Old School

Comments

• Hi Michael,

  that is a nice concept. I have often wondered why this niche, of beach capable, quick, small to medium size weekend-camping catamarans is not better covered by boat designers.

  As a suggestion I would include a bimini sunshelter. At least in the tropics, and subtropics, which is where this type of boat would excell, this would be an indispensible feature. I can imagine a cabriolet like cover blending nicely into the design.

  Cheers,
  Peter

  Posted by peter mirow  on  03/13  at  04:08 PM

• Peter, I wonder why too. Hobie made a weak attempt at one in the 90’s, which was a standard Hobie 20 with a reduced rig and a storage box, but not very convincing. The bimini is important, thanks for the suggestion.

  Posted by Editor  on  03/14  at  08:54 AM

• Michael, I’d like to second Pete’s opinion. This is a very cool little cat, and it would be nice to see more drawings, or, even better, one of these built and cruised. Couldn’t the bimini be designed with extra bits to convert it to a tent for the cockpit? I hadn’t thought about the lack of this sort of design, and it looks like a lot more work to build than a small wharram, less work tha a small tiki, and functionality right in between. I like it.

  thomas

  Posted by thomas armstrong  on  03/14  at  06:45 PM

• Thomas, thanks for the comment. Actually, the start of this design exercise was seeing a Wharram Tiki 21 in the flesh, on a trailer. It dawned on me that this was the right idea, except too big, or rather, too wide. So I limited it to trailerable beam, which leads straight to monocoque construction. I’ll continue to doodle on it. I think the 60’s styling is cute, but probably not such a good idea for a boat with intentions to appeal to more than a few buyers. Everyone wants to be Speed Racer, even if they’re driving a Chevy.

  Reverse bows, here we come!

  Posted by  on  03/14  at  08:09 PM

• Looks nice, reminds me of the early CSK and Joe Quigg cats - which is no bad thing!

  I have often wondered if a heavily cambered and watertight deck box would assist in getting a cat like this back on its feet after an inversion.  Flat tramps seem to stick the boat upside down so well.

  Seems kind of funny to use the term ‘monocoque’ about a cat but I see what you mean!

  Posted by  on  03/15  at  02:29 PM

• Hey Michael,
  i too really dig the design, and I really like your pookie proa design also (I want a cat that looks like that:P).  I’ve been having a great time over the past month.  I’ve got my hands on a really cool 1960s cat incredibly similar to this, 20 ft long.  Don’t know its design, or how to post a pic.  But i’m loving the relaxed performance of this style boat.

  Posted by  on  03/15  at  10:06 PM

• I’ve got some photo’s up on http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/multihulls/what-cat-26483.html#post262120 Its demountable but with a solid deck, anyone know what it is?

  Posted by  on  03/16  at  02:31 AM

• Chris, thanks for the note. The Gougeon 32 took that approach.

  

  Marc! That boat is amazing! It is so close to what I was visualizing (bridgedeck clearance a bit low, though). The hull shape is sophisticated, it might plane in a blow? The BOA looks to be at least 10’, which is great for sailing, not so great for the trailer. Thanks for sharing that. Where do you sail?

  Posted by  on  03/16  at  09:07 AM

• Marc, I followed your link to the pics, and I’m posting one of them here because it’s such a cool boat.

  

  Posted by  on  03/16  at  11:31 AM

• The G32 was/is such an interesting boat! - it was water ballasted as well I think and legal to trail without folding.

  Another early solid bridgedeck beach cat that springs to mind is the Prout Shearwater but I can’t seem to find any photos of one online.  I will keep hunting, all the modern ones have normal tramps though.

  Posted by  on  03/16  at  11:58 AM

• Thanks,
  I really dig it.  still don’t know what the design is.
  Going camping for a few nights next week on it.

  Posted by  on  03/17  at  12:14 AM

• sorry, didn’t see your questions. It is demountable.  the boat is held together with 8 x 10mm diameter stainless steel pins through those stainless straps you can see.  the demountable section is easier to see from the front, where the deck is varnished and the amas are painted. I sail down in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.  the bridgedeck is low, I guess a sign of its era.  Although, surprisingly little slap at least with only one on board.  I’ve had it in 1.5 meter swells and its only then that it starts to slap much.  Its a very wet ride in 20+ knots.

  Posted by  on  03/17  at  12:21 AM

• Michael,

  Friggin’ bitchin’!, to use the beach grommet’s lexicon. You’ve touched on so many of the style cues… are you sure you aren’t related in some distant past to Alfred Kumalae or Vince Bartolone?

  Sweet lines, paired-down efficiency of purpose and infinite buildability for the backyard boater.

  Very, very nice.

  It has been mentioned here on this Comment List, that there’s a discussion about a unique beach cat with lovely 60’s design aesthetic being used down in Tazland by Marc.

  I posted to that discussion with a set of photos of the seminal, beach cat design of Phil Edwards from ‘62. Two readers have since sent me emails asking that I draw-up a modern version of the Edwards’ El Gato as they were floored by the lines and the blatant performance that is embodied in the concept. I do have a 21’ sliding beam cruising beach cat design pretty much in the can right now and I like it a lot, but I’m going to have to put my creative hat on for a couple of weeks in order to get something sketched-out that gets anywhere near your boat, Michael.

  Chris O

  Posted by Chris Ostlind  on  03/31  at  08:06 AM

• Hi Chris, thanks for the kind words. Yea, it’s a 60’s style mash-up, but I like that kind of thing. Thanks for posting those pics of Phil Edward’s El Gato - one of the best, IMHO.

  There is a resurgence of elegant monohull daysailors these days, I think this kind of thing would suffice for a multihull equivalent. Small bridge deck, open but with optional dodger and bimini, room for the cooler and friends, relaxed, comfortable sailing in the teens. What’s not to like?

  Posted by  on  03/31  at  08:49 AM

• Cool concept.  There are a few cabin cats like the Jarcat, El Gato, and Waller out there at 8’6”, but the open bridgedeck with a dodger, bimini and integrated tent seems missing.  The Hobie attempt was way too beachcat based to get any real cruising done.  One only wants to be wet for so long before it starts to be uncomfortable.  I think a design like the Norseboat but for cat lovers would be fantastic, and this concept is right in line with it.  What might be interesting is to integrate the bimini with the traveler like they do on some of the big cats, fold out forwards, and attach to the dodger.  Add some side screens or curtains and you’d have a Norsecat. 

  Sailing with the bimini up would be nice on the Texas 200.  I am doing something like it for this year’s T200.  Gary Dierking’s Tamanu double canoe meets my Hobie 18.  Frankenhobie?

  I am still deciding on beam dimensions.  A 10’ + cat has some huge stability advantages, but an 8’6” boat has some usage advantages.  Ray’s Slider cat is another boat that is on the right track for a small cruiser, but I’m going for something a bit more sealed up.

  Great concept, and I hope some more guys bite the bullet and get building some of these little cruisers!  I hate to see the monos have all the fun in this daysailing/ campcruiser category.

  Dan

  Posted by  on  04/07  at  06:54 AM

• Dan, thanks for the comment. Norsecat - love the name! For this boat, I’m going with the 8.5’ beam, simply because a quick to launch little boat should fit on a trailer. Yes, it won’t be as quick or stable, so self-righting ability is key. I love Slider, but that boat really only works well with two crew - the single-hander is always jumping out of one hull and into the other, which seems like a bit of trouble - hence the traditional arrangement of Beachcruiser, which is very flexible and easy for crew from one to four.

  Posted by  on  04/07  at  12:40 PM

• Michael,
  I looove this design, style points++ for sure, I’d so like one of these.
  
  On a technical bent: those ‘integrated rudders’, would they work for a proa? by locking the foward one straight ahead, say the tiller extension drops into a quick release clamp. Of course the rudders would be reshaped to have the bow-like upsweep, basically I’m imagining a blend of your Beach Cruiser bow and stern. The hull would have that undercut both ends… I’m a sailing newbie so have NO idea - could that work?

  Posted by  on  04/29  at  02:45 PM

• Dave, thanks for the comment. The fore and aft integrated proa rudders is a neat idea, but there are some issues:

  The discontinuity in the flow at the bow destroys any hope of laminar flow.

  Bending forces on the reversed (bow) rudder would be extreme.

  Large flat surfaces right fwd tend to encourage broaching.

  That said, I can picture a yacht with morphing ends, like a fish, that would enable such an arrangement. Perhaps skin-on-frame, or perhaps with a nanite infused skin…

  Posted by  on  04/29  at  06:15 PM