*BIAS ALERT:  Rod Gibbons has been a catamaran dealer for nearly 30
years. His company, Cruising Cats USA, sells both sail and motor-driven
cruising cats. *

I'm responding to the recent posting about "small cats." I believe the
writer was interested in boats in the mid-20-foot range. This got me to
musing about slightly larger cats that I still think of as "pocket
cruisers." I'm intrigued by them because, in my experience, smaller
boats get used more frequently than larger boats. They're certainly
easier to use than larger ones. (Although, yes, I quite enjoy selling
larger ones!...grin)

1. --  The Arrow Cat, a good-looking 30-footer, designed by one of my
   favorite cat designers -- Roger Hill -- is currently being produced in
   China, outside of Hong Kong. I believe there are several already
   available for viewing around the U.S.  There was a new one on display at
   the Seattle boat show in mid-August.

2. --  After PDQ, of Canada, went out of business, their 34-foot power
   cat was supposedly, as of late last year, to have been built by
   Tillotson Pearson in R.I.  But last I heard, that now is not going to
   happen.

3.A.  --  Schionning (Australian cat designer), has licensed his 33'/34'
design to be built in a few areas of the world. A couple of years ago it
was manufactured in a Turkish yard as the PCM-33. At least a few were
made, but the shipping cost was fairly stiff to get them to the U.S.,
and I'm not sure if one ever made it to the U.S.

3.B. --  A New Zealand builder began manufacturing a 33'6" version of
that Schionning design, beginning about 2 years ago. One was displayed
at the big Sydney, Australia, boat show a year ago. Previously,
Schionning had offered a 29' flybridge model, also outboard powered. I
know that one of these 29-footers is currently offering fishing charters
in Hawaii, easily and successfully roaming far offshore during these
charters. But it's a bit cramped for ideal cruising.

3.C. --  In the Pacific Northwest, Jennings Yachts, in Anacortes, WA, is
creating the tooling and the first hull of an upgraded version of
Schionning's design (see 3.A. above), calling it the Coastal Cat 34.
Hull #3 of the New Zealand model (mentioned above), was sent to Jennings
Yachts several months ago, all of the pieces (hulls, deck, cabin,
bulkheads, etc.) simply bolted in place so that Jennings could then take
them apart upon the boat's arrival, thereafter making a complete set of
high-quality tooling from those many well-finished parts and pieces.
Jennings Yachts is hoping to debut the Coastal Cat 34 at the January
boat show in Seattle (in the water) in 2010.

The Coastal Cat is powered with twin 60-HP, 4-cycle outboards. She
cruises at 15 knots (3.1 GPH total), with a max speed of about 21 knots.
(This is based on the proven performance [see  the June, 2008 issue of
NEW ZEALAND BOATING, or contact me for a 'jpg' copy of this report], of
the similar, N.Z.-built Schionning.)

However, the U.S. model will purportedly offer many distinct advantages
over the New Zealand model. Either builder offers a 2-bed/2-head
version. But the beds in the NZ version are approximately 48" wide,
while the Jennings version's beds are 60" wide. (BIG difference!) The NZ
version has curtains on the head compartment doorways, the Jennings
version has doors.

Even more intriguingly, in conjunction with the designer's approval,
Jenning Yachts made the decision (which I agree with), of slicing the
hulls lengthwise, above the water line, and adding 2 inches of
additional freeboard (depth). This will allow the boat to carry an extra
600 pounds per hull, and was added so as to accommodate N. American
buyers who typically carry more gear than the Kiwis. (i.e., small genset
& air-conditioning,  optional flybridge, addition of a freezer, etc.)
The designer claims this should have almost no affect on the boat's
speed-performance.

Both the NZ and the Jennings Yachts version offer two "wet heads" (term
used for heads in which a sink and head are included, but no shower
stall -- instead, there IS a sink spigot that can be pulled from the
sink, via a flexible hose, allowing it to be quickly attached to a
bulkhead clamp, thereby serving as a shower head). Jennings is offering
an attractive option in that the 2nd head can be had in a modified
version that includes just a sink, AND a full, permanent shower stall
(and no toilet).

The hulls of the Coastal Cat are slender, and designed (according to
Schionning), to readily slice through substantial seas (for that's
mostly what they get in Australia's and New Zealand's Southern Ocean --
much more so than what we typically encounter here in the continental
U.S.). So, the beds are up on the bridgedeck level, just forward of the
salon. These slender hulls make a substantial difference in performance,
compared to cats that have wider hulls in order to put double berths in
those hulls. Those wider hulls affect performance, PLUS lessen comfort
in a short-steep seaway. As for performance, I believe I've read, for
example, that a PDQ-34 does 15 knots at about 4.5 GPH (diesel engines),
while the CC-34 (outboards) gets 35% better fuel mileage. And the range
of the CC-34 is close to 600 miles, much more than most diesel-powered
monohulls of this size/speed range.

4. --  Another power cat that I've thought quite appealing is the Motor
   Cat 29.  (One was on display at the Seattle in-the-water boat show about
   2.5 or 3 years ago.)  This is from the same company that makes the
   unique MC-30. The latter offers a few, substantial design features that
   are quite arresting. Yet, in the end, I've found the MC-29 (which offers
   an entirely different layout), to be the more comfortable cruiser. The
   early models suffered terribly from a hull shape that would roll, very
   slowly, from side to side .. .. while doing about 25 MPH !!!  First, it
   would throw up a huge, 5-to-6-foot high wave-of-spray on one side, then,
   a few seconds later, throw up the same size wave on the opposite side.
   It made the boat completely unviable in my  opinion. But then the head
   of the project, Jerry Kostanski, had the Polish yard make some simple
   but effective alterations to the hulls (basically, it appeared to me,
   adding two sleek sponsons, a few inches wide, along the waterline of the
   outside of each hull). The reports are that this completely solved the
   previous slow-motion roll from side to side. Also, I applaud the
   builders of this cat for not succumbing to the pressure of making an
   approx. 8' wide cat, simply for trailering considerations. The MC-29 is
   about 10' wide, and that makes such a difference when it comes to
   interior volume. (I believe you can still trailer that width...but need
   a permit...about $30 I believe. But this isn't the size of boat that one
   is going to be trailer-launching every weekend anyway.) It's also
   intriguing that the boat can be had EITHER with twin outboards (one per
   hull), OR a single, dual-prop Volvo inboard in the middle of the stern
   (between the 2 hulls). Last I saw, the pricing of this boat was quite
   appealing, but whether it's still in production in Poland or not, I'm
   not sure.

By the way:  for about 2 decades I did NOT believe outboards were a
truly viable power source for "real" cruising boats. The drawbacks that
were most frequently voiced included:
--  worse fuel consumption (but this was back in the days of thirstier
2-cycle motors -- the new 4-cycle models are proving very fuel miserly)
--  gasoline fuel instead of diesel.  No question about it, gas is more
flammable than diesel. On the other hand, the vast majority of power
boats in the U.S. are gas-powered. Of course, you must use proper
venting, etc. with built-in gas motors. But with outboards, the
engine(s) is outside the boat.
--  outboards have much smaller alternators than do inboard diesels. So,
producing the amount of power that cruisers usually want (for running
lights, 12V fridges, electronics, etc.) can be problematic. However,
newer outboards have somewhat larger alternators, but even more
important, gensets have gotten smaller-and-better, as have solar panels.
And, given the number of "serious cruisers" who now desire to have
air-conditioning for extended cruising in warm-humid regions, a genset
is needed whether you have diesel or outboard power as propulsion.

Larry Graf certainly showed, with his larger, 30'-to-34' Glacier Bay
cats, that the latest 4-cycle outboards can be highly effective motors
for serious, long-term voyaging. And I've been similarly impressed by
other cats in that size range that use 4-cycle outboards. My opinion
these days about outboards? I still think that 35' or 36' feet (among
cats) is about as large a boat as I'd consider fitting with outboard
power, as compared to inboard diesels. But I find outboards often highly
appealing for cats under 36' -- especially if the cat has been
specifically created, by the designer, FOR propulsion by outboards.

Here are the benefits, as I see them, to considering twin outboards
(4-cycle) for a nonetheless "serious" coastal-cruising catamaran:

1. Outboards cost less than diesel engines. And in small boats, saving
   $20,000 to $40,000 makes a substantial difference to buyers.

2. The new 4-cycle outboards are quieter than diesel engines, and
   smoother running -- outboards produce almost none of that vibration that
   can be both annoying...AND tiring....in a small cat equipped with diesels.

3. The latest 4-cycle outboards are highly fuel efficient. As noted
   above, the Coastal Cat 34, even though it's nearly 16' wide (but partly
   in thanks to its slender hulls), uses about $4 to $5 LESS fuel per hour,
   traveling at the same speed (16 knots) as the PDQ-34 with twin diesel
   engines.

4. Today's outboards come with push-button electric tilt. What a breeze
   it is then, when one wants to nose up to a sandy beach. It saves you
   having to even think about launching a dinghy EVERY TIME you want to go
   ashore, whether for beach-combing, walking the dog, a picnic ashore,
   whatever.

5. Outboards are easier to repair than diesels. And, in a pinch, you
   can much more easily swap out a 60 HP outboard with a "loaner" model,
   which is virtually impossible with an inboard diesel.

6. You end up with much more interior room in a relatively small
   cruising cat if the motors are mounted OUTSIDE of the hulls, rather than
   several feet forward in each hull..

7. In conjunction with the above, outboards aren't stuffed under berths
   or crammed into hard-to-get-to hull spaces.

8. Outboards can operate at a very low speed, handy when trying to
   maneuver in cramped marina spaces, or when trolling-fishing.

9. Outboards don't produce an exhaust that's nearly as nauseous as that
   emitted by diesel motors.

By the way, I'll soon be coming out with a new book about catamarans
(sail and power, including more than a hundred photos & illustrations),
which I shall be pleased to offer, FREE, to members of this site. I hope
to be announcing its availability in about another 4 weeks.

Cheers,
Rod Gibbons
Cruising Cats USA -- (206) 297-1330

Rob Gibbons has certainly given us a wonderful selection of
catamarans to look at and many of his views are valid.

The question originally posed, what has happened to the small
catamaran builder, has opened a great discussion, well done.

In South Africa there are not many harbours and launch slips
and the waters are dangerous, but never mind, they beach launch
many different types of catamarans from 19ft to 28ft very
successfully.
There is the Sea Cat 23, the Kosi cat 16, the Supreme craft 19,
and my favourite the Aventure wet deck 18 with twin 40's  and
the Lavranos Aventure 30 fitted with inboards or outboards.

We try and divide the vessel in 4 separate compartments, 2 on each side,
using a gusher bilge pumps each side with cross over valve, also foam
fill 65%.

Unfortunately we have had Cats flooded when coming thru huge waves,
but never any sunk of life lost as far as I know.

T. Jordaan