For the Big Cat People here...
 

Ok, I would like a seriously honest opinion on this. In big water, I love the Vee...But Im curious on how a cat handles it say 36-46ft range. Now im talking about rough water, say 4-6ft maybe bigger. I have been in cats on flat calm..but im really curious about how they handle in the rough stuff..

I have a 30 Motion and in 3-4's we have no problem,but you'll have to run 60 mph or better for the cat to work and then the ride is smoother then my 38 Scarab was. No my friends 35 Motion works the same way but can handle even bigger water. I would love to try a 46 Skater out at high speeds in the in some really big water..
Doug
eMotion Racing

Like emotiondriver said, you need to be running 60 or so before the full effects of a cat can be realized. I have run 32 Skaters and they ride much better than a vee. Just my opinion. The effects of the air entrapment hull really cushion the ride. I too would love a ride in a big Skater or Scism. I am sure that as with ANY boat set up is 95% of how well the boat handles the big stuff.

Shane :cool:

I have a 1988 39' express cat with fixed Arneson drives (no trim), And no tabs. I was only in the ocean once before I broke it . :( We had 7 or 8 people on board running 70-80 mph in about 4-5 footers . I would not call 4-5 footers big water. But the boat road straight and true .No launching or slaming down .Just right across the tops ! :D You guys should forget skater ! For a quarter the price you could have an old express cat that will get the job done with 9 or 10 of your closest friends on board ! :D :D :D

Best Running BIG WATER CAT EVER 48' EXPRESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know if you call a 36' Skater a "big cat" but one problem with discussing performance is getting people to agree on what the seas actually are and how the waves are being approached. Add to that the effect the wave form and frequency (period) the waves have makes it difficult to have an "apples to apples" comparison.

A cat isn't going to ride better at 60 mph in real four footers in a following sea, for example, unless you have a hell of a throttle man and a pilots license! The speed depends on conditions.

As pointed out, setup and how much air the cat traps are certainly factors.

For us, limited to us, we can run in real 3 to fours without paying to much attention. Five to 6 footers requires our undivided concentration, especially in turns. That is running in all directions to the waves. We have run with V's that seem to behave about the same with somewhat less length, maybe a little better in the corners, not as well on the straights.

That is our experience with a very light cat that traps a lot of air. Different boats will be different.

As far as forgetting Skaters! Run with us at a 100 in 4 footers. Slam it a few times (unavoidable) and poke a sponson into 10 or 20 waves and see what you come back with!!

Ted

Capt. Ted,
I'll run with you in 4's what do you have? We run in that stuff often the only thing different when we get back is more hours on the guages. If the boat is setup right and you can drive why would you poke a sponson?
Doug

Doug
Ted owns and drives the Critical Lift 36 with triple race motors and full canopies.
I don't think you'll run with him in four footers if you really do show up at Daytona.

Ryan,
I'm not running APBA we are running SBI. Pt. Pleasent the first race.
Doug

[ 01-24-2002: Message edited by: eMotiondriver ]

Ryan,
The only thing I'm saying is we run in that water often. The Cheasapeake Bay gives us a wide choice of waters to test in. The 2000 season in P2 we came to a race and it turned out to be big water so thats how we test. You I both know testing in flat stuff is great but to get a full idea where the boat can go find the big stuff.
Doug
eMotion Racing

Offshore Roller, are you wanting information concerning pleasure use or race use? How about listing some cats your thinking of and V's to compare, then maybe we can help.

Doug,

Please don't be defensive because i am not trying to do anything except 1) respond to the question, and 2) point out that even in pleasure use, it can't be too strong. One will always make a mistake, and good handling, well built boats are worth what you pay.

The reason we have water coming over sponsons is that in 4 footers when you turn you get wet. Bigger waves, worse.

There are so many variables - i tried to point out a few - that it gets pointless to make comparisons unless you approach it very carefully. Generalizations, are almost always wrong.

Setup, we are fine; my driving ??? i'm sure Michael (throttles) would agree with you often!

Good luck in Point Pleasent. Brutal water many years. If you're running in the Chesapeake in 4 footers and turning a lot, that's great practice.

Ted

There is some classic footage of the twin naturally aspirated engined 40' Skater "Spirit of Norway" racing the 46' triple supercharged engined Apache "Tweets Revenge" in storm seas in Ocean City, Maryland. Both boats were well set up and throttled. The Vee had twice the horsepower. The course was oval with relatively tight turns and ran into , with and across legitimate 4 foot seas ( 8 foot from crest to trough....never seen in Chesapeake Bay except from Aircraft Carrier wakes)with an occasional 5 footer for jollys. The Cat got the best of the race, but it was close.

Conclusion a (good)cat is approximately as good as a vee that is 15-30% larger in rough water..as long as the vee has a lot more power...With even power leave the vee at the marina. By the way 30 foot Shadows ran with 36 Cigarettes in all seas, with more speed ...... That's why Willie Diaz never ran his equally powered Cigarette again after his first race in a Shadow. That's also why Cat's and Vee's aren't allowed to race against each other even up.... right up to today. How do you think a good F-3 Cat would fair in F-2.... eh? No contest!

T2x

Capt. Ted,
I took your reply the wrong way. My mistake...When it said forget Skaters run with us at a 100 it was a call from a Vee Hull. SORRY :( :( I still will run with you in any water for fun.4-12's :D
Doug eMotion Racing
Turning in big water is the way to practice, anyone can fly in a straight line. You KNOW

[ 01-24-2002: Message edited by: eMotiondriver ]

Cats and V's
Apples and Oranges
Harleys and Rice Bikes


:cool:

It all Depends on the Designer/Builder there have been some pretty Dam good Rough Water "Cats" Built in the past.

A 110-115 MPH Across 6' Seas in a Well Designed 40 Foot Catamaran Would not be much of a chore at all.

Best Regards

Guy's have any of you heard or seen the new 40ft cat from Eliminator?? I saw the plug and I could have walked thru the sponsens and not been able to see over them (Boat was upside down) and I am tall. From what I have heard they are making this thing to be a Offshore fishing boat :eek: I don't know much more about it but I would have to say from the looks I think it is going to handle big water pretty well.

Pyle

Our 42' race boat loves rough stuff..Flew it bigtime at Daytona in 8'-10' very confused waves, boat lands like your on a pillow...In 4-6's you dont even know they are there unless you were to stop and get out and look ...

T2x,
Any idea where I can get a video of that old footage ?

Capt. Ted,
I was wondering how long did it take you to get out of the boat when it flipped? And why did it flip? I'm tring to learn form others mistakes. Ryan you could help me out also.
Thanks in advance,
Doug
eMotion Racing

[ 01-25-2002: Message edited by: eMotiondriver ]