mr_velocity

I think there were only two offshore cats to ever blow over. Pat Patel and Doug Lewis when they had problems with an upside down tunnel tab and Cat Can Do at the Kilos in NC.

Shane

A. You are correct to the best of knowledge....for whatever that's worth.

Shane

B. This is a question, whose answer is dependent upon a multitude of factors. Let me explain. First, there are "True Cats" like a Skater, Motion, Spectre etc. Then there are Modified Cats like the smaller American Offshore, Carerra, smaller Eliminators etc. These "Modified" cats usually have a "center pod" down the middle of the tunnel that severely detracts from their rough water capabilities. Understand however, that this center pod usually makes for a somewhat better ride in calm water vs. a true cat, absent of a tunnel tab. This phenominon is very easily recognized allthe way down into the 21 Skater, the 24 Skater, 25 Motion on up. These true cats will outperform a vee of comparable size in rough conditions. It is my position, as well as many others who know how to properly set up and run these boats, that these true cats will handle any water condition as well or better than most vee bottoms up to around 30 to 31 feet. Some of this is obviously a factor of what vee bottom it is etc. However, it is a fairly good rule of thumb that all things being equal the cat will handle the rough water better with a comtetant operator(s) at the controls. As you climb in length (i.e. larger cats vs. larger vees) the analogy only becomes MORE PREVALENT! This does NOT make a cat a better boat, or anything like that. I am simply stating that a true cat that is built by one of the top builders (i.e. Skater, Motion, Nor-Tech, Spectre, MTI et. al) will out handle, out ride and out perform a vee of substantially larger size. A really good case in point would be a 28, 32 or 36 Skater, a 30 Shadow (probably one of the BEST rough water boats for its size, although it wouldn't turn for SH!T, and yes I raced one and won with it as well). The 36 Nor-Tech is another excellent example of how a cat will handle the rough stuff far better than a significantly larger vee.

Again, this is not to demean or take away from what vees offer and can do. There are many attributes found on a vee that are not found on cats, i.e. heads, cabins, galleys, etc etc etc.

T2x

Remember there are different kinds of cats..... a 24 Skater will hold its own with any 24' vee in even moderate ocean conditions...and in fact they raced many years offshore. There was a period when 24 Skaters competed heads up with a 33 Sutphen ( Harrah's) in the same class for some bizarre "level playing field" reason.....and in that case (of course) the vee had the upper hand in rough seas...but at the very least the 24's put up somewhat of a fight. On the other hand there are "west coast" cats that can't handle a mild chop......

The blowover scenario is nonsense......... and happens very rarely, if at all. Spin outs and barrel rolls do happen...and, I submit, more often with step bottom vees....then cats.

I repeat........ in the long run a cat will be faster, more economical, and more stable than a vee of comparable size....and power.

T2x

T2x

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Actually it does............... at least a better PERFORMING boat.

T2x

T2x

30 Shadows turned very well actually....But not with an idiotic third engine in the tunnel wash.

T2x

T2x

Yeah.......what about 'em? They are both good examples of modern day step hull design( 1930's sea plane sponsons) with current state of the art materials and craftmanship........

Nortech just seems to have made the jump to catamaran technology quicker.

T2x

Shane

Uhhhh, yup, we had that third engine! Sorry, Rich. I LOVED that thing in the rough! Boy it would eat it up! I guess that third engine was the reason it was so HARD to turn the wheel. Why did it tend to roll onto its outside sponson so frequently though? I thought it was because the gunwales made a VERY sharp edge at the chine, where a Skater has sort of a "roll" to it. Did that third engine actually have something to do with it?

T2x

The third engine had EVERYTHING to do with it...the twin engined Shadows leaned inward during turns...and the boat was never designed for a center engine. After Black Duck campaigned so successfully, Skater made a wider lower profile that was more "triple friendly".

T2x

T2x

Remember the "majority" voted for Clinton.

T2x