Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 vs Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 or the Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014?

The Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 is the longer of the two at 21,6 feet overall. The Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 comes in at 20,0 feet, making it roughly 1,6 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 is rated to a maximum of 250 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 tops out at 175 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 is Coast Guard rated for 7 passengers, while the Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 is certified for 6. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Q: Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 or the Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014?

The Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 has the bigger tank at 72 gallons, versus 52 gallons on the Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014. That 20-gallon difference translates to roughly 60–100 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 and Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 and the Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 are built by Bass Cat. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

Boat Comparison

Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 vs Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014

Bass Cat

Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012

2012

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Bass Cat

Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014

2014

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 vs Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 vs Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 250 hp, the Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 has a 75-hp advantage over the Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012's 175-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 carries 72 gallons versus 52 gallons in the Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 is rated for 7 passengers, while the Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 7 passengers and at 21,6 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 6 that costs less to run day-to-day.

General Boat Info

MakeBass Cat

Makenot available

ModelBay Cat

Modelnot available

Model Year2012

Model Yearnot available

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam8 ft. 3 in

Beamnot available

Beam - Meters2.51

Beam - Metersnot available

Beam - Inches99

Beam - Inchesnot available

Draft [max] - Detail15 in

Draft [max] - Detailnot available

Draft [max] - Meters0.38

Draft [max] - Metersnot available

Draft [max] - Inches15

Draft [max] - Inchesnot available

Weight - Detail2,100 lbs

Weight - Detailnot available

Weight - kg952.54

Weight - kgnot available

Weight - lbs.21

Weight - lbs.not available

Length - Feet21.58

Length - Feet20

Length overall - Detail21 ft. 7 in

Length overall - Detail20.00 ft

Length overall - Meters6.58

Length overall - Meters6.1

Length overall - Inches259

Length overall - Inches240

Body / Hull

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull materialnot available

Hull typeModified Vee

Hull typenot available

Engine and Drivetrain

Fuel tank capacity - Detail72 gal

Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Liters272.55

Fuel tank capacity - Liters196.84

Fuel tank capacity - Gal72

Fuel tank capacity - Gal52

Fuel typeGas

Fuel typeOther

Drive typeOutboard

Drive typeoutboard

Engine max175 - 250 hp

Engine maxnot available

Engine makenot available

Engine makeMercury

Horsepowernot available

Horsepower250 hp

Operational Info

Maximum capacity2,390 lbs

Maximum capacitynot available

Maximum people7 / 1,275 lbs

Maximum peoplenot available

Boat typenot available

Boat typePower

Trailer Info

Trailer - Height6 ft. 4 in. with pivot bolster and pivot console

Trailer - Heightnot available

Trailer - Length over all27 ft. 3 in. 24 ft. 6 in. with swing away tongue

Trailer - Length over allnot available

Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 vs Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 or the Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014?

The Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 is the longer of the two at 21,6 feet overall. The Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 comes in at 20,0 feet, making it roughly 1,6 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 is rated to a maximum of 250 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 tops out at 175 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 is Coast Guard rated for 7 passengers, while the Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 is certified for 6. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 or the Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014?

The Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 has the bigger tank at 72 gallons, versus 52 gallons on the Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014. That 20-gallon difference translates to roughly 60–100 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 and Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 and the Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 are built by Bass Cat. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

← Bass Cat Bay Cat 2012 full specs ← Bass Cat Puma FTD 2014 full specs