I am looking at an 81 G-Cat 5.0 locally. It has been sitting out side for a few years and it is in fair condition. It has been posting for a while and I noticed that from the posted pictures to what I have taken in person, it looks like the wind lifted it up causing three holes in the hulls that were repaired and a bent support on the trailer. As I said, it is in fair condition and needs some love. Things I noticed was that the front tramp was bad an needed replaced and probably needs the aft one replaced two. The standing rigging looks good while it will need new running rigging. The sails have some small holes in them. The trailer hasn't moved in a while and there is no title to it. Last year he was asking $1500 for it and now he is asking $499. I have some previous cat sailing experience when I was young and have signed up for the local sailing school. I like the ideal of the dual tramps for my kids to come with me. I have looked at single hulls but keep coming back to cats due to how much fun they are. See pictures and let me know what you think. Should I pursue or run away. Let me know if you have any questions and thanks for your thoughts! I don't know how to attach pictures to posts yet so I have posted them in a personal album for you to review. Thanks again.

Put the running rigging in the washing machine. A complete 5.0 G Cat with brand new front & rear tramps for $1049. I'd hate to try to sell you life insurance ! Pete

I’m a big fan of Gcats, have a 5.7. That square hole filled with foam makes me nervous, but can’t tell where it is. It will be hard to find used sails and other spare parts for it. Looks like the starboard hull may be rubbing on the wheel fender of the trailer, you’ll have to get up under there to look. The one transom photo I can’t tell if it’s gelcoat cracking or glass. If it’s glass it will need attention.

Not trying to deter you, short answer is they are great little boats that are not super easy to find and I don’t think you can go wrong at that price point.



Edited by jalex on Apr 07, 2019 - 08:13 PM.

You need to know what you're getting into. This boat needs a complete renovation and hull repairs. If you know how to work with epoxy and fiberglass repairs, marine coating and rigging, and have the patience and experience to rig the boat and the passion to see the project through, you have a shot. Sails and a tramp is going to run $2K. In my opinion, you're in over your head, and spending more on a boat in good condition is a better deal. Take a look at the classifieds on this site for cats under $2K. They are a better deal with a little more money up-front.



Edited by tominpa on Apr 07, 2019 - 08:43 PM.

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Tom
NACRA 5.7 (1984 Sail 181)
Pennsylvania
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I own a G-Cat 5.0. Great boat. May need beach wheels if you're in sand alot as those hulls are sharp on the bottom and dig deep into sand when pulling boat out of water. Other than that no complaints. Spare parts are hard to find but do pop up time to time. Theres aftermarket tramps and sails still in production that aren't crazy expensive.

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Tim Grover
1996 Hobie Miracle 20
Two Hobie 14's
1983 G-Cat Restored
Memphis TN / North Mississippi
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Sorry. Looks like a disastrous money pit.... Also g-cats are notorious for hull-deck joint issues. The glue they used goes brittle. Check for cracks. Many have 2-foot long cracks all up and down the joint that cannot be permanently repaired. You are going to put 2k into that boat before you know it and not be much further ahead. 2k can buy a hell of a nice boat if you look around.

For hull deck joint , repairs, turn hulls upside down, buy plastic syringes from West Marine and inject west epoxy into cracks. Use all your vice grips and clamps (10 or more), then move on. Easy fix ! Pete

I have heard about Gcat decks as well but not yet had any issues. Do you think it could be that all the crossbeams and shroud anchors are attached to the deck lip so constantly pulling up on the deck?

I replaced my shroud anchors with some longer ones to disperse the weight, on the recommendation of BradinJax from this site. Not sure if I will do it to the crossbar hardware as at least it is spread over 2 deck lips and not one

sounds like it needs a LoT of work
do you require a titled trailer ?

I would pass unless you want a large project

I'm newer to the board as well and got back into sailing after a 20 year lapse. I bought a Dart 18 that was ready to go from someone well-respected in our local sailing community. Even with a well maintained boat, I have still found myself putting money into it and the trailer. Over 2 years (I think that's when I bought it):

replaced both trailer tires
rewired trailer
repaired main (my fault)
added a righting line
replaced jib blocks
replaced mainsheet line
replaced jib sheet line

When the wind dies down here closer to the summer, I need to take the boat apart to replaced my traveler wheels and some sail slugs that are used on my boat to tie off the tramp. Since the boat will be apart, I plan to check the bottom to see if I need to do any fiberglass/gelcote repair.

The moral to my story is that I'm doing/have done all of this with a ready to go boat and I've got literally decades of sailing and catamaran experience at my disposal where I sail out of. As others have put it more eloquently, if you want a long term project, that's a great boat at the price. If you want to sail, I'd pass for something in better shape.

Dana

P.S. If you have the means available and you have storage that you don't have to pay for, you might consider grabbing it for $500 and working on it while you sail something else. But then you would have a catamaran fleet, which might be more than you want to get into. Good luck!

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Dana, Holly, Emma & Hannah

LJ/Stu's Dart 18 (Sold! :( )
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Hi Bajarider.

I am a huge fan of G-Cats also. Their dry ride and boardless design with front trampoline make them a unique sailing experience. However.....

I define a "good deal" catamaran as one that is both inexpensive and at least close to ready to go. Yours is just inexpensive. In short...run!

There are plenty of inexpensive and good condition boats around especially if you live near a sailing hotspot like West Coast, Florida or Texas. It may be worth your time to travel a bit.

Please look at the for sale list on this site. I see plenty of good deals on there.

Enjoy,

Brad

Pass. Too many other great boats for the same price or a bit more. If you want a project, a big project, then so be it. From my experience, what you’ve found wrong is probably only 50% of it. Once you get in there and start working, you’ll find more. Guaranteed.

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Joshua

Texas Gulf Coast
'82 Prindle 16 (Badfish)
'02 Hobie Wave (Unnamed Project)
‘87 Hobie 18 (Sold)
‘89 Hobie 17 (ill-advised project boat, Sold)
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