Cairns Custom Craft Cat

[TJ Bear]

I am looking at getting either a 6m or 6.5m Cairns Custom Craft Cat in a centre console setup. Has anybody had any experience with these boats?

[Finnatical]

There are a couple of articles on the F&B website that may help:

http://www.seamedia.com.au/sea_library/boats.php

I have not been in one nor have a seen one close up so cannot comment on them unfortunately.

Cheers,
Jason

[skipalong]

not a bad boat just far away to experience the ride

[TJ Bear]

Thanks for the input guys, I read the article from F&B very informative the biggest challenge is getting 4 strokes of 90hp with 25" leg that weight around 130kg.

[Black N Blue]

I had a one years ago the hull KEPT SPLITTING had it welded 6 times then sold it . Great ride but WET did i Say WET if you like being drenched every time you go out get one.
Regards Nick

[TJ Bear]

What length did you have?

[Black N Blue]

The one i had, had twin 40s so 5.1~ 5.3 i think had a sleep or two since then.

[marty+jojo]

I've been in one when i went to Weipa, it was around the 5 meter mark, it was a tiller steer. We went through some rough water in it at high speeds, i thought it handled it all no probs, we got wet as you do in any open boat that size.
I liked it they are a heavy duty boat made for north qld.
Marty.

Sorry i just read the title again. The boat i went in was not a cat.

[wheelerdog]

a mate had 6m walk around, bullet proof.

[Grand_Marlin]

G'day Bear,

I have been out in two of them (4.3m & 6.0m), and my brother owned a 5.2 or 5.5 one as well.
I liked them and would own one, but they aren't in the same league as a glass cat.

They do tend to suffer from fatigue cracking - especially around the hydrofoils.

Performance, stability and safety are all good traits, however I found the handling to be a bit funny with the hydrofiols.
Great in calm weather, but tend to give a few hairy moments in rougher stuff.
I don't think I would call it dangerous, but the hydrofiils tend to get the cat to lean and want to steer its own path at times.

Even with the stress cracking, they are well built and well fitted out.

My brother sold his and bought a 5m Sharkcat Sportsman.
He said the Sharkcat is a lot better boat than the CCC

Cheers

Pete

[twist]

G'day TJ Bear, I noticed your enquiry and thought I should tell you that I have a 5.2 CCC Hydrocat With a pair of 50 hp etecs. It is a great boat in the rough and quick off shore but slow on the flat water. Top speed approx 24-25 knots. The hydrofoil makes it weight sensitive so you have to have everyone balanced but with the twins you can trim it just right. I had a T-top fabricated for it with a full height screen and wetness is no longer a problem. There is a photo of it in my avatar. If you would like to know more call Marcel at CCC and he will be happy to tell you all about it or you can call me direct 0433760877...if you have any more lengthy Q's.

[pilchardjones]

Gday Bear,
A mate of mine used to have one around 8m, with twin 175 2 strokes that i have had a few trips in (typically 50NM each way). It was an absolute rocket, and handled very well. I am not aware of him having any fatigue cracking issues, although he did sell it, and now has an 8m CCC mono (with twin 4 strokes). I do recall it feeling strange with the hydrofoil at high speed but we seemed to cruise at 25 - 30 knots through some pretty choppy seas no problems.
I recall the fishing writer Warren Steptoe having a 6m or so centre console CCC cat with twin 90 2s yammies I think. He might be a good person to speak to.
Steve

[Mattccc]

Hey bear,

I've got a 6.8 ccc with old style 130hp two strokes. Ive been doing it up for a couple of years but been fishing it for about twelve months now. It is a hydracat. The boat is very seaworthy but wet. I've had it out in some filthy conditions up to 20knots of wind off the continental shelf. We always felt safe. The boat is very sensitive to trim and weight but I believe once fully setup will be less wet and not roll around like some guys have suggested. I have found this only happns when the boat is trimmed down in the nose too much or carrying too much weight up forward. Marcel from CCC reckons he can adjust the hydrofoils to suit whatever loads you want to carry anyway. I am waiting for upgraded outboards and due to the increased weight of new generation engines I am not playing with the foils at present. I havn't had any problems with cracking, the thing is overbuilt to the max.

Cheers,

Matt

[TJ Bear]

Went for a ride in a CCC and although it rode ok found the handling a bit funny and it was wet as, overall a bit disapointing, guess I,m just a mono hull type of guy. Now looking at a Blackfin 26 centre cab that will probably suit me a bit more.

[twist]

I agree with you matccc the hull takes a bit of time to get used too. You must trim the motors fairly high to make it work. The hydrofoils will give you fantastic economy. Off from Noosa did approx 120km trolling driving etc average day with two on board full fuel and esky etc, 25L of fuel per motor....bargain.

Hooked abill for the effort as well.

[sharkcat one]

HI BEAR,

Have you tried looking at Commander Catamarans 6.2 offshore cat
www.commandercatamarans.com.au (http://www.commandercatamarans.com.au)
They deliver to carins for free