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I used to moor at Kehoe's in Hingham Harbor, and there were a few
catboats that looked quite a bit longer than 22', but they're so wide,
the eyes can play tricks. They are ALL very pretty. Testament to the
care they receive.
The reason I name the place is one characteristic: shallow
ancorage. Every cat there has a pivoting centerboard. These boats were
the original gunkholable workboat `round these parts, sez the owners.
Their performance is something else yet again. They can't point to
save their lives, and gaff rig even makes it worse. Course if you're in
a hurry..... right?
Market value?? Hmmm.... there's a bunch of older wood ones in
varying shapes, some should be put out of their misery or immersed in
epoxy. I'd guess, being sort of a `niche' boat, the prices will be all
over. Same with any wood and/or `classic' design, right?
But, in a shallow bay, like Hingham or Quincy, they can't be beat.
Next best thing to a time machine!
Let me know if you end up with a fixerupper, so I can buy stock in
West and Varnish!
Have fun! It's a buyer's market, and eveerybody selling a boat is your
best pal!
Scott.
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| There are cat boats and there are cat boats.
While the traditionalists would most likely disagree, the best of the
breed today (in my humble opinion) is the Nonsuch.
I sailed a 30 footer in the Antigua Race Week 3 years ago and had a
blast. We were first in our class across the line in every race but one
thanks to the boat's manouverability. We also more than held our own in
our duels with the other boats in our class, most of them 36 foot or
longer. Unfortunately our handicap was such that we could never do
better than a third place (we blew a mast fitting in one race, probably
because we had the wish-bone boom tuned tighter than a cross bow.)
The downside to this boat is that it is the most expensive available
today in terms of dollars per foot, at around $84K. And, upwind......
say no more.
Regards
with the bigger boats in our class
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| >>> I sailed a 30 footer in the Antigua Race Week 3 years ago and had a
>>> blast. We were first in our class across the line in every race but one
>>> thanks to the boat's manouverability. We also more than held our own in
>>> our duels with the other boats in our class, most of them 36 foot or
>>> longer. Unfortunately our handicap was such that we could never do
>>> better than a third place (we blew a mast fitting in one race, probably
>>> because we had the wish-bone boom tuned tighter than a cross bow.)
>>>
>>> The downside to this boat is that it is the most expensive available
>>> today in terms of dollars per foot, at around $84K. And, upwind......
>>> say no more.
Sounds like a Nonsuch. Compared to the old catboats of Cape Cod Bay, they
share a similar hull shape, deckhouse design, and that's about it.
The Nonsuch line has a catboat hull with moderate fin keel, deep balanced
spade rudder, and unstayed marconi rig with the largest production
wishbone booms around. They out-perform the old types in every way except
possibly reaching in big breezes when the traditional's lower CE and
raised centerboard may allow near-planing. At which point they become a
big handful due to the forward rig and shallow rudder which tends to lever
the latter out of the water and produce a rather quick round-up (making
one glad for the stability the 1+:2 beam provides.)
Today's appeal of the traditional cats is their appearance, amazing
interior volume, and very shallow draft. They are *not* an offshore boat
by any stretch.
J.
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