New TomCat 25

At the factory now. New pics of TC255 posted on photo album "FREEBYRD" which is on about page 8 of the photo albums, photos 16-20ish.... Enjoy and see yall at Blakely on Friday/Saturday!
Byrdman.... :D
 
Byrdman":2qwkymd3 said:
New pics of TC255 posted on photo album "FREEBYRD"...
Click to expand...

Sweet...

DSCF1095.sized.jpg


Just got off the phone with Jeff - more pics coming soon, I've set up a C-Dory Factory Album for him to upload into. Check back soon!
 
Very Nice! Thank you both for putting up the photos. I have lots of questions, but these will have to wait until after launch--Byrdman, it looks as if there is much more interior cabin room and cockpit room than in your 24--is this just an illusion? Also I noted your Air Conditioning--would the 25 lend to a marinized RV type of roof airconditioning? I have done this with the flying bridge of a 42 foot trawler which had a hard top roof-and it worked fairly well for a space about 10x 10 feet.

Thanks!
 
Man they moved pretty quick from the pics I took about 1 .p.m to the ones Byrdman got... BIG difference from mine to his ... doesn't even look like the same boat.
 
Jim and Laurie, Patrick-

Thanks for the pictures! She looks great, and like a member of the C-Dory family!!! Will be interesting to see how the Armstrong Brackets work out with the two 130 hp Hondas. Wonder how much more it would have driven up the price to just make a 26 footer out of her? Would be interesting to see how she'd do in some pretty big nasty chop compared to a similar sized displacement cat like one of the Glacier Bays. Joe.
 
Agree it will be interesting to see how the boat does both with the chop and fuel economy with the heavier (apparently by about 2000 lbs) Glacier Bay 2690. The reports on Glacier Bay web sites don't show much difference in ride between the 22 and 26--so I don't think that the hull length will make much difference in the ride. Also the dinette in the Glacier bay is shorter and would be marginal as a bunk.

I would like to see a built in good sized ice chest built in, more fuel and more water in the Tom Cat 25. But all of these will bring up the weight.

It will be interesting to see if any one takes some of the long trips in the Tom Cat--such as New York to Bermuda or to the Caribbean.
 
Bob Austin / C-Pelican:

I would appear that the wider, planing, twin hulls of the TomCat offer a lot more internal room than those of the Glacier Bay's narrow displacement arrangement, plus the hull bridge between the two is a lot deeper in the TomCat than the Glacier Bay, offering a lot more interior room. The interior layout of the TomCat is essentially similar to most mono hulls of this size, and wider, too. The Glacier Bay would appear to be very shallow, open, and exposed, for the most part. I really got that impression when walking though one at the Seattle Boat Show. Hopefully the new TC225 will improve on that advantage and add even more interior room. Joe.
 
Sea Wolf,
No question that the Tom Cat 255 has a different use of interior room--and certainly more room in the pilot house than the Glacier Bay 2690 (dinette in the G B is only 5' 5" vs 6' 5" in the TC). However the head in the GB is down in the port hull and foreward, making use of headroom in the hull foreward--with the bunk over the bridge deck and stb hull. The C Dory livable room is all above the hulls, at the level of the bridge deck, so that the wider hulls (?)--aren't used for living area. The bunk area on the TC 255 seems huge--about 6'5" x 7'2" If I read the drawing correctly. On the TC 24 the head was down in the stb hull just below the steering console--in the TC 255, the head is up behind the galley, as in the C Dory 25. Apparently the area under the console is not really utallized at this point. I could see two large twin beds on each side, or even the room for almost two doubles (with a little of crawling over :-) )--perhaps better used would be some storage or a hanging locker.

The large bridge deck area (even with the nacell on the 255) which is quite flat and presents a surface for slam or sneeze effect. Malcom Tenant, one of the premier catmaran designers tends to have all of his ocean going cats with curved surfaces, below the bridgedeck and the bridge deck higher.

I read about some specific handling problems in following/quartering seas in the Glacier Bay--I don't know if these will be a probelm in the TC 255.
We will not know about performance and fuel economy until tests are done. I would love to see numbers near the Tom Cat 24--2 to 2.8 mpg. However it looks as if the TC 255 will be heavier and using 100 + more HP (two 90's or 115 vs two 135 or 150's. I would think that it would make sense to purchase the 150's, since the economy of the 135's and 150's are the same at lower speeds and the weights are the same.


Regards,
 
Bob Austin / C-Pelican -

Good analysis! You've obviously done your homework as a serious potential buyer.

My comments were made on generalizations I formed looking at the GB last January at the SBS and comparing it to the TC 24 without considerable detailed analysis.

I definitely agree with your thinking on the hull differences. One of these boats is more of an inshore boat while the other will be superior further offshore.

Thanks for the detailed thinking!!! Good luck on your pursuit of the TC 225! Nice talking with you! Joe.
 
I have posted a few pics of our first day on the water with the 255 Tomcat in our photo album. We did not have the fuel flow meters installed for the maiden voyage so there is no fuel data. We were using 14 1/2 x 15 Solas stainless proplellers with a max RPM of over 6,000. We will do some additional testing with 17 pitch propellers and post the data. Here is some preliminary test data.

Calm Seas/ light chop
Full fuel
4 passengers
135 Hp Honda 25" shafts
weight as tested #7,380

RPM's MPH
1,500 6.2
2,000 8.1
2,500 10.3
2,800 11.6
3,000 13.5
3,200 15.0
3,400 16.2
3,600 17.7
3,800 20.0
4,100 22.4
4,300 23.6
4,500 26.0
4,800 28.1
5,000 29.2
5,200 30.8
5,400 31.8
6,000 35.1
WOT 37.4
 
I really really really shouldn't have looked at that boat.
WOW!

Give me an idea of what the whole package would run dollar wise so I can put it out of my mind. :lol:
 
Mr. Fisherman and all you interested C-Brats,

Wait till you take a ride on the new TC-255, it's incredible!!! Caryn and I were among the lucky brats at Blakely Island this past weekend who were able to see it and feel it first hand. Without getting into any technical talk since I'm not qualified, being a fairly new boater and all, I can tell you that the boat is as good or better than advertised. It skimmed on top the water, smooth as silk. The berth was huge, it looked like a king-size bed and I liked the portholes. And was it roomy, you wouldn't have even known that there were 12 people on the boat during our test drive. I like the fact that it was redesigned with the classic salty C-Dory look. And if it's speed you're after, you'll get plenty of it on the TC-255. Check-out the numbers posted by Jeff. This boat is the real deal.

There's really nothing more to say than, it's FANTASTIC!!!

Peter & Caryn
C-Dancer
 
Not to be a wet noodle, but I'll offer the following: I'll agree that the new TC255 is a really nice looking boat, in general, but it's too bad they didn't just extend the cockpit back two feet or so and include a traditional engine well and use outboards with extra long shafts. The extra cockpit room would have been a great addition, the boat would have looked better, more unified and natural, and it also would have been a lot easier out of which to fish. Just my $.02. Joe.
 
Well I sure would like to fish from one without having to buy it first.
Maybe I just shouldn't do that ;)
 
Just now getting home from my Hilton Head, Nashville, Auburn C-Dory Factory, Roger-n-Lisbeth Johnson's farm, SENSIE crabing/shrimping, in route to Blakely Island, Blakely Island gathering with indigent houseing provided by Pat and Patty Anderson on Daydream, San Juan Island Whale watching (3 pods) sight seeing, TC255 Hull #1 test ride within hours of the boat getting wet for the 1st time with a whole squad of folks on board, BBQ and great NW foods sit down dinner.... and a return trip home via a differant route provided by Roger and Lisbeth ...back to the docks at Deception Pass where I 1st stepped on ol Dusty's C-Salt, now my TC24 hull #51 named FreeByrd, and got to put my arms around ol Dusty and thank him for His service to our Country...and the time/knowledge he continues to provide us... that was a big moment for me meeting this Great American..... back to Seattle, back to Nashville for a week of BBQ factory prep work, and back home in my own bed last night TRIP.... WOW..... is all I can say. I am tired. Thanks to all for everything you all did and provided for me. A trip of a lifetime.... many many great laughs, my jaws are still hurting! This gathering needed to be about 4 nights in the harbor. And the TC255.... :D :D :thup :thup More later... I have to catch up on some other things at home before I return to Nashville next week.
Byrdman
 
Very interested in further info / first impressions of the TC25 -- ride, layout, etc. Keep it coming!
Thanks,
 
Otter-BelleHavenMarina":algz588c said:
Very interested in further info / first impressions of the TC25 -- ride, layout, etc. Keep it coming!
Thanks,
Click to expand...

Uh oh.
 
Big ? for me, what's the headroom and bunk length? It would seem to me that the headroom would have to be much less than the CD25(?)
 
Hmmm...my Boat Buddy with a TC255? I LIKE it! Got to check CheapTix for a return gig to Belle Haven! Seriously, I was one of the lucky folks who got a ride at Blakely. I am telling you, the ride is AWESOME, the cabin and vee-berth roomier than a CD25, and other than the sticker shock, I don't see a downside for this boat - it is a WINNER. Sorry, Boat Buddy - I'm not buying one just yet (but as Jeff Messmer pointed out, that is what I said before I bought the CD25!), so you'll have to "settle" for the CD25 on your jaunt west...
Otter-BelleHavenMarina":19rhwmx0 said:
Very interested in further info / first impressions of the TC25 -- ride, layout, etc. Keep it coming!
Thanks,
Click to expand...
 
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