Looking for advice about a Supercat 17
I've had limited experience with cats and was looking for something easy to singlehand when I found a good deal on a Supercat 17.
From what I have read, they are great boats an can be efficiently handled by one person.
Please let me know your thoughts on sailing these solo.

Thanks!

I sail with a husband and wife couple... they each have a SC17 - GREAT BOAT
can be single - handled or sailed with crew
no boom, no boards make it a great starter boat, but also performs well
mast is very heavy
VERY WET BOAT - crew and skipper have a good chance at being wet

I have a Supercat 17 that I really like. I don't single hand it though, I'm usually out with a kid or two but they are 12 or under. It's the only cat I've owned but I am quite happy with it and I find that support from Aquarius is fantastic.

--
Cranbrook, BC, Canada
SuperCat 17
--

Awesome boat. one of the fastest boardless cats around. Very forgiving and not prone to pitchtpoling. Is a handfull on the beach alone though.



Edited by dichtbijzee on Feb 26, 2013 - 10:12 AM.

--
Stefan, Denmark.
H14,H16,P16,P18,SC17,N5.8
Team StaySail
http://www.staysail.eu
--

I've got a SC17 I'm redoing right now. I can tell you that Aquarius, make the new version of it, are great to deal with. You can get anything you need for the boat from them, and they will take time to talk you through what you need.

--
Mac
Midlands South Carolina
AHPC Viper USA 366
A Cat USA 366
Super Cat 17
--

dichtbijzee

Is a handfull on the beach alone though.Edited by dichtbijzee on Feb 26, 2013 - 10:12 AM.

True. Very heavy cat and super heavy mast for a 17' but if you use beach wheels and get hand from someone pinning (or unpinning) the mast, it's not to bad.

can be self stepped but tricky. we sailed with a guy who self stepped his SC19 all the time.. but it was scary to be around.

17 and 19 have same mast except that the 19 has diamond wires. I think the 19XL has a taller mast 33'

--
Mac
Midlands South Carolina
AHPC Viper USA 366
A Cat USA 366
Super Cat 17
--

Thanks for all your help! I'm really looking forward to it.
I will be launching from a trailer, so dragging it up a beach isn't much of a concern.

I am concerned about righting after a spill though.
The Supercats are supposed to have flotation in the masts to prevent turtling,
Which is probably what makes them so heavy.

Any, suggestions for a quick way to right the boat?
Murray's has a righting pole that straps underneath, has anyone used one of these?

Thanks!

SC's have righting levers on the shrouds that aid in righting the boats. They say a 160lb person can write the boat. When the boat goes over you pull some pins and the shroud extends and uses the weight of the hull to right the boat. I ve electronic copies of the owners manual and illustrated parts list if you want them. PM your email address and I can forward then to you. You can also browse info on the SC's at http://owners.aquarius-sail.com/phpBB3/

Where are you located by the way?

This is what the shroud extenders used for righting look like. Note that the jumper wire isn't in the correct location.



--
Mac
Midlands South Carolina
AHPC Viper USA 366
A Cat USA 366
Super Cat 17
--

I sail with a very good all around sailor and mariner who is about 200lbs. He pushes his SC17 VERY hard and consequently, capsized fairly often. I have seen at least 1/2 dozen capsized by him and have never seen him able to right the boat solo.

I personally was able to right his boat solo for him one time, but i would recommend you carry a righting bag at all times (or a righting pole may work)

Quote

C's have righting levers on the shrouds that aid in righting the boats. They say a 160lb person can write the boat. When the boat goes over you pull some pins and the shroud extends and uses the weight of the hull to right the boat.

He couldn't right the boat even with the shrouds extended all the way, both pins? I'm sure ill be trying it soon! Never had to use them on the SC20 I had so my info comes from reading and what I've heard from others.

--
Mac
Midlands South Carolina
AHPC Viper USA 366
A Cat USA 366
Super Cat 17
--

shroud extenders, fully deployed
I have seen him struggle many times..

I have been on a SC19 through a few capsizes ... much more fun when it's not your boat

Supercats are easily righted solo (15,17,19,20) How do I know? I have done it, as have others in our 'non-club.' You need to 'know the sequence' and how and why the shroud extenders work. I have righted my 19 SOLO in about 3 minutes, piece of cake. We have two 15's (soon to be three), three 19's and one 20 in our 'non club.' We love em! I have also witnessed a woman in our club right both the 15 and the 19 SOLO!! (not at the same time, of course)

Legend has it that Bill Roberts the designer of the Supercat series has righted the ARC 27 SOLO WITHOUT a righting bag. So read up and figure it out, the extenders work and they work well.

--
'life is too short to drink cheap beer'
--

1st misconception.......... never deploy both extenders, not necessary
2nd............. the mast floats because it is sealed and has a ton of buoyancy due to the section size, there is nothing but air in the mast.

3rd............ never sail without the captive pin at the bottom of the mast or the mast will disconnect from the mast ball when the shroud is in the extended position.

When the top or high hull shroud lever is opened and the shroud pin is pulled, the mast flops downwards, the high hull is then easily pulled over and past the CG (center of gravity). The boat nearly rights herself after that. I have pulled her back onto her feet while my body was completely in the water, simply by pulling on the righting line.

Once righted the mast is at a crazy angle, top of the mast is downwind. (this occurs naturally) Gybe the boat around to fill the sail on the side with the shroud still secured, this automatically stands the mast back to vertical. Two choices now, if a beach is nearby, sail on this tack to the beach and re-secure the flopping shroud. The second option is more difficult when solo but doable. Furl the jib, point up nearly head to wind, move to the the loosened shroud and re-secure while flogging the main. You have to work fast or the main will back wind and the mast will flop back to the slack position. I carry a 'down and dirty' connector to re-make this joint faster than I can re-pin the shroud.

Supercat sailors contact me if you need more info

--
'life is too short to drink cheap beer'
--

Would it not be possible, If you sailed solo in high winds a lot, to add a small pulley/cleat with a 5' or so line with a stopper knot on each side, to the stays where after you righted the boat, you could pull hard and cleat off the windward stay reasonably tight from anywhere on the boat -once upwind- within a few mins? There's small dia static line with many 100's lbs strength that might do and be easy to add..

Quote

you could pull hard and cleat off the windward stay reasonably tight from anywhere on the boat -once upwind- within a few mins?

i can't understand what you mean or what is the purpose of this line?

Once the pin is pulled, the mast at a crazy angle and after you've righted and gotten back on board, i was thinking of a pulley with some line to pull the slack out the now very loose side stay. Worst case scenario the mast will be straight up allowing you to get to a beach ect to re pin and tension the rigging back up without having to worry about a super slack side stay

The Supercat uses a Hayfield lever--you pull down on the trapeze line to pull the mast over and flip the lever with the other had. VERY easy and quick. I have never felt like I needed any other strings to pull for righting.

Quote

allowing you to get to a beach ect to re pin and tension the rigging back up without having to worry about a super slack side stay

as Dan said, not needed to re-attach the pin on the fly

my original thought was ... a thin line of high modulus line (dynema, vectran, etc) strung across the deck would be un-needed clutter and a safety hazard (cheese cutter)

Re-attaching the sidestay, and re-setting the Hyfield are two distinctly different actions and operations. Putting a quick pin back through three wildly gyrating holes that have to be in perfect alignment, in 3 foot seas is no easy task. The action of the masthead whether you are on the wire or not, makes this a real challenge.

Re-setting the Hyfield is child's play once the shroud is back in place.

--
'life is too short to drink cheap beer'
--

And yes you do have to re-attach the pin, on the fly or on the beach, one or the other.

--
'life is too short to drink cheap beer'
--