2100 v 2400 Kevlacat

[Portacol]

Yes the 2400 will be a bit longer and a bit dearer to buy and a bit more boat to tow etc etc. No I am not interested in a mono or any other cat etc.:-/

Could anyone who has experience with both the 2100 & 2400 Kevlacats let me know if there is a significant difference in handling when the weather gets up. Based on the specs sheets speed seems to be about the same in calmer water. Are single handed launch/retrieves similar? It will be used for inshore, offshore, bay fishing and family day cruising. Normally 2 but up to 4 people fishing and say 6 for cruising. Does the extra length make the cabin more comfortable or give more deck space or a bit of both.
At this stage as long as single handed launch and retrieve is practical with the 2400, that would be my choice

[finding_time]

Never been in a 2100 but if you give Kittycat a pm he'll have plenty of advice, he used to sell them and would have been in both!

ian

[sleepygreg]

I think a single handed launch/retrieve with a 2400 KC would be a challenge, not saying it cant be done (where there is a will there is a way). I fish with my brother in his 2400KC and would not like to try to launch or retrieve it one up. But then I am 50 and he is 47, so maybe a younger more athletic person could do it one up. Cant comment on the 2100.....never been in one.

Greg

[Crocodile]

I watched a bloke do a single retrieve on a 23' Sharkcat.
Drive onto the trailer and leave the motors running in gear to hold it.
Had about a six foot step ladder mounted on the front of the trailer to climb down and latch-on.
Climb back up the step ladder switch off the donkeys then back down the step ladder and the 'cruiser lugged it up in low-range.
Easy, but you need a very sheltered ramp and a very well thought out system.

[julian1]

they will be no different to launch, retrieve. I thought the 2100 was an extended old 5.2 and the 2400 a rejigged 6.2. I would say the 2400 would perform a lot better, but i have not been in either

[Portacol]

Thanks for the replies blokes. I have sent a pm to kitty_cat.

[Portacol]

That was my thoughts as well Crocodile, but I read a post about having a hook on the trailer that you could flick a loop of rope on and off to hold the boat while it was off the winch and safety chain at the bottom of the ramp. If that is a practical way to do it then it sounds a bit safer. I have had no experience at drive on /off, but I guess thats where everybody starts.

[dfox]

There was a 2100KC at scarborough a few weeks ago being repaired, im not sure what year it was made, but its not an old boat. Has 2 strokes on it, so weight wasnt an issue. It had major stress cracks in the hull. The workers repairing it all agreed that the hull was far to thin and even after repairs and strengthening, it was still dodgy. Beware if your looking second hand ...

[boatboy50]

PC,

There is a significant ride difference between the 2 boats, simply due to size and weight. One is very good, and the other is excellent.

If you can L & R a 1900 alone, you can easily do it with a 2400. There is no difference, and is safely done using the above method.

I have launched larger Shark Cats single handedly, it's not all that hard.

Just make sure the trailer is set up well from the start, ie bow ladder, good tunnel guides, keel teflon and protection.

DFox, did the one you saw have twin Yammie 90? 2 strokes, about 2000/2001? I think I know it's original owner, and he babied it.

Regards

Darren

[Portacol]

BB50, I do like good ride comfort so that would be very important thanks.
Bow ladder, tunnel guides and teflon I understand, but keel teflon and protection I guess is something that is applied to the hulls. Am I going down the right track there?
Also BB50 I note that you launch large a Sharkcat S/H. Is it around the 2400 or larger. I guess that a lot can be achieved by going somewhere quiet and having lots of practice.
Thanks.

[Portacol]

Hi dfox, curious about the stress cracks. I have not read to many reports on KC's cracking. Is it a common problem? I know for sure that if one of my mates and I had the same motorbike at the same time his would be a hell of a lot better than mine because of the way they were rode. Come to think of it, my bike would be a hell of a lot better than my son's bike too!
Regards.

[boatboy50]

Hey PC,

Cat trailers use either teflon strips directly mounted to the trailer under the keel, and along the tunnel guides or rollers in the same places.

I just meant to make sure that the trailer has teflon (or rollers) everywhere to minimize damage in the worst conditions.

You can add a keelguard strip to the hulls, but it has the possibility of being ripped off by the teflon strips. There is not much you can do to the hulls for protection. It all needs to be on the trailer.

I've had lots of experience launching bigger cats. I used to own a 5.2 KC personally, and worked on a commercial 2300, 2700 and 3100 Noosa Cat. It's pretty easy when your set up right.

Regards

Darren

[dfox]

PC,

DFox, did the one you saw have twin Yammie 90? 2 strokes, about 2000/2001? I think I know it's original owner, and he babied it.

Regards

Darren

Darren, i hate talking about something a serious as this boat without all the facts, but yes its the same boat. Talk has it there blaming the trailer, but one look and anyone with an ounce of common sense dismisses that. It was built to thin. Why i dont know? But whoever did it saved a fortune on materials especially kevla, lol ... foxy

[dfox]

Hi dfox, curious about the stress cracks. I have not read to many reports on KC's cracking. Is it a common problem? I know for sure that if one of my mates and I had the same motorbike at the same time his would be a hell of a lot better than mine because of the way they were rode. Come to think of it, my bike would be a hell of a lot better than my son's bike too!
Regards.
Im not much help mate, havent had much to do with them. Got a few mates with 2400's. Like most boats theyve had several issues, the worst was water in a sealed compartment. It took a bit of finding but i believe he's soughted it out...

[disorderly]

[quote=dfox;1022658 It was built to thin. Why i dont know? But whoever did it saved a fortune on materials especially kevla, lol ... foxy[/quote]

Geez Dave ..I hope you have a crash helmet on...I think in ausfish terms you just tried to nail Jesus to the cross...::););D

[Greg P]

Dave - if that one was for sale in a dealer yard then I believe it is a US built KC??

[Portacol]

Thanks BB50, sounds like spending good money on a good trailer will get me halfway there and probably save me money in the long run. Are the teflon stips a better option for spreading the load or is the structure of the KC happy to sit on rollers. It will spend time on the trailer between Vic and Qld each year.
Regards, Col.

[dfox]

Dave - if that one was for sale in a dealer yard then I believe it is a US built KC??
Greg as far as i know it was a privately owned boat, not from a yard.

[dfox]

Geez Dave ..I hope you have a crash helmet on...I think in ausfish terms you just tried to nail Jesus to the cross...::););D

Yeah scott, i hope its a one off...

[finding_time]

Geez Dave ..I hope you have a crash helmet on...I think in ausfish terms you just tried to nail Jesus to the cross...::););D


Not at all Scott!;) I think if you reread any of the old KC post you'll notice many people allude to the fact that the newer 1900 and 2100 have some issues! I know for a fact that i have done it , Fly 1 has mentioned it several times and so has Dean i believe!

I'll stick with my 19 year old one any day , there a differant boat to the ones post 2000 models

ian

[Portacol]

I have been away from this forum for a long time, got my KC 2400 Weekender early 2011, love it, fish a lot single handed, easier to drive on than my 4.5m Osprey.

[hilta1]

How do you find the ride etc.? is it a 2011 model? are you happy with it etc? i have had my 2006 model now for 8 months and now love it, for the first few months wasnt so sure!!

[Portacol]

It was a late 2010 build & took delivery 2011. I am very happy with it. I am a newbie to a larger boat & I have been able to make it crash & bang so some changes to what I was doing made all the difference. A very capable boat, the ride is good & it is good to walk from one side to the other without putting some poor bastard over the side. For what it is worth, I have had a lady on board who is tentative when it comes to boating and went out through Port Phillip Heads & went over a wave that got my "attention" & never heard a sound from her. A beautiful soft landing So what KC have you got & where abouts are you hilta1

[hilta1]

I Have a november 2006 built 2400 with 115 yamahas got it last November from Qld and towed it back down here to Tassie, am about to tow it back up to Qld for a couple of months fishing, when i got it it needed a good clean up which i have done and it is looking a million dollars, have just fitted a stressfree freefall anchor winch and pretty happy with it all now. I will probably look to see what i can get for it and order a new one if all goes to plan, but will wait and see.

[Portacol]

Sounds like a good plan. Would you go for the Offshore or Weekender.

[hilta1]

Offshore again i think, i think i would go 150 yamaha now they are rated to 150hp, dont offen need more power but would be nice.

[Portacol]

When I went up for a sea trial the boat had the Yamaha 150's, you would not be disappointed, they make the 2400 shall we say, sprightly. I was going to get them put on mine, but the advice was to go for the Suzuki's & get some experience as it was my first large boat & cat. The Suzuki 140's were noisy compared to the Yamaha's but have quietened down after running in. It has been a long time since I heard the Yamaha's going, I think it would be close between the two now but the Yamaha's would probably have the edge.