janeh
Well-Known Member
Merci for opinions.
Will be a while contemplating this. Looks like earning more is the way to go.
Tra La
Will be a while contemplating this. Looks like earning more is the way to go.
Tra La
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which cat to build?
- Thread starter janeh
- Start date
AlumCat
New Member
I'm just about to start building an aluminium cat. I've already built a 37 ft. aluminium monohull, which I am sailing at the moment.
I looked into various options, Wharrams, Prouts, Shuttleworth, & all around the world on the net. But I wanted an aluminium cat. & nobody wanted to alter their designs to suit aluminium.
I did find somebody, from Australia, who sold me some of his plans, he builds them himself & sails & sells them around the world. I was in Brisbane in April & saw a couple of his cats being built, which decided me to buy his plans.
I am at the moment converting his design to be built on the CAD / CAM principle. I will build the complete structure as a skeleton shape, slotting in backbone, ribs, 'T' stringers etc. All on a welding frame, then weld on the outer sheets etc.
The weight is comparable to a similar plastic cat.
The design is for a fast blue water cruising cat. The length is 48 ft. X 24 ft wide.
I am an engineer mostly in metal work, so I know where I am with aluminium, but know nothing about fibreglass.
I would say forget about wood, composites etc, & go with aluminium, from my experience with my monohull you can't beat it for strength.
If you want to talk to me look me up on the web "birchleyproducts"
I looked into various options, Wharrams, Prouts, Shuttleworth, & all around the world on the net. But I wanted an aluminium cat. & nobody wanted to alter their designs to suit aluminium.
I did find somebody, from Australia, who sold me some of his plans, he builds them himself & sails & sells them around the world. I was in Brisbane in April & saw a couple of his cats being built, which decided me to buy his plans.
I am at the moment converting his design to be built on the CAD / CAM principle. I will build the complete structure as a skeleton shape, slotting in backbone, ribs, 'T' stringers etc. All on a welding frame, then weld on the outer sheets etc.
The weight is comparable to a similar plastic cat.
The design is for a fast blue water cruising cat. The length is 48 ft. X 24 ft wide.
I am an engineer mostly in metal work, so I know where I am with aluminium, but know nothing about fibreglass.
I would say forget about wood, composites etc, & go with aluminium, from my experience with my monohull you can't beat it for strength.
If you want to talk to me look me up on the web "birchleyproducts"
David_Jersey
Well-Known Member
I have trouble assembling a flat pack so will never be boat building - although I love the idea.
to OP, why not build a smaller Wharram somewhere warm (Caribbean?) and keep her their. Use a deck tent for accomadation and maybe a haul out into the safety of someone's chicken farm come Hurricane season? I only mention it cos' I caught some cool Youtube of a 21 foot Wharram.....but for me that would only work somewhere warm. and island hoping (picking the weather /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif).......could keep a couple dotted around the world and commute by Jumbo Jet /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Karnian,
[ QUOTE ]
The weight is comparable to a similar plastic cat.
[/ QUOTE ]
I was kinda curious previously about why more sailing cats are not made from Aluminium, as the Cats nowadays seem to go for cored GRP below the waterline (for the weight / strength trade off).
To my (admittedly luddite and non-technical) mind /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif this is less attractive than Aluminium due to relying on the skill / competency of the builder to build a cored hull according to design, plus the potential for structural damage over time from water ingress, which is expensive to repair.......and perhaps an unfair perception, but given the larger Cats go for truly fantastic money if buying (dream on David /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) I would prefer my hull to be more substantial than GRP veneered MDF. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
I am guessing you looked at pro and cons of various hull materials (in addition to already knowing Aluminium) is it the case that weight and cost wise GRP is a lot better than Aluminium sub 45 foot? or for some other reason?
to OP, why not build a smaller Wharram somewhere warm (Caribbean?) and keep her their. Use a deck tent for accomadation and maybe a haul out into the safety of someone's chicken farm come Hurricane season? I only mention it cos' I caught some cool Youtube of a 21 foot Wharram.....but for me that would only work somewhere warm. and island hoping (picking the weather /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif).......could keep a couple dotted around the world and commute by Jumbo Jet /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Karnian,
[ QUOTE ]
The weight is comparable to a similar plastic cat.
[/ QUOTE ]
I was kinda curious previously about why more sailing cats are not made from Aluminium, as the Cats nowadays seem to go for cored GRP below the waterline (for the weight / strength trade off).
To my (admittedly luddite and non-technical) mind /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif this is less attractive than Aluminium due to relying on the skill / competency of the builder to build a cored hull according to design, plus the potential for structural damage over time from water ingress, which is expensive to repair.......and perhaps an unfair perception, but given the larger Cats go for truly fantastic money if buying (dream on David /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) I would prefer my hull to be more substantial than GRP veneered MDF. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
I am guessing you looked at pro and cons of various hull materials (in addition to already knowing Aluminium) is it the case that weight and cost wise GRP is a lot better than Aluminium sub 45 foot? or for some other reason?
BurnitBlue
Well-Known Member
I was in the Prout yard taking delivery of my own boat when they took a chainsaw to a 35 foot snowgoose mould. They pulled the two halves apart and bingo ... instant 37 foot snowgoose. Maybe they did it again to get a 40 foot mould which they didn't use.