Just picked up a Tomcat

A

A1A3KAN

New member
Hey all,
Long time reader first time poster. Well maybe if I actually figured out how to
Post correctly. Anyway just picked up a lightly used 2016 Tomcat in Bellingham. Life long Alaskan living in Anacortes for a bit. Hope I don’t drive ya all nuts with questions. Any Tomcat owners want to give me any advice on the craft. Would be much appreciated.

Anybody have first hand knowledge on if this boat will fit in a 30 foot slip, outboards up with no overage?

Thanks as always,[/quote]
 
Congratulations and welcome aboard. The beam should be fine for a 30' slip. The issue which may present is that if the motors are up, and you have an anchor on the roller, you may exceed 30 feet. My son's has to leave the main engine down, to get under the desired length for the slip he is in. He leaves the motor in a trash bag filled with fresh water to avoid growth and electrolysis.

There are many modifications folks have done to the 255, and many can be found in the albums.
 
Thanks men!! Yeah Bob I read most your postings over the years and most the Tomcat related post a couple years ago. Now that I have one I’ll have to refresh my think tank. It still sitting on the trailer. Will launch at Bellingham ramp this weekend. Put a messing stick to it and boat 25.5, anchor/roller another foot and outboards up with pods was right at 6 feet. Gonna be tough cause a 30foot slip is possible but a 32 forever. Grew up commercially in Alaska on boats since I could walk so no stranger to the water just the vessel. Looks like fun. No wash down, no heat, no inverter, no radar, grind tackle for for a pool toy, fenders look like pop Warner footballs, tie up lines about like dental floss so yeah let the games begin!!
 
Congrats on your new ride!

We run out enough anchor chain to stash the Manson Supreme 25 upright on the deck. I had to remove the two bolts on the anchor roller bail to allow some play or else it won’t self launch. The Fortress and Bruce style Lewmar 22 lb anchor don’t stick out as much but are not as desirable in the PNW.

DSC05051.jpg

The starboard long mount is for the dive ladder, which can be moved to the bow for soft sand beaching. You won’t be doing much of that.

We measured 32 feet from the end of the pivoting portion of the anchor roller to the props.

DSC05050.jpg

This NAS PNS marina allows protruding 2 feet into the fairway (past the short pilings, the long one secures the floating dock). If I had to minimize length, I would trilt the engines full down then turn them to the max. We hire a diver monthly since most of our day trips are so short that ablative bottom paint can’t be as effective as designed.

If you have a big anchor and tilt the engines all the way off the water at 180 degrees, you may need a bit under 33 feet for no overhangs on the dock or past the pilings to be on the conservative side under all conditions of tides and currents and dock lines.

Hope this is helpful.

John
 
On one of my bigger boats I had to get the LOA down to 45'. To do this I had to take the anchor roller off (I bolted SS plates to the deck, and used flat head 5/16" bolts to keep the bottom of the roller fair and flat. I just reversed the roller so it didn't hang over the bow.

I also changed the bow pulpit to not go beyond the bow. Most likely with the motors down, and the anchor roller either tilted as John's or removed and made so you can put it back on fairly easily.

It does should as if you have some challenges. Always fun to solve those issues.
 
Good input shoot as I figured it won’t fit in a 30 slip full time. 32 would work but I hear they are unattainable in these parts.

The take in take out yards won’t launch without using the big boy travel lift as it’s a Cat. North of 250 per launch does not work for my budget.

How do these boats trailer launch? It’s on a King trailer that needs some adjusting but should work for the Bellingham harbor launch as it’s only a block away. Will be just me single handing.

Looking at my skum line and the prior pic as I expected the scuppers sit way low. Anyone have any problems with these? I plan to keep a light boat.

Best anchor for San Juan areas? Imagine this craft wants something around 20-24 pounds? What are you all running.

What side is your counter rotating motor on? Mine appears to be port side conventional? Does it make a noticeable difference one way or another on a Tomcat?

Thanks for the help and patience as I humbly get started.
 
These boats trailer launch fine. As you know there can be considerable tides, and consider traction on the ramp from marine growth on the lower part of the ramp. You probably want a fairly steep ramp--with a dock along side. Thus you can get the boat floating and then step aboard from the dock. I would probably rig a line from the foredeck to the trailer and back to the boat, so it will not float away after launch--as you go from truck to the dock. It is almost impossible to undo the trailer winch cable from the deck of the boat, even if it is fairly loose.

On the East Coast the "Float On" is acknowledged to be the best trailer. I have not seen a King for the TC 255, but my neighbor had a King for his 24 TC, and he felt it was barely adequate. He kept the boat on a lift behind his home.

Some catamarans have a special cradle made, so that the larger fork lifts can handle the cats.

I like the Manson Supreme, Ronca, Mantus type anchors. Some in the PNW like the "claw" or "Bruce" (not many real Bruces around anymore)--I have not had good luck with the Claw type of anchor personally. I did use a Plow or Delta in the PNW and for the most part it worked very well. Yes you want a 20 to 25 # anchor, adequate chain (I like 50 feet for PHW. Back with sufficient rode for the area where you anchor. (300 to 400 feet might seem excessive to some, but that is what I used in PNW.
 
On motor/prop rotation. On catamarans, it is common to be opposite of inboards and dual monohull motors. You want stern lift on the cat, so the props rotate inward to give that stern lift. (Most V hulls rotate outward)
 
A1A,

Scupper back seepage is annoying but usually due to heavy loads. Full gas tanks add 900 pounds. Three big guys in an aft corner will do it, or wind waves. Get 2” stoppers and plug them from the inside as needed.

Regarding ramps, agree you’d favor steep and deep. Because the sponsons have to ride on bunks ABOVE big trailer tires, the aft end of the boat may not start to float until the water over the ramp is 53” deep. Minor ramps may end before that happens. As a single handler, it may be very difficult to determine when this 9,000 lb boat is floating enough to be totally free of the bunks yet not pull you off the dock as it floats away in the wind and current.

Given your past boating experience, I’d consider an alternate method when the ideal situation Bob describes is not available. Pre-place your lines and fenders. Our bow lines lead back to a ‘locking cleat’ in the cockpit.

At the top of the ramp, I let out 2-4 feet of winch strap (still hooked to boat) but I don’t remove the safety chain until ready to launch. If the ramp is unexpectedly steep or deep and the boat slides back, it puts too much weight on the winch pawl to release it or winch it up. Board, start engines and push the boat up the trailer when that happens…helpful to have a buddy who can then release the winch strap. But at least the boat is not floating away with no one aboard.

Power off and power on to the trailer with a helper in the truck for the minor adjustments. It will still take practice to determine when the boat is in deep enough water that modest reverse engine thrust can pull it off the bunk friction and yet allow you to board from the bow trailer steps with winch and safety chain off while not inadvertently pushing the boat off the trailer. Raise engines enough that the thrust is straight back not downwards, say 1500-2000 RPM max. At the helm, reverse off the trailer and tie the boat up at the dock, then go park the rig.

For loading the boat on the trailer, again getting the trailer backed down to the best depth is key. The ‘centering cage’ helps guide the sponsons onto the bunks, but it won’t work if the trailer and cage are too deep/too far down the ramp.

For most ramps, we find the best trailer depth for launching is when the front wheel fenders are submerged 2-3 inches. I release the winch strap and start the engines. If 1500 RPM in Reverse isn’t enough to pull off the trailer, I signal Eileen (in the truck) to back the rig down another foot or so and the boat slides right off.

At our ramps, the best trailer depth for loading is with the forward part of the front fender awash to 1-2 inches ABOVE the water. This tends to ensure that the sponsons can start up the bunks with the inner cage keeping it straight. Look back as well as forward to keep the boat straight onto the trailer. This loads the forward portion of the boat about 80% up the trailer. I then signal Eileen to back down an additional foot or so; then much less RPM drama is needed to push it up to the bow stop barrier and ‘indicator’ kissing the bow rail.

Note that having a helper in the truck to do nothing more than back up another foot or so saves a lot of time vs the capt having to clamber back down the trailer ladder to the truck by himself. Also, no one is at the helm if the boat unexpectedly launches. Having a buddy along who can back down the truck helps save time and ensures you are at the helm to control the boat. Granted, for either launching or loading, if you have the trailer backed down to the ‘perfect’ depth it will slide right off and slide right on without this ‘two-step’ approach.

You need a ladder or steps on the trailer to get up on the boat deck. Even more important, for loading you need a bowstop position indicator, which is a trailer mounted ½ inch PVC removable piece with marks where the bow rail should kiss to avoid hitting the bowstop bar too hard (which you can’t see from the helm).

The boat launches and loads well in less time that it takes to read this. The first three years we had a poorly designed trailer that caused all kinds of misery. In 2015 we had a Float-On Bob Austin clone built and couldn't be happier with it.

You’ll find a method that works for you!

Best,

John
 
Thanks all and John thanks for the launch tips. Wife and I made our first trip out today after melting my Visa card at west marine on basic equipment. Hurt because I have all the same stuff back up in AK but oh well.

First I do not have the float on trailer although I have seen one on a tomcat in AK. Nice big bar across the front and nice ladder. Yeah nope I have a king trailer very poorly set up and it was a pain in the rear.

Launch was not bad, Bellingham launch low tide, trailer fairly flat in the water. Had to back out a bit to get it to float. Level 49 with a broken back and neck I’m not as spry as I once was but still managed to max my extra tuffs, jump on truck tire, over to rear bumper, walk the balance beam to the winch, fight the two flip flop pads that were either hanging up on the anchor or in the way of the winch handle. Anyway was able to float it off and the wife handled lines pretty good for a green horn minus the pile of dog doo she stepped in.

Ride was great, got a little chop to play in. Pulled into a few coves. Found out how load the slap is in the bunk. Wife said put Dyna Matt down and sound proof it for me oh boy.

The came the retrieve, yup not so good. Now high tide and I was at the weird apex of the ramp where it was really steep. Had the inner guides just under water but the back of the trailer was still about 6 feet under. Really steep. Truck tire, bumper, balance beam, stupid little floppy pad bow stops, talk with anchor, all good. Got front centered and winched it up most of the ways. All looked straight with the world. Walked Balance beam again and eased up a couple feet, got out looked good, back in truck eased up again and POW. Yup. Was not centered and the back corner of inner guide was hung in sponson. Ripped the bunk off, tweaked the guide bracket, the lag bolt that went to the guide gave me a pretty deep gouge in the bottom paint into the gel coat a bit. Wash rinse repeat and got it centered the second try. Towed back to the yard and was to pissed to even give her a bath. Heading back out tomorrow and start adding up dollars to fix.

Supper bummed that happened. Would hate to try and launch that boat on some swell with this set up. Ramp was so steep the only thing I think I could have done different was run it up half way on a mostly dry trailer and then back under it more. Anyway done is done and I needed to completely readjust everything on the trailer as it was so guess I’m getting to that sooner than later. Thinking I may add a set of outer bunks also so I would be double centered. Would help at a really steep ramp as well as one with some swell if I got caught. Wife’s work had a company launch we can use but it is a little exposed.

Love to have a better trailer. I’m sure I will get this worked out with time. New trailer is probably pretty far out with the supply change and not in my budget so I will have to polish this turd for now.

Thanks again all for the tomcat words of wisdom
 
On the right track with outer guide on bunks (I have those on my Caracal Cat--which has hull shape almost identical to Tom Cat.). You may want the side bunks further up on the trailer.

Also put on guide ons--the square tubing, which bolts to trailer frame, all of the way aft, and then PVC pipe is placed over it. (I have that on all of my trailers and on the boat lift. Especially with a cat those are helpful. You can even put a set forward. Make sure that they are out of the water even on the steepest ramps. A side effect is the ability to put tail lamps and stop lamps up high and where they are easily seen. I also used amber turn and red stop lamps, on the guide ons where they are on the outer side--and I can see them in the truck mirror--thus know that they are. at least getting power--and probably working properly.

Definitely don't do the gymnastics with your history of injuries. The Cat is supposed to mitigate the disability with its stable and less pounding ride. I would look into holding the cat on the trailer with a line from either the bow towing eye, or the center foredeck cleat, thru a pully mounted on the cross bar, and back to a side cleat by the helm window--to keep the boat form floating off- and avoiding the gymnastics. We also got a 10' telescoping ladder for climbing into the boat when on the ramp (before splashing). Just remember to either bring it up into the boat, or have someone put it into the truck...and not leave it on the ramp--(as we did once)...

Also it seemed as if the state of the tide was important. Use that to your favor.
 
A1A,

Be careful out there. Sorry it was a tough day.

If the inner cage was underwater, it was in WAY too deep.

Steep ramps are tough.

Two pics of loading at a steep ramp (on the calm West Erie Canal with no tide or current or stress and nine years experience launching and loading this boat). Yes the trailer is ‘mostly dry’ and certainly the inner cage is mostly above water. Front fender should have been awash or above water to start per my advice above. We loaded it all the way up the bow stop at low RPM; one of those rare ‘perfect’ depths without backing a mostly dry trailer in any further.

You didn’t hurt the boat. I’ve splintered inner cage boards at tough ramps several times. Replace ‘em for $8 each (but use countersunk bolts, not lag screws pointing towards the sponsons LOL). The cost of the bent aluminum supports I’d rather not address here, but maybe over a beer sometime.

DSC04901_002.sized.jpg

DSC04902_003.jpg

Overall, when properly set up, the ‘inner cage’ capture is easier than any of the other 13 (all monohull) trailer boats we’ve run over the past 40 years.

Keep practicing, you will reach ‘perfect’ sooner than us with your experience.

Safe travels!

John
 
Thanks men, just figured out the search function and have studied a couple trailer threads. Yup John steeper ramp than your pic for sure but I still simply had it to deep. Have four major mods to do to the trailer. The inner cage is not a cage but rather just two 45 degree bars on each side with a bunk board running down. They were already bent and a pretty week link. Have in mind a little stouter cage build like I see on a float on where both side are tied together. Also the bow stop on mine is not a nice wide low bar but rather two flappy panels about the size of a iPad. They are either in the way of the anchor or in the way of the winch. Winch strap hook winds all the way up and into the roller. Roller about compromised already. The front of the sponsons only have about a inch of room on each side. Meaning they are right on the very edge when centered on trailer. Would like to add a small cradle to each side of the front of the sponsons maybe about 18inches long. Help with centering and also maybe a little safer in a highway maneuver. Feel like I could shake the front of the boat off the slicks with a hard oh crap brake check. Also going to add rear guides so my wife is 100% sure it will self center. These rear guides should help with exposed launches and dealing with a little swell. This should all equal a safer tow as we plan in covering many miles on the trailer.

Trailer is actually pretty solid. It’s a king triple axle galvy with disc brakes all around. Rated at 20K. It was just fit to the boat very poorly and the prior owner never trailer launched it once that I know of. Have not been able to find a company that will help me fit the boat to the trailer in the Bellingham area yet. It’s in the yard and can be hoisted and fit on site I just don’t have my tools from Alaska to do it myself. Any idea’s??
 
Be sure and put ratchet straps over the cockpit and I would put one over the bow area too. Have a chain with turnbuckle to tighten the bow down to the trailer tongue, or a cross member. I would be concerned if the inner "cage" is not strong, that a turn could get the bow of the boat moving to the side.

You should be able to find a good machine shop which would make a good bow stop, and re-inforce the cage.
 
Back
Top