There is a weight difference of about 10% (5kg) between the boats, and as most of the regular sedans can carry about 100kg on the roof there is no problem car toping a cat around 50 kg all included.
As to the construction, I think it’s really up to what material you prefer wood or foam. As the cats are rather small there is no significant difference in building costs, the foam maybe a little bit more expensive. The time to build is about the same, also depending on previous experience with the materials. If you want to build a round bilged hull the foam is the solution, the tortured ply is asking a lot more hours of work for the same result, with the foam there is almost no filler and sanding and filler and sanding...
An other advantage with the foam is that you need very few and simple tools.
No test with kids yet if I dosen't count <img src=
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Had to go out once more before painting. There was 15-20 knots of wind. This is a fast cat.
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W00T!
Good to see the hulls had enough volume. Grown man on one hull!
Was it tempted to nose-dive?
She is not prone to diving. Did dig in once, but that was asking for it. The DS 12 is diving faster.
It's sad that I don't have a rig for them both for the moment, it would be easier to compare, still I have the feeling that your cat is a little bit faster at least when it comes to max speed.
Interesting! I wouldn't expect that because the developed linesplan was only aiming for a forgiving boat to drive, not necessarily a fast boat.
How long till you get a second rig and on the race course?
The cat is both safe and forgiving, but in winds of +15 knots i'ts deffenetly alive.
As for the two boats together I will try my best, but honestly we soon start to think about Ice-boat sailing here...
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ncik,
does the design have a name yet? Have I missed it? Also do you have plans that can be issued to everyday builders or are they Gato specific at this stage?
No name yet. AN12, i12, Fuse, Sprint, BG12, Kitten...? Just some ideas.
The extent of the plans at the moment is basically a linesplan only. There is a 3d model of a half mould also, and some sketches of structure, but no construction plans. I would consider preparing plans if there was significant interest.
If somebody want to build one it can be done with the plans ncik already have and a little bit help from me
Decided to call the design the Tabby.
![[Linked Image]](http://www.gust.ax/gallery/f12/08-08-30/p8220010-640.jpg)
They are both really flattered and send you their best purrrrrr
Gato,
I was looking through the Tabby building blog on your website again and have a question: In our Blade F16 strip plank project, I spend a lot of time sanding the hulls after planking+gluing. A lot more than I would on a ply hull. How would you compare the outside fairing/sanding on the tabby before glassing to sanding/fairing your ply and strip plank projects (you did a fair bit of sanding on the mast, did you not)?
Did you do anything to make the foam planks get a tight and clean fit in the curves, or did you just fill them from the outside before sanding/fairing? We are planking with 4mm spruce strips, and use a plane to get a tight fit between planks. This also adds to the time spent building.
I think I said it somewhere already, the strip foam is the easiest and fastest way I have tried so far.
I user 15mm wide and 5mm thick strips all over and I did not glue them together at all they are hold together by the double faced tape in the moulds, then the inside is glassed and the frames and all the other details on the inside are coved and glassed before the epoxy has set. That saves already a lot of time and sanding.
As I use narrow strips (15mm) there is no need to make them fit together. The only tool used when putting the strips was a sharp knife.
When the hull halves comes out of the mould and are joined together it’s about 30 minutes of sanding to fair the outside. Then a layer of epoxy mixed with filler to seal the foam and the joints, and then the glass laminated directly to that. It took me five weekends to make the Tabby.
!!!
Surely that is with the strips already ripped and the mould set up? Still a great building time. You had the hull panels done in two weeks then! Makes me wonder about our choosen building method <img src="<>/smile.gif" alt="smile" title="smile" height="15" width="15" />
Thanks for the information!
Ripping the strips was done with a bandsaw and it took about half an hour/hull half.
I have been a wood enthusiast myself, but when it comes to modern designs I have changed my mind...
I will have to do a foam boat as well, just to test it against the woodies.
Why not a Tabby, I'm thinking of making a 14 feet version
If my youngest girl and Omars boy show any interest when they are 5-6, I'll ask Ncik for building plans!
I am into F16s, and possibly the F18 class if they get some class racing going here (which it looks like they will do). Going into a potential F14 class becomes a bit too much even for me 🙂
Or did was it a 16 footer you hinted about?
I was not thinking for racing purpose, just for having fun before you get the rest ready for sailing. I can tell you, it's great fun to have a cat of just 50kg that you can rig in no time and be on the water and sail in winds of +30 knots...
I see. Tempting.. But I fear that if I sidetrack I'll never finish the current project!
Well, that would make you save a lot of money and get you the time to go sailing <img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />
Oh, you are a nasty piece of work <img src="<>/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin" height="15" width="15" />