How much does it
cost to build?
Estimated building costs including plans, with a basic fitout, (no electric anchor
winch or solar panels, second hand motor and sails, cheap clears etc) $20k AUD, and with a
comprehensive fitout as seen in the photos and specifications.$35k AUD.
Do I have to purchase special bits from you like hinges or connections?
No, all the bits you need to make are covered in the plans.
How difficult is it to build?
Aimed at the amateur boat builder, simplicity and speed of construction
with
readily available and proven materials is important You will not find a
comparably sized boat that is easier or faster to build. There is no
lofting
required, just measure from the edge of the ply sheet for each
individual
panel, cut it out and you actually end up with a kit boat ready for
assembly.
The hundreds of construction photographs on CD are
invaluable. Building
the boat does not require a strongback or temporary frames, with much
of the
work performed at a comfortable working height by using the steel for
the
trailer set on stands, and being able to roll the hulls over and work
on a horizontal surface makes life a lot easier. The trailer is quite
straight forward to build as well.
How long will it take to build?
An amateur builder should be easily able to complete the whole
project in 2000 hours, with a boat you will be proud of. If this may seem a
lot I'm erring on the side of caution, you may well do it in half the time. Too many
designers quote unrealistic build times, and I will say it again, you
will not find a comparably sized cat that is easier or faster to build
than Casa Cat.
Why plywood and epoxy resin?
Plywood/timber/epoxy composite was chosen for its strength, very important for
a trailer boat, ease of use as most tools required will be found in any
handyman’s shed, and with a two pack polyurethane topcoat you have a craft
that will still be going strong in decades.
Is epoxy resin difficult to work
with?
No.
If you are not familiar with working with plywood/epoxy composite
invest in a good boat building book. The resin manufacturers have lots
of valuable infomation available too. Don't
be blasé when handling epoxy, use disposable rubber gloves and wear
protective
clothing, follow the manufacturers recommendations and you should be
fine. I
have worked with epoxy resin since 1973 and have found some brands
cause skin
problems far more than others. I do recommend a particular brand of
epoxy in
the assembly notes, included with the plans.
Can I make the hull to bridgedeck
connections myself?
Yes, all the drawings are included. You will probably have to have some metal parts turned if you don't have access to a lathe.
How strong is the hull to bridgedeck
connection?
As the masts are unstayed and located on the hulls, the usual stresses imposed
by a bridgedeck stayed mast are non-existent. The very strong hull to
bridgedeck connections are attached to deep and substantial box beams that are part of
the bridgedeck pod.
What area do I need to build the
boat?
A single car garage or carport is
adequate as the boat is built in three separate pieces, the two hulls and bridgedeck pod..
How much do the plans cost?
$2,200 AUD (AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS) including postage. Considering the
level of detail in the plans, and the amount of time and effort in
conceiving and developing Casa Cat, this is a very reasonable price,
especially as there are no added extras to purchase from us like hinges
or connections. The comprehensive material list allows you to bulk buy
at discount prices, and take advantage of sale items, and may well save
you the cost of the plans.
How are the plans dimensioned?
All dimensions are metric and if you’ve only worked in imperial you will not
find the transition that difficult, and you will soon appreciate its advantages over
imperial.
What's included in the cost of the
plans?
There are over 100 pages of Cad A4 plans detailing every individual
panel
and part to be fabricated, including the trailer, electrical and
plumbing plans. Illustrated building instructions are included as well.
The
comprehensive materials list means everything you need will be on hand
when you
need it and saves many days chasing around to get this bit or that. It
also
gives you buying power and allows you to take advantage of sales when
they are
on. There are hundreds of construction photographs on CD. Launch and
retrieval instructions are there as well. You are buying the right to
use the infomation in the plans and associated material to build one
boat and trailer only. If you want to build more than one boat please
contact
me for more infomation.
Is support included in the cost of
the plans?
Yes, email advice is included in the cost of the plans. You can phone me too on
the landline, but please email or text to my mobile (cell) phone first to
arrange a time so I can be near the phone, as world time zones come into play. Our time zone is GMT +10
hours. And of course, if you're in the area come and have a look at Casa Cat and have a chat.
How do I purchase the plans?
Credit card (Visa, MasterCard) payments can be made securely through
Paypal. You don't have to have a PayPal account and it costs you nothing extra.
Paypal, cheque or direct deposit into my bank account within Australia (please
request details) Paypal or direct deposit to my bank account from outside
Australia (please request details). The PayPal Buy Now button is
located on the Construction and Plans page.
How will they be sent?
Delivery overseas will be by Australia Post Express Courier International, can be tracked
and must be signed for. Delivery within Australia by Express Post, which again can be tracked and must be signed for.
Can I purchase study plans?
I don't offer study
plans as all the infomation you need to make a decision should be found
on this website, but don't hesitate to contact me for further
details if required.
Where do I carry the masts?
The masts are simply tied to the hulls
and remain there until you're ready to stand them.
How long does it take to rig the
boat?
As the masts are unstayed one person
can untie them from the hulls, stand them, unfurl the sail from the masts, and fit the wishbone
booms in about 5 minutes.
There is no heavy lifting involved, and the speed with which they are
erected and lowered makes them perfect for those low bridges.
Where are the booms carried?
The booms are carried on the trailer
when on the road, and when on the water and not in use carried on the roof or
trampoline.
Where do I stow the sails?
The sails remain furled around the mast
whilst not in use.
What's the sail area?
Casa Cat has a sail area of 16 square metres (172 sq ft)
Do I need winches to control the
sails?
No.
How does it sail?
I have chosen battenless sails for ease of furling the sail around
the
mast, but you may decide on a more powerful rig for increased
performance.
Essentially Casa Cat is a motor sailer, but she will sail well downwind
and
across the wind. You can't expect to sail closer than fifty degrees to
windward. Update: the sails have arrived, now to find the time to give
them a good test, after which I will publish photos and more
detailed information on sailing performance on this site.
How do I control the sails?
The sheets run across the rear of the
bridgedeck pod and enter at the helm.
How much bridgedeck clearance does
it have?
Even with a comprehensive fitout as per the specifications Casa Cat has
very good clearance of 500mm (1’8”).
How much does it draw?
As per the comprehensive fitout specifications 300mm (1')
How many people will it sleep?
The
generous 938mm
(3’) wide full
length 1850mm (6’) single
berth in each hull can be increased to 1370mm
(4’6”) wide doubles
with the
optional fold out sides. The starboard hull can accommodate a mattress
up to
2.2m (7’2”)
long. The pod aft seat
can also be utilized as a small berth 1.7m (5’7”), long
allowing five to sleep comfortably.
How many people can it seat at the table?
Four comfortably at the table, and two on the aft seat. The table doubles as the perfect chart table.
How much headroom is there?
Casa Cat was built with 1.9m (6’4”) headroom on the bridgedeck, but can be built with more or less as you choose. There is sitting height of 900mm (3’) available in the hull cabins berths, 478mm (1’6”) in the optional fold out double bed side, and 1.9m (6’4”) headroom in the head/shower with the pop top raised.
What's the ventilation like?
The bridgedeck clears have zippered windows all round offering excellent
ventilation, even in rainy conditions. The berths have a large hatch over the
beds, as well as their entry hatch, again affording good ventilation.
Mosquitoes are a problem where I cruise, how do I keep them out?
The zippered opening clears are flyscreened, as well as the hatch and entry
on the hulls.
How much storage space does it have?
Plenty, both in the hulls and on the bridgedeck. There's even plenty of room to carry the crab pots on the roof.
How much fresh water does it carry?
A lot, 360 litres (95 US gallons). The roof is also set up for rainwater collection.
How long can we go away for?
Probably governed by how long you can make the water last. A couple of people
should be able to make it last for two weeks, living comfortably and having a
shower each day.
Do I have to leave the cabin to pull up the anchor?
No. The electric anchor winch makes it an easy task to lower and raise the
anchor. The anchor chain bridle can be attached and removed from the comfort and
safety of the bridgedeck.
What's the vision like from the helm?
It doesn't come any better. All round vision is superb for everyone on the
bridgedeck, even in adverse conditions, with the shelter and comfort offered by the roof and all round clears.
The clears I've seen aren't very good to look through, what are Casa Cat's like?
I
used and recommend Strataglass clears. They are the best on the market
and are as good as looking through glass.
How are the clears likely to handle a storm?
Have a look at their website Strataglass and decide for yourself. I have no doubt they are up to the job.
How much privacy is there onboard?
With three totally separate cabins privacy is assured.
Does it have a totally separate shower and head?
Yes, Casa Cat has a totally separate head/shower with full standing room with
the pop top raised.
Does it have a vanity basin?
Yes.
Does it have a sink?
Yes.
Does it have pressurized fresh water?
Yes, with pressurized fresh and salt water to the sink and pressurized
fresh water to the vanity basin.
Does it have a deck shower?
Yes, pressurized fresh water to the deck shower on the starboard stern landing.
Does it have a boarding ladder?
Yes, making for easy boarding after a swim.
Does it have a trampoline?
Yes, ideal for lounging around on and storing the tender.
Does it have a fridge/freezer?
Yes, 90 litres (25 US gallons), large enough to for weeks away, and
very
efficient.
My wife doesn't want the bait keep in the fridge. Does it have an insulated bait box?
Yes.
Casa Cat has a well insulated bait box, and you can make your own ice
for the bait box in the fridge/freezer. There's even room to build in a
live bait tank if required.
How do I cook onboard?
The 2 burner with grill gas camping stove is ideal.
How do I charge the battery?
Two 130w solar PV panels are shown in the specifications, this proved to be overkill, and only one solar
panel is required to sit at anchor and take care of keeping the
battery charged. This is due in part to the efficiency of the well insulated fridge/freezer.
Can I stow the tender onboard?
Yes, the trampoline is easily large enough to stow the tender if you prefer
not to tow it, and to keep marine growth at bay on those longer trips away.
Can I see the instrumentation from the helm?
Yes, the instrument panel is directly in front of the helm on the table
support.
How do I steer it?
By means of the tiller situated on the bridgedeck. The tiller controls
the lifting foil rudder and/or the outboard. Sit back in the comfort of
the
bridgedeck cabin and enjoy the view. The rudder is raised and lowered
from the bridgedeck, and the tiller to outboard steering link is also
accessed from the bridgedeck.
How does it track?
Just great, the easiest catamaran I have experienced to hold a straight
course.
How does it turn?
The rudder turns the boat well with the rudder, but when manoeuvring in tight spots like a
marina, the outboard is the way to go, linked to the tiller.
What size outboard can I fit?
The 18hp 2 stroke Tohatsu is about the
largest motor that fits in the engine box. Casa Cat will still perform well with a smaller hp motor, 2 or 4 stroke.
How fast does it go under power?
With a light load you can expect 10
knots.
How does it perform in rough
conditions?
With her slender hulls, good bridgedeck clearance and forward bouyancy,
Casa Cat provides a
very comfortable ride crossing the destructive short and sharp
wake of those huge power boats that for some unknown reason have
to pass as close as possible. There is no bridgedeck slamming or
propeller ventilation. In choppy conditions cruising at 7 knots will
not be a
problem.
What waters is Casa Cat suitable for?
Casa
Cat is designed to cruise inland waterways, such as rivers, lakes and
bays, as well as coastal cruising such as the Queensland coast
(Australia) has to offer, like as the famous Whitsundays Islands Whitsundays and Hinchinbrook Passage Hinchinbrook
to name just a few. She is not designed for offshore blue water
passages. One huge advantage of a trailer boat is you do not need
undertake long voyages by sea to reach your destination, it's much
easier, faster and safer to tow it on the road. Remote locations such
as the Kimberley Coast in Western Australia Kimberleys are within reach in days, rather than weeks by sea.
Does Casa Cat have built in bouyancy?
Yes. Sealed bouyancy compartments are built into the hulls.
How noisy is it when motoring?
With the motor enclosed in it's own
sound insulated compartment, noise level in the cabin is commendably low.
A conversation can be held at normal voice level, and with the stereo turned to
even a moderate level you wont even hear the outboard.
Can I build it with an open bridgedeck?
Nothing to stop you, but the internal layout needs to remain much the same for
structural integrity.
Can I build it as a motorboat only?
Yes, why not.
Do I still need the rudder if I build it as a motorboat only?
I would recommend it as the tiller has a much nicer feel than steering with the
outboard. Steering the 18hp outboard is heavy compared to steering with the balanced foil
rudder.
The web site shows drawings with and without stern rocker. Why?
With a comprehensive fitout as per the specifications I found Casa Cat squatted
at the stern under power a bit too much for my liking, so I modified the hulls and removed
the stern rocker. Now I'm more than happy with her trim. But with a basic fitout
i.e. none or smaller solar panel, lighter motor etc and if you are likely to do
a lot of sailing, stern rocker may applicable. The choice is yours.
What's it like to tow?
Trailering the boat is safe and comfortable with its narrow width, well located
weight distribution and its light weight means it is well within the towing
capability of many four-cylinder vehicles. Its perfectly situated centre of
lateral wind resistance minimizes sway from crosswinds. Tow ball load of no less than 10% of the (ATM)
Aggregate Total Mass (the laden mass of the total trailer when carrying the
maximum recommended load including any load imposed on the drawing vehicle when
the combination is resting on a horizontal plane) is generally accepted as
ideal in Australia for safe towing, and 10 to 15% is recommended by the
California Department of Motor Vehicles in the US. Casa Cat meets these
requirement and tows beautifully. Not having to submerge the trailer or wheels is a real bonus
as maintenance is minimized and allows the use of cost effective marinized
electric brakes, much safer and efficient than override brakes.
Do I need a four wheel drive to tow
the boat?
No, a four wheel drive is
not necessary. When launching and retrieving on the boat ramp, the assembled
boat supported on the dolly can be positioned on the trailer to place the
desired weight on the vehicles driven wheels, to suit front or rear wheel drive
vehicles.
Can I use it for overnight stays without assembling the boat on longer road trips?
Yes.
Immediate access to the berths and head is always available, and the
pod roof roof can be raised by just one person in less than 10 minutes, allowing
full access to all facillities.
How much does it weigh?
The following are real
world figures, not figures from a brochure that only quote dry weight without
any of the everyday items that stay on the boat, and believe me can add a lot of weight, and may not even
include the outboard motor. The total
mass of 1.62 Tonne (3571lb) shown in the specification was actually measured on
a government approved weighbridge for my comprehensively fitted out boat as per
the specifications and as seen in the photos, safety gear, solar panels,
electric winches, mattress’s etc bar fuel and water. It includes 25kg (55lb) of
6mm anchor chain that was carried in the spare wheel, (it is now carried
permanently in the chain locker), but does not included the anchor which is
carried in the vehicle. Many boats when launched weigh more than the
builder expects. Being well aware of this I erred on the side of caution and
built the trailer with 15 inch wheels, 12 inch brakes and a 50mm (2 inch)
square axle, all adding weight unnecessarily as it turned out. So there will be
a further weight saving when built with the 14 inch wheels, 10 inch brakes and
a 45mm axle as detailed in the plans. Even with the comprehensive fitout
and double berth option there is still capacity to load another 300kg of gear
onto the boat, which is hard to imagine you would ever need to do, and any
extra load can be placed over the axle, an ideal position. Building with
Gaboon ply and with only one solar panel can save over 100kg (220lb).
How difficult is Casa Cat to launch
and retrieve?
Launching and retrieving a
boat can be a major problem in less than ideal conditions so a great deal of
work has gone into making it an easy task for just 2 people. The hulls and pod
are simply assembled on the trailer. Basically the folding process consists of
removing the tie down straps, sliding the hulls apart on the telescopic arms,
moving the dolly trailer with the pod aft between the hulls then raise it with
the 12v electric motor to engage the self-aligning hull to pod connections and
bolt together. Then easily fit the trampoline to the front of the pod to keep
it clear when launching. The hull support arms are then retracted, the rear launching
guides extended and the trailer is backed down the ramp until the tyres are
just in the water and the assembled catamaran, still on the dolly trailer,
lowered and moved to the rear of the trailer with the aid of the electric winch
and just floated off with the rear guides keeping the boat under control. Raise
the roof, finish fitting the trampoline, attach the anchor and off you go. The
roof can be raised before launching if desired. Even the first time you launch
Casa Cat it will take 2 people less than 45 minutes from the time you arrive at
the ramp to heading off, and obviously it will be faster with a bit of
practice. Retrieval is just the reverse of launching, just as simple and
you won’t even raise a sweat, let alone your voice. The whole folding and
launch/retrieval process, including raising and lowering the pod roof, can actually be carried out by one person.
Questions for Australian builders.
Do I need an Australian Builders
Plate?
No.
Under the National Marine Safety Committee rules, a sailing vessel is not required
to have an Australian Builders Plate.
What if I build it as a motorboat
only?
Any competent person can register the
plate, and if you built it surely must qualify as competent.
I've decided to build it as a motorboat, do I need a buoyancy infomation on the Australian Builders Plate?
Vessels over 6m do not require buoyancy infomation on the plate.
How many people can it carry?
Under the Queensland Governments Maratime Safety recommendations for powerboats, nine
people.
Does the trailer meet ADR
(Australian Design Rules)?
Yes.
Was it difficult to get insurance cover?
No.
A Condition and Valuation Report from a local trailer boat dealer
(authorised by one of the biggest marine insurance companies in
Australia) was
all that was required, and cost $150 AUD, much cheaper than a survey. I
presented this to three of the biggest Australian marine Insurance
companies and received a quote from each of them. Casa Cat is insured
for $117k AUD (Australian dollars), and the annual premium is less than $800 AUD.