I'm interested in a big beachcat for beachcruising and camping in SW Florida. With the huge amount of skinny water there, I'd feel more comfortable with kick up boards.

I know the Tornado has centerboards, the Prindle 18-2, etc. Anyone have other ideas before I hunt all over finding the specs for boats? I'm building a cruiser and may use the rig from a dead or beat cat with around 250 square feet of sail, but would be nice to find one in usable condition so I can get some usage out of it before I borrow (or share) the rig on the cruiser.

Any ideas?

Dan

I just realized the attachment bears little resemblance to what I'm planning right now. No fin keels or nacale. Each hull will be transported back and forth from Chicago to Sanibel on my canoe and kayak trailer--Trailex 1200. That will require on the beach assembly and eliminate nacale options like the Reynolds 21. I'd like to get a Reynolds 21, but then I'd have a pair of trailers to get back an forth.

Dan

Any reason you need centerboards? I think there are a good number of boardless beachcats in that size range. G-cat and H17 ( I think) come to mind...

Nacra 580 has centerboards.

Mystere 6.0 and 5.5
Prindle 18.2 and 19 (and 19MX)
Nacra 580
Hobie 17 and 21
Tornado

Hmmm...that's about it.

Dart 18 and Dart 20 are both skegs but hard to find...

Sounds like a Hobie 21 is what you want.

I should have included boardless boats as well. Thanks for the list guys.

Dan

I have a Supercat 19 and sail it without boards- it does well and I don't have to worry about beaching with the boards out. The hulls have good volume and it sails well with 4 aboard. They seem to be hard to find though- mine is 20 years old but looks 5 because it was garaged almost all if it's life.

John

For "beachcruising and camping" you could look at the Hobie 21 Sport Cruiser. Yeah it's big but it offers a lot for the Cruiser.

Here's a pic or two. They show up on Ebay every now and then.

http://www.hobiecat.com/sailing/gallery_index.php?model=21sc&img_num=01&res=lr

G-cat 21????

tomcat 6.2
www.tomcatboats.com

Hey basket case,
Is that a Mystere mainsail on that boat in the avatar? Where is the rest of it? I am looking for one.

You have to see the whole image to see it it big.

6.3 nice boat. So is your a race version ? One on site has a **** area and no wings. Pretty nice price. Waht is the performace? Seem like it would be a good crusing boat.

What version of the Tomcat is that? Looks great! Have you done any crusing with it? Catalina?

Dan

thanx guys,
i built basketcase while i was the shop foreman at tomcat.
it is a bit different then the stock boat. the lack of a bridge deck and the wings are one. she has dagger boards and a bit more sail then the stock boat. it locks fast, but i usually chicken out at about 15 knots or so. flying a hull on her is a hoot, but a capsize would be bad. i figure at 650 lbs all up and 13 1/2 feet wide there is no way i could bring her back up solo, so we are not going to flip her.
my wife son and myself over nite on her every weekend in the summer. we just put up a tent and sleep on the tramp. best sleep i ever get. we have done a bit of tooling around on her up on lake ontario. comfortable. i kinda just point her where we want to go, and the boat does the rest.
she carries a mystree 6.0 main, a kevler/myler sol cat 18 jib, a 400 sq ft a chute and a 320 square code zero.. the main and jib need to be replaced. i think i am just going to order a main from mystree.

the stock tomcat 6.2 is a great little boat. it may not look like much, but we had new owners getting 13 ot 15 knots out of the box. they are great for day sailing, camping, distance sails. it is an all round good little boat. well thought out.

That's fantastic! Just what I had in mind in terms of messing about rather than racing. I'm looking to camp aboard as well and was starting this thread for that reason. That seems to require some extra bouyancy, large beam, & space for a tent.

Dan

There was one for sale in Key West last year. Don't know what happened to it. Also one for sale on Marco Island, I think.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TomC...mQQcategoryZ63730QQitemZ4629762988QQrdZ1
she is one of the newer ones, possibly the last one i built. in good shape with good sails.