Info about Cat's for North Queensland

[nickstock]

Hi all,

I was just browsing the classifieds and come across this little cat.

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/vbclassified.php?do=ad&id=2804

Does anyone else think that this is a good buy or is it just me?

How would this perform compared to a 6 meter mono, and how hard would it be to get used to after owning mono hulls all my boating life?

Last question,

We have all heard about people who claim Cat's are no good in Far North Queensland chop etc................Is their some truth to this or is it just a fallacy?

I really like the look of this boat and IMO think it's a bloody good buy.

Cheers,
Nick

[Dean1]

Yeah i noticed this the other week its a dam good buy. It would blow any 6m mono away. I thought it was Jimbo's on here? If i was in the market id be all over it. I dont argue the point of what cats can and cant do anymore ;D Theres always knockers mate and there usually the ones not speaking from experience.

Deano.

[frankgrimes]

Was thinking the very same thing last night Nick - Im certainly no expert, but looks bloody good to me!

Was also wondering how steep a learning curve it is going from mono->cat?

Mick

[nickstock]

Thanks Deano,

I have said it before but I have had no experience in small Cat's. I regularly fished out of a 32 footer but that a whole different kettle of fish.

I live in Cooktown and do not get the luxury of good weather when we want to go fishing. It blows 25 knots plus for over 9 months of the year and any mono under about 7 meters just gets pounded if you try to travel over about 18 knots.

How hard would it be to "learn" how to properly drive a similar cat like this.

Nick

[neil_stessco]

I used to dive and fish out of an old 19ft sharkcat with twin 90 mercs out off Cairns and it did the job beautifully better than most mono's anyway, you had to be on the trim when there was big nasty seas but i'd buy one for our Nth QLD conditions anyday.

[Flex]

Fished in a mates 6.2 KC all over northern/central QLD and its unbelievable how fast you can go across the chop. Its the reason Im buying one, North qld you rarely get 5 knot winds,specially during winter so having a cat to punch out at 25 knots to the reefs when its blowing 15knots opens up a whole new world.

Its nothing for my mate and I to fly across 30-40km of crappy slop at 50km/h to fish the lee of an Island and have a good day out. If your in a mono you'd spend 3 hours getting there and probably not go in the first place.

Anyonewho says cats are no good for north qld has never been in one. Lots of alloy cats up north too btw and go to Yeppoon or Mackay marina's always heaps of cats there.
IMO Reason there isn't many cats, is north qld waters are alot safer to hit the reefs in smaller mono boats(i.e No big ocean swells) and only 20-30km to the reef.

Though I will say coming from a mono you may need someone with experience to show you how to drive it confidently. I think this is a big reason people get put off cats at the start, they dont have confidence in driving the boat quick enough to make em work

Im currently in the market for a 5.6 shark cat or a 5.2 KC and that one looks like a great deal, but I'd question the 70hp. Might be a bit underpowered I think.

[Noelm]

Shame about the 70's, but that model Sharkcat will eat any 6M mono in Nth QLD, Sth Qld, Bass Straight or any other places chop, regardless of what you read/hear, go for a test drive, then get back to us, I reckon your test report will be telling us about getting the cash together to buy it.

[nickstock]

Thanks for that fellas,

The problem is that I do not know anyone personally up here that owns a smaller cat.

If you know anyone that is willing to take me for a spin (I will cover all costs and give them a carton of rums) in a smaller cat I would love to make my mind up. I will happily travel 450 odd kms to take something for a spin.

Also,

Why do you think that it is under powered? Many 5.2 Kevla's run twin 60's?

Nick

[Catweb]

I thought this may have been a wind up thread (pardon the pun) but evidently not?

[nickstock]

Not at all mate,

I am dead keen but have owned mono's all my life.

[Dean1]

Thanks Deano,

I have said it before but I have had no experience in small Cat's. I regularly fished out of a 32 footer but that a whole different kettle of fish.

I live in Cooktown and do not get the luxury of good weather when we want to go fishing. It blows 25 knots plus for over 9 months of the year and any mono under about 7 meters just gets pounded if you try to travel over about 18 knots.

How hard would it be to "learn" how to properly drive a similar cat like this.

Nick Mate i have never thought that a small cat is hard to drive by any means. If you have a bit of mongrel in you and dont mind pushing it that bit harder cats are a piece of cake in my opinion. My 1st cat was the 5.5m multicat ( same as 560 sharkcat) and i drove it easily from the start no probs.

Ive owned fast cars, raced motorcross etc so maybe this helped.

It doesnt take long to feel confident in one, a 5.2 KC is definatly alot more trim sensitive than sharkcats so a 560 sharkcat is pretty straight forward.

Id be more than happy to take you for a spin the furtherest i go nrth is 1770.

I still dont get why so many people say cats are hard to drive maybe they are the volvo drivers of the ocean with their toweling hats :-? ;D

[Flex]

Out of curiosity, any idea on cruise/top speed of a 560 with 70's?

[Jarrah Jack]

Hey Nick

Was wondering after following your other boat thread why you deciced to sell it so quickly. I guess its because you didn't find it suitable for the conditions you fish up there?

[Catweb]

Dean, ever driven a 5.5 Markham Whaler in a 20 knot beam sea? Now that is a hard cat to drive, mamma mia!!!!! Used to scare the livin suitcase out of me. I stepped into one from a 4.9 Whaler, what a disappointment. The only thing it did right was sit at anchor. Sorry off topic.

I reckon you have about 1000 kg of hull there. I doubt you would get much more than 50kph out of her. It is probably (or should be) fairly well propped down to get her up and stay there without have do a zillion rpm. Probably running 15"s or 16"s. And a lot of surface area and weight.

I know a bloke who had a lighter, later model 5m sharkcat with a pair of 70 Yam 2 strokes. Nice day, trimmed right out 58kmh at WOT running 17"s.

[GBC]

Nick


Pete ( Grandmarlin) brother Jamie owns a cat i Cairns , maybe if you email pete he'll give your away to contact his Bro .... Just a thought!

GBC

PS. Spent a bit of time in Findingtime's Cat , They are awesome!!! And would sort out those NQ waters very well!!

<Guess who's been playing on my computer while the rugby's on...........cat's are O.K. but the argument isn't that cut and dried as some make it.>

[Matt_F]

Hi Nick,

I have used a 6m Cairns Custom Craft up that way. It performed great in 20 to 25 knots of SEly. In rough conditionds the tunnel tends to slap when at anchor which would make sleeping during overnighters uncomfortable I would think. But if you can get out fishing more often then maybe it's worth it. Man it blows up there, the wind that is, no the fishing. Are you sure you want a glass boat? Cats really do feel different if you have grown up in monos, as I have.

Matt.

[Dean1]

Dean, ever driven a 5.5 Markham Whaler in a 20 knot beam sea? Now that is a hard cat to drive, mamma mia!!!!! Used to scare the livin suitcase out of me. I stepped into one from a 4.9 Whaler, what a disappointment. The only thing it did right was sit at anchor. Sorry off topic.

I reckon you have about 1000 kg of hull there. I doubt you would get much more than 50kph out of her. It is probably (or should be) fairly well propped down to get her up and stay there without have do a zillion rpm. Probably running 15"s or 16"s. And a lot of surface area and weight.

I know a bloke who had a lighter, later model 5m sharkcat with a pair of 70 Yam 2 strokes. Nice day, trimmed right out 58kmh at WOT running 17"s. No mate ive never driver a markham whaler. If the the 5.6m is scary then those 7m rollin....s must be terrifying!!!! Sorry Foxy!! ;D I think your'e on the money with your figures with the 70's. I know a guy had one with Yammie f 60's and he had 13's pulling 26 kts. The 70's would do the job.

[Scott79]

There's more photos on Boatpoint if anyone is interested.

What age would this cat be - mid 80's ?? What issues would you be looking for in a 20 + year old SC ?

Scott.

[Vitamin Sea]

Hmmm

Great photo of a kid sitting on the bow with his legs over the side whilst the boat is underway::).

Looks like a nice boat, it's the right shape, would have minimum power though. Have attached some info from Jeff Webster for those interested.



http://liveimages.boatsales.com.au/boatpoint/boat/private/bp5262001809739409377.jpg?Size=Thumb (http://www.ausfish.com.au/Tig/UI/PagePopup.aspx?R=8931523&PhotoID=bp5262001809739409377&h_mid=5220877&f_mid=&c_mid=5220874&pid=241228&tabID=302921)

[Noelm]

The age of a genuine Shakcat does not make a lot of difference in build quality, but age tends to make things like rot in the floor more common, transoms where pretty good, only ever heard of a few ever needing replacement, but seen a lot of floors, but apart from that, just do all the usual checks and see how it comes up.