Is the Tomcat 255 still being built?

GulfSailor":38sqjylz said:
if only the TomCat hull came with the interior and equipment of some of the Ranger Tugs we looked at it would be perfect for us.
So have Triton build you a bare Tom Cat hull, and have the Livingstons (or a custom rigger) finish it off for you.

Warren
 
Doryman":2x0sbpyn said:
So have Triton build you a bare Tom Cat hull, and have the Livingstons (or a custom rigger) finish it off for you.
Warren

It's a nice thought, but even if both companies were to agree I could see it becoming a nightmare if we ever had to deal with warranty issues.
 
Captains Cat":yx2m7qfu said:
I'd like to see it demonstrated! There's a thread on here somewhere about a TC fuel tank leak and the efforts to get it out. May have been a TC24 though. There are hatches under the cabinets but you'd have to take the cabinets out and then figure out how to get the tank loose, get all the fill/discharge hoses off of it and lever it out somehow. What we need is a factory picture of them doing it!! :lol: :thup

Any other TC255 owners have an opinion? Dr Bob, Brent, Warren, Roger??

Charlie

I dont have a TC 255 but your extra one is food for thought but we are very happy with our current boats. We might buy an inflatable kayak to explore all of the canals. I asked Bob for his m2cw which is really a buck fifty :D

m2cw is to scope with a plumber's scope (rent it or call a plumbler) and attach a recorder (notebook, DVD, tape, HD) b/c of its cable length then determine where the source and post pics here for everyone to comment. Maybe it can be repaired in situ or minimal amount of work.

Best
 
I can assure you that would never happen ! I'm guessing that was a tongue in cheek "Warrenisim".
We will be able to get finished out Tomcats or gelcoat interior Tomcats . Just tell us what you want. The boat you observed was one of the earlier more spartan non lined versions .
Peter's and Georges boats have head and wall liners and are much more finished . George even has a teak instrument panel we custom made and George varnished to bristol specs.
Marc
 
Wefings":vkabtts4 said:
I can assure you that would never happen ! I'm guessing that was a tongue in cheek "Warrenisim".
We will be able to get finished out Tomcats or gelcoat interior Tomcats . Just tell us what you want. The boat you observed was one of the earlier more spartan non lined versions .
Peter's and Georges boats have head and wall liners and are much more finished . George even has a teak instrument panel we custom made and George varnished to bristol specs.
Marc

Really? You couldn't order a TC255 with no interior furniture (other than the berth)?

Just curious...
 
Wefings":1fi3erdg said:
I can assure you that would never happen ! I'm guessing that was a tongue in cheek "Warrenisim".
Actually, not. I'm guessing Triton would rather have half a loaf ($$$ for building a bare hull) than no loaf at all. It doesn't sound like we'll ever know, though.

Warren
 
Traditional "yacht" finish was white wood, with teak or mahogany trim. One of the reasons is the upkeep, and another is an all teak interior is very dark (as well as heavy). One wants to keep cats light weight. If any thing, the Tom Cat needs more tunnel clearance--and if one was going to do a custom interior, I would split the hulls and add 6 to 8" more freeboard (and tunnel clearance). The draft would remain about the same.

There are other boats which can be ordered in various stages of construction--and I would recommend the Ameracat 27 or 30 if you really want to do a custom interior--I would find a good shipwright to do the work--not a factory. Custom boats can be made much lighter than the Tom Cat--and have better insullation. As for a production boat--the Tom Cat is hard to beat for a "trailerable cruiser". If I were younger and in better health, I would build out the interior of one of these.
 
Our Tomcat, a 2009 model, has a full interior (hull and headliner) and the workmanship is excellent. That is one of the things that sold us on the boat and we are very happy with the quietness and insulation it provides. Whoever did the interior was a craftsman and I appreciate craftsmanship in anything. I don't know who he was but if the entire boat was built with the same attention to detail, I think it would have been defect free. I am happy overall with the boat but there are places that show a more hurried approach to assembly.

Honestly, I am seldom satisfied with anything until I have modified it, but I can't really improve on the hull finish.

Today I'm adding a bigger sink and a better faucet.
 
thataway":14hh8sim said:
If any thing, the Tom Cat needs more tunnel clearance--and if one was going to do a custom interior, I would split the hulls and add 6 to 8" more freeboard (and tunnel clearance). The draft would remain about the same.
Bob, we have talked about this before, but it just occurred to me that if one did modify a TC255 like you suggest, how would that affect the positioning of the Armstrong bracket? I'm thinking it would keep the tunnel height the same?

[Apologies for highjacking the thread!]

Warren
 
I'm pleased to say that I can answer my original question as to whether TomCats are still being built.........yes they are!

Found a dealer ad for a 2012 today, although I suppose it's debatable if it's a 2012 or a 2011.

The interior is trimmed in the manner of the 2009 pics I've seen (in which a thousand mice have given their coats to line the walls), and locker doors are now wood rather than teak trimmed.

I think the entrance to the front berth has been enlarged, and the three hatches inside have now been mounted the correct way up, i.e. they drop down so they stay open.

Finally, the switches on the instrument panel have been changed for different models (which I'm not sure I like).
Other than that though, I think it's a huge improvement to the interior.

However, I'm sure there are other differences which the experts will be able to point out.

1195et5.jpg


2ynq6o4.jpg


e7ed8i.jpg
 
Thanks for the photos. I doubt that the entrance to the forward bunk is enlarged. It was from the console to the Port hull, with just a little piller there. I had a cushion made so you could sleep for and aft on the port side of the forward bunk (filling in the area where feet were placed on the navigator's seat).

I am not a big fan of "mouse fir". It is easier to add electical/electronics with no liner--although this can lifted or replaced. There are better liner materials (such as closed cell foam).

Hard to say if the doors are better nor not. the latches might be--depending on how they are made. The prior interior doors seemed to do well.

My recollection of the forward hatches is that they dropped down on "Thataway", so that is not a change. If they were mounted the other way, it would be easy to turn them around--holes would match.
 
I really like those wood doors. I think it adds to the interior look and I might add some more wood in ours when I work on improving access to some of the storage areas.

Bob,

On our boat I tried to flip over the hatches in the bow but the holes didn't line up so I just leave the doors off.

Our 2009 has vinyl over closed cell foam in the interior, not the fur covering. Some of the workmanship on the interior above in this photo.

Megan_in_Tomcat.jpg
 
GulfSailor":46swyeq2 said:
I'm pleased to say that I can answer my original question as to whether TomCats are still being built.........yes they are!

Found a dealer ad for a 2012 today, although I suppose it's debatable if it's a 2012 or a 2011.

The interior is trimmed in the manner of the 2009 pics I've seen (in which a thousand mice have given their coats to line the walls), and locker doors are now wood rather than teak trimmed.

I think the entrance to the front berth has been enlarged, and the three hatches inside have now been mounted the correct way up, i.e. they drop down so they stay open.

Finally, the switches on the instrument panel have been changed for different models (which I'm not sure I like).
Other than that though, I think it's a huge improvement to the interior.

However, I'm sure there are other differences which the experts will be able to point out.

1195et5.jpg


2ynq6o4.jpg


e7ed8i.jpg

The dealer is using photos of our boat, Cat O' Mine. That is a 2010 TC255. It is the 1st hull molded by Triton after they started producing the C Dory line. We have added a Garmin 740s to the helm and a few other custom touches to the boat. It was those photos that brought use into the C dory family. When i saw them is was so interested that we traveled down from Raleigh to Allance NC and bought the boat the same day!
 
Beflyguy":2xe09mb1 said:
I really like those wood doors. I think it adds to the interior look and I might add some more wood in ours when I work on improving access to some of the storage areas.

Bob,

On our boat I tried to flip over the hatches in the bow but the holes didn't line up so I just leave the doors off.

Our 2009 has vinyl over closed cell foam in the interior, not the fur covering. Some of the workmanship on the interior above in this photo.

Megan_in_Tomcat.jpg

Hard to notice the 'workmanship' with that young lady in the foreground! First Mate??

Charlie
 
The vinyl looks very nice--and I suspect will do better than the mouse fur. The "tube" for wire race in the piller is a very nice touch.
 
Find yourself a nice used Tomcat if you want to save money, get a new one if you don't.
A boat is a boat, some are nicer examples, better cared for and others are beat up.
I think the tomcat is a great boat and like any sort of boat needs constant TLC.
We sold our sailboat and got the cat, and love it.
However, as I have heard, probably more so with racing sailboats, buying the boat is the easy part and cheaper part, maintaining the boat, and running the boat can be the spendy and time consuming part.

Just 2cents from a sailboat racer with a tomcat
 
I just realized what I wrote earlier in the thread was not clear . When I said "that would never happen " in reference to Warren's comment about Triton building and Ranger Tugs finishing the boat , I was referring to Ranger Tugs , not Triton.
I find it supremely easy to work with Triton on custom stuff and asking ranger Tugs to make a change just simply wont happen . Thus the comment was referring to Ranger Tugs finishing a C Dory .
 
I understand that Fluid Motion built the original TomCats and after difficulties Trition Marine bought the rights. Does anyone know the year of this change of ownership and whether the hulls are identical in terms of design and quality control before and after the new ownership? Is there any production year of TomCats that are considered "lemons".
How many TomCats have been built and how many still floating?
 
dhs, see your other thread with history from Les at EQ Marine for dates/owners.

IMHO, none are "lemons" in that sense of the word. See my comments on improvements over the years. To the best of my knowledge, all built (and I don't know how many, it would be hard to determine that but I'd guess less than 250) are still floating or on trailers or on a rack somewhere. If you meant have any sunk, :cry I don't know of any.

Wanna buy one?

Charlie
 
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