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Top Cat |
A test report by Trailer Boats Magazine. This report is
reproduced here (less images) word for word with out any modifications, additions or
alterations.
Trailer Boats Magazine
Publisher Wiley Poole
Editor Jim Hendricks
Subscriptions 1-800-877-5251
There are two good reasons why catamarans comprise one of the
fastest growing segments of today's offshore fishing boat market ---- room and ride.
Both of these advantages were obvious to me recently as I tested
C-Dory's rugged TomCat 24.
Elbowroom on the TomCat is remarkable considering the
boat's 24-foot length. Because they are more square in shape, catamarans can offer the
maximum amount of deck space for any given length. With nearly 50 square feet of cockpit
space, the TomCat gives anglers plenty of room to work.
The TomCat also provides the stable ride in choppy waters that you
would expect of a catamaran, although C-Dory says its design differs from most power cats
being built today.
While cats may appear to be quite similar, differences in their designs
cause them to behave very differently on the water. Catamaran hull designs run the gamut
from true planing hulls with hard chines to pure displacement models that rely on a very
sharp entry, a narrow front profile on each sponson, and sheer horsepower to exceed
displacement hull speed.
C-Dory chose the true planing design
for its
TomCat, and the sponsons feature a modified vee with hard chines. The advantage of this
design is that less horsepower is required to push this hull than would be required for a
full displacement hull design.
The disadvantage is that the ride is a bit firmer. However, the
difference between soft and firm when it comes to a catamaran's ride is far less than you
find in monohull designs, and the TomCat's fide is exceptionally good.
The TomCat has a fairly straight stem and an extremely sharp forward
entry. Rather than bouncing over wakes and waves, this hull knifes through them with a
minimal amount of lift until seas become steep enough to engage the top of the tunnel. At
that point, lift is greatly enhanced. The result is a smooth, steady ride in light,
moderate or heavy chop and moderate swells.
Even in steep seas with a greater vertical motion, the fide is well
cushioned.
Compared to most monohull designs, the catamaran's riding qualities are
superb. With the widely set sponsons, stability is excellent, both at rest and when on a
plane.
Article had picture insert of interior and the caption
"Behind the helm is a full galley,
plenty of seating and glass create an open and airy cabin."
HANDLING
Handling a catamaran takes a bit of getting used to. A cat-type hull
does not bank into turns the way a vee-bottom monohull does, and cornering at speed is
flat.
The TomCat carves turns without sliding or hopping. The props don't
ventilate, but cornering is not as quick or as sharp as it is with a vee-bottom mono hull.
On any boat, passengers should always be warned of impending hi-h-speed turns. but the
flat cornering characteristics of the Cat hull require a little extra care and
preparedness.
Acceleration is accompanied by very little bow rise; and the transition
from displacement to planing is barely perceptible. Forward visibility is never impaired.
Straight-line tracking is superb at planing and displacement speeds.
Fuel consumption is more typical of a displacement-type of hull in that
there is a smaller hump for optimum cruising speed when the boat is on plane than we
normally experience with a planing monohull. The best fuel economy comes at a
relatively slow displacement hull speed.
The test boat was powered by a pair of Honda 90hp outboards. These
four-cycle engines are fuel efficient and meet current EPA clean-air standards. In use,
their most noticeable features are quiet running, smooth idle and smoke free operation.
Article had picture insert of , hull on trailer and the caption
"The hull rides on twin sponsons with a sharp vee. This design
provides both stability and a smooth ride."
Two-cycle engines are notoriously thirsty at slow speeds. The two
Hondas, however, consumed fuel at a rate of only I gallon per hour at I 000 rpm. That kind
of fuel consumption means that trolling won't break the bank or drain the fuel tank. The
TomCat's two 49-gallon fuel tanks, one in each sponson, provide a 200-mile range at 30 mph
with a 10-percent reserve.
It is interesting to note that the fuel consumption curve we measured
for this boat remains quite flat from as low as 10 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour and
improves even more at speeds less than 10 mph.
You can slow down for rough seas without causing fuel consumption to
rise, as would happen with a planing monohull on either side of its optimum cruise speed.
The boat is designed specifically for twin engines, with a motorwell
behind each sponson. Between the motorwells is a large fish locker/seat. Access to
batteries and rigging is a sealed hatch below the motorwell in each sponson.
Wide gunwales and appropriately placed stainless-steel handholds on the
cabin top make going forward around the cabin easy to accomplish, and an aggressive
nonskid pattern on non-skid surfaces along the gunwale and where a foot might land provide
for secure footing. Bowrails are tall and well positioned for additional security.
With fuel tanks on (inside) the sponson,
in-the floor storage is limited; however, the TomCat has generous under--gunwale storage
that doesn't cut into foot space when fishing at the gunwale.
Article had picture insert of, boat sunning at speed, and the
caption
"The Tom Cat hull planes cleanly. Hard chine directs water out and down for
a dry ride."
THE CABIN
The TomCat 24 is built in the Pacific Northwest and designed for
inclement weather, so it's not surprising that it has a cabin that's both roomy and
comfortable.
The forward double berth lies athwartships and measures a generous 8
feet by 4 feet, 4 inches. A large Bomar hatch provides ventilation and access from the
cabin to the forward deck.
Aft of the berth on the starboard side, a step down head is mounted in
the starboard sponson. The standard potty is a Thetford Aquamate, and a built-in holding
tank is optional.
The head enclosure provides a binnacle to mount the Sea Star hydraulic
steering and Honda instruments, with easy wiring access from inside the head. Our test
boat was equipped with a Ritchie compass and an Apelco 560 GPS receiver. An Apelco 4500
VHF rounds out the electronic gear.
In the bow is a rope and chain locker with access from the outside. A
passenger's seat on the port side is completely open to the berth to give the sleeping
quarters an open feeling. A grab rail and handy foot locker provide hand hold and foot
brace for the companion chair, which has a storage locker below.
Large windows forward, rear and on each side give the cabin a light and
airy feeling. No tiny portholes here.
The center section of the forward windshield drops down, and sliding
side windows provide excellent cabin ventilation.
The galley is mounted under and behind the captain's chair on the
starboard -side. Spacious for a 24-footer. this galley provides good countertop space when
the seat is tipped forward.
Its equipment includes an Origo two-burner
alcohol stove (kerosene or diesel are available), sink with manual foot operated pump and
under-counter icebox. An optional Norcold refrigerator was installed in our test boat.
Behind the companion chair on the port side, is a dinette that can be
made up into an additional berth. The cabin measures a full 7 feet, 6 inches by 13 feet, 5
inches.
CONSTRUCTION
In the C-Dory tradition, the TomCats' construction is both high-tech
and substantial. Handlaid fiberglass is combined with Balsa core to form a high-tech
composite structure that is strong yet lightweight.
The main deck is a primary structural component in a catamaran-type
hull; it holds the two sponsons together. This structure must be strong to withstand the
racking and twisting motion the two separate sponsons impart, so the TomCat's floor
structure is a composite panel which is a full 2 inches thick.
In use, the TomCat felt solid and rattlefree. There were no signs of
twisting or any temptation for either sponson to try to go in a different direction.
The care taken in the construction of the TomCat is evident in its many
long, flat surfaces. Poor or sloppy molds can make flat surfaces look like fun house
mirrors. On the TomCat, though, these surfaces are exceptionally smooth-an indication that
the molds were carefully crafted in the first place and well cared for since.
Because the TomCat was built for serious, offshore fishing, some
finishing detail was sacrificed for sturdy construction and general fishability. For
example, the interior glasswork is
not molded. I don't want this
point to be construed as criticism, though.
This boat is far more at home on the fishing grounds with a gaff at the
gunwale than at a yacht-club dock. If you're looking for mirrored bulkheads, velour
upholstery, and a dozen cup holders to accommodate the cocktail set, this isn't the boat
for you.
On the other hand, the TomCat's construction provides easy access to
the boats mechanicals, it won't be necessary to tear half the boat apart to change a
control cable or replace a windshield wiper.
C-Dory does plan to offer a molded headliner for the cabin interior and
a cockpit liner, which will smooth things up a bit. Fortunately, the cosmetics won't be
enough to eliminate the utilitarian nature of the boat.
TOWING
Large catamaran hulls can present some trailering problems. Widely
spaced sponsons make it necessary to set the hull over the wheels instead of between the
wheel wells, which increases the overall height of the towed load.
Some trailer manufacturers have chosen to use small-diameter tires for
catamaran trailers to lower the load for better stability on the highway and to make
launching easier.
However, small-diameter tires have two disadvantages: high rotational
speeds on the highway and lack of availability, except at specialty tire stores.
C-Dory supplies an EZ Loader trailer under the TomCat, which has
full-size 14 inch-tires and wheels. The larger tires mean it's necessary to back a bit
farther into the water to launch and retrieve the boat, but they will cause no difficulty
when launching from a good ramp. Difficult launching situations or unimproved ramps may
call for different solutions.
However, we prefer the larger tires bec
My overall opinion of the TomCat is entirely positive. The riding
qualities are superb with excellent stability to boot.
C-Dory's 24-foot catamaran is a rugged boat designed to survive in a
rugged environment. Creature comforts are not plush, but the well designed and open cabin
arrangement is comfortable and practical. The cockpit is spacious for two or three
anglers, and the pair of Hondas provides adequate power, excellent fuel economy and, if
they live up to their reputation, outstanding reliability.
There is not much to criticize about the TomCat 24.