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TomCat 24 vs. TomCat 255?
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trisailing



Joined: 30 Oct 2013
Posts: 2
City/Region: Boston
State or Province: MA
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 5:20 pm    Post subject: TomCat 24 vs. TomCat 255? Reply with quote

I am a newbie to power cats. I am still sailing around in a catamaran, but I am interested in perhaps changing over to power. I understand that there have been improvements in the TomCat 255, but I can't seem to find what they are aside from being shorter. The issue is that the TomCat 24 is listed as somewhere around 4000 lbs. while the 255 is about 2000 lbs. more. I have a 1/2 ton truck that will haul a 4000 lb boat, but it won't haul a 6000 lb. boat very effectively (with gear and trailer, it seems to be more like 8000 lbs.)
Can someone please explain what the design differences are inside. My wife and I tend to spend weeks at a time cruising, and I would like to know what the trade-offs are between the 2 boats. Thanks in advance for any info.
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rogerbum



Joined: 21 Nov 2004
Posts: 5922
City/Region: Kenmore
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 255 Tomcat
Vessel Name: Meant to be
Photos: SeaDNA
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 5:29 pm    Post subject: Re: TomCat 24 vs. TomCat 255? Reply with quote

trisailing wrote:
I am a newbie to power cats. I am still sailing around in a catamaran, but I am interested in perhaps changing over to power. I understand that there have been improvements in the TomCat 255, but I can't seem to find what they are aside from being shorter. The issue is that the TomCat 24 is listed as somewhere around 4000 lbs. while the 255 is about 2000 lbs. more. I have a 1/2 ton truck that will haul a 4000 lb boat, but it won't haul a 6000 lb. boat very effectively (with gear and trailer, it seems to be more like 8000 lbs.)
Can someone please explain what the design differences are inside. My wife and I tend to spend weeks at a time cruising, and I would like to know what the trade-offs are between the 2 boats. Thanks in advance for any info.

The Tomcat 24 and 255 share the same hull. The 255 is basically the 24 with a different (and some think better looking) cabin on top. Neither boat on a trailer will weigh less than 8000# and the 255 will be closer to 10k on a trailer (maybe more depending on trailer type).

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Sea Wolf



Joined: 01 Nov 2003
Posts: 8650
City/Region: Redding
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 1987
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sea Wolf
Photos: Sea Wolf
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 5:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The 255 is also longer, with the addition of Armstrong brackets that extend the motors out a few feet further in the rear, making essentially a longer boat that offers more flotation, will pitch less in chop, and handle more horsepower. The original 255 had brackets that proved to be a little too long, and the subsequent ones had shorter ones.

Bob (Thataway) once compared the two cats, IIRC, but finding that comparison might be difficult unless he, or someone else, remembers in what thread/context it was done.

I think there might also have been some modification of the tunnel involved, but that's pretty fuzzy in my mind. Ditto for the interior layout, to a minor degree.

Roger is very correct in noting the changes to the cabin forward top, the addition of the hood in the 255 making the boat look more like a C-Dory and less of a spaceship, or NASA project, according to some. At any rate, the hood blocks some sun & heat intrusinion into the cockpit, which is similar to the problem experienced in the late 50's early 60's style cars like the 1959 Chevy Impala Hardtop.

Joe. Teeth Thumbs Up

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Captains Cat



Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 7313
City/Region: Cod Creek>Potomac River>Chesapeake Bay
State or Province: VA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Captain's Choice II
Photos: Captain's Cat
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 6:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Big differences in the head as well. The 255 is a lot more "wife friendly". Having had Two 255's, we know! Mr. Green

Charlie

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CHARLIE and PENNY CBRAT #100
Captain's Cat II 2005 22 Cruiser
Thataway (2006 TC255 - Sold Aug 2013)
Captain's Cat (2006 TC255 - Sold January 2012)
Captain's Kitten (1995 CD 16 Angler- Sold June 2010)
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gulfcoast john



Joined: 14 Dec 2012
Posts: 989
City/Region: PENSACOLA
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2010
C-Dory Model: 255 Tomcat
Vessel Name: Cat O' Mine
Photos: CAT O' MINE
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Trisailing, see Redbaronce for-sale 24/255 entries and albums and PM him.
There aren't that many Brats who have owned BOTH models, AND have owned them simultaneously, AND are selling one of them, AND will happily keep the other one, whichever model does not sell first.
You need plane tickets!
Search the site for comparisons.
Agree a loaded 255 rig requires 10K tow capability to stay safe. Full gas alone is 900#, which is the same as 3 Mississippi good 'ol boys. Or 2 and enough beer (300#) for the day and part of the night.
The concept behind either is an expedition quality pocket yacht trailer-able anywhere without a permit at 60 MPH through a thunderstorm while getting 13 MPG (in my 2500HD diesel), vs sailing for 10 weeks at 7.2 knots to get there.
In any event, happy hunting!
Cheers!
John

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Discovery



Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 1239
City/Region: LOA, UTAH
State or Province: UT
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 255 Tomcat
Vessel Name: Discovery
Photos: Discovery
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 7:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have owned both and cruised on them for extended periods, 11 years total onership of TomCat's. The TC255 is far superior to the TC24 as a cruising boat. Larger cabin ( 18" longer ), a head on the main level ( not down in a hole ), shower ( TC24 has none ), larger cockpit ( 18" longer ), Swimstep/Armstrong bracket ( not the cramped motorwell of the TC24 ), The TC255 has a vertical windshield ( not the sweptback elongated windshield of the TC24 )

The TC24 trailer from EZ Loader is a poor design and very user difficult to load in a crosswind. There are good TC255 trailers, including the EZ Loader trailer and others.

Either boat will require a 3/4 or 1 ton truck. I have towed both of them in excess of 30,000 miles. Including the length of Mexico Baja highway to Cabo San Lucas. The TC255 is 10,000 lbs. loaded with trailer. The TC24 a little less, about 9,000 lbs. loaded.

I regretted purchasing the TC24 almost from the beginning. We had a lot of input with the factory during the design of the TC255, and received the 5th boat built. We have cruised on the TC255 four different years for periods of 65 to 90 days each. We are planning on a 3 month cruise to Alaska next summer.

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1984 22' Classic sold 2003
2003 24' TomCat sold 2005
2006 TC255 Discovery Sold 2020
2006 CD 22' Angler Sold 2014
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Pat Anderson



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 8551
City/Region: Birch Bay, WA
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Daydream
Photos: Daydream and Crabby Lou
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 11:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I will add a non-TC-owner observation. We were present when Dusty's Tomcat 24 was christened in Olympia in 2003 ( the original Daydream CD22 was christened at the same time). It was raining hard, and the condensation inside the Tomcat 24 was like being in a small rainstorm inside the cabin. That completely turned us off on the Tomcat 24s. We have heard nothing negative about the Tomcat 255s. Now, the choice between a Tomcat 255 and a Venture 26 is something else to consider. Not being a devotee of going really fast, the Venture 26 is WAY more appealing to us than a Tomcat 255. But to each his own!
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redbaronace



Joined: 29 Aug 2012
Posts: 581
City/Region: Puget Sound
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 255 Tomcat
Photos: redbaronace (Name TBD)
PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 3:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not really sure why the 24 Tomcat has gotten such a bad rap from some folks on the c-brats forum. The boat is criticized for its looks here but I can tell you that it gets a lot of compliments when out and about.

I can proudly say that the boat is wonderful. It is not only unique looking but offers 90% of the performance of the 255 for less money. The interior is smaller, but still substantially larger than a 22 cruiser. The cockpit is nearly identical in size to the 255 (actually less than 6 inches difference.)

Is the 255 better? perhaps if you need more room in the cabin. The standing head/shower is nice as is the hot water.

The 24 does have its merits including being lighter by about 2000 lbs. It is also more agile and easier to maneuver in tight spaces. It is easier to single hand dock than the 255. and gets better fuel economy than the 24 which is a big bonus.

We insulated our cabin early on and never had significant issues with the condensation on the 24. The 255 actually has a lot more condensation. It should be noted that our 255 is not insulated however.

If anyone wants more detail or has questions of either boat, feel free to PM me.
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Molly Brown



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 404
City/Region: Punta Gorda
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2003
C-Dory Model: 24 Tomcat
Vessel Name: MOLLY BROWN
Photos: Molly Brown
PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 6:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can't deny Discovery's take but I would point out that those benefits definitively come with added costs, bigger motors, more fuel, more maintenance, more things to go wrong. Our original attraction to the CDory line was the 22 cruiser with it's utilitarian aspect. Less is best sort of thing. 'Course the kids got bigger and we added a couple of dogs to the menagerie hence the search for a little bigger boat. The 255's were not even available in those days which is how we ended up with our 24. We are very comfortable and have no regrets. Truth be told I probably could not afford the 255. Our boat is 12 years old and everything works so we've no interest in "more" boat.
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Starting the Great American Loop 03/2024


Last edited by Molly Brown on Tue Sep 30, 2014 6:48 am; edited 1 time in total
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Captains Cat



Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 7313
City/Region: Cod Creek>Potomac River>Chesapeake Bay
State or Province: VA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Captain's Choice II
Photos: Captain's Cat
PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 6:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pat Anderson wrote:
I will add a non-TC-owner observation. We were present when Dusty's Tomcat 24 was christened in Olympia in 2003 ( the original Daydream CD22 was christened at the same time). It was raining hard, and the condensation inside the Tomcat 24 was like being in a small rainstorm inside the cabin. That completely turned us off on the Tomcat 24s. We have heard nothing negative about the Tomcat 255s. Now, the choice between a Tomcat 255 and a Venture 26 is something else to consider. Not being a devotee of going really fast, the Venture 26 is WAY more appealing to us than a Tomcat 255. But to each his own!

Hey Pat, the 255 can go slow too! Rolling Eyes Mr. Green

But as you said... Each to his own, is a V26 in your future?

Charlie
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Pat Anderson



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 8551
City/Region: Birch Bay, WA
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Daydream
Photos: Daydream and Crabby Lou
PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 10:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No, we are quite happy with Daydream. Any other boat, no matter what improvements, would be a waste of Anderson family resources. We can do pretty much whatever we want to do in our CD25 Cruiser! Sure glad we bought it at the 2005 SBS, too - that price will never be seen again!

Captains Cat wrote:

Hey Pat, the 255 can go slow too! Rolling Eyes Mr. Green

But as you said... Each to his own, is a V26 in your future?

Charlie
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trpsurf



Joined: 12 Oct 2010
Posts: 111
City/Region: Pasadena
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 1997
C-Dory Model: 24 Tomcat
Vessel Name: Oski
Photos: C-Pelican
PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 11:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We have a 24' Tomcat (actually the second boat produced) and love it! I can't deny Discovery's take either, that the 25' has a number of superior features.

The head in the 24' is small, but two of my crew members are less than 4' tall, so I don't get all that many complaints. Our previous boat was a 22' Cruiser and the Tomcat fits our purposes far better than our previous boat. The ride, range, and stability of the Tomcat is fantastic. We have put 400 hours on the boat in the last 8 months and visited nearly every one of the Southern California Channel Islands.

http://vimeo.com/101133194

The truth is that there was no way I could afford a 25', so when a 24' popped up in Oakland, we jumped on it and scored an amazing deal, given the new motors and upgrades.

If I was still in the market, I would look at redbaronace's 24'. It looks like a really clean boat at a good price.

-Tim

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Growing Up Salty YouTube Channel:
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24' Tomcat- Oski
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Jazzmanic



Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 2231
City/Region: Seattle
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Photos: C-Dancer
PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 12:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

trpsurf wrote:
We have a 24' Tomcat (actually the second boat produced) and love it! I can't deny Discovery's take either, that the 25' has a number of superior features.

The head in the 24' is small, but two of my crew members are less than 4' tall, so I don't get all that many complaints. Our previous boat was a 22' Cruiser and the Tomcat fits our purposes far better than our previous boat. The ride, range, and stability of the Tomcat is fantastic. We have put 400 hours on the boat in the last 8 months and visited nearly every one of the Southern California Channel Islands.

http://vimeo.com/101133194

The truth is that there was no way I could afford a 25', so when a 24' popped up in Oakland, we jumped on it and scored an amazing deal, given the new motors and upgrades.

If I was still in the market, I would look at redbaronace's 24'. It looks like a really clean boat at a good price.

-Tim


Tim, I absolutely loved your video. Take it from someone who's been through it, you and your wife are absolutely going to cherish that video after the kids are all grown and have flown the coop. I wish I had a video like that when my kids were young. Simply beautiful.

Peter
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dotnmarty



Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 4196
City/Region: Sammamish
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 1993
C-Dory Model: 16 Angler
Vessel Name: LIZZIE II
Photos: Lizzie
PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 2:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Me too. After looking at it I ordered a gopro for my son's birthday. For Christmas he'll get a pair of sox.
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Discovery



Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 1239
City/Region: LOA, UTAH
State or Province: UT
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 255 Tomcat
Vessel Name: Discovery
Photos: Discovery
PostPosted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If your in the NE, there's a 2002 TomCat 24 for sale on eBay. Opening bid $23,990.00
http://www.ebay.com/itm/151430401665?forcerRptr=true&item=151430401665&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME:SS:SS:US:1120
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