Just to clarify: I posted a reply to small cats for the "chanel" passage, and in my mind the original post was the English Chanel, (which we have cruised in, and can be pretty rough). I did recieve a post asking if I really didn't think that the Tom Cat was a suitable boat for the Chanel Islands (California, between the Mainland, Catalina and Santa Rosa ---maybe on a very calm day to San Miquel Island). I spent over 50 years sailing these waters, and I feel that the C Dory Tom Cat 24 or 255 catamarans would be an excellent boat for these waters. (As are most of the production cats). For the most part in the S. Calif. Channel--winds don't come up until about 11 AM, and continue to rise until about 6 PM. They die down during the night, and so almost any boat can make a crossing in the early morning hours (I have taken a 12 foot inflatable the 28 miles to Catalina, and many trips in an 18 foot open runabout) But coming home the wind and waves are mostly on the beam or aft the beam going to Long Beach or to most mainland ports. Although there can be gales--either North Westerly, or Santa Ana, these are predictable and can be avoided. Bob Austin

Hi Bob, Do you think then that the C Dory Tom ct is a suitable vessel for rough seas in the English Channel? Thanks, gram. On 28 Oct 2009, at 01:30, bob Austin wrote: > Just to clarify: I posted a reply to small cats for the "chanel" > passage, and > in my mind the original post was the English Chanel, (which we have > cruised > in, and can be pretty rough).