You are quite correct SIR!

Question for T2X: How does the placement of the prop (i.e. single engine - center vs twin engine) affect the speed, efficiency, and rough water ability on a cat? Is a single engine cat more safe and/or stable than a same size twin?

I'm sure TX2 and Thor Heyerdahl ran into a similar question when they constructed Kon Tiki.

no........... for many reasons:

1. A single engine cat installation fills the tunnel exit adding compression and disturbing natural airflow. This engine placement will also tend to "trip" the hull upon re-entry after going airborne, perhaps increasing the tendency of the craft to stuff. The lone partial exception to this rule may be the above mentioned Champ boats which have such streamlined lower units and small propellers (see my avatar and prop pix below) that there is not as much disturbance or drag..... but there is still more than a dual application would create.

2. Twin engines allow for counter rotation and, if you spin them out, following the laws of nature and physics as God intended, you will achieve neutral torque and balance from the prop rotation.

3. In twin engine installations the sponsons protect the center section or upper drive components from random blasts of water at speed thereby adding durability to the drives. (when we raced triple outboard cats the center engine durability was always lower than the outboard mounted motors). Again you also reduce drag since most, if not all, of the gearcases' frontal area is "hidden" by the sponsons.

Of course these are just my humble opinions, based on decades of testing and development, rather than the "facts" that are readily available at Poker Run Cocktail parties and in West Coast Cat ads........... or from "State of the Art" Apache fans......

T2x

Comanche3Dollar:

You took the words right out of Thor's mouth.

Tee TWO EXX

Old guys usually know the best stories and jokes...

Now has anyone trying skating with using a single leg or using both ?
Which way is more stable turns better handles better and is faster ?

The answer is not a Fountain (with XXX monthly paments...).

Drag??? What drag???

Funny no one mentioned Larry Smith yet...regarding state of the art construction he was at the top of the game in monohulls at the time Apache came into the scene...

right there in the picture...if you can´t see it you´ve been into too many poker run cocktails...

It depends, are you standing still or moving? You can turn tighter faster on one leg.

I'm glad we're past the arguing stage. We're into the group hug, slapping each other on the back, remember the good ole' days stage. A question was asked that wasn't answered. Can a cat turn like a vee? I agree totally that a Champ boat will out turn a 47 Apache. What about size for size, weight for weight?

I've never been in a cat and am curious.