A-CAT

Forgive my stupidity. What is an A-Cat?
<br>This is a great site with lots of interesting contributors.
<br>Thank's,
<br>Greg H14, H16<br><br>

A-Cat is an open design class of single handed cat. You and see a picture at http://cathouse1.com
<br>I believe there are only two types of Olympic cats. Tornado and A-Cat. There are lots of different designers. I have seen these boats weigh in fully rigged at 160lbs.
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<br>Eric<br><br>

Eric answered your quest about the A-Cat. He's right the A-Cat and Tornado are the only Olympic classes but the Hobie 16 is the only official PanAm Games multihull and International Youth Worlds multihull. It is interesting to note that the Hobie 16 sailors/class fought vigeriously to keep from becoming an Olympic class mainly because of the cost increases associated with being an Olympic boat. Vanguard now has one of its Lasers in the Olympics and it has actually hurt the class due to as mentioned increase cost and some top notch sailors that will win at all costs reguardless how they treat the for fun sailors. Also another great thing about the Hobie 16 class is the fact that it is the only small multihull class that is accessible to sailors with disabilities called the Hobie 16 Trapseat class. Sorry I went beyond the A-Class question, I just it might be of interest to note these facts.
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<br>Happy sailing!<br><br>

A-Cat is not an Olympic class. The monkey-rack 49er is.
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<br>S.<br><br>

That is right the Tornado is the only Olympic Multihull and the A-Cat would be a great Olympic class. I think some of us are dreaming of the day when another cat becomes an Olympic class, wishful thinking.<br><br>

There is no comparison between the H-16 and the A-Cat. The H-16 is a solid platform that truely tests the the sailors skill level against identical boats making it a sailors tactical race. The A-Cat however has different logic fueling it. It is a class that is made for innovation. The only rules are it must be less than 18' not carry more than 150 sq ft of sail and not wiegh less than 75kg fully loaded. While the H-16 weighs in at 325 min the A-Cat is half the weight and only the skipper sailing. The PN numbers tell the story the best. The A-Cats # is 65.5 the H-16 is 76.1. The H16 as it is today will be sailed the same 10 years from now. The shelf life of a A-Cat will only remain as long as nobody comes up with a faster design. That seems to be happening faster these days. While the H-16 sailors have not dropped the PN #'s for their boat in a long time meaning it has reached the apex of it's performance curve. Both provide their followers with much excitement and help fuel multihull sailing in general. <br><br>

Just to add to the PN number on the H16 not changing, last year the H16 PN # was 76.6 and this year it changed to 76.1, and at one time many years ago it was around 78. Just thought I would add that little bit of history.<br><br>