Why they bought the cat they did

MULTI-MANIA - Practical: Multihulls

Rosemary Jilderts interviews two cat owners about why they bought the cat they did.

Chris Remington and Tony Green, Topaz

Chris and Tony recently purchased sailing catamaran Topaz, designed and built by Bruce Geddes, an amateur boatbuilder.

It is the largest of several boats built by Bruce, and it is a well proven coastal cruising vessel, having been sailed from Tasmania “over the top” to south of Perth. Topaz has an LOA of 11m and a beam of six metres. Displacement is approximately five tonnes.

“We have been dreaming of sailing to the Kimberley for several years,” Tony said, “and decided that a cat was the best craft for the job. Shallow draught, ability to be beached, big living area and the beam to carry a three-metre tinnie on davits were all features we considered desirable for our dream trip. Only a cat could meet all these criteria.

“For us, finding a cat which offered the features we desired at a price we could afford proved to be quite a challenge. We were definitely limited to the budget end of the cat range, which severely limited our choice.

“Topaz was the only cat we found in 12 months of looking which provided all the features we required at a price we could afford. It has adequate liveaboard size, full bridgedeck headroom, came with a three-metre tinnie, which could be lifted onto davits with the 9.8hp outboard attached, and less than one metre draught. And what really sold us on it was the fact that it had already done several trips to the Kimberley, which convinced us that it was up to the task.

“Topaz is a very smart, modernlooking cat, with a high standard of finish. It is of fibreglass-overply construction, and can easily be mistaken for a fibreglass vessel. The interior design and layout make it very usable as a liveaboard.

“There are only a couple of things we’d change. Topaz has a single, centrally mounted diesel engine, which is very economical. Despite having a steerable drive leg, manoeuvring in marinas has so far been a real challenge when there is any wind. Our observations are that twin-engined cats are far superior in this situation, and would be our preference if we had a choice.

“Built-in water tanks have never been a favourite of mine. Any leaks or failures can impact on the hull structure, so I would prefer tanks constructed separately to the hull and removable.”

Tony and Chris picked Topaz up a few months ago after Bruce delivered her to SE Queensland from northern NSW. At the time of writing they were in Cairns, busy making a few alterations and turning her into “their” boat.

Don and Marilyn Wallace, Swallow

Swallow and her crew have covered many ocean miles and like most yachtie kids theirs have grown up to be well balanced, capable, respectful and resourceful. Although currently living on land while Andrea and Peter complete their education, Swallow is ever-ready to take them to the inner or outer reef for a session of relaxation and fishing.

Their original multi was a four-metre Quick Cat, which impressed Don with its action in rough seas around Keppel Island.

“I became convinced that cats were very good cruising boats,” he said. “I believe them to be faster and safer than cruising monos and safer than cruising tris.

“We wanted a bigger, more stable boat to cruise in with our young family and reviewed several study prints from various designers, but we chose the Roger Simpson 10.2m as it was best suited to our needs and budget. It has lived up to my expectations in seaworthiness and sea-handling.

“The boat is constructed in western red cedar/epoxy sheathed inside and out. The builder put the floor in too low, so if doing it again I would build the floor to design level because this would improve visibility from the cockpit.

“Wingdeck clearance is to design at 700mm, but I would like a bit more, say 900mm, but ultimately it comes down to what you are doing with the boat and what the sea state is at the time. If you are trying to motor into a short, steep swell, you will never have enough but if you are going downwind then on a Simpson 10.2 the 700mm is plenty.

“There is no comparison between monos and multis. Multis are safer, more stable, easier on the body on long passages, generally don’t sink if holed or overturned, better in a sea and faster leading to less fatigue. They have 50 percent more room than an equivalent
mono, they also require much less antifouling and require smaller motors to push them, both of which are good for the environment.

“If one reads the stories of the Polynesian exploration and settling of the Pacific, cats have been handling heavy seas for far longer than the more ‘traditional’ monohull. The mono is the only means of transport known to man that requires 50 percent of its loadcarrying capacity to be used in simply keeping it pointing up the right way!”

Rosemary Jilderts

Rosemary and John built Sokari, their Simpson 12m (later extended to 13.5m). They have been more than happy with the boat and its performance in all conditions. Sokari is now on the market while they build a house.