Thataway

T

thataway

Active member
Well, Thataway ended up in our driveway by about 10 PM tonight. I will go into details about the delivary and observations, but the highlight was the trailer. We went with a Float on tandem axle trailer (same trailer used on many of the cats in Florida). The boat virtually self launched. The shop foreman had a line, and had slacked the winch strap. I backed the boat another foot, and tapped the brake, the boat slid off and floated free in a flash. Retrieval was a snap, I powered right to the stop. I attatched the winch strap, and cranked it tight--when the boat was fully on the trailer, it was back about 2", and we cranked it right to the stop (there is no roller stop--a cross U channel, with braces welded)--photos to follow in the AM. We have slick plastic on the first 8 feet of the bunk (Foreward)

I pull the boat with a Ford Excursion (2002, 7.3 L diesel). Although the tougue weight is unknown--and probably close to 10%--it tracked very well--no problem on the freeway at 60-65; excellent stopping with disc brakes on both Axles. No sway, tracked very well.

The second suprise was that there were a number of changes on the interior. The table had sharp corners, no raw edges of the plywood. We had opted for the Aqua/Teal Sunbella--the job done by the factory is awesome. I hope that this becomes a standard color for the green boats. The color is much softer than the standard green Sunbrella.

Also the helm seat was the best I have seen on any of the C Dories--there is more "U" to both the seat and back--the back will fold, and I will be able to make a galley extension which will fit over the back folded (pushed down).....

There were a few negitives--there were several gel coat dings--and two dings in the powder coating of the bracket, which were not discovered until a day ago, despite the boat having been at the dealer for some time.

There was not enough fuel in the tanks for a test run--the port engine ran out of fuel within 10 minutes. I should have made some detours and gotten fuel--but thought that should have been adequate fuel for at least 30 minutes at an idle. Hopefully this is all that is wrong with the port engine.

The dark green eyebrow and hull stripe are beautiful. We will go with the same color green for the graphics,but probably a gold for hailing port on the dark green.

More comments and photos as we develope the plan for the interrior. Incidently there was a C Dory 25 which had a 7000 BTU Coleman Polar roof AC at the dealer, who apparently felt that this was not adequate for the 25 C Dory.
We were planning the 9000 BTU Coleman Polar--I think that with exterior window shades, and insulated interior window coverings--plus some ceiling insullation and head liner, that the 9000 BTU will be enough--especially in the evenings.
 
I'm glad I stayed up so late! I get to be the first on here to congratulate you!

You'll notice a link in your profile info that will get you to your new album. We're very much looking forward to the pictures.
 
Congratulations, Bob!! Each post like yours gets me more pumped. We're looking forward to hearing more of your evaluation of the new boat (sounds like you've got the trailer situation solved) and seeing some photos. Enjoy! :smilep

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Bob:

Congratulations!

We will all follow your posts with great interest, especially those of us who have TC 255s coming to the East Coast...

Your insights and explanations are valuable. Keep the pictures coming, too!
 
You wrote: "More comments and photos as we develope the plan for the interrior. Incidently there was a C Dory 25 which had a 7000 BTU Coleman Polar roof AC at the dealer, who apparently felt that this was not adequate for the 25 C Dory.
We were planning the 9000 BTU Coleman Polar--I think that with exterior window shades, and insulated interior window coverings--plus some ceiling insullation and head liner, that the 9000 BTU will be enough--especially in the evenings."

Bob,

Did you install the 9000 BTU unit?

Is it adequate to cool the the pilot house on your TC 255?

Do you run it with an auxillary generator?

If so, what size generator?

Thanks,
_________________
 
Thanks for the comments:
I will be doing the install of the Coleman 8300 BTU RV air conditioner (some call it a 9000 BTU unit)--there is also a 7100 BTU Polar Cub which is similar.

The 8300 BTU Polar Cub by Coleman is the only RV roof unit, which there is uninamious agreement in the RV community that will be reliably run by the Honda EU 2000i. That is the reason for this air conditioner. The 8300 BTU AC will cool the pilot house/bunk adequately during the evenings, but probably not during the days (that is what opening windows, wind scoops and shades are for. We will make Ptex outer shade screens (about 70% shade factor) and make the window covers with insullation in the center--DIY canvas work--I also worked in sail lofts in past lives) We will put in a layer of closed cell foam in the top of the ceiling, with headliner over it. This will cut down some of the heat loss. We will also insullate the hull in the bunk area. We have two RV's--one is a 19 foot Road Trek, with a 5000 BTU AC unit and it cools the interior fairly well--very adequately at night even in 100 degree weather. The 30 foot RV is comfortable with a single 13, 500 BTU AC unit--but it is well insullated (Holiday Rambler). We had a 13,500 BTU AC unit on the Flying Bridge of a 42 foot trawler (2" of foam insullation in the hard top, but only 30 mil vinly on the sides. This was a solar collector, and the AC would not keep up with the heat in the middle of the Florida day. It worked fine at night.

We will do the modification to the roof of the Tom Cat--I will cut a 14" x 14" opening, and build up a rim of glass and epoxy (about 2" wide and flat for a good seal)--I will most likely paint it to match (but C Dory did include some gel coat, so I may go with polyester and gel coat the rim.
We will also be running a microwave (probably 1000 watts) and the water heater, but only one appliance, plus a battery charger at any one time. I will also put in a second battery charger. I have several 30 amp battery chargers to choose from in my "scrap" box. I am also hooking up a circuit so I can charge the boat batteries from the truck charging circuit when on the road thru the truck wiring harness. We have the two engine starting batteries and a group 27 "house battery. We will change the factory diode to a combiner (which allows better battery charging from the engine alternators (40 amps each engine) I am adding a second "house battery"--which will be to run the Norcold 100 lb capacity chest (12 volt/110 volt)freezer/refigerator--rather than using a factory refigerator. This will run off an AGM group 31 deep cycle battery--and normally be isolated from the "house bank". In our years of long distance cruising, we found that a true freezer was much more valuable than one of the small refigerators--and usually ran holding plate freezers (up to 12 cubic feet), as well as fairly large refigerators. We will be using ice for the every day cooling of vegies, soft drinks etc. By using a high quality ice chest--and putting wet towels over the chest, we can keep ice for 7 to 10 days even in 100 degree weather. We had hoped to use the "fish boxes" for ice chests, and had ordered the fish boxes to be foamed in place. The foam was never applied, but there is 1" closed cell foam in the walls and bottom of the fish boxes. I think the R value is about 5--I would like to shoot for an R value of 15 or more--and we have several ideas on how to do this--We will do testing in the next few weeks.

I did find one disturbing thing today--the shower drain was never hooked up--and there is not an appropiate slope for draining (should be 1/8 to 1/4 inch per foot of run and a constant slope--it is level, or perhaps there is a dip and then goes back up. This is poor design and I will have to change the hose run, assuming I can get the hose onto the show drain(tight between the hull and drain--access thru the foreward Port access plate in the cockpit.

I tackled the anchoring system. Apparently the Windline BRM 4 anchor roller is designed specifically for the Bruce 22 # anchor--but "ok" for a Delta 14 or 22 lb anchor. I don't like Bruces, so I went for the 14--it fit fine, but the captive pin would not line up--so I traded up for the Delta 22 lb. I had to remove the top roller--and will have to modify the bracket to be able to apply it. The good news is that the captive pin works very well.

The thwartships cleat back of the windlass is of not much use for an anchor rode (the line will bind on the windlass on both sides), so I made a snubber 20 feet long, which attatches to the bow eye with a carabiner (3600 lb SWL) This snubber will attatch to the rode with a rolling hitch for either the rope or chain. I also made up the rope to chain splice, with 1/4" HT chain and 1/2" three strand rope--30 feet of chain and 230 feet of rope--which gives 260 feet of rode--and adequate for up to 30 feet of anchoring in most conditions. I will carry another 500 feet of line for deeper anchorages--which are rare on the East Coast. I have two Fortress anchors: FX 11 and a storm anchor, a FX 37(usually sized for a 45 to 50 foot boat) We also will carry a North Hill 35 lb SS anchor--which was used for the PBY's during WW II. These anchors give good versitility, we will use short chains to keep the weight down--and to ral anchor weight carried will be about 80 lbs, but with a lot of fluke area.

On the C Dory 22 cruiser, we had an additional hand rail on the coach roof--right as you come out of the cockpit. The Tom Cat 255 needs a hand grip there also. It is too far to try and reach the railing on the upper roof, especially with a bimini--and is a safety issue, considering the narrow side decks. I purchased two 18" SS railings and will install them in the AM.

Incidently--no manual for the windlass, and the wrong manual for the head.

The saga goes no--and stay tuned in for the next episodes. I am waiting for the graphics (tomarrow if I am lucky) before I start posting photos.
 
Hi, Bob

Congrats on delivery of Thataway! Sounds like the trailer solution worked out real well. Lookin' forward to many pics and updates.

First real dive trip scheduled with a good friend for next weekend on Dive Cat. 2 days to Catalina, San Clemente and Santa Barbara. Taking lots of ice in hopes of finding the yellowtail and white sea bass.

Bob Cat
 
Thanks guys!

Well, I can give some numbers--but haven't gotten the flow meters installed yet. We ran 35 miles from the launching ramp to our house.
There is a minor fuel problem--the primer bulb would not pick up the prime, even when I added 16 gallons to the nearly empty tank...So I filled both tanks--Very close to $425. I still could not get the prime to the port engine--so I did the old "suction"--method--a mouth full of gas later we were in business....Fortunately no smokers near by!!

We have counter rotating Suzuki 150 HP 4 strokes. The props are 16 x 21.5 SS with moderate cupping. We have the "new" Armstrong bracket.
We had full fuel tanks, but only one person, one extra battery and full anchoring gear, plus a few cruisng goodies...not a lot of weight.
At 2000 RPM we were going 9.6 mph.

The boat was on a plane easily at 3000 RPM and 23 mph. It held the plane down to 2800 RPM and 18 mph. Between 10 and 18 mph, the boat needed lots of power--and I suspect will not be fuel effeceient.

At 4000 PRM we were doing 33 mph, at 5,000 RPM we were doing 43 mph and at slightly over 5500 we were doing 47 mph and WOT. (These were done toward the end of the break in runs--much of the 3 1/5 hours was at lower speeds.

The wind was about 15 knots and surface chop 1.5 to 2 feet, with a fair number of 3 to 4 foot wakes (the bill fishing boats were returning to a tourniment weigh in). The boat handled very well--some noise, but no slam or sneeze. We were at idle from 3.6 mph to 8 mph and the boat did well--no tendancy for water aboard or spray.

I hope to get some photos up tomarrow--after I redo the bunks on my lift and get "Thataway" out of the tanin stained water in back of our home!

Incidently, these cats do not handle like "normal" twin screw boats--you need to steer them into turns/spinning in their own length. I think a lot of this is the keel like effect of the hulls--you can turn sharper than a single outboard, but have to use the same technique--with some reverse on the opposite engine. I have not tried side walking the boat, but suspect it will be more difficult than an inboard twin screw, if at all prossiable.
 
One other issue--that I had not completely investigated. I had assumed that the Honda EU 2000i would fit in the back deck "locker/seat"--it is about 1 1/2" too high--and I am not cutting off the top handle! Anyone else modified the seat to allow storage of the gen set there?

The factory is making a new style cushion and are waiting until our comes before we tackel the problem. We are thinking of an insert of teak which will raise the top sufficiently to allow the Honda to set inside this storage area.

Also how have folks stowed the "dive ladder"? We put it in the "up" position when running--and inside of the cabin when trailering.....
We were thinking of putting the mounts across the outside of the transom.

The roof AC should arrive early next week (we hope Monday) so we can have the "cool" for working in the heat of the day.....I am not cutting the hole in the top of the boat until the AC unit arrives.....
 
Bob,
I've played around the dock at the launch a little bit and can "crab walk" our cat but its not as smooth as some I've seen. I just chaulked it up to an inexperienced skipper :oops: . Let me know how your test proceed, it may or may not help my self esteem, depending on the results. It does seem a little slow to react from input from just one motor. The tendency for me is to be impatient and goose the throttle which always resullts in starting over. :? I have a very flat learning curve.

I've been thinking about putting wood on the flat around the rear cockpit seat, and routing a rabbet around the inside edge that the lid can set in with some type of seal(gasket) under the lid. I would think a guy could put some sleepers/blocks on the surface to elevate the platform enough to allow the genny to fit beneath the hatch/lid. Don't forget to get a plug for the drain under that seat. I didn't get one with our boat, and luckily noticed before I crammed a bunch of stuff in. I'm wanting to use that area for ice and such when fishing, but its going to require alot more insulation and a better lid to keep the cool in first. Its a project for next winter. I've purchased a large insulated fish bag for fish, and I may purchase a smaller one to drop in the rear locker to keep ice in for the time being.
I'm seriously considering chopping holes in the deck for a couple of small fish boxes, but thats in the future also. If and when I do that I'll foam around the back locker at that time.

Pics, pics, pics, pics, :wink: I know, all I have to do is drive across town, but as long as I'm hobbling about, pictures will be fine for now.

Have you decided what fuel monitering system your going to use yet?

Insulation in the cabin roof and around the berth are on our agenda as well.
 
I will use the Navman/Standard Horizon fuel moniter system. I have used it with good results in two previous boats. I had already pruchased one SH, and then goofed by not purchasing a second, when they were phased out...But the Navman is identical--and both were made by Navman. If I was doing it again, I might consider the Lowrance MNEA 2000--I am probably going to get a Lowrance 7" chart plotter/fish finder with the 20 gig hard drive--considering how much we travel it should be worth while. I already have a Standard Horizon 175. We will be putting in Furuno Radar and have one SH radio/hailer--the second radio will be the black box, VHF, with just the RAM mike showing. I prefer two separate radios--one to moniter channel 16 and the second for channel 13 (ICW traffic) or a harbor channel.

The 255 does not have a liner on the aft bench seat--there is a battery tray and a sort of a gasket on the lid (rubber lip seal, with starboard on top. --but it is not satisfactory. I am told that the seat cushion etc will be re-engineered and is currently being done. I don't want to leave the cushion out in the cockpit all of the time--because you do get some spray back there--I probably will gasket the seat extension with some cam latches for a good seal--May even require some slight fiberglass modifications--but nothing that a chain saw won't cure! (Love to cut up new fiberglass boats!)
 
Bob, We mounted Dreamer's Swim Ladder on the transom, Port side. A stainless safety link hooks to the stern eye while there and hooks to the towing eye as a safety link when the ladder is in use. Speeds sound good. Looks like the Suzukis were a good choice.

Best of luck with the boat. We're anxious to see photos.
 
Thanks Roger,
I have picked up a towing eye to install in the back of the bracket as you have. The in the hull towing eyes don't seem like they would be of much use, because of binding on the motors even with a bridle.

Today was just getting the bunks on the lift changed over--but some bolts were too long, so we have to wait until tomarrow until we have both new bunks in place--however we did put the single 2 x 8's rough sawn on edge under the center of both hulls and lifted the boat with no major problems.
(May have to do a little "midnight" dredging"--despite the boats 15" draft, when on top of 4 x 6 I beams and 2x8 bunks, it is deeper than the previous deep V, with 22" draft, which rested between the bunks...

We got a wonderful scum line around the boat--if I was to put a boot strip, it would be a perfect templete! Looks like some cleaning will be in order!
 
Never a dull moment. We had guests who had driven over 500 miles to ride on the new Tom Cat. I was turning the boat around in the bayou (about 50 feet clearance)--to stb--wheel hard over to stb, port engine 1000 to 2000 RPM foreward and Stb engine idle to 1000 RPM, in reverse. We had just done a reverse to port, and the boat still had a little sternway. After the turn, I realized that we needed one more life jacket--and began to back up to the dock about 100 feet away. As I backed the engines each went to the outside--not tracking straight. I looked at the helm--and there was hydraulic fluid gushing out of the middle of the helm pump. We were able to secure the boat at the dock, and then slowly back her around and put it back onto the lift.

I called Marc Grove at Wefing's and he got back to me within in an hour an a half. Jeff M at the factory had been contacted--a new helm and the other potential parts were going to shipped expediciously--Since I am havng catarrac surgery Monday, these could be delayed until later in the week. Mark will be sending a technician from Wefing's at the end of the week to install the new pump, align the engines and bleed the system. (Our house and dock are 30 miles from the nearest adequate launching ramp)

I also contacted Ken Ollif Teleflex/Sea Star, who was extremely helpful. After some discussion, Ken felt that it was a defective pump casting or gasket in the pump body. He did say that some helms had a problem with air in the system or when backing hard a long distance and blowing hyraulic fliud out the vent. He stated that 35 PSI of pressure in the pump fluid (not output pressure) would push fluid out the vent. He will be in touch with Jeff M at the factory.

This is excellent service! Also we recieved tonight by UPS the touch up paint for the Armstrong bracket (paint damaged in shipping) and a new Suzuki hour meter--the port one had stopped at 0.9 hours, then slowly went to 1.2 hours and has hung up again....The Stb meter has recorded proper hours.

I have been discussing the other issues with Jeff. I do believe that they are trying the best to resolve any issues with both design and quality control as best as they can....I'll post with my photos some of the other minor problems we have found.

People buy new boats expecting to have no problems. This is just not the case and I have had problems in every new boat I have pruchased. What counts is how well the company and dealer stand behind the product--and thus far C Dory and Wefing's have done well.

Fortunately we have an 18 foot Center Console fishing boat; although not as comfortable as the Tom Cat, we took our guests for a 50 mile ride. It would have been fun to see how the Tom Cat handled the conditions we encountered at Perdido Pass. There was an onshore swell, with 4 to 5 foot seas which were breaking on encountering the 2-3 knot ebb current out the pass. We stuffed the bow of the self bailing CC several times, but the real fun was catching the waves and surfing back in--an E ticket for my guests!

Bob Austin
 
Bob-

Nice report and glad you have such a positive attitude and and understanding outlook.

Good luck with the cataract surgery!

Joe
 
Finally got a few photos up--note the teal cushions in the cabin. I will get some photos of the trailer and water tank up in the next day or so.
 
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