Efficient cats

Questions and Answers about the Woods Designs, multihulls and others.
Woods Designs
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 162
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:20 am
Location: UK and PNW

Re: Efficient cats

Post by Woods Designs »

Thank you Jacques, there isn't much I can add to that. We said all along I would draw the hulls and cockpit/beams so that they had the required speed, efficiency and safety features we all wanted. Jacques would draw the various cabin/cockpit layouts, but that it would also be possible for builders to fit their own

re Miss Cindy, check where it sailed

http://turtleislands.net/tmc/

Richard Woods

Woods Designs
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 162
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:20 am
Location: UK and PNW

Re: Efficient cats

Post by Woods Designs »

jacquesmm wrote: a boat is made from compromises.
I like that! but it could be expanded to say "A boat is really made from compromises, not composites"

RW

Wazza
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:06 pm
Location: Perth

Re: Efficient cats

Post by Wazza »

Hi Guys,

Very interesting discussion in this thread by the way.

Not sure if this question is in the right place (please feel free to move), but would a smaller trailerable displacement Cat be at all possible? While I would love what is being discussed here, it's not going to happen.

Would something along these lines be possible?

http://www.glacierbaycats.com/site/2740 ... index.html

Being from Australia the max width we can legally tow is 2.5m. This one uses big outboards, I like the idea of smaller engines like this thread is discussing. You would have a lounge area up front for slow cruising with friends / family, and a fishing area at the back. Do a search for Leisurecat Stormcat for another example of possible layout, but the leisurecat is not a displacement hull.

I really knew nothing about these hulls till I read this thread and can now fully understand the interest in them. Being able to get to the fishing grounds at approx 20 knots and using a fraction of the fuel, cruising down the river at 8 knots again using a fraction of the fuel, why wouldn't you want that?

Just food for thought.

Cheers
Wazza

Woods Designs
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 162
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:20 am
Location: UK and PNW

Re: Efficient cats

Post by Woods Designs »

You should check out my smaller Skoota 20 and 24, both trailable although they fold (easily no manual lifting, gravity and buoyancy do the work). We cruised a Skoota 20 for two years and did around 12 knot cruise (15max) with a 25hp outboard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPkyALLHdzc

Jacques sells both designs

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

Wazza
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:06 pm
Location: Perth

Re: Efficient cats

Post by Wazza »

Hi Richard,

Very interesting with the folding. How wide are they when folded on the trailer?

Just not sure how practical that would be at one of our boat ramps, looks like I would have to back the car into the ocean to launch and retrieve, obviously something I am not very keen on. In the video did you have a rope or something attached to the trailer?

Thanks
Wazza

Woods Designs
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 162
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:20 am
Location: UK and PNW

Re: Efficient cats

Post by Woods Designs »

The Skootas are 8ft wide on the trailer

I am afraid the video you saw is rather misleading as launching looks much harder than it usually is, but unfortunately it is the only one I have. Not only do we launch from a very shallow, muddy beach, not from a ramp, but also we had problems with our trailer (which was very old and neglected). In fact it would be very difficult to launch any outboard powered boat, never mind a monohull like a J24!, from the beach we use.

The folding system has been used for over 20 years on my sailing catamarans, like Wizard and Sango, but I have also used it on catamarans up to 26ft. With a proper trailer it all works very well on both a regular slip and on a beach. I write about it here,

http://sailingcatamarans.com/index.php/ ... rticle/324

(I am linking to my main site to save a long post here). You will read that there are two systems you can use, but unfortunately, as the trailer winch was broken, we had to use the "normal slipway" rather than "shallow beach" method.

I hope that reassures you.

Two reasons for having a wide hull spacing on my Skoota designs is to reduce the wave interference and slamming between the hulls, and thus increase performance and comfort underway. The other is to increase stability, especially in a steep beam sea.

However if easy launching is a high priority then you could consider my Saylon design and use it as a motorboat with twin 15hp outboards, no rudders, rig or daggerboards. Top speed would be around 12-14 knots and it would be very easy to launch/recover

Jacques also sells the Saylon plans.

If you want more details or to discuss it further then please post again here or email me direct. Thank you

Richard Woods

TomTom
* Bateau Builder *
* Bateau Builder *
Posts: 736
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2012 10:29 am
Location: East Africa

Re: Efficient cats

Post by TomTom »

Any progress with this hull?

I don't see it posted on the plans page?

jacquesmm
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 28215
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2002 1:00 am
Location: Florida USA
Contact:

Re: Efficient cats

Post by jacquesmm »

The Skoota 32 and 36 are semi-ready. I did not post drawings because the plans are not final but one 36 is under construction.
Jacques Mertens - Designer
http://boatbuildercentral.com

TomTom
* Bateau Builder *
* Bateau Builder *
Posts: 736
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2012 10:29 am
Location: East Africa

Re: Efficient cats

Post by TomTom »

Any way we can see progress on the 36?

Any way we can get more info on where the plans have got to? A little taster maybe?!!

jacquesmm
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 28215
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2002 1:00 am
Location: Florida USA
Contact:

Re: Efficient cats

Post by jacquesmm »

I"ll post what I have later today or tomorrow.
Jacques Mertens - Designer
http://boatbuildercentral.com

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests