HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

A catboat (alternate spelling: cat boat) is a sailboat with a single sail on a single mast set well forward in the bow of a very beamy and (usually) shallow
draft Draft, The Draft, or Draught may refer to: Watercraft dimensions * Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel * Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail * Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a vessel ...
hull. Typically they are
gaff rig Gaff rig is a sailing rig (configuration of sails, mast and stays) in which the sail is four-cornered, fore-and-aft rigged, controlled at its peak and, usually, its entire head by a spar (pole) called the ''gaff''. Because of the size and shape ...
ged, though
Bermuda rig A Bermuda rig, Bermudian rig, or Marconi rig is a configuration of Mast (sailing), mast and rigging for a type of sailboat and is the typical configuration for most modern sailboats. This configuration was developed in Bermuda in the 1600s; the t ...
is also used. Most are fitted with a
centreboard A centreboard or centerboard (US) is a retractable hull appendage which pivots out of a slot in the hull of a sailboat, known as a ''centreboard trunk'' (UK) or ''centerboard case'' (US). The retractability allows the centreboard to be raised t ...
, although some have a
keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element on a vessel. On some sailboats, it may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose, as well. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in the construction of a ship, in Br ...
. The hull can be 12 to 40 feet long with a beam half as wide as the hull length at the waterline. The type is mainly found on that part of the Eastern seaboard of the USA from New Jersey to Massachusetts. Advantages of this
sail plan A sail plan is a description of the specific ways that a sailing craft is rigged. Also, the term "sail plan" is a graphic depiction of the arrangement of the sails for a given sailing craft.> In the English language, ships were usually describe ...
include the economies derived from a rig with a limited number of component parts. It is quick to hoist sail and get underway. The cat rig sails well to windward, especially in calmer water. As a working boat, the forward mast placement gave ample room in the cockpit for fishing gear. Cruising versions can provide a large usable cabin space in a relatively short hull. Disadvantages of the rig include the limited deck space around the mast, which can be problematical when raising or lowering sail, or when reefing; halyards are often led back to the cockpit, so partially mitigating this problem. It is usually wise to reef early in a rising wind to avoid an excess of weather helm. The weight of the mast in the bow has to be allowed for in the hull design – if this is got wrong the bow may be "buried" when sailing downwind. The narrow beam where the mast is stepped makes it difficult to gain any benefit from shrouds, so the mast has to be stronger, and so heavier. Despite the simplicity of the rig, a good level of skill is required to design a balanced catboat, since there are limited options to correct any slight errors. Some catboat one-design classes in current use include the
Beetle Cat The Beetle Cat is an American one-design sailing dinghy that was designed by John Beetle and first built in 1921. It is a smaller adaptation of traditional Cape Cod catboat designs originally intended for fishing in shallow waters.Sherwood, ...
, the Redden Catboat, the Nonsuch, the
Inland Cat Inland Cat is a class of one- or two-man sailboats, almost exclusively found on Lake George, Indiana/Michigan. The craft is approximately 14.5 feet in length, with a 4.5 foot beam. The sail is a Marconi rig (aka Bermuda rig), with the mast f ...
, the Zijlsloep, the Cape Cod Cat, Com-Pac Trailerable, Marshall, Menger, and the APBY cat boat. From the 1850s to the early 1900s catboats were the dominant inshore boat on the New England coast, both for work and for pleasure. They were used for fishing and coastal transportation. Their popularity declined in the commercial world where they were replaced by motorized boats. In boat racing the tendency was for larger sails, which favored other rigging styles. A typical New England style has a very long
boom Boom may refer to: Objects * Boom (containment), a temporary floating barrier used to contain an oil spill * Boom (navigational barrier), an obstacle used to control or block marine navigation * Boom (sailing), a sailboat part * Boom (windsurfi ...
that extends over the
transom Transom may refer to: * Transom (architecture), a bar of wood or stone across the top of a door or window, or the window above such a bar * Transom (nautical), that part of the stern of a vessel where the two sides of its hull meet * Operation Tran ...
and may carry
foresail A foresail is one of a few different types of sail set on the foremost mast (''foremast'') of a sailing vessel: * A fore-and-aft sail set on the foremast of a schooner or similar vessel. * The lowest square sail on the foremast of a full-rig ...
s stayed from a bowsprit.


History

Around the turn of the 20th century, catboats were adapted for racing, and long booms and gaffs, bowsprits and large jibs were fitted to capture as much wind as possible. The decline of racing and advent of small, efficient
gasoline Gasoline (; ) or petrol (; ) (see ) is a transparent, petroleum-derived flammable liquid that is used primarily as a fuel in most spark-ignited internal combustion engines (also known as petrol engines). It consists mostly of organic co ...
engine An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power gen ...
s eliminated the need for large sail plans, and catboats today are used as pleasure craft for day sailing and cruising, and have the virtues of roominess, stability and simple handling. It is generally accepted that the origin of the catboat type was in
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
around 1840 and from there spread east and south as the virtues of the type — simplicity, ease of handling, shallow draft, large capacity — were discovered. Historically, they were used for fishing and transport in the coastal waters around
Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...
,
Narragansett Bay Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound covering , of which is in Rhode Island. The bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor and includes a small archipelago. Sma ...
,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
and
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
. Some were fitted with
bowsprit The bowsprit of a sailing vessel is a spar extending forward from the vessel's prow. The bowsprit is typically held down by a bobstay that counteracts the forces from the forestays. The word ''bowsprit'' is thought to originate from the Middle L ...
s for
swordfish Swordfish (''Xiphias gladius''), also known as broadbills in some countries, are large, highly migratory predatory fish characterized by a long, flat, pointed bill. They are a popular sport fish of the billfish category, though elusive. Swordfis ...
ing and others were used as 'party boats' with canvas-sided, wood-framed summer cabins that could be rolled up. One of the most well-known catboats is the
Beetle Cat The Beetle Cat is an American one-design sailing dinghy that was designed by John Beetle and first built in 1921. It is a smaller adaptation of traditional Cape Cod catboat designs originally intended for fishing in shallow waters.Sherwood, ...
daysailer. Fleets of these one-design boats are found in harbors all across
New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
, often competing in races. In the 1960s,
Breck Marshall Breck may refer to: People * Daniel Breck (1788–1871), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky * Helena Breck, British actor * James Lloyd Breck (1818–1876), priest, educator, and missionary of the Episcopal Church in ...
based his fiberglass ''Sanderling'' upon an existing, wooden design. The ''Sanderling'' has since become a very popular boat, with more than 700 built, and it has helped to rekindle interest in the catboat. To honor Marshall and his contribution to the type, the Catboat Association funded the construction of the ''
Breck Marshall Breck may refer to: People * Daniel Breck (1788–1871), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky * Helena Breck, British actor * James Lloyd Breck (1818–1876), priest, educator, and missionary of the Episcopal Church in ...
'', a catboat built and berthed at
Mystic Seaport Mystic Seaport Museum or Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Sea in Mystic, Connecticut is the largest maritime museum in the United States. It is notable for its collection of sailing ships and boats and for the re-creation of the craf ...
.


Features

Designer Fenwick Williams summarized the original design philosophy as: “The ample beam made the use of stone ballast feasible … the high bow provided good support for the unstayed mast … the barn door rudder provided adequate strength … high
coaming Coaming is any vertical surface on a ship designed to deflect or prevent entry of water. It usually consists of a raised section of deck plating around an opening, such as a cargo hatch. Coamings also provide a frame onto which to fit a hatch cove ...
s served to keep water out of the large open cockpit … side decks provided a handy ledge on which to set a lobster trap." Modern catboat fans appreciate the catboat's traditional design and classic appearance and the features that make it a versatile recreational boat: simplicity, large capacity, shallow draft, stability, and safety in a boat that is easy to sail.


Catboats in Europe


Great Britain and Ireland

In 1851, during the 'Great Exhibition' a Catboat called 'The Una' was put on display at The Serpentine, Hyde Park. She was seen by Dixon Kemp who was much impressed with her. After 'Una' sailed at Cowes, she impressed many of the sailors who built a fleet of them. After 1907 'Una' raced at the Upper Thames yacht Club.Yachting Monthly August 1910 In Bray, Co. Wicklow, south of Dublin a fleet of one-design catboats, 12 feet in length and 6 foot beam were designed and built in 1897, and they continued to race for several years at home and at local east coast regattas.


Gallery

File:Le catboat traditionnel PAROLE (5).JPG, Cruising catboat showing classical rudder design and wire stays supporting the mast File:Oyster Bay Catboats, by Archibald Cary Smith.jpg, Painting "Oyster Bay Catboats" (circa 1865) by
Archibald Cary Smith Archibald Cary Smith (September 4, 1837 December 8, 1911), professionally known as A. Cary Smith, was a naval architect and marine engineer. He studied marine painting for a short time and did some art work. He is known as the first American to ...
File:MysticSeaportCatboats.JPG, Catboats with
Bermuda rig A Bermuda rig, Bermudian rig, or Marconi rig is a configuration of Mast (sailing), mast and rigging for a type of sailboat and is the typical configuration for most modern sailboats. This configuration was developed in Bermuda in the 1600s; the t ...


See also

;Catboats :Catboats *
Beetle Cat The Beetle Cat is an American one-design sailing dinghy that was designed by John Beetle and first built in 1921. It is a smaller adaptation of traditional Cape Cod catboat designs originally intended for fishing in shallow waters.Sherwood, ...
- small "daysailer" catboat
Redden Catboat
Traditional wooden 14' daysailer, built in Nova Scotia. * Nonsuch - a series of to modern catboats *
Inland Cat Inland Cat is a class of one- or two-man sailboats, almost exclusively found on Lake George, Indiana/Michigan. The craft is approximately 14.5 feet in length, with a 4.5 foot beam. The sail is a Marconi rig (aka Bermuda rig), with the mast f ...
- 14.5 footer designed and built in Northern Indiana.
Zijlsloep
- classic design Dutch modern 16 ft (5 m) catboat * Snark (sailboat)


Notes


Citations

*


Further reading

* *


External links

*
World of Boats (EISCA) Collection ~ Cayman Islands Cat Boat

The Catboat Association
a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history, and promoting the use, of catboats.
MengerCat.com
a resource for information about Menger Catboats built between 1976 and 2005. Now owned and supported by Wagner Boat Works.
Selina II
the largest surviving vintage catboat.
New England Beetle Cat Boat Association
a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the maintenance, restoration, preservation and just plain sailing the Beetle Cat Boat.
"Catboat moments"
an article about catboats in the August 2005 issue of Soundings Magazine.


Manufacturers


Mahone Bay Boatworks
designer and builder of the Redden Catboat 14'. This wooden traditional 14' daysailer has mahogany decks, ash trim and spruce hull and spars.

builders of fine sailboats for over 100 years.
Com-Pac Yachts Cat Boats
builders of the trailerable catboats Picnic Cat, Sun Cat, and Horizon Cat.
Wagner Boat Works
a manufacturer of traditionally-styled fiberglass catboats from 15 to long.
Marshall Marine Corporation
a manufacturer of traditionally-styled fiberglass catboats from 15 to long.
Thompson Boatworks
a manufacturer of 15- and long traditionally-styled fiberglass catboats. Now owned and supported by Wagner Boat Works.
Arey's Pond Boat Yard
a manufacturer of traditionally-styled fiberglass catboats from 12 to long.
Beetle, Inc.
manufacturer of the Beetle catboat.

manufacturer of the Barnstable catboat, a fiberglass version of the traditional wooden Beetle catboat.


External links


"Nine Lives: The Story of the Catboat" (documentary film, 50 min.)

Selina II, the largest vintage catboat
{{Sail Types Sailing rigs and rigging Sailboat types Nautical terminology Catboats