For anyone's amusement: a new "cat"

As a prospective tomcat owner , I have some questions maybe you guys
can help with. ( I presently own a different make cat).
I saw posted here somewhere that with 3 people in the back corner of the cockpit that water backed up into the cockpit from the self bailing drains, is that the case?/ or has it been corrected?
To me the top of the tunnel seemed too close to the water line

I saw the boat for the first time at the NY boat show (hull #70)
and while I really like the concept and the styling I had some reservations regarding the seating /helm ergonomics. I was disappointed by the helm seat , not enough room to stand and no adjustment. and the backrest of the port side rear dinette seat provided no support and was too short. Just some observations, hopefully things are improving as the hull numbers go up.
Regards,
Frank
NJ
 
Frank,
I agree with your observations. The tunnel is closed at displacement speeds. The hulls should have been made 6" higher when they went from the 24 to the 255. (This would have allowed 4" of air and much better ride into a chop. This would also give more effecient operation at lower speeds). I think that this is a design mistake--and have even considered at some point cutting the hulls and adding the increased height. It won't happen yet--but is possiable. Not a project for the faint of heart--and the biggest problem will be blending the addition, especially at the bow--maybe a bulbous bow added....--probably do the cut low--and then paint the bottom. The boat will be heavier--but probably not enough to be significant in performance.

The back dinette seat back is too low, and the seat is too wide front to back. We had a cushion made which can be used between the foreward seat and the bunk, so I can sleep for and aft if necessary--I put this cushion in front of the cushion of the back seat and it fills the area nicely and gives adequate back support.

As for the helm seat--I am used to boats with flip up bolsters or a leaning post, so it took some getting used to. I sit in the seat most of the time.
There are a few times when I semi sit/use the seat as a leaning post. I am 6' 2" and about 185 lbs (Waist 35") and find that I can get between the wheel and the seat and be reasonably comfortable. A person with a larger waste might have a problem. We have considered other helm seats, including bolsters--but since we are sitting most of the time--live with it.

As you know all boats are a trade off. With the closed tunnel/less tunnel clearance, there is some saccrifice at low speeds. However the hull form handles better down and cross seas than Glacier Bay (which I thought was the best of that size boat going into the chop). The cabin layout is far superior to any of the other boats I have seen in this size--and that is worth the trade--for us.

Bob Austin
 
Frank, NJ,

I concur with Bob of Thataway on the hull height, except that, in the trade-off for having shallower side hulls, I think the slow and medium stability is increased over the other cats I've been in in the past.

Twin Vee has increased their hull heights on the 29 footer, but not the 26 footer (that I know of) and that 29 footer is a quite tall rig. I think that the taller you make those, the more displacement action you'll be getting.

I absolutely love the feeling of the TomCat on a plane. It seems kind of like a hovercraft to me. I think that low center area provides that effect. The trade-off is, as Dr.Bob mentions, more wetted hull at slow speeds, and some slapping if you head more directly into taller waves. I did not notice the 'slapping' as bad in huge seas when tacking upwind.

As for the steering station, I can stand there if I tilt the wheel up and I am currently significantly over Bob's 35 inch waist. My habit for years, though, has been to stand directly in front of the middle opening window and steer from there, since my old boats allowed that too. I was kind of disappointed that the folding seat does not fold all the way to allow extra galley space, though. As yet, I have just under 300 nmiles on the TomCat, so have not strong enough feelings so dive in and make a change on the helm at this point.

John
 
Frank NJ,

Also, 'forgot to comment on the thread with water coming in scuppers when loaded aft. Several things have been done to eliminate that problem, unless severe overloading is done. Either they never had 150 gallon fuel capacity, or they changed back to 130 gal fuel capacity. I know fishbox drains and bilge pump outlets were raised. I think scupper outlets were raised, or better valved - no problems on my boat with that.

Some of these boats were equipped with heavy diving compressors, water makers, and a host of other heavy specialized equipment. Any boat, if loaded enough, could submerge the scuppers. Some of the smaller craft report this effect when raising heavy crab traps onto a heavily loaded boat.

John
 
That Maine Cat 38 is a bold idea at any rate, electric motors, etc. But Mike you don't have to build a new boat. At 17 foot beam that rascal is exactly two 8 1/2 footers. You just have to split her down the middle and reassemble at the ramp - a double wide.

Mark
 
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