Boat P**n - curvaceous Cape Cod Catboat

[Boatmik]

OK Lads and Lasses,

I did some detail design work on this little beestie. Now launched and sailing.

Fenwick Williams Cape Cod Catboat about 18ft LOA. That makes her 9ft wide. She has a horrifying spread of sail - have a look at the pics on the second page! And we chose the smallest sail of three options!

I am particularly happy with the neat tabernacle system we worked out - fairly unobtrusive, but means that one person can get that monstrously thick mast up by themselves. All good wood engineering!

http://members.ozemail.com.au/%7Estorerm/DavidCatboat/catboat_goolwa_closeprettysmall.jpg

More detail and two pages of pics are at
http://www.storerboatplans.com/DavidCatboat/davidcatboat.html (http://members.ozemail.com.au/%7Estorerm/DavidCatboat/davidcatboat.html)

Best Wishes
MIK

[onthebeachalone]

Very nice too!

And very interesting, helpful comments on your web-site.

How is she for accommodation below?

[Boatmik]

Interior has lots of lounging room - probably 4 adults could lie down in there.

Sitting headroom only of course.

Pretty amazing space for an 18ft boat - considering there is almost the same space in the cockpit. That's probably more Christians lying down than would be normally allowed on a boat of this length.

But remember she is overwide for trailing - you just have to ring the police beforehand and they fax you the paperwork. Pretty easy.

MIK

[Auld Bassoon]

Hi BoatMik!

I knew catboats were pretty beamy, but 1:2! Streuth!

It looks as if gybing that would be pretty interesting, but then Gaff rigs of any kind always give me the shudders :D

[TK1]

Hi Mik,

Great catboat. That is a lotta sail for a little boat. I particularly like the bird's mouth mast - came together very well and would be strong.

Sleek lines belie the 1:2 ratio. I noticed on the website a pic or two with the sail down - does it have a small inboard, or were the crew just enjoying the tranquility?

I've bookmarked the page for when I get to build a real boat - definitely on my shortlist of trailer sailers.

Regards,
Darren

[jmk89]

Mik

Just trying to work out how the tabernacle works.

I would have thought it would be open to the aft and rounded forrard, so the mast could fold back into the hull when you lower it (after slackening off the forestay - it doesn't work otherwise - I know cause I have tried...), but as I read your description it is the other way around.

Does this mean that the mast folds out over the bow (that can't be right). I know I must be missing something obvious...

Cheers

Jeremy

[bitingmidge]

Jeremy,

I think you are either looking at the drawing inside out or have the impression that the mast is hinged at deck level?

The mast is solid, the tabernacle houses it, and is solid aft, the mast pivots at the top of the tabernacle, and when it does the foot of the mast kicks forward (through the open side) and the top lays back over the cockpit.

... and it's a sweet looking solution too Mik. :)

Cheers,

P
:cool:

[jmk89]

Thanks, Midge - I knew I was missing something. The open section at the front is for the foot of the mast to swing forrard because the pivot is above deck level (I will now remove my foot from my mouth (or keyboard)).

[Boatmik]

Hi Mik,

Great catboat. That is a lotta sail for a little boat. I particularly like the bird's mouth mast - came together very well and would be strong.

Sleek lines belie the 1:2 ratio. I noticed on the website a pic or two with the sail down - does it have a small inboard, or were the crew just enjoying the tranquility?

I've bookmarked the page for when I get to build a real boat - definitely on my shortlist of trailer sailers.

Regards,
Darren
Howdy Darren,

ENGINE
The owners decided to put a biggish donk in her as she will be used as a displacement fishing boat quite frequently.

It works particularly well with this boat as the original engine weight is about the same as the 14hp marine diesel in this one - some improvements have been made in the last 70 years.

You will probably only ever need around 8 of those HP but it is nice to have the reserve there for a long upwind slog in adverse conditions.

There is a nice biggish three bladed prop fitted too. Being more of a sailing man I tried to talk them into something that would create less drag when under sail - like a two blader that could be hidden in line with the keel when not running - but no, they like the big prop.

BEAM 2:1
This is the average for Cape Cod Catboats. It also limits the length - by the time you are getting up round the 30ft mark you are close to 15ft beam. big enough for a fullsize billiard table - SIDEWAYS! (but I can't guarantee that the balls will go straight!).

I'll post some other comments later.

MIK

[Boatmik]

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~storerm/DavidCatboat/catboat2ndsailllaunch.jpg


Now that it is all together the notable things are the huge amount of
internal and cockpit space - and the huge spread of sail. Looking at
the space it is really hard to remember that this is a little 18ft
boat. All of this is quite visible in the photos.

See the pics and general info at
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~storerm/DavidCatboat/davidcatboat.html

There were some changes to fit the likely pattern of use. We used
modern foil shapes for the centreboard and rudder to improve windward
performance, mounted the mast in a tabernacle - engineered in wood -
so one person can get that monster stick up and down by themselves and
reworked the construction to build in cedar strip allowing the removal
of yards of ribs, stringers, floors by using the seat fronts and tops
as girders to support the skin. Saves heaps of building time.

Catboats are brilliant fine weather sailors - moving along really well
in light and moderate conditions. They are relatively cheap to set up
- no winches, jib tracks etc.

They are one of the few boats where an engine integrates into the
space and use of the boat really well - it is in the middle of the
cockpit.

The downsides (all boats have them) are that they have the reputation
of being hard boats when the wind really blows - lots of weather helm,
a tendancy to round up if overcanvassed downwind. That long boom in
gybes.

The owners made a virtue of this vice by fitting a marine diesel of
the same weight as the original powerplant - in modern terms this
means that there is 14 horsepower available on this little boat - so
if the weather gets really rough it can plug away happily in any
direction required.

This is also sensible as their previous boats have all been inboard
open displacement boats - they are keen fishers of fish. So the
catboat will often be used as a pure motorboat - the simplicity of the
rig keeping everything out of the way of the fishing gear.

But the best bit is the look of envy as you sail past any other boat
in the universe - catboats have a really strange property of being
both cute and shippy at the same time - so appeal equally to the
boatwise and not-so-boatwise.

Michael Storer

[meerkat]

Hi Mik

slick looking boat, makes me wanna go and hassle my dad to get his jubilee re rigged

Andrew

[Boatmik]

Hi Mik

slick looking boat, makes me wanna go and hassle my dad to get his jubilee re rigged

Andrew

I would kill for a Jubilee (not that I have anywhere to keep it!). A wonderful sensibly sized, rough water capable CLASSIC.

Just so everyone knows just how stylin' these little boats are

http://www.jubileeyacht.org.au/pictures/Huntingfield%202004/28%20Dec%202004/original/40.jpg

MIK