I got this cat for free from my boss. Rough shape I know. The registration says homemade but I found a number on the back, MACO19xxxx. I have a Hobie 14 also and figured out how to set this one up but what are the TWO block and tackles for on the boom? Also the mast is a two piece . Can anyone identify it? I can add more pics if that would help.

Pixie by woods design

Looking at pixie plans I don't know if it is quite the one. The hulls are too precisely made and it has a trampoline. Also the sereal number looks like a factory embeded one. The mast is sloted for the sail like my hobie. The boom is sloted also but the slot faces down on this one. I figured out the two tackles on the boom though. Any more ideas.

It sounds like it is a loose footed main, similar to a Prindle instead of the Hobie.

Mac could be Macgregor. They made some small cats.

Thats kind of what I was thinking but They are so varied that it is hard to tell. Thanks

It sure looks like a Venture Cat 15 Mk II (Straight hull rather than earlier Banana hull)




VENTURE 15 Website

Note assembly manuals

I once built a Quattro 16 and the Pixie is similar.

If the boat is built of wood and have an outside "lip" under the deck, it can be a Pixie or Quattro. Some pics from the bow and the stern should be able to confirm this.

About the two sets of blocks on the boom, some of the early cats had a Boom Vang, so one of the block setups may be for that (the ones closer to the mast end of the boom), while the other is the mainsheet of course. You could just toss the vang, and use the blocks as spares, I don't think any cats use vangs anymore and it makes it harder to duck under the boom when you tack.

Thanks Mugrace72 the manuals sure tell me it's a Venture Cat 15 Mk II. Now the question is , should I go through the trouble of reregistering it in Wisconsin, not knowing the history? It's currently registered to me as a homemade 14 foot no serial number.

Save yourself a lot of trouble and leave it the way it is.

That's the way I was leaning.

There are issues withe registering it and not registering it.

Registering it will be difficult because you have a 15 ft factory boat with serial numbers and a transfer document that lists it as a 14 home built with no serial numbers (removing or changing the serial numbers is a crime (probably) at a couple of levels). If you want to register the boat call whoever registers boats in your state, tell them what you have, ask them what you have to do, get the name of the person you are talking to, do exactly what they tell you (even if it sounds crazy), take everything to whoever you are told to take it to and tell whoever helps you that "so and so" said this is what I had to do. This works in most States, Florida may be an exception.

Not registering it has problems too. You have a 15 ft factory boat with serial numbers and a transfer document that lists it as a 14 home built with no serial numbers. If you get caught by a registration check, the best case is you will just pay a fine. The worst case I can think of is that they will run a check on the serial probably years later, because it is LOW priority, find it was reported stolen in another state, you have a suspicious transfer document and now you have a mess. This is farfetched because most sail only boats, more than 20 years old were never registered.

Anyway, good luck. I wish states were honest with us. They don't give a crap about us and they are not going to investigate if we report the boat stolen. They just want our money. There should be an easier way where we just send money and they don't pretend.

I don't think it's quite THAT negative and complicated....if any authority ever asks him about it, all they are going to care about is that he has some sort of registration (assuming registration is required in his state...some do not).

Wisconsin. Tell em' its a race boat. No registration required then.

I am not trying to be negative. I am trying to tell people that Parks and Wildlife, DMV, Tax Collector, etc are all paramilitary organizations. Meaning you can do the paperwork their way or do it over again. If you decide not to do the paperwork, they WILL find a way to make your life miserable.

I learned a lot about not registering "Race Boats" the expensive way. Most State Laws say something like used exclusively for racing in sanctioned events. Practicing doesn't count and sailing outside of the time limits on a sanctioned event is a no no. Also outside of major cities Sanctioning Officials can be odd. It could be the County Commissioner or they may not have one or it could be the guy you wrote you the ticket.

I have also learned the hard way that if you get a ticket and your paperwork is strange, pay the ticket rather than showing them your paperwork. AND to a State official, anything short of the paperwork a dealer gives you when you buy a new boat looks suspicious.

I think it depends on the offender, the day, the state, the offense, and the cop

it can go different directions depending on any of those variables (cop spilled coffee on his lap, the cheif is getting pressure from the mayor, etc. )

Here in FL, we have guys who have never had an issue, and guys who walk into the DMV (Tax collector) and walk out a suspect (in a boat theft).

I suggest you carry a very attractive woman with you at all times, and let her deal with the cop...

Sound advice on all fronts

I would try that, although I'm almost certain it would end up with a shooting

We did this with solings when I lived in Milwaukee. No worse for wear, except for sailing on a soling.

Tim