255 tom cat for alaska , like to hear from other owners

[lkc]

I am thinking of purchasing a new tom cat for use in alaska.I love the space for storage and the feel of the boat while inside.However i am concerned about standard cat issues:
1-salt spray from hull getting inside motors
2-back wash when coming of plane and soaking motor
3-stress cracks
4-handling in large seas
I would like to hear from owners on there issues and how they like there boats.
lkc

 

[drjohn71a]

IKC,

I mostly cruise inland, but have been up on Puget Sound, San Juan area and Galveston/Houston Texas areas.

There is certainly not a problem running at good speed in 2-4 foot waves, but over that it'll depend upon many factors. Usually in the 6-8 foot waves, we just have to slow down and slog it out with everyone else, but it is very comfortable the surf the swells when the seas get up high. That lifts you out of the troughs.

A guy from Hawaii was saying, as does Dr. Bob of Thataway, that the space under the platform between the hulls is not high enough to clear large seas at speed as it is in some catamarans. My experience is that the Tomcat 255 is seaworthy in high seas in much the same sense as the normal C-Dory hulls are - they run shallow and are very maneuverable so you are not locked into a position going thru the waves as with deep V's. However, you cannot just pound thru 6 foot seas at 30 miles per hour. You'd have to slow down.

I've run for several years and never had a problem with sea water getting into or damaging the Honda outboards on my boat, but I am not on the ocean much of the time. When coming off a plane, I slow gradually as one does on most boats.

All the different Cats have different performance based upon the deep V, inter hull clearance height, etc.. Several guys here fish out into the Pacific with TomCats and they'll probably chime in better on the high seas performance than I.

I love my TomCat and would not trade it for a Glacier Bay or similar Deep V cat design.

Good Luck,

John

 

[thataway]

There is not a problem with the spray on the engines, They are well baffled. I spray the engines down with Corrosion block every few months--no signs of corrosion and we have been running in salt water for 2.5 years.

Most have a stress crack at the aft end of the cabin--on the inner cockpit molding--I don't think it is structural, but have not repaired mine yet. C Dory stands behind the boats.

Handling in large seas--widely spaced waves is no problem. Short steep chop over 3 feet will cause some slamming. I have run up our bay which has a fetch of 14 miles into 35 knot winds and run at full plane with no problems.

The boat handles mixed seas better than most. The Glacier bay does better into steep seas, but the Tom Cat does much better in beam or following seas.

 

[Alli Cat]

This past summer we bought a 2007 Tomcat for cruising PWS here in Alaska. We love the room and the ride. I think the boat is great on the 2-4 foot chop, but the 4-6 foot, well none like that. We have rode the 6 foot waves without any difficulty, but not that close together chop. I have not seen a problem with the outboards and salt water inside.

Allicat

 

[nookiechinookie]

Just curious, do the 255's "spit" when in chop greater than 3 feet? Our 24 sprays water all over the place in chop 4 feet or greater. The boat is great in seas <4 feet, but above that it's a slog.

 

[matt_unique]

I am thinking of purchasing a new tom cat for use in alaska.I love the space for storage and the feel of the boat while inside.However i am concerned about standard cat issues:
1-salt spray from hull getting inside motors
2-back wash when coming of plane and soaking motor
3-stress cracks
4-handling in large seas
I would like to hear from owners on there issues and how they like there boats.
lkc

I had the exact same questions when I was going through the research phase last year.

I have no evidence of salt spray inside my motors after 1000 miles logged this year. I find at about 2300 rpm the water is bubbling pretty high so I don't cruise at that setting (very inefficient anyway) but again no evidence of salt inside my Suzuki 150's.

The cockpit to cabin stress crack is annoying, but so far it does not appear structural (though clearly a flex point on this boat - time will tell if that flex point is indicative of a structural problem).

The term "large" is very relative. I have been out in 4-6' close waves and I found the Tomcat steady and sure but of course you need to slug it out slow. You can cruise with excellent comfort through 3' waves. Our typical marine forecast in MA is 2-4' seas and 15-20 knot winds and the Tomcat is a dream in these conditions.

I can honestly say after my first season with the Tomcat I'm very happy with it.