Small cat project
 

After talking with someone about the dangers of small cats, I'm thinking about a cougar cub for my son, I may have a new project. Appearently that spinning prop is a huge danger if you should get into trouble and tossed from the boat. I'm thinking I may be able to shoe horn a jetski motor into each sponson of a cub. I need to double check the sponson width to see if it would fit. Also need to make sure I could get the intake grill located in a place that would give me lots of flow. Then I could have a little twin engine cat that would probably fly in calm water and still be relatively safe.

Another option my be to drop jets into the sponsons that are driven by a single 4 banger mounted atop the tunnel. This would require a lot more engineering be done to actually drive the two pumps from a single motor.

Teague sells a trimable nozzle with a rudder, I'd probably use two of those to improve overall handling.

I haven't calculated the weights of the drive system yet, but what are the opinions of trying to build something like this?

Sounds cool to me, keep us updated with PICS if it works out.

How big is that boat? You mite be able to pick up an older Seadoo speedster fairly cheap (they have 2 engines) then yo would have everything you would need. sounds cool!

There's been some talk on another board about (twin engine) dual jet drives on cats...

...seems they might be a little twitchy (if one pump unloads, they wanna spin).

Good luck!

Everything except a cat. We already have a jet boat that is a blast to play with but my son really wants a cat. He also wants me to paint it exactly like the race boat.

Havasu can you point me to that other thread. Having a jet unload was something I was thinking about last night. This project might end before it starts. If it does we'll have to stick with the OB. With the boat being so short, around 10' it may get really twitchy.

mr velocity, I have been wanting to find a small cat as a project myself, a little Ocean Express or maybe a Vicious. I have never heard of a Cougar mini, do you have any info or pics?

How about a jet-drive outboard?...I know all the major manufacturers used to make them for commercial & shallow water use. Easy to install & maintain / no prop!
Hugh

I was in the F-Cove in Barnegeat Bay (NJ) this Sunday, and someone had a white Cougar Cub. First time I had ever seen one. Pretty damn cool! The kids were put putting around the f cove all day. Looked like just the thing for a kid .....although dad took a run or 2 as well...

i went to the vicious web site but no pics. The cougars have been around for a while although I think I like the idea of a wider cat like the Vicious or the Thunder Cub, they have a 5' beam vs the 4' of the Cougar. I would like to find a boat only or a boat with a crappy engine so it'll be cheap.

INSTALL A KILL SWITCH!!!!!!!!!!! If you enforce the rule of no tether/no drive,the prop will never be a problem. With the weight of twins back there,it will never plane off. Start the kid off with about a 25hp and let him learn to drive at 30 mph. My Cub is so dam safe at that speed its unreal. You can crank the wheek full over and all it does is lose bite and fall off plane. They are an absolute hoot to drive but very very wet riding. On a tech note,check and really seal the hull to deck joint well,thay plow coming on to plane and scoop up water there real fast. Mine is currently undergoing a complete restoration so I can hang more power on it on a hand made jack plate/set back in an attempt to fly the nose higher and thusly dryer I hope. Its also getting the paint to match dads boat deal as well as new gaffrig controls,gauges with bezels and a new interior. Hope to have it ready for next year. As for pics,search general discussion for mini cigarettes. Theres a few pics there.

mr_velocity- I looked for the thread, but it must've been archived- I'll keep looking.

I think someone built one once, and they had problems synching the thrust...made it a handful to drive.

Here's a thread on a dual jet installation on Ebay. Maybe Outlaw Marine could answer your questions...since they already built one.

http://free.hotboat.net/gallery/Foru..._Depot/i-3.JPG

MR VELOCITY...I think you're making much ado about nothing...Make sure the kid (btw...just how OLD a kid are you talking about???) wears a life vest & kill switch (just like daddy should) & the prop is really a non-issue...I bought my kids a BAJA SCAT CAT w/a 25 hp JOHNSON when they were 10 & I allowed them to go solo at 11 after they passed MY boating test(s)...NO PROBLEM...Once we had it dialed in, it went 32 GPS mph & was a fun ride & VERY stable & predictable with NO bad handling traits...Of course, like anything, common sense is the rule, NOT the exception...It isn't going to blow over, throw them out in a turn, chine flip (barrel-roll), or anything dangerous unless they attempt something dangerously stoopid...It will "semi-stuff" but that isn't a big deal at 30 mph...It's fun!!!...Don't be one of "those" too overly protective parents that embarass themselves as well as your kid...;) ...Give em some rope...

Kill switch is a must but a motor spinning 6000 rpm is going to take some time to wind down. The prop is an issue since I've seen real damage done by them when occupants have been thrown from the boat. My son, now 8, is a chip off the old block. He loves going fast and I give him all the rope he needs although I try to make it as safe as possible. He drives my 41 Velocity at 85 mph with me on the sticks. He complains that the boat is too slow. I don't think anyone would call me over protective. He started driving/throttling boats at 2 1/2 with our 15 Whaler Rage. He is now able to get both boats off the lift solo. There is always the possibility that the boat will hook and barrel roll. My concern is to make it as safe as possible as well as adding more HP to the boat. No doubt if we do decide on an OB it'll have a jack plate and a speedy lower on the motor. The plan is to paint it exactly like the race boat.

1984 Couger Cub 11' $600
It is in Ft Worth TX 817-441-6699

Any idea how to get that thing shipped to NJ? If I can get it shipped I'll take it.

Any teams coming from TX to the NYC race that could bring it up?

1984 Couger Cub 11' $600
It is in Ft Worth TX 817-441-6699

Cougar cubs were made that size so they could be sipped by regular carriers, they would ship them all over the country for about $400

how much hp can it hold?


without sinking?
:cool:

Does anyone else know of other "project cats" for sale in the 16ft. and under range? a 15' express cat would be perfect for what I am wanting to do, but I cant find one as a project anywhere, most are rigged and overpriced for my intentions:(

HEY MR VELOCITY...I can dig it...Our worlds' are probably more parallel than we could imagine...I agree with your kid...85 mph in a 41' VELOCITY is a yawn...85 mph in a 22' VELOCITY is exciting...85 mph in a 12' cat boat is insane but "do-able"...You can get the same amount of hurt in ANY of em at those speeds...it's all RELATIVE...That was my point on the jet vs OB/prop thing...If the boat rolls & he doesn't get cut by the prop but the boat lands on him, he's STILL seriously HURT...or WORSE...(God forbid)...Think of it this way...By keeping the boat "stock" you won't be spending way too much time rigging an unknown result...You & your son can do all the rigging/set-up/dialing-in/speed trix TOGETHER & at the same time (it FLIES you know!!!) "sneak-up" on the higher speeds as he "grows into" the boat...This set-up knowledge DOES apply to the larger versions as well so it will carry over when (like my son) wants a larger/faster boat of his own he will use all that stuff that he learned with you...(My kid just,16 years old now, just finished TOTALLY re-rigging a 21' RALLYSPORT that went (gps) 61 mph when he got his hands on it & now goes (gps) 69.8 mph as we speak...this was accomplished by things he learned about when we did his BAJA CAT...TOGETHER...)...Paint it up then work together to make it GO...You BOTH should have a helluva time for the next few years... Enjoy yourselves...BTW...I wasn't jazzin ya about overprotective ****e...;) ...I'll bet we could tell all kinds of stories that don't involve helmuts, life jackets, kill switches & ALL kinds of safety equipment that kidz have today that we didn't even consider...:D ...REMEMBER LAWN DARTS!?!?!?...:eek: ...LATAPOTATA.........

[QUOTE]Originally posted by velocitoy
HEY MR VELOCITY...I can dig it...Our worlds' are probably more parallel than we could imagine...I agree with your kid...85 mph in a 41' VELOCITY is a yawn...QUOTE]

Most of the time yes, not in 4-6s :D He loves to go out and play in the Ocean. In the last two weeks he brought us home from Fire Island to NJ making the crossing using the GPS by himself. I lounged on the back seat for the second crossing.

HEY MR VELOCITY...Ya better get used to sittin in the back seat!!!...:p ...Good for him/you!!!...FYI..You guys that are looking for a small-ish cat..Go over to screamandfly.com & look for VISCIOUS' thread regarding his boat being out of the mold...It looks/sounds to be a VERY nicely built machine...It's a 17'er that might be what you guys are looking for...He is selling "blanks" for around $$$8500$$$ which I think isn't bad considering it's vac-bagged & laid-up with ALL the good stuff...If I was doing the kid/toy thing over again THAT is the one I'd want to start with!!!...Check it out...

I like the Vicious but for now I'd like to get something small and very inexpensive. I'd like a project boat too that would keep us busy for the winter.

Besides I don't know how much more I can fit into my back yard.:D

I would say just use a outboard and put one of those cages around the prop. Also the kill switch is a must.

Here is a link to a prop guard, I am sure you can find others too

http://www.clacka.com/html/propguard.htm

Let us know how it goes

WILL;)

this one was for sale a while back its a newer OE but way more than a project, does anyone have any pics of the Vicious?

I like the OE, but just a little more than what I want for right now. Just a little to much power and speed. Maybe in a few years.

how about a jet outboard