[PUP] suitable boats: power cats

[Scott E. Bulger]

Isn't it interesting that the commercial market is ripe with cats?  Amazing,
astounding, unimaginable!  Oh, wait a moment, could it be that two
significant factors come to play that influence this dramatically?  Could it
be that the passenger carrying capacity of a cat in combination with the
fact the mooring arrangements are part of the business combine to make this
a wonderful application of the technology?  Does that then mean these are
the perfect platforms for the cruising couple?  No, sorry Rod, apples and
oranges.  One order of "huevos rancheros" please  :)  Note the smiley face,
I'm trying to be funny!

Also, to the best of my knowledge the Nordhavn 35 is far from a "recent"
design.  I don't know when you met Jeff Leishman (the design half of the
brothers), I assume that's who your referring to, but it must have been some
number of years ago if they were talking about the 35 as recent.  And by the
way, one of the major reasons the product didn't meet the design goal was
the fiberglass lay-up was so heavy the boat wouldn't plane.  They had so
much business in the traditional trawler space they went back to filling the
demand for that product area and have since brought at least 5 new models to
the market.  As interested in cats as he may have been, sounds like there
was more business to chase in the traditional markets?

Your observations about the current state of design in cats are very good,
and affirms much of what makes me say "cats suck".  A cat, built as you
describe, is something I'd take a good hard look at.  At that point, it's
livable, the seakeeping attributes would start to provide compelling
attention.

Oh, you missed a key factor related to early PC's and Lotus123.  The PC and
Lotus123 didn't do anything that Visicalc on an Apple II couldn't have done.
It was the combination of the PC, Lotus123 and the Hercules Graphics Card
invented by Van Suwannukul that propelled PC's onto the desktops of every
accounting manager in corporate America.  That was the Genie coming out of
the bottle.

Perhaps there is a golden age of cats on the horizon?  Maybe they are the be
all end all answer to every problem faced by the seagoing couple?  But
answer this for me:  It seems the primary advantage of the cat is two slim
hulls are joined together to deliver a stable wave piercing platform,
improving pitch and being more easily driven through the water.  If
stability and performance could be delivered in a slim wave piercing
monohull design, wouldn't several key advantages be realized?  Wouldn't
production costs be decreased because of dramatically less labor and
materials to build one hull versus two?  Isn't it possible that Dashew and
Bruce Jones are on a much more cost effective path for the cruising couple?
Again, if you want to put 10 or 20 people on a boat, I agree a cat will win
hands down, but 80% of the cruising population I've seen are a couple or two
on extended voyages.  Just a though.

By the way, I love huevos rancheros, and occasionally some gets on my face,
my lap, my shirt, where ever.  This forum is a place to put our thoughts out
and have people either agree, disagree or ignore them.  I don't know why I
sit here and do this?  Perhaps because I hope it keeps me thinking and
active so I don't enter my retirement years with nothing occupying my mind?
Regardless, I do admire the fact you are out there championing a cause you
believe in passionately.  I'm certain your customers love their cats!  I
loved my Camano, I think it's THE perfect first boat (it's still for sale
and I lowered the price!).  I hope everyone reading my posts realizes
sometimes I say stuff just to stir the pot.  If I offended anyone by saying
cats suck, well grow a pair.  People call my Nordhavn fat and it doesn't
bother me, I wrote the check, you can call it anything you like, I LOVE it!
Take care, get out there and DO it!

Scott Bulger, Alanui, N40II, Seattle WA