Do Cat Owners Actually Beach Their Cats ?

[smj]

Originally Posted by colemj

I am not aware of any production cats with mini keels that are not designed to sit on their keels. Look in any boatyard and you will see all of these boats sitting on their keels.

Mark

If I recall the Maine Cat 30 isn't supposed to support the weight of the boat on its keels.

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by smj

If I recall the Maine Cat 30 isn't supposed to support the weight of the boat on its keels.

Maine Cat 41 isn't designed to dry out either. There aren't any keels and I doubt the rudders are designed to support the weight. I think this is a serious drawback to an otherwise very nice boat. They would do well to add a structural skeg ahead of the sail drives, to protect them and the rudders. If I owned one I'd seriously consider adding that modification, and make it a buoyant structure.

[Sand crab]

The MC30 has boards. Also looks like mini keels.

[smj]

Originally Posted by Sand crab

The MC30 has boards. Also looks like mini keels.

Yes the MC 30 has mini keels and boards.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by krafthaus

I'd agree with this comment as cats are typicallly stored on the keels as are monos which are then propped with stands to steady it.
...

One key difference between the typical mono keel and the typical cat mini-keel is that the mono keel is much stronger structurally. While the mini-keels are certainly strong, they are typically just a hollow fiberglass structures -- not solid materials thru-bolted to the hull like a mono keel. Some, like some R&C designs, are in fact intended to be sacrificial and will sheer off on hard impact. I've seen bare-ly-boaters here in Belize sheer them off more than once. This is repairable, but I expect an unfair load while on the hard could cause them to part as well and the resulting drop to the ground could be pretty ugly.

So, while yes most production cats can be stored on the mini-keels you do still need to handle them carefully and support and secure the boat properly. Most manufacturers will provide you with a suggested blocking diagram.

[Sand crab]

I've seen some daggerboard cats beached although I can't recall what they were. Anybody know which ones are capable? Outremer maybe?

[smj]

I think a lot of the cats mini keels are sacrificial. I don't care for a cat that has the keels structurally attached to the hulls especially of they form a bilge. Any keel damage and the cat takes on water.

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by DotDun

FP cats are designed to sit on their keels.

If that is true that's great. I had heard the opposite. The keels are designed to snap off and are foam covered with fiberglass inserted into sockets. I just didn't imagine that would be strong enough to carry the total weight.

Really I don't know as I didn't get to talk to FP as a new boat owner. When the boat yards have blocked up my cat they do it under the hull fore and aft of the keels. My keels typically don't have anything under them.

[Bricky]

[QUOTE="Jeannius"]Bricky... I'd like to antifoul my boat on a beach this year. I'm just worried about drying time. Is there enough before the sea comes back? What paint do you use? Is it hard or soft?

In warm weather I think there would be enough time. Would not be an ideal job so will use a less expensive paint such as ameron or hempel. The idea for me is to get something on till I can get her out of the water.
Cheers

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

So, while yes most production cats can be stored on the mini-keels you do still need to handle them carefully and support and secure the boat properly. Most manufacturers will provide you with a suggested blocking diagram.

If the boat was designed to sit on it's keels then the hull would have been designed and built to support the weight of the boat (by spreading the loads from the keel joint) - not just a matter of bolting on strong keels (keels punching through does happen on mono bilge keelers (from hard / prolonged bouncing on seabed) - not often, but enough to be a consideration. No idea what happens on multihulls - but am pretty sure gravity does still apply.........).

To my mind an indicator that the boat was not designed to sit on her keels would be a manufacturer blocking diagram indicating otherwise. As said already, a big difference boat between sitting on the hard (and having been gently lowered - hopefully!) and the boat being dropped (by the sea) onto the seabed from a foot or 2 - several times as she floats / dries out (try it with an egg ).

In regard to simply preventing the keels from grinding through, the old style answer was either to have steel bilge keels, steel shoes or a dirty great big iron bar - none of which I suspect will be attractive to fit on a Multihull!



.....fortunately the more modern approach is either beefing up the fibreglass with sacrificial layers (different colours helps) or simply gluing on plastic (or alloy) sacrificial strips.

Of course a difference between a boat that takes the ground on a permanent basis and occassionally - wear being a cumulative thing.

Over here we do have a number of cats (and tris) that sit on drying moorings 24/7 - 2 have sunk, but not for keel related reasons (one being 120% of (now) knackered plywood and the other due to owner not closing the thru hull after disconnecting the head - before the tide came back in!.....obviously monos do also sink for much the same reasons)......will see if I can snap some pics of what folk are doing / not doing at some point.

I would personally take some comfort from the Manufacturer having offered keel bands as at least an option, if not standard (why add 'em if you don't need - or only occasionally).

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Sand crab

I've seen some daggerboard cats beached although I can't recall what they were. Anybody know which ones are capable? Outremer maybe?

Ours is:



With lifting/kick-up rudders, and only 18 inches draught,


Lets us get into some great spots:

[Old Soul Wayne]

Now that's what I'm talking about 44' cruisingcat!
Ability to get to special locations.
Cheers

[44'cruisingcat]

Certainly a special place. When the tide's in:

[Sand crab]

Too cool. Makes a good case for outboards, too. Did you build her?

[Mr B]

1/ Low tide in the river, parked on sand, Unintensional,

2/ Parked on a concrete slipway for a week to make repairs to the drive leg,

The tyres are under the Bulkheads,

The way to do it is too find a nice soft sandy beach with no wave action, and let your cat settle as the tide goes out,

That way, you dont have the up and down banging of the wave action,
Which will damage your cats hulls,,