Is a TomCat the answer?

A

AFineRide

New member
Greetings!
It's been a while since I've been here last and I return only because I found everyone to be very cordial and helpful.

I have since sold my boat and am ready to buy my next one. I've been doing a lot of research and the more I do, the more confused I get.
Anyways, I wanted to list out what I want in my next boat and I would like those in the know to tell me if I am on the right track or if the sales rep is blowing smoke up my transom...

I want a boat that can cruise at speeds greater than a typical tug, with similar comfort. I don't need to do 20knts+, but 12-15 in 1 to 2' chop would be nice and I don't want to get beat up doing it. Did I mention comfort? (Sales Rep says the Tom can do that because of sharp point of entry on the hulls, having 2 hulls reduces roll, Tom will plane at 12 knts)

I want cockpit space that will allow for 2 couples to sit on some chairs without knocking knees.

I want cabin space that allows for the same 2 couples to come inside and sit out our famous Florida afternoon thundershowers.

I want (wife wants, therefore I do) a marine head, no porta potti.

I want air conditioning in the cabin. (that actually works)

I don't need or want to trailer it anywhere.

I don't fish alot. I just like to cruise.

I don't want to spend any time varnishing teak or protecting the interior from the elements. When I'm done for the day, I just want to hose it off, flush the motors and raise the lift. Done.

Sales Rep says the Tomcat is the right boat for me.

Comments Anyone?
 
Much as I love my Tom Cat, I would have to say that it fails a couple of your tests. It's what I call a 3-person boat. That's how many seats and berths there are. Could you get four in the cockpit? Probably, but it would be quite cozy. It's the requirement that the two couples be able to go inside that is problematic. Can they go inside? Sure. Will they be comfy? One person will probably not be.

However, having said all that, I challenge you to find another boat of the same LOA that comes closer to meeting those requirements.

Warren
 
My comments are why do you want to cruise at 12 knots, when you can be more comfortable and have the same fuel economy at 18 to 20 Knots?

Although the Tom Cat will marginally plane at 12 knots (with Permatrim foils--understand my boat is heavy, with Air conditioning, Honda Generator, cruising gear etc--but still has a top cruising speed easily in the high 30's). You will actually be far more comfortable at the higher speeds, the reason is that the air under the hulls is being compressed better and you get a softer ride.

2 couples in the cockpit--if two are sitting on the aft bench--yes. We often have 4 to 5 in the cockpit and two sit on the aft bench--there is not really room for 4 or 5 chairs. or you could use a couple of coolers.

Two couples inside--yes, but crowded--the CD 25 is actually better for this. I have been thinking of expanding the foreard seat of the Tom Cat to the same width as the CD 25--not too hard to do--and then it would seat two easily--as it is, it is crowded to seat two on any of the dinette seats. The helm seat is fine for one--and could be modified to swivel to the side.

I would question the "marine head"--I have a Jabsco on the CD 25--and in comparison to the Sea Land, bottom contained head on the Tom Cat--the Sea land, bottom contained tank (not a portipotty) wins. Less to go wrong--more like an RV head, with straight drop down tank--and is standard on the Tom Cat.

No problem airconditioning the Tom Cat--the RV airconditioner is the best way--in my opinion: cheap, out of the way, no water pump, no condensate drain, no worry about jelly fish, mud, sand or seagrass plugging up the intake. There is a 12,500 BTU unit which will run on the Honda EU 2000I--I have a 8300 BTU which works fine in Pensacola FL.

On the other hand, if you don't want to trailer the boat--consider the Chilkat--it is a C Dory hull, with a larger pilot house (30 feet long x 10.5 foot beam)--and they are claiming a better fuel economy than the Tom Cat.--that could be built with a 4 person dinette and definately a 4 person (6 actually) cockpit. Similar hulls, with more tunnel clearance.

All boats are a compromise--The Tom Cat is a great boat--but I consider it a two to three person boat--fine for 4 to 5 for a day--but tight seating inside.
 
Sounds to me like you are talking the CD-25 or the TC255 if you are staying within the C-Dory line. Either cockpit will handle 4 comfortably, especially with 2 sitting on the built in seats. The cockpit of the TomCat is definitely larger; we did have 7 (tightly) in the cockpit of our CD-25. Four in either cabin is doable, but the dinette on the CD-25's forward seat is slightly larger; one will be sitting at the helm seat. We have frequently joined Discovery crew on their boat for meals, with 4 of us eating. Depending on how much food you have, you may have to improvise seating/plate positioning.

Now about the cruising speed... we find 1-2' chop is very doable at 15 knots in the CD-25. If it gets bigger than that, we slow down. We rarely cruise above 20 knots. The TomCat will flat get up and go in that same chop. When it gets really snitty, both boats will have to slow down and the CD-25 is (IMHO) better in those conditions.

Air conditioning can be added to either boat (see Dr. Bob's Thataway album). Hosing and flushing is the drill for either boat. You will spend more $$$ on the finished TomCat.

So, it sounds to me like the dealer is giving you good information... but I'd try to snag a ride on both of these boats to see which is the best fit for you. And as great as either of these boats are, a trailer sure adds to the versatility. We live right on the ICW (leading to the Gulf) and find that we are having a ball exploring coast to coast.

Congratulations on selling your other boat and good luck with your decisions.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Lori Ann":299n13fc said:
...having said all that, I challenge you to find another boat of the same LOA that comes closer to meeting those requirements.

Warren
Click to expand...

I have found that to be true, which is why I keep coming back to the Dory.
Thanks for your input.
 
thataway":nuzqr2k0 said:
My comments are why do you want to cruise at 12 knots, when you can be more comfortable and have the same fuel economy at 18 to 20 Knots? I wouldn't. It's my ignorance of the TC performance speaking.
Although the Tom Cat will marginally plane at 12 knots (with Permatrim foils--understand my boat is heavy, with Air conditioning, Honda Generator, cruising gear etc--but still has a top cruising speed easily in the high 30's). You will actually be far more comfortable at the higher speeds, the reason is that the air under the hulls is being compressed better and you get a softer ride.

2 couples in the cockpit--if two are sitting on the aft bench--yes. We often have 4 to 5 in the cockpit and two sit on the aft bench--there is not really room for 4 or 5 chairs. or you could use a couple of coolers.

Is the aft bench standard or an option? If there was no aft bench, could the additional room it takes up accomodate those extra two boat chairs?
Two couples inside--yes, but crowded--the CD 25 is actually better for this. I have been thinking of expanding the foreard seat of the Tom Cat to the same width as the CD 25--not too hard to do--and then it would seat two easily--as it is, it is crowded to seat two on any of the dinette seats. The helm seat is fine for one--and could be modified to swivel to the side.

I would question the "marine head"--I have a Jabsco on the CD 25--and in comparison to the Sea Land, bottom contained head on the Tom Cat--the Sea land, bottom contained tank (not a portipotty) wins. Less to go wrong--more like an RV head, with straight drop down tank--and is standard on the Tom Cat.

I used the word "marine head" to describe any head that doesn't have to manually be removed and cleaned out. The standard Sea Land is perfect.

No problem airconditioning the Tom Cat--the RV airconditioner is the best way--in my opinion: cheap, out of the way, no water pump, no condensate drain, no worry about jelly fish, mud, sand or seagrass plugging up the intake. There is a 12,500 BTU unit which will run on the Honda EU 2000I--I have a 8300 BTU which works fine in Pensacola FL.

What is the actually brand and model of the unit you have on yours?

On the other hand, if you don't want to trailer the boat--consider the Chilkat--it is a C Dory hull, with a larger pilot house (30 feet long x 10.5 foot beam)--and they are claiming a better fuel economy than the Tom Cat.--that could be built with a 4 person dinette and definately a 4 person (6 actually) cockpit. Similar hulls, with more tunnel clearance.

All boats are a compromise--The Tom Cat is a great boat--but I consider it a two to three person boat--fine for 4 to 5 for a day--but tight seating inside.
Click to expand...

I am not as concerned about "entertaining" inside as I am about having a place for guests to go when we get those 20 minute thunder showers in the afternoon. Push comes to shove, 1 person can sit down in the berth area.

Thank you very much for you input. I want to spend some time looking at your pics and may have a few more questions for you if you don't mind...
 
Wow, what great insight!

We live on the ICW and in our area, there are ALOT of minimum and no wake zones. So you spend a lot of time at slower speeds. Add to that the small chop in our bays and the small wake from other boat traffic and you get bounced around. Obviously a full displacement hull would be more comfortable in that enviroment but, as I said, once we get on the outside (gulf), I would like to get up and run (12-18-20?), in the same 1-2 seas without loosing my fillings.

I think I heard both Bob and James confirm that the TomCat will do just that.

One more question of the cat owners. I've had friends tell me that, at slower speeds (<5knts), the steerage of a Cat gets a little squirly. In other words, it doesn't quite "track" like a mono hull. Any comments?
 
The Tomcat steers quite well at low speeds (< 5 kn). I have never noticed any "squirreliness". The two motors spaced well apart make it quite manuverable.

The only part of the speed curve that is inefficient is the 7-15 kn range. The boat mushes with the stern down in the water until is gets up to planing speed.
 
Whether the TC is the "answer" depends on what the question is - and what you are writing here still could lead to either a TC or CD25. The ONE thing a TC255 has over the CD25 for sure is the ability to get up and scream over the chop in comfort. Otherwise, the TC has a little more room. It comes at a significantly higher purchase cost. Fuel costs evidently are similar due to the more efficient cat design (but I guarantee a CD25 gets better economy at trawler speeds). Mainteance of two mains or a main and a kicker are the same, although with modern reliability lots of folks opt to eliminate the kicker. So to me, it really boils down to whether you feel the need for speed...and you are talking CD25 speeds at 20 knots, TC speeds are up in the 30s.
 
A quick thought...

If you buy a TC255 or CD25 and get a camperback and remove the sides and/or a bimini top, then you've got your solution to the problem of having your guests covered during a 20 minute shower. PLUS you've got shade from the sun. I have two chairs I keep on the rear deck of the boat and they get used a lot on cruises. This is no help from the humidity, but with a slight breeze it might be quite comfortable for your guests to be outside.
 
Hey there... 'Sounds like you're getting good advice. Here are some of my amateurish thoughts:

1 - I use two very large, wide, thickly cushioned chairs in the cockpit and they pretty much take up most of the space for chairs. You can get small folding chairs, sit on a cooler or sit on the bait tank cushion just fine. Some ppl at Port of Edmonds up there advised me to get the vinyl cushioned chairs since, in the winter, once the canvas ones get wet, they're wet for the entire cruise. The vinyl you can dry off. They are very bulky for storage, but sinfully comfortable come Sundowner time!

2 - I think what the person who mentioned "squirrelly" handling at low speeds may have been referring to the difference between the dramatic feeling of control while planing versus the relatively wishy-washy feel of proceding at slower, hull speed in rough water. At all speeds, the TomCat has a greater feeling of control, to my thoughts, than most single hull boats. The feel of piloting a TomCat is somewhat addictive.

3 - The "hallway" or open center walkway inside the TomCat cabin is extra wide. You can pass someone cooking without bumping their elbows. As someone mentioned, there is plenty of room to modify the dinette seats to wider versions. I suppose someone could mount a swing away seat or two in the cabin. There is alot of open space.

One of the thrills of life is the chance to handle a machine that is superbly designed for the function you want. The TomCat is just about the best there is for planing in 2-4 foot waves, and very good at all the other speeds.

John
 
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