like the Cougar FTD and Cougar AE. It also has under seat storage w/ smaller aft storage compartments and triangular live wells. Here is a post on this very topic from BBC -http://bbcboards.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=424213 In the thread BCB wrote: The Puma and Puma FTD both share the same fundamental floor plan in front of the consoles. The box layout is similar with only slight size differences. That is dual rod lockers, dual front storages for Planos saddling each side of the Dip Net scabbard. Then two storages behind the net Holder lid. The Pantera IV model also carries a similar front deck. The rear deck has fuel tanks in the rear (2) on a Puma FTD, and the Puma has a 33 gallon fuel tank under the seats, whereas the Puma FTD has storage and another cooler there. The Puma has twin 10 gallon (20) fuel tanks, and larger rear storages (2) and a live well that is larger than competitive wells.The Puma FTD has smaller storages in the rear the triangular livewell that is way larger than any other well on the market. The twin 26 gallon fuel tanks also allow the Puma FTD to be about 1 mph faster than the standard Puma.The Puma floats a little more level if you fish flat (skinny/shallow) water and if you fish deeper water the Puma FTD has about 1″ to 2″ more draft required. River anglers might prefer a Puma over a Puma FTD if they were really serious and needed less draft.They share the same hull, and the same consoles. The Puma FTD also has the recessed bow light (LED) that does not require a front light stem.There are other differences, though that is a quicky!BCBLast edited by rlb8s on August 21st, 2009, 10:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Both are top notch boats. My boss has a 2009 Puma FTD and i like the layout alot. If i sold my Cougar today i would be ordering a new Puma FTD or Possibly a Puma. You cant go wrong with either boat it just comes down to personal preference on the layout.
Thanks for the fuel description, but from the sound of it there is only one rear tank on the Puma now for a total of 43 gallons. Just wondering because, I have needed all my fuel in my 05 in tournaments before and I currently have either 52 or 53 gallon capacity (Kentucky Lake and Amistad). Maybe a little too much running and gunning on my part. The less draft of the Puma does interest me now that Im in Florida. What are the other creature comforts that make them different? Thanks Sheff
33 under the set / two 10s in back total 53 gals
Yes the other 10 gallon kicker tank is optional. We were letting the group have their input first on opinions.
Sheff, I had the same discussion with Rick a few weeks ago. Kevin Short runs the Puma for the very reason that I was asking, it has a shallower draft. If I cant stick my 6 1/2 foot rod in the dirt, I am fishing too deep.In asking, I was told that the FTD runs slightly faster, but the Puma works better shallow. Read K Pinks article on his win and you will see that the slight drop in speed only meant he waited on the other guys for a little less time once he got to the lock and then left them behind again!John
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