Where have all the Matrix 5.5 gone... In 1978/79 a new cat was born in Daytona Beach ... A boat way ahead of its time back then but heavy boats in today's age ....They produced 200 of them but no one even remembers them ..... If you have one or know someone that does give a shout .... If you know of parts or pieces that may be purchased please give a shout or a whole boat would be nice even a big project boat.
Any help would be awesome ...

--
Captain Alex Pandelos
2- Matrix 5.5 s And a Hobie 16
Daytona Beach , Florida
--

Alex,

Don't know if this is current;

http://www.mombu.com/spor…n-for-sale-13439871.html

*AJ*

--
AJ
Barefoot 12 Proa Outrigger
Coastal NC, USA
--

Sorry .... that link above appears to be from 2008 BUT ....

Here's one in Lakeland that might be a deal --

http://lakeland.craigslist.org/boa/3170341039.html

*AJ*



Edited by BadKitty on Aug 24, 2012 - 09:18 PM.

--
AJ
Barefoot 12 Proa Outrigger
Coastal NC, USA
--

beachsailor1

Where have all the Matrix 5.5 gone... In 1978/79 a new cat was born in Daytona Beach ... A boat way ahead of its time back then but heavy boats in today's age ....They produced 200 of them but no one even remembers them ..... If you have one or know someone that does give a shout .... If you know of parts or pieces that may be purchased please give a shout or a whole boat would be nice even a big project boat.
Any help would be awesome ...

Welcome to TheBeachcats.com, fans of the many classes of "extinct" beachcats are are always welcome. Do you have a Matrix now? Or just memories of them? We don't have much Matrix info here yet, but would love to collect more in the Matrix album in "Beachcats Identification" What do you remember about the design of the boat? Appears to have skegs instead of boards?

Tell us a little more about your sailing history and your area.

http://www.thebeachcats.c…ictures/?g2_itemId=89325



--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

How To Create Your Signature

How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar

How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
--

'78-'79 was a critical year in catamaran marketing. H-18 & P-18 hadn't been produced yet. Nacra 5.2's were making inroads. I was trying to establish Prindle in the midwest, Jack was pushing Sol Cat, and along came Matrix, an 18 with a skeg (who ever heard of skegs?). The builder was a fun (Jimmie Buffet type) guy, wish I could remember his name. He visited me in Detroit, but I didn't buy. Pete

That builder a long time resident of Daytona Beach where he built boats name is Buddy Bond ..... I believe he was the first to introduce skegs to a cat. i talked to him today and asked him to Sign up With The Beach Cats and maybe give us a history of his boat building.

--
Captain Alex Pandelos
2- Matrix 5.5 s And a Hobie 16
Daytona Beach , Florida
--

beachsailor1

i talked to him today and asked him to Sign up With The Beach Cats and maybe give us a history of his boat building.

That would be great! Love to hear directly from the ones involved in creating these beachcats.

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

How To Create Your Signature

How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar

How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
--

That would be amazing! I am really interested in some more historical perspectives and advice.

It would be really cool if we could get a few more of the small boatbuilders/chandleries/sailmakers to hang out here. I know most of us arent big racers and dont buy a lot of new boats but there is definitely a cottage industry in helping us keep our old boats going. Guys like pete, dan and presailed parts do a great job in getting us used parts at good prices, but there is a definite place for new parts guys.

I mean there are a number of those on Rick's site but i dont care to hang out there. The main reason i hang out here versus the Other cat forum/website is because i have no interest in racing or politics. There is no place for me and my old boats over there.

We can plug our favorites all we want but it would be nice if aps, murrays, new england cats, etc. Would spend a little time and knowledge over here. It would probably be worth thier while. Im going see if dave at nacra canada might be interested. He's building a new rotomolded playcat that looks like it has the potential to be a fast little cat for the cottage.

--
Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
--

beachsailor1

Where have all the Matrix 5.5 gone... In 1978/79 a new cat was born in Daytona Beach ... A boat way ahead of its time back then but heavy boats in today's age ....They produced 200 of them but no one even remembers them ..... If you have one or know someone that does give a shout .... If you know of parts or pieces that may be purchased please give a shout or a whole boat would be nice even a big project boat.
Any help would be awesome ...

I appear to be one of the "fortunates" to have run a Matrix for twenty years!

Mine looks like the above photograph, but being one of the last made—instead—it has two five-foot mahogany daggerboards and no skegs. The hulls are surprisingly thin, but I've walked across them. Entirely epoxy?

This Matrix last saw salt water back in Tampa, Florida, with the former owner, who sold it to me in Miami exactly 20 years ago. I'll be selling it from a freshwater lake in Sebring, Florida in about ten days. (863) 699-5725, when the landline phone gets taken off "vacation-mode".


I'm turning 70 next week, and no longer "nimble" enough to handle the three cats I once owned concurrently. My Hobie 18 SX and Tornado 20 were sold out of Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire: neither compare to the Matrix. Remaining are only a Tornado roller-jib—and two of my "round-top" Tornado sails—listed here in "Classified". One has a World-Olympics inspection stamp. Montreal?

The Matrix outdid them both for a scary-fast ride... ...I had to bolt the Prindle 18 rudders down! (Prindle 18 rudders are standard with the Matrix.) No issues with the mainsail halyard "latching". All around, the Matrix is a great "system".

It could be sailed away, but needs paint desperately and one small puncture repaired above the waterline. Three sails: one standard mainsail, a working jib and a genny.

(You'll only want to use the genny). ;)

(Hat-tip to Mary and John).

Hey Bob, welcome to TheBeachcats.com and thanks for joining this topic.

Would you happen to have any good pictures of your Matrix rigged and sailing from your 20 years? It would be nice to have some detail shots of the boat for the Matrix album at
http://www.thebeachcats.c…ictures/?g2_itemId=89325

Any chance you have any Matrix literature like assembly manuals or sales material?

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

How To Create Your Signature

How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar

How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
--

Sailor Bob. not sure what you have been sailing the last twenty years but i do not believe it is a Matrix but so much of what you say seems like a Matrix ... the hulls are super strong and you could easily walk across them.second out of all the cats i have ever sailed the fastest has been on one of my Matrix 5.5s in winds of 25 with six adults but it was far from scary and we have sailed them in 35 mph winds. The beach patrol has told us quite a few times " you know there is a wind advisory" and we would say "yup thats why we are here". They made 200 of the Matrix 5.5s and all were made with skegs . that was the reason they were designed and made was to not have boards ... i asked Buddy Bond who designed and built the boats and he said no boats were built without the skegs. I am not saying someone could not have made a change to it but it did not leave the factory that way and would not have been a matrix. also even though the prindle rudders are great on these boats they had their own system and i even know the man that made the housings here in Daytona. I have changed both my boats to the prindle system because they are a longer cutting blade that is easy to come by parts but we made a mold for the blades so we could make them stronger. Believe me Sailor Bob i would love to see your boat and even sail on her because she sounds like my kind of fast strong fun. you say you are seventy years old and i wish you many more years of sailing and by the way a close friend that died at 84 a man from daytona named Gaulden Reed who owned the first Hobie here in town that was delivered by Hobie Alter himself sailed one of my Matrix's four months before he died and for his memorial we sailed the same boat in memory of him ... six boats were there but we were the only ones that sailed because of high seas and a very windy day .... Good sailing to you when you get here to Florida. If you get tyo Daytona give us a call and stop by the beach house for a true Matrix ride 386-214-8153....[/img]

--
Captain Alex Pandelos
2- Matrix 5.5 s And a Hobie 16
Daytona Beach , Florida
--

beachsailor1

Sailor Bob. not sure what you have been sailing the last twenty years but i do not believe it is a Matrix

Thanks for your reply.

If it's not a Matrix, I apologize.

I would like to correct my assumption, but "Matrix" is what I was advised upon buying it. At the time, the name "Matrix" was new to me—and make that 30 years, not 20. (Twenty was for the Tornado).

Another sailor called it a "Class A catamaran", but what do I know?

I hope you don't have to turn your screen, as Photobucket wants these two pictures upside-down, but maybe I've fixed that.

What do I have?

Sailor bob , Wow I don't know what she is but I sure like her Lines ( the way she looks) now I want to do some searching just to find out ,,, pics are good but when you get down take a shot of the sides and top of hulls and we will find the answer I am sure.... As we know a lot of boats came out of the seventies and eighties and we never saw them all ... That's a big reason I love this site for history and discussion "way to go Beachcats"

--
Captain Alex Pandelos
2- Matrix 5.5 s And a Hobie 16
Daytona Beach , Florida
--

When I say "scary-fast", it was a result of a flat terrain surrounding the lake—a huge jib—and a strong wind off a wave-free shoreline. I would've had no trouble passing a Tornado, which was said to achieve 30-MPH. As I mentioned above, the rudders couldn't be adjusted to stay down.

This photo shows the same reverse-sheerline as Matrix. The four inspection ports are in different places, and your archived photos show Matrix hulls appearing narrower. (...and a "trailerable" 8' wide—whereas my boat has a 10' beam...!) My decks are only 3/32" thick, which makes me think it's constructed of epoxy, and not the more common polyester, such as used in construction of my Hobie 18SX.



The style of the "plumb" bow is different at the waterline, but my information was that Matrix hulls had the skeg eliminated in a very few examples; hence, the 5'-long daggerboards.

Could this have been an import? The halyards are wire—there is no "Aussie-hook" to mess up—and the hardware is Ronstan (Australian-made), if that's a help.



Edited by sailor-bob on Oct 05, 2012 - 03:08 AM.

if someone said it was an a-cat

it might be worth checking if it's 18' long, really light and single trapeze

proper a-cats don't have jibs and of that age were often/usually? made of plywood. but could be any of 100? designs...

it looks like the daggers may be mahogany? what about the rudders? if also wooden it could be a converted A class catamaran, maybe even a tapering, bendy, alloy mast? from someone like ronstan?

a lot of past and present A cat gear comes out of australia



Edited by erice on Oct 05, 2012 - 05:22 AM.

I never look at where the parts are made on a boat for searching a boats maker... I bought my second Matrix from a man in Miami years ago after seeing an add in the boat trader which described the Matrix as a rare British import .... When asking the seller how he came up with British import he stated the forward hull caps were stamped with made in England ... I got a laugh out of it and a great deal .... My guess On what you have ... it is a modified a-cat you have with an upgrade of the Prindle rudders... I still love her looks and could use that 10 foot wide body on her ... I just love a big girl under me when it gets rough on the high seas... Once again when you get to Florida send a couple more pics please or give an invite to an interested cat sailor

--
Captain Alex Pandelos
2- Matrix 5.5 s And a Hobie 16
Daytona Beach , Florida
--

This cat is advertised as a Tornado-clone in the Ft. Myers area of Florida.(Craigslist--$850)

Photos will follow after I remove some invasive vines!

For a few days, I'll be back in Sebring, FL, where this cat is stored. I'll take more photos and send them on. It's still for sale--until this weekend--with a mainsail, one "working" jib and one big Gennie. The hull is fiberglass or epoxy. The daggerboards are mahogany. Leave your e-mail address at my cellphone: (305) 600-9919.

sailor-bob

For a few days, I'll be back in Sebring, FL, where this cat is stored. I'll take more photos and send them on. It's still for sale--until this weekend--with a mainsail, one "working" jib and one big Gennie. The hull is fiberglass or epoxy. The daggerboards are mahogany. Leave your e-mail address at my cellphone: (305) 600-9919.

Bob,

Could your boat be a 18 Square with a jib added? The wide beam is unusual, kind of narrows down the possibilities since that is an unlikely modification for other cats. The mahogany boards could have been home built as replacements.

The factory Nacra 18 Square had 11 foot beam, but 18 sqr's were a development class and could use any beam they wanted.


--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

How To Create Your Signature

How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar

How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
--

I just love a big girl under me when it gets rough

really Alex, what's Red think about that??????????

[quote=DamonLinkous]
Bob,

Quote

"...Could your boat be a 18 Square with a jib added...?"

The bow entry is different; however, there are similarities. The first thing that caught my eye was the way in which the cross beams are "melded" to the hulls. The aft inspection ports are in the same place. My transoms are slightly concave. My sail number is 69, so it's an early example of a likely low-production cat.

Looking around some more, someone suggested an "Alpha-Cat"—but the link doesn't want to appear on my computer. (Cannot find server). Maybe someone can make it appear here:



The two halyards are internal within the mast. There is no HIN number (showing). In the many years that I "drove" it solo, the extra beam is translated into awesome speed, and never—ever—came close to capsizing. Now, trying to alter one's heading was another matter entirely! Of the three cats I owned concurrently, this is the one I wish had brakes!

The boards are "working" at those speeds. The daggerboard trunks stand up about two iinches above the deck, and also made of a very thin material, suggestive of the epoxy I think the hulls are made of.

Like my Tornado, and unlike my H18, this boat is very light.

Alas, I've left myself too little time to show it this weekend, but I'll be back in September—and maybe have a better handle regarding its manufacturer.

From a letter I just found from 2008, now I'm advised it's a J-Cat!

OK, I'm satisfied mine's not a "Matrix". '...back as "sailor-robert", after an hour of fooling with log-ins... 'Just spoke yesterday with a potential owner who'd had the same experience!

Anyway, I just finished reading designer Alex' documenting the Matrix design. Funny, how we both grew up in Hawaii, perhaps surfing with wooden surfboards!

This still seems the best site to uncover the manufacturer of my boat. Every photo I have can be seen here:
http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/boa/4099818105.html

sailor-bob

From a letter I just found from 2008, now I'm advised it's a J-Cat!

OK, why is my new user name not registering in the advertising section?

I'd like to renew my ad here.

???

DamonLinkous

sailor-robert

For a few days, I'll be back in Sebring, FL, where this cat is stored. I'll take more photos and send them on. It's still for sale with a mainsail, one "working jib" and one big Gennie. The hull is fiberglass or epoxy. The daggerboards are mahogany. Leave your e-mail address at my cellphone: (305) 600-9919—or call (863) 699-5725.

Bob,

Could your boat be a 18 Square with a jib added? The wide beam is unusual, kind of narrows down the possibilities since that is an unlikely modification for other cats. The mahogany boards could have been home built as replacements.

This Cat, whatever it is, appears "production" in every regard. The 'boards are carefully streamlined from "edge-to-edge".

I still expect to be in Sebring until Oct 15th—then return sometime in May, 2014.

Bring a trailer!

sailor-robert

OK, why is my new user name not registering in the advertising section?

I'd like to renew my ad here.

???

sailor-bob has an ad running but sailor-robert does not, you wouldn't want sailor-robert messing with ads by sailor-bob right?

sailor-bob has one active ad.
http://www.thebeachcats.c…26quot-3b-mainsails.html

Which username do you want to use? I can clean this up so you only have one account.

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

How To Create Your Signature

How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar

How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
--

Thanks for the reply...



Let's go with sailor-robert, as my old name (sailor-bob) could be from 10-or-more years ago from an outdated e-mail provider.

Since this topic is actually about the Matrix 5.5 I've updated the Matrix Identification album with some better/larger pics.
http://www.thebeachcats.c…ictures/?g2_itemId=89325



--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

How To Create Your Signature

How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar

How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
--

There is another one of these currently on eBay.

http://bit.ly/17RkLCy

--
Greenville SC

Offering sails and other go fast parts for A-class catamarans
--

The one on eBay is advertised as an Aqua Cat but it appears to be an Alpha Cat 18. See the bar between the hulls just behind the bows and the sail logo. Although the sail logo appears to be either CL or OL and I'm not sure how you get Alpha Cat out of that.

But the Alpha Cat 18 was 10 feet wide and there was also an Alpha Cat 15.
http://www.thebeachcats.c…ictures/?g2_itemId=62011



--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

How To Create Your Signature

How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar

How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
--

OK, I found that the logo that I thought looked like a CL or OL is actually a stylized lower case a.

http://sailboatdata.com/v…record.asp?class_id=6835



--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

How To Create Your Signature

How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar

How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
--

DamonLinkous

Since this topic is actually about the Matrix 5.5 I've updated the Matrix Identification album with some better/larger pics.

Would the original Matrix hulls have been infused with a solid maroon-color resin—inside and out?

...continued...

(Maroon, like my "Unknown-make" catamaran, which was sold to me as an one example of seven daggerboard models manufactured by the Matrix people).
_________________________

Today, just found a photo taken of my cat—straight-on from the bow.

Anyone recognize a similar profile—elsewhere—in the Universe of catamarans?

Hi, I'm new here, haven't sailed in 20+ years, but was poking around looking for info on the Matrix.
I had 2 of them in the early 80s, one I purchased after it had been "axe murdered" in some sort of deal gone wrong $400 with a galvanized trailer. Less than $100 got it seaworthy. The second one, I bought 2 hull skins from Buddy and finished them off myself. Gave it an 8½' beam and put NACRA 5.2 sails on it. Both were great boats, smooth and fast.

There was a guy in Ormond, Fred Zimmer who did a bit of experimentation with his. He worked at a ride concession on the beach. He took his own Matrix and cut off the skegs and did some other modifications.

I had back issues and eventually sold the Matrix and got a Dart which was light and easier to sail, especially singlehanded, but I really enjoyed the Matrix more.

I'll look through my photos and try to get some up. I may still have a sales brochure. If I find it, I'll scan it.

Here's a pic from 80 or 81 from the local newspaper.
Thanks for the memories!

I had a 1979 Matrix - the only cat I ever owned and sailed it in mostly at Lake Conroe near Houston. Did see some use on gulf bays and several other lakes in TX and AR. At the time, the wife & I were fearless (dumb) and lived for the storms coming across Lake Conroe. Big wind, big waves, big lightning - no sense at all. That boat could handle it. Turtled it several times before someone said "the mast rivet holes and anywhere water can get in need to be filled with silicone". Much more fun when you get blown over and don't have to get a power boat to right you. I did break a mast at the spreader and a rudder about halfway up from bottom. The pith-like fiber fill had no strength - relied on the glass covering. I can't remember how I fixed it; but it was something close to a whole remake. Put a new main on it and sailed it a few more years - wish I had kept it longer - sold it in the mid-80's. Really loved the look of the hulls and no DBs to deal with. Used to trailer it to a marina that had their entire waterfront peninsula (probably 1000') concreted into a boat ramp shape. We could launch and leave the trailer in the water, sail as much as we wanted, and sail it right back up on the trailer. A lot of fun and no gas expense. I don't think I have any pics of it though.

rbarlow

I had a 1979 Matrix - the only cat I ever owned and sailed it in mostly at Lake Conroe near Houston. ...

Hello rbarlow, Welcome to TheBeachcats.com! Time to get back into beachcat sailing.

If you ever come across pictures of your Matrix, please share them here.

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

How To Create Your Signature

How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar

How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
--