[PCW] trailerable MC-29 power cat

[motorcat]

This was taken at Dundarave, where there no break water protection  ,just
public dock (no overnight).

The location is subject to small swells even on a calm day since it is open
for 30 miles.

Mountains behind MC 29 in the picture are on small islands and Vancouver
Island -40/50 miles away.

Any object even bigger boats would b
roll b
 in those calm conditions.

Jerry Kostanski
MC 30 & 29 Designer
---- WiadomoED Oryginalna ----
Od: "Greg Schoenberg" <dene@ipns.com>
Do: "Power Catamaran List" <power-catamaran@lists.samurai.com>
Data: 9 wrzeEnia 2006 23:09
Temat: Re: [PCW] trailerable MC-29 power cat

> I had the same thoughts.  Did you notice how it rolled when it was being
> docked?
>
> Perhaps a wider beam is in order.
>
> Other than that, it is a nice looking boat.  If it's priced around 100k, it
> will likely give GB and C-Dory some serious competition.
>
> -Greg
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "D C *Mac* Macdonald" <k2gkk@hotmail.com>
> To: <power-catamaran@lists.samurai.com>
> Sent: Saturday, September 09, 2006 1:41 PM
> Subject: Re: [PCW] trailerable MC-29 power cat
>
>
> > Maybe it's my imagination (video is prett low resolution)
> > but the waves don't seem very big, but the boat seems
> > to be porpoising quite a big.  Also, there seems to be
> > quite a bit of roll when the boat is back in the harbor
> > toward the end of the video.
> >
> > One other thing to mention is that the URL is definitely
> > "case-sensitive."
> >
> >
> > D C "Mac" Macdonald
> > Grand Lake - Oklahoma
> > Potential "catter"
> >
> >
> > ----Original Message Follows----
> > From: rodgibbons@mindspring.com
> > Reply-To: rodgibbons@mindspring.com,Power Catamaran List
> > <power-catamaran@lists.samurai.com>
> > To: power-catamaran@lists.samurai.com
> > Subject: Re: [PCW] trailerable MC-29 power cat
> > Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2006 02:10:30 -0400 (EDT)
> >
> > (Bias Alert:  the following e-mail is from a catamaran dealer.  "Danger,
> > Will Robinson...Danger!")
> >
> > Occasionally a thread will appear here about trailerable power cats
> (Glacier
> > Bay, Twin-Vee, C-Dory, etc.)
> >
> > For those interested in that topic, I just received an e-mail from
Grahame
> > Shannon, Vancouver BC resident, and co-designer (with Jerzy Kostanski) of
> > the MC-29 trailerable power cat. He was writing to let me know a 3-minute
> > video of the MC-29 is now available at his web-site.
> >
> > The first MC-29 to arrive in North America was offloaded in Vancouver, BC
> > about 4 weeks ago (hull #12). The MC29 will have its formal North
American
> > debut at the Seattle Boats-Afloat show next week (9/13 thru 9/17), with
> > private seatrials available in the days right after the show. Grahame
will
> > be at the show to explain the merits of his design.
> >
> > For those who are unable to inspect the boat at that show, you may find
> > interest in seeing the short video at Grahame's web-site:
> >
> > www.aviadesign.com/MC29
> >
> > After the site opens on your screen, simply click on the word "video."
> >
> > I visited Vancouver 2 weeks ago, specifically to inspect and seatrial the
> > MC-29. For those interested in my evaluation of the boat -- pros and
> cons --
> > feel free to contact me off-line.
> >
> > Meanwhile, here are my primary observations.
> >
> > PRO:
> >
> > (1)  The finish and styling is the most appealing of any cats I've seen
> > under 30' in length. Probably 85% of the trailerable cats currently
> > available in the U.S. are, first and foremost, designed for fishing, with
> > actual cruising a distant (or even unaddressed) afterthought. This boat
is
> > ALL about cruising, yet one could certainly add "rocket launchers" or
> > "down-weight" trolling hardware and enjoy fishing from it, too.
> >
> > (2)  Performance is heavily weighted toward economic, longer distance
> > cruising. Top speed (with the 160 HP Volvo, or twin, 4-cycle outboards)
is
> > about 26 to 27 MPH. Economical cruising speed is about 18 to 21. (The
> Volvo
> > diesel burns 4+ GPH at 20 MPH.) Twin 4-cycle, 40 HP outboards cost less,
> > and, of course, give you less top speed, but even greater economy, with a
> > cruising speed of 12 to 14 MPH.
> >
> > (3)  I could easily imagine my girlfriend and me cruising aboard this
> pocket
> > cruiser for anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks. And the fine galley and head
> > design, plus large owner's berth, wouldn't make 3 months of coastal
> cruising
> > a struggle either.
> >
> > (4)  Ingenious inclusion of a fully private head with toilet, sink and
> > shower fixture, h/c pressure water, AND 6'4" headroom. What a MAJOR
> > difference from most other under-30 cats that often provide no more than
a
> > porta-potty and a flimsy curtain, calling that the "head area."
> >
> > (5)  Trailerable, so great for sneaking off to Florida to launch for a
> > Bahamas cruise...or down to the Sea of Cortez for a winter respite...or
up
> > to Bellingham and the San Juan Islands....or a New England coastal
cruise.
> >
> > (6)  Very comfortable owner's berth forward -- it's wider at one end than
> a
> > queen-size bed, plus surprising amount of storage room in that
> compartment.
> > Storage commodius enough for a pair of BIG duffle bags with room to
spare.
> >
> > (7)  Excellent headroom in the salon (about 6'5")
> >
> > (8)  Easily transited side decks, with good hand-holds, and a
surprisingly
> > well-designed anchor locker and anchor sprit.
> >
> > (9)  Without exception, this is the driest power cat I've ever been
> aboard.
> > It soon becomes obvious this is because the odd-looking nacelle (oddly
> > reminiscent of a "bull-frog's neck bulge") that's designed between the
> > exceptionally slender cat hulls, thus precluding ANY "sneezing"
> whatsoever.
> > I didn't see a single drop of spray on the windshield during 90-minutes
of
> > low-and-high speed maneuvering. Now THAT is unusual in a power cat.
> >
> >
> > CON:
> >
> > (1)  Speaking of windshields, this design looks great from the outside,
> but
> > inside I'd like to see a narrower post at either end of the windshield,
> port
> > and starboard -- not much, just another inch or so. And there is no wiper
> > system. For an upscale cruising boat like this, it would be nice if that
> > were standard. (Although the dry ride is noted above, and one can add
> > "drip-free" coating to the windshield like skiers use, to great success,
> on
> > their goggles.)
> >
> > (2)  This is highly subjective, but I'd not have bothered with keeping
the
> > beam to 8'6" for no-permit trailering. This isn't a boat that many
> American
> > owners are going to launch and retrieve each weekend -- too easy (yet
> > reasonably economical) to keep it berthed at a marina, ready to go.
> Instead,
> > I'd have liked a beam of 9'10" or so, thus still allowing for inexpensive
> > permit-capable trailering when occasionally desired, but thus always
> > providing an even roomier craft. Then again, the boat's European built,
> and
> > I believe they have more stringent rules over there regarding the
> trailering
> > of boats that exceed the MC-29's current beam.
> >
> > (3)  There's good visibility from the helm seat, but the spacious bench
> seat
> > isn't quite big enough for today's "average size" American couple to sit
> > there for an extended period. The boat wants a second raised seat, across
> > from (to the port of) the current helm seat, also facing forward. The
> > designers already have an option for that in mind, and it's something
that
> > would be good to see as standard.
> >
> > (4)  When seated at the surprisingly roomy dinette (easily seats 4
adults,
> > primarily because the designers wanted a convertible dinette that also
> would
> > make into a ROOMY double berth for guests, which it does), there is no
> > visibility out the sides of the salon. The admittedly large and pleasant
> > side ports don't extend low enough to afford visibility for those seated
> at
> > the dinette. But the designers have already come up with an additional
> > (probably optional, but if so, well worth it) side window for each side
of
> > the salon, which would immediately fix this situation.
> >
> > (5)  When I was aboard the boat there was a need for additional interior
> > handles for moving about when underway. This has since been taken care
of,
> > and I've seen photos of these added handholds; a good item, whether
> standard
> > or optional.
> >
> > (6)  This first-in-North-America model is equipped with a single,
> aft-center
> > mounted Volvo D-3, 160 HP inboard diesel. (as shown in the aforementioned
> > video)  Noise is acceptable in the salon, especially with the aft sliding
> > door closed. Plus the out-of-sight inboard installation makes for a clean
> > appearance at the rear of the boat. But given my druthers, I'd probably
> opt
> > for the twin, 4-cycle 60 HP outboards. Because they're mounted wide
apart,
> > they could only further enhance the already decent maneuvering
capability.
> > And the redundancy factor of twin engines is something I like. (But yes,
> > there's something to be said for diesel over gasoline, and for the much
> > larger alternator that a diesel engine includes, which affords much
better
> > battery charging.)
> >
> > (7)  The boat had too little fuel capacity. The D-3 is quite
fuel-miserly;
> > the boat gets nearly 5 MPG at 20 MPH, but the range is only about 120
> miles.
> > I'd like to see that doubled. I'm told that added (doubled) fuel capacity
> is
> > now available as an option, and may become standard. I'd definitely
> > recommend ordering that increased tankage.
> >
> > (8)  It's not fair to call the following a "con," but the motion aboard
> this
> > boat is a new sensation to me. Due to the boat's modest, trailerable
beam,
> > and the relatively narrow fore sections of the "amas," there is an
> > occasional, slight, side-to-side motion. Again, it encompasses only a few
> > degrees, and is neither uncomfortable nor offputting. And I may have
> noticed
> > it only because I'm so used to power cats where the beam often exceeds
> > one-half the length of the boat.
> >
> >
> > Overall observation? If I were seeking a trailerable cat for which most
> (or
> > even much) of my time were spent fishing, I'd get a Glacier Bay, or
> > Twin-Vee, or World Cat -- or one of their cousins -- that include
> > rod-holding compartments, slide-out drawers for lures and lines,
live-bait
> > wells, recessed/walk-around decks, etc. (Conversely, I wouldn't choose to
> > CRUISE for more than a couple days on ANY of those fishing-oriented
cats.)
> >
> > If you're seeking a truly comfortable under-30-feet cat, designed
> expressly
> > for extended cruising (tho' still fishing capable), this is one of the
few
> > cats for your very-short, final-selection list. The only other cat that
> > immediatley comes to mind for that list is the C-Dory. But the level of
> > finish, and the excellent ergonomics (2nd forward seat not withstanding)
> of
> > the MC-29 -- ergonomics including generous standing head room, large
> owner's
> > berth, very workable galley unit, ingenious private head compartment,
etc.
> > -- that combination of design and comfort is likely to make this new,
> > pocket-cruising cat a leading choice for would-be owners seeking an
> > under-30' power cat.
> >
> > And for those looking to "pimp their ride," the MC-29 offers an unusually
> > extensive luxury-options list (gensets, heating and air-conditioning,
> > electric anchor windlass, state-of-the-art electronics, etc.). In fact,
> the
> > list is more extensive than that available from some builders of larger
> cats
> > costing $100,000 to $200,000 more than the MC29. (Depending on the engine
> > package selected, the MC-29 starts at about $110K to $120K.)
> >
> > Check out Grahame's video. You'll see another unusual aspect of this
boat.
> > Until it's underway, you could easily confuse it for a monohull. Given
its
> > advantages over a monohull, you might say that makes the MC-29 a "wolf in
> > sheep's clothing."
> >
> > Rod Gibbons
> > founder:  Cruising Cats USA
> > Seattle - Portland - SF Bay - Hawaii
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