Cheap Multis and Projects

[jmh2002]

Yeah, those are all pretty fair points too. Another reminder that everyone has different use cases for their boats and it's important to be able to appreciate that.

Some of the newer Marc Lombard Catanas have an interesting setup - when the salon doors are open the inside and outside tables become one, creating one large dining area when more people are onboard.

Gunboats on the other hand tend to have quite small cockpits - the main entertaining space is definitely inside, where it can be cooled or heated.

[unbusted67]

I'm kind of crushing on this one RN. Seems weird that you wouldn't want to break your power plan up into twin 25hp outboards but hey.

https://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/93860

[geoleo]

That single OB in the center to power everything is problematic!! If it is too high the Prop will cavitate as it comes out of water in waves ---if too low it (the OB) will be continually drenched in saltwater!! Pass.

[smj]

Originally Posted by unbusted67

I'm kind of crushing on this one RN. Seems weird that you wouldn't want to break your power plan up into twin 25hp outboards but hey.

https://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/93860

I’ve always admired this cat as well. Twin 25’s would give more maneuverability, but even a single 50 would give more speed than twin 25’s. The problems with cavitation or flooding the outboard, should be somewhat controllable with the adjustable sled on this cat. Looks like a nice performance design so the shortcomings of the engine size or installation hopefully wouldn’t be put in place often.

[ausnp84]

Originally Posted by smj

I’ve always admired this cat as well. Twin 25’s would give more maneuverability, but even a single 50 would give more speed than twin 25’s. The problems with cavitation or flooding the outboard, should be somewhat controllable with the adjustable sled on this cat. Looks like a nice performance design so the shortcomings of the engine size or installation hopefully wouldn’t be put in place often.

Agreed. A lot of Wharrams and Seawinds use that exact setup, as does the cat I’ve just finished refitting (single OB and bow thruster combo).

To me it goes back to sailing the boat rather than just plonking on the motor when conditions aren’t right, as a lot of time-pressed folk do these days. Then again, a 90HP will get you going places quick, plus it’s a lot lighter than a diesel and no drag from the prop.

Conversely, an OB setup has it’s drawbacks. No engine alternators for power (solar on a cat can mitigate that), no how water from engine run time (lithium and an electric element can mitigate that, or the diesel genset that’s installed), and OB’s tend to chew through juice a lot more than diesels.

So horses for courses. Great, lightweight, no-drag, easy to maintain for a performance cat, but actually usable in real-world cruising conditions? Questionable.

Just watched the vids - woah that’s a lot of boat for the money. I’d be tempted to ditch the OB and swap the genset for two hydraulic drives, but then that brings it’s own problems....

N

[Sand crab]

I think when that boat was built the higher horsepower high thrust OBs didn't exist which is probably why they chose the one single unit. If you can't conquer it with thrust then do it with horsepower. Is that a steerable OB? I see it turned the one way so I think it might be.

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by ausnp84

Agreed. A lot of Wharrams and Seawinds use that exact setup, as does the cat I’ve just finished refitting (single OB and bow thruster combo).

I can't access the link, but I've never seen a Seawind with single outboard and bow thruster combo.

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by sailjumanji

I can't access the link, but I've never seen a Seawind with single outboard and bow thruster combo.

Schionning pushes for a single motor/thruster combo smaller 1280 and under cats. If I remember correctly, it's an option on Grainger's of that size too. But yes, I don't believe Seawind has ever done that.

[ausnp84]

Originally Posted by sailjumanji

I can't access the link, but I've never seen a Seawind with single outboard and bow thruster combo.

Sorry, I meant that a lot of Wharrams and Seawinds use the OB setup, and my cat also has an outboard (plus bow thruster) installed. My comment was referring to the above post that a single OB in the centre would be “problematic”.

N

[smj]

Originally Posted by ausnp84

Sorry, I meant that a lot of Wharrams and Seawinds use the OB setup, and my cat also has an outboard (plus bow thruster) installed. My comment was referring to the above post that a single OB in the centre would be “problematic”.

N

Even without a bow thruster we’ve never had a problem with a single outboard on a cat as long as it was steerable.

[sailjumanji]

We looked at a Maine Cat 38 in the 2018 Annapolis boat show. (Or might have been Miami, as we attended both.) One the earliest hull numbers. Was finished off with a lot of wood inside, I suspect especially for show. It had a single 50 hp outboard instead of the dual setup, and a single bow thruster to facilitate tight maneuvering. Motor was underneath the deck, and not steerable. The nacelle hung in the water, even at dock.

About a year later, that boat was for sale and a buddy of mine looked at it seriously. Practical problem with the setup was that the bows floated pretty high, and the bow thrusters pulled in a lot of air. Two adults standing on the bow made it operable. He contacted Dick Vermillion, who said he would never do that again, and gave him a quote for having the factory correct everything. That ended his interest in that boat. Sad because the MC38 is really a cool boat, slim waterline beam hulls probably mean it would be pretty quick. But that particular boat was powered the wrong way, IMO (as well as that of the designer.)

[smj]

Originally Posted by sailjumanji

We looked at a Maine Cat 38 in the 2018 Annapolis boat show. (Or might have been Miami, as we attended both.) One the earliest hull numbers. Was finished off with a lot of wood inside, I suspect especially for show. It had a single 50 hp outboard instead of the dual setup, and a single bow thruster to facilitate tight maneuvering. Motor was underneath the deck, and not steerable. The nacelle hung in the water, even at dock.



About a year later, that boat was for sale and a buddy of mine looked at it seriously. Practical problem with the setup was that the bows floated pretty high, and the bow thrusters pulled in a lot of air. Two adults standing on the bow made it operable. He contacted Dick Vermillion, who said he would never do that again, and gave him a quote for having the factory correct everything. That ended his interest in that boat. Sad because the MC38 is really a cool boat, slim waterline beam hulls probably mean it would be pretty quick. But that particular boat was powered the wrong way, IMO (as well as that of the designer.)

I believe that MC 38 is/was located in Corpus Christi and just sold with an asking price of about $250k.
I heard they had a hard time with cavitation/ventilation as the motor was located in the trough of the converging bow wakes. I’m guess ing if they could have moved the motor fore or aft and made it steerable it may have been ok.

[clockwork orange]

I was in Nassau at the turn of the century and looked over a couple of big Gold Coast charter cats. Both of them were powered by a pair of good sized outboards, maybe about 50hp each, what surprised me was that they were mounted side by side on a sled much like the single on the subject of this conversation. It has always seemed strange that they were not seperated.

[Redreuben]

Originally Posted by clockwork orange

I was in Nassau at the turn of the century and looked over a couple of big Gold Coast charter cats. Both of them were powered by a pair of good sized outboards, maybe about 50hp each, what surprised me was that they were mounted side by side on a sled much like the single on the subject of this conversation. It has always seemed strange that they were not seperated.

One word explains that. Charter. One sled is cheaper than two.

[smj]

Originally Posted by Redreuben

One word explains that. Charter. One sled is cheaper than two.

No, if I remember correctly both outboards on the single sled are steerable, and from what I’ve seen very maneuverable. Let’s face it, if it wasn’t a viable setup on a head charter boat then the insurance company’s would refuse coverage.