Catfish

[rstinge1]

It has been almost 12 months to the day that I took delivery of my 2008 Tomcat, "Catfish". Bought her sight unseen (had a pre-purchase survey) and hauled from AZ to Wanchese, NC. She had 800 hours on the Honda 135s and I managed to put another 65 hours on them. The boat is a dream. I am contemplating installing a roof top Coleman A/C this summer, as was previously recommended on this website. Just working up the nerve to have a hole cut in the roof top. I have a couple of things that I need help with:
1. Recommended bed cover to put over the cushions in the queen berth.
2. Replacement screens for the roof hatch and oval berth side windows.
3. Interior cabin sole carpet. Thought I would remove the old one and use it as a template. Just unsure of a carpet to select.
Thanks in advance. Bob

[ssobol]

[gulfcoast john]

Bob,
Congrats on enjoying your boat! We’re still lovin’ it after 8 years with ours.

The rooftop AC option is certainly the most convenient by far. We have a Honda iu2000 but don’t use it on the boat, although many Brats do. It could power up to about a 10-13.5K (with luck and a smart starter) BTU rooftop AC. Our 15K Coleman BTU unit is overkill for a TomCat, but it sure cools it down quick at a marina on shore power. You’re limited to 30 amps total, so you have to do some load management...like not running the water heater with the AC on.

If you want radar, of course it has to be above the AC unit, and any GPS antenna has to be above the radar beam, and also your anchor light must be visible in all conditions. Mine is mounted so it can be folded over, otherwise it’s over the 13.5 foot federal height limit when on the trailer. If you also want dinghies and SUP’s and solar panels, plan ahead.

Our Best Cruise To Date was the NY-Canada historic canals Triangle Loop. You must get your air draft down to under 8 feet to take the fabulous Lachine Canal through Montreal. We did it by removing the radar dome (4 bolts and 2 cables). We had never heard of cruising the Great Loop when we bought our boat, but now we’re Life Members of AGLCA. Keep your options open!

I think my hatch is a Bomar, and the Bomar screen attaches to the underside.
https://pompanettellc.com/product-category/hatches/

Mine is the only TC255 I’ve seen without the oval berth portholes; sorry can’t help you there.

We like a 3” foam topper in a washable cover to go over the berth cushions. A Queen size will stick up the forward corners unless you cut it. Now we’re using a Double, which leaves some room along the sides for storage bins etc. but still allows opening the three forward berth hatches. I’m over 6 feet, but have plenty of room. We sleep athwartship.

We’ve come to really like Deckadence marine ‘carpet’ despite it’s higher initial cost. Sand, dirt, etc goes right through it, out of sight and out of mind. It’s soft on bare feet and immune to Clorox etc. We also use it in the cockpit. Believe it or not, we roll up both cabin and cockpit pieces and stuff each into a hi cap commercial washing machine with hot water for $6.50 and Clorox and it comes out sparkling! Cut it with a new utility blade. We started with Artic White, but after three heavy duty years we had a bit of a wear pattern visible down the cabin walkway. We changed to silver and have no issues over the past five years. ‘Normal’ owners would not have been bothered by it.

https://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafee&type=E211US0G0&p=dekadence

Cheers!
John

[thataway]

A couple of disagreements with John here. The GPS antenna. can be below the radar beam. (Just not right in the beam). Most Multi Function Displays, and those work well with the built in GPS antenna.

We are using the American Floor Mat Vinyl loop material--inside the cabin. The major reason to use the Decadence is that it comes in 5' width. The Vinyl loop floor mate is much cheaper and does the job just as well.

3x10' is $165, and 4' X 10' is $225 for the American Floor mat. A 5' x 6' piece of Deckadence is $452. (compare the 30 sq feet price, one would need to get the size to fit the floor runner). As I recollect we got a 4' x 12' of the vinyl loop for the interior cabin, which included the head, under the table and under the helm and navigators foot wells.

The difference is that the DECKadence has a silicone non skid backing. The vinyl loop pool mat has no backing. We just take our DECKadence (cockpit covering) on a flat deck, hit it with a hose, then brush with soap and water, rinse and let drain.

I had used all sorts of carpet, including the Ozite indoor and outdoor recycled material. The pool mat allows any dirt or spills to go thru. When you are thru with the cruise, you just roll it up and wash it off--vaccum up any material underneath. Looks much better and easy on the feet.

[gulfcoast john]

As always, I agree that Bob is right here.
John

[hardee]

On Bob's recommendation, I ordered some of the American Mat to use under the mattress in the V-birth. I cut it easily with a pair of trauma scissors and ran it up the side just past the mattress top, to accommodate the bedding. Seems like a good, durable product. One side is soft rounded, (good on bare feet) and the other is slightly flattened, for the nonskid bottom side, if you are so inclined.

The GPS pucks can even be inside, under the cabin roof, on the shelf. I have 2 inside and on outside, they all work the same. (They just cannot be IN the radar pattern).

Harvey
SleepyC