Sailing cat to power cat

[Bob the builder]

Time for a change our beloved Fusion 40 is to be put up for sale later this year .
We are looking at 2 power cats at the moment,,a schionning prowler 11.5 m and a Fusion 40 powercat version both similar money .
Any comments,thoughts,advice etc. appreciated

[SVNeko]

Sorry, don't know anything about them, but would be interested in the reasons for the change. Have you time on powercats? Never been on one but a friend said without the steadying force of sails it was the most uncomfortable ride in biggish seas.

[sailjumanji]

Why not an FP motoryacht? (MY) These look interesting, although a bit expensive. I can see myself someday not wanting to deal with sails. Hopefully a long time away!

[Cotemar]

Power Cats are Awesome.

The only issue we have with them is that all the new models have large engines.

We have chartered a Leopard / Moorings 474 PC Power Cat.
It was very fuel efficient with 150 hp engines.
We only used 1 engine just like a Sailing cat.

We used only one engine at 2000 rpm going 7.5 to 9.5 knots depending on sea conditions. She tracked straight as an arrow on autopilot.

We will be on another Leopard 43 PC next week in the BVI with some of our friends.

I do not expect this boat to be as efficient as it has twin 260 hp engines.
.
.

[zboss]

Why not just buy a big sailing cat, rip the rig off and re power with bigger engines and expanded pillow tanks.

[jmschmidt]

Been a sailor for fifty years but bough an ex-Moorings 2011 model 47' power cat with 150hp John Deeres. Very fuel efficient. The 260 Volvos that they put on them, who need them. Haven't had much time on her but glad to hear that single-engine cruising has no adverse effects. Previously I was a part owner of a Mooring 47 sailing cat, the mainsail weighs over 200lbs. Just got my other boat (Newport 41) back in the water after a month haulout, now redoing the rigging for the last time. I race nearly every week on someone else's boat. When the spinnaker blows it's like, too bad, pass up another beer.

[phalo]

Hydrofil the Stern?
I like Zboss idea of a sailing cat but why not just keep the mast and a furling large genoa to suit all winds. Like Bob the builder I have just sold the Seawind 1000 and am tempted to go power cat with up to 15k capability, but with some sort of sail, even a parachute.
But to get a 10 to 15m sailing cat hull to 15k or more would hardly be fuel efficient and wondered if some type of hydrofoil at the stern could be retrofitted to help the stern get on a plane if you need to do the occasional 15k. Or if using outboards like the Seawind, could the foil be fitted to 150HP outboard legs so they lift out when sailing.

[Bob the builder]

Thanks for all the replies,\ food for thought.Also considering removing rig and fitting larger horsepower motors.How much horsepower is the question.Would it also pay to remove the minikeels?
Doing a conversion like this seems like re inventing the wheel...there are no precedents that I can find,althoughI am sure its been done many times before. Converting our existing boat is probably the preferred option better the devil you know etc...

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Bob the builder

Thanks for all the replies,\ food for thought.Also considering removing rig and fitting larger horsepower motors.How much horsepower is the question.Would it also pay to remove the minikeels?
Doing a conversion like this seems like re inventing the wheel...there are no precedents that I can find,althoughI am sure its been done many times before. Converting our existing boat is probably the preferred option better the devil you know etc...

I would talk to Fusion. I am sure the powercat has a flat stern and was designed by Craig Loomes a NZ multihull guru. Lightwave with their powercats start out with a sailing hull and add a flat bottomed mold to the stern changing shape and adding some length. If you are a tradesman should not be a big issue for you.

Talk with Lightwave and see if you can check out their powercat add on mold. They use the system for both the 38 powercat and the 47ft powercat.

Jim Garde from Fusion could give/sell you some drawings so you get the shape right. I would initially be leaving minikeels to protect the saildrive for beaching.

[sailjumanji]

I'd leave the minikeels to protect the rudders as well as help the boat track straight ahead and reduce leeway when being blown from side.

[Foozinator]

Longtime yacht designer Steve Dashew (sp?) figured out that above a certain length (60-odd ft, IIRC), it was cheaper to build + run a power boat with the same efficient displacement hull than to build + run all the rigging, sails, stick.

The secret sauce that very few seem to pay attention to is the efficient displacement hull.

[downunder]

Here is a fuel efficient motorboat.

When I first saw it thought it was a Dashew. Many similaraties.

Dickey LRC58 - Wheelhouse - BOATMAGS.com

Long Range Cruiser 58: a fuel-efficient boat. - Dennis Harjamaa Yacht Design, Elegant Yachts, Aluminium, Fuel-Efficient, Sailing, Cruising Boats,arnautica

https://www.facebook.com/Artnautica-...02724/?fref=ts covers build of prototype. 3 now built with Dickey building the last.

7 knots, the range extends to around 7000 nm @ 0.53 lpnm. At 8.1 knots the fuel rate increases marginally to 0.67 lpnm. fantastic.

[Adonf46]

Originally Posted by Bob the builder

Time for a change our beloved Fusion 40 is to be put up for sale later this year .
We are looking at 2 power cats at the moment,,a schionning prowler 11.5 m and a Fusion 40 powercat version both similar money .
Any comments,thoughts,advice etc. appreciated

Hi bob ,
Late last year we did go to the " dark side " after 25 years under sail and sold our 40' sailing catamaran to purchase a power catamaran . Having done extensive research and a few sea trials I quickly realised that very few power catamaran are designed as true power cat but are mostly modified sailing hulls with a fly bridge . We ended up buying an AfriCat 420 , designed by Angelo Lavrianos and build in South Africa , this is a " true" power catamaran , we have since cruised the eastern seaboard of Australia over the past 8 months and are extremely pleased with our new vessel .
Happy hunting

[phalo]

That's hard to dispute as a way for Bob to go Adon
I'm interested too as a possible solution
What is your Aficat 420:
1.Displacement
2.HP
3.Cruising speed and L/hr
4.Top speed and L/hr

and have you tried to harness the wind on a run or reach...with maybe a parachute ?

[Adonf46]

Originally Posted by phalo

That's hard to dispute as a way for Bob to go Adon
I'm interested too as a possible solution
What is your Aficat 420:
1.Displacement
2.HP
3.Cruising speed and L/hr
4.Top speed and L/hr

and have you tried to harness the wind on a run or reach...with maybe a parachute ?

Hi ,
The AfriCat 420 is a 13 metres by 6.75 metres beam with a displacement of 12,800 kg ( 12.8 metric tonne ) , ours is powered by 2 Volvos D6 435 HP each driven through IPS 600 , the " sweet spot" for fuel consumption sees us cruise @ 18 knots with a total fuel usage of 75 l/h ( it uses more fuel @ 12 knots ! , top speed ( achieved on flat water on Moreton bay ) is 32 knots .
Cheers