I agree that there are difficulties of trailering.  I decided on the C Dory classic 22 because of its light weight (1800 lbs boat only--4000 lbs including motor, gear and trailer) and shoal draft--about 10".

As you get into the larger boats, the trailering and launching becomes a bit more difficult:  The Tom Cat 24 weighs almost twice as much for the hull and engine--trailer about the same.  So probably count on 7000 lbs for the boat all rigged and with gear.

Also range is important with the type of trips that Georgs wants to do.  For example 200 miles is a bare minimum for the Inland passage--better with 250 or 300--which allows some side trips which cannot be done with a straight shot.

For this size boat, a totally enclosed cabin, with ventillation does make sense--but air conditioning adds complexity and weight.

My neighbor just purchased a Tom Cat 24 (had a 22 C Dory before)--my impression is that there is only slighly more room in the Tom Cat than in the 22 C Dory.  There is an enclosed head, but it is very small.  I have not seen the 25 foot C Dory--but hope that the head is bigger and more useful.

It is possiable to build lighter boats than the current production models.  A friend built a 34 footer using foam core, epoxy, vaccum bagging, S cloth and much more labor intensive and expensive material than production boats.  The 34 footer hull weighed 1200 lbs and is trailerable. It is a wave piercing configuration.  However when you load it down with gear, fuel and more engine power, the performance will suffer--so there are tradeoffs.

Bob Austin

replying to Bob Austin's interesting comments- i wish i could take avantage off all this input and then go spend 1k + for the perfect boat to do the great loop, but even if i had the $ i would rather create or modify a boat to make it right for us.Bob spoke of a friend who is building a wave piercing 34' trailerable boat and the perfomance tradeoffs involved.i would really like to talk to this guy-i am modifing a expandle cat.i enjoy these discussions .mike bowers
----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Austin
To: georgs@powercatamaranworld.com ; Powercat
Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 1:17 PM
Subject: [PCW] Power cats under 30 feet

I agree that there are difficulties of trailering.  I decided on the C Dory classic 22 because of its light weight (1800 lbs boat only--4000 lbs including motor, gear and trailer) and shoal draft--about 10".

As you get into the larger boats, the trailering and launching becomes a bit more difficult:  The Tom Cat 24 weighs almost twice as much for the hull and engine--trailer about the same.  So probably count on 7000 lbs for the boat all rigged and with gear.

Also range is important with the type of trips that Georgs wants to do.  For example 200 miles is a bare minimum for the Inland passage--better with 250 or 300--which allows some side trips which cannot be done with a straight shot.

For this size boat, a totally enclosed cabin, with ventillation does make sense--but air conditioning adds complexity and weight.

My neighbor just purchased a Tom Cat 24 (had a 22 C Dory before)--my impression is that there is only slighly more room in the Tom Cat than in the 22 C Dory.  There is an enclosed head, but it is very small.  I have not seen the 25 foot C Dory--but hope that the head is bigger and more useful.

It is possiable to build lighter boats than the current production models.  A friend built a 34 footer using foam core, epoxy, vaccum bagging, S cloth and much more labor intensive and expensive material than production boats.  The 34 footer hull weighed 1200 lbs and is trailerable. It is a wave piercing configuration.  However when you load it down with gear, fuel and more engine power, the performance will suffer--so there are tradeoffs.

Bob Austin

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