With twin Honda BF 350s perched astern, Avalon’s Catalina 2585 left no doubt about its high-performance intentions. Punch the throttles and the dynamic duo on the transom rocket the 2585 out of the hole, reaching 30 mph in a scant 4.3 seconds en route to an eye-watering top speed of 63 mph. Avalon’s Twin Waveglider Performance Package ensures the running surface below handles every bit of those horses. A trio of 27-inch pontoons equipped with lifting fins handled both calm and rough conditions with equal ease and delivered a precise, flat-cornering personality when pushed aggressively into corners. Want more? The 2585 is rated for up to 800 horsepower. Imagine the possibilities.
Though the boat delivers flagship performance, it’s actually midrange in category. Like the power, however, looks are top-notch. A new exterior wall design is ultra-sleek, with smooth-skin aluminum panels presenting a clean, uninterrupted wrap and not a hint of fence structure in sight. Both docking and nav lights are integrated into forward pods. Tapering walls aft complete the clean aesthetic. New stainless-steel rails with a chain-access closure elegantly seal off the stern. The deeply tinted, seemingly frameless windshield that spans the consoles proves the perfect finishing touch.
The helm behind is also fitted perfectly. Dual Simrad touchscreens dominate the attractive, multilevel dash, keeping vital info and touchscreen controls within easy reach. A cubby to the right of the wheel includes a wireless phone charger. Opposite, the Fusion stereo head unit controlled our test boat’s premium sound system and canister speakers, the latter mounted to the optional electric EX tower. As to accommodations, they’re pleasantly plush for the price point. Full of contours and accented by a trio of colors and quilted accents, they include a pair of parallel lounges forward, twin high-back captain’s chairs amidships, and an L-shaped lounge aft. The latter is highlighted by a pivoting seatback with dual stainless-steel support arms that move independently to maintain the same attitude of the backrest in forward- or rear-facing positions.
High Points
- RGB lighting allows setting and changing the mood.
- In-floor ski locker swallows large items.
- Tubular seat frames provide flow-through ventilation to most storage areas.
How We Tested
- Engines: Twin Honda 350
- Drive/Props: Honda 16″ x 20″ 3-blade stainless steel
- Gear Ratio: 1.79:1 Fuel Load: 95 gal. Crew Weight: 400 lb.
Pricing and Specs
| Price: | Not available (at press time) |
| LOA: | 26’5″ |
| Beam: | 8’6″ |
| Draft (max): | NA |
| Dry Weight: | 4,620 lb. |
| Seat/Weight Capacity: | 9/1,130 lb. |
| Fuel Capacity: | 150 gal. |
Avalon Pontoons – Alma, Michigan; avalonpontoons.com
