Specing a New Cat

[freetime]

25. Look at http://www.liveantares.com/44ipricing.htm and check pics under
Anchoring System.

Not good pics, but i could not find any better.

55. Why not a FLIR?

[imagine2frolic]

The previous owner had one anchor on the crossbeam, and the second inside on the bridgedeck. Both anchors using one windlass. I put the second anchor on the crossbeam also, but had to install a second windlass.

I was on a 65 ft. cat that had his windlass centered, and used a single windlass deploying both anchors off the crossbeam.

[schoonerdog]

regarding flooring, there are several synthetics out there that look good and are indestructible, but I would hesitate to recommend any as I haven't had first hand experience. Anyone?

Yes, double bow roller for two anchors, makes it much easier to deploy when you need to tuck in somewhere tight.

Try echo pilots CASS

Originally Posted by Gludy

OK ... some questions on that long list to clarify:-

"15) Look at the flooring, it should be beautiful and impossible to ruin while taking no mold. There are some synthetics out there that qualify."
Can you give a link to the sort of thing you mean?

"25) Specify double bow anchor rollers."
Do you mean for two anchors?

"55) I would personally look at the foward looking sonar for collision avoidance."

I have looked into this before and had one but they never worked properly. Do you know any that work?

All the rest were clear to me.

Once again thanks.

[schoonerdog]

Yeah, I know the PDQ that had that one put in for the first time, it's a great addition, by the way good pic for the other post.

Regarding the FLIR

Originally Posted by freetime

25. Look at http://www.liveantares.com/44ipricing.htm and check pics under
Anchoring System.

Not good pics, but i could not find any better.

55. Why not a FLIR?

Regarding the FLIR, I think I did recommend that in my mad stream of consciousness as well. FLIR is as you probably know for navigating at night and seeing hot objects (like people), in a cold background (like sea water). The CASS for seeing under the water would be for collision avoidance for containers, or seeing clearly the side of the channel.

[schoonerdog]

Yeah! Some of the things like simply putting string messengers in the wiring conduits when new is something that will save you probably 6 hours of swearing if you ever need to lead new wiring and only takes a few minutes to put in and costs nothing, yet almost no one seems to do it.

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

I guess you haven't given this much thought - LOL.

This is really helpful to me. I am perhaps the world's worst customer. I know there are things I should ask for but never do. It never hurts to shoot for the moon I guess.

Great list.

[Gludy]

I gave been waiting for Echo Pilots CASS for the last 4 or 5 years - I do not think it has ever been launched.

I had their Platinium FLS on my last boat - it seldom worked.

I will try and go with two anchors.

Thanks for all the help.

[sandy daugherty]

Forward looking sonar at Leisure Craft prices is not a reality yet. I have Interphase and its limited to less than 150' horizontally, and is only useful to me for approaching shallow anchorages at very slow speeds. That's what I bought it for. I think it would be virtually useless for avoiding containers or whales at speed in the open ocean. But leave a wiring duct to the hull that doesn't have a sounder yet, it could happen!

I saw a Catana with a cutout in the trampoline, accessible from the top and the bottom, for a life raft. I would put my ditchbox and emergency tools in a similar space on the other trampoline.

I looked at that 2007 price spreadsheet for the 50 at St Francis' website, and was very impressed by the reasonable prices for installed extras. If it were me (I can only wish) I would have every possible thing done there rather than in Europe or the US.

The St Francis uses its windlass to raise the sails. Thats a good system. If you lead the halyards aft, install at least one sheet winch thats electric, and route all the halyards there.

I hope the bimini is strong enough for two people to stand on for dealing with the main sail, its one big mutha!

[Gludy]

Yes that is my view of forward facing sonar as well.

I will have it installed for the same reasons in the hope that it will work better in a sailing boat than on my power boat.

I am having a very high spec indeed and it all fitted in SA.

I am having a number of electric winches, bringing all lines to the helm but also leaving the port side winch still in its original place as it handy for a number of things.

The video should be posted on Friday, it is almost 20 minutes long and only deals with the test sail - another one will deal with the features on the boat.

[Palarran]

Not so much of a suggestion as a confirmation, one thing I really like on the St. Francis, the Voyage 50, Dean's, and Imagine2Frolic's Simpson is the rear platform for the tender. I think being able to use a boom crane to place the tender into chocks on a platform is a must for me. Then when the tender is off, you can use the platform for an awesome grill platform. That way greese or ash or whatever doesn't get all over the boat. Also, you can buy a tender that can actually hold all the guests you can accomidate. One other thing that would be nice is an island counter in the galley so you can put two bar height stools up to it. The Voyage 50 has that and it's a nice feature.
Guldy, you know how they put that rear locker right off the dingy platform for dive tanks? It would be nice to take one of the aft berths and put a dive compressor in it. You could also locate all your other extra belongings in that one converted berth area. Nice workshop and storage. When I looked at one in Miami I thought you could cut an access hatch into the hull area right above the stern steps. Then if you have a wind surfer, bikes, or anything large you could take them right out through the hatch. Looking forward to your video. Good luck

[Adaero]

Originally Posted by rigamarole

Not so much of a suggestion as a confirmation, one thing I really like on the St. Francis, the Voyage 50, Dean's, and Imagine2Frolic's Simpson is the rear platform for the tender. I think being able to use a boom crane to place the tender into chocks on a platform is a must for me.

I will have to disagree with you there about the boom crane. We chartered a Voyage last year and I found the boom crane to be a right pain. It always took 2 people to use it (or a lot of clambering around for one), everytime you have to disconnect the main halyard and then re-attach making sure there were no twists anywhere, sometimes in bumpy seas the halyard would jump off the crane pulley plus numerous other niggles. I do really like the rear platform but I didn't like loosing this area once the dinghy was on board.
Gludy, can you have some form of davits fitted rather than the boom crane?

[Gludy]

The St Francis 50 has a lot of extra buoyancy in the stern so that it can take a very large rib with a big motor. We do not want such a rib but you never know - so we are having both a boom crane and an S/S folding davit system. That way we have it all covered.

We are also shaping the currently straight teak slotted rib support area so that it curves out a bit more ensuring that it is very easy to walk around the rib when its on its chocks.

There is a very large storage area at the stern of each transom - The berths do not go up to the end and leave a stroage area that can take bikes etc etc.

I am not sure as yet where we are going to put the diving compressor.

We will also have an ROV for taking underwater HD video footage - that has to be stored as well I do like toys.

[ireaney]

Gludy, This SF50 you are buying sounds like it will probably be the best kitted out cat out their with all the luxuries and toys etc.
My concerns are, having read all your reports about performance during your test sails on different cats, that you will need a lot of wind to get her achieving any reasonable speed and that light winds performance will be non-existent, therefore my question is: Where are you making weight savings in other areas of the boat to counteract all this kit? Just curious!!

[Gludy]

The at we tested was a demo cat with full tanks and ready to go - we had 4 people on for the test. We will be normally sailing not with ten people but with just two people most of the time and maybe 4 people for long trans-ocean trips.

One of the reasons for wanting a largish cat is the ability to have some luxuries without worrying too much about weight.

So firstly we are saving weight with people.

Secondly we are not having a large rib - our total rib/engine including flip down wheels weighs in at under 60 lbs.

Thirdly we will not have the luggage of those extra people.

Also much of the spec from built in night vision systems etc is electronic and has no great weight. Even the ROV weighs in at less than a person.

Yes it is going to have an incredible spec but i do not think it will have such an incredible payload.

I also think that the St Francis is pretty tolerant of payload.

Of course - I would welcome comments and criticism fo any point I make

[freetime]

Chair with armrests, maybe for you AND your girlfriend!


A little help....


Layouts!

[Nordic cat]

Originally Posted by Gludy

I also think that the St Francis is pretty tolerant of payload.

Of course - I would welcome comments and criticism fo any point I make

May I suggest that you work with the yard on making an accurate weight sheet, where all the weights and positions are worked in, to see how she should float. Also to give you a clear idea of where you are.

The sinkage or draught, and thereby the bridgedeck clearance will change with weight. You might want to move some of the heavier stuff to keep the boat in trim, or move a tank.

Then you might decide that you want a slightly taller mast with a larger roach to give you the light air performance you expect.

A simple Sil Area/Displacement calculation would give you a good enough indication, so you get the performance you experienced on the test sail.

Regards

Alan