Cats VS Mono-Hulls

[JasonT]

Guys, I don't see too many cats like markham whalers around moreton bay..
Is there a reason for this?
As someone looking for a boat, I have come across these, and combined with my memory of a few crossings of roslyn bay on the keppel cat, they create a favourable impression.
So why are there so few to be seen on the bay??
Any thoughts?

[dfox]

We are all offshore outside the bay jason. lol ...foxy

[JasonT]

Such was my suspicion foxy!
Do you think a 4.3 - 5m Cat would be enough to get me over to moreton on an average day?

The idea of twin engines has it's appeal. Nothing like a spare! :-)
What cat have you got, and can you give me a little info on stability, ride etc in the bays chop?

Thanks
Jason

[dfox]

Jason, i went over to moreton today in a 4.75meter tinnie, and do so quite regularly, so a small cat would be quite adiquate for sure. The bay can really wip up some dangerous seas, and i have been caught out by it on occassions. But as with any seas common sense helps.
Theres quite a few ausfishers who own cats, but generally speaking inside moreton bay has top coastguard and vmr services, so most boaties go for a single engine powered mono hull and have a good radio on board and log on with the coastguard and give regular updates of there movements. As a back up the mobile phone picks up as well.
Most well setup cats handle bay conditions quite well and are very stable.
For further offshore and outside in trailer boats the cats rule and any visit to the major boat ramps like mooloolaba shows this, on any given day theres usually a large number of cat trailers at the ramps.
Ive got a 7meter markham...foxy

[JasonT]

Foxy. that is an awesome machine..
That's what I had in mind, but on a much smaller scale.
Almost all of my fishing is done alone, so reliability and seaworthiness are top priorities.
A mate has a 4.75m Allycraft and it goes well. We've had it in less than desirable conditions with not too much trouble! I just figure a cat of equivalent size would be easier to handle again than the allycraft..

There are a few markhams around at the 4.3m length in my price range.. Would you consider 4.3m too small for trips much past moreton? Most of my fishing would realistically be done around mud island and reefs off redcliffe pretty much on an 3-4 times a week basis. A trip to moreton would probably be a weekender once a month or so..


Thanks for your time in replying it is much appreciated!

Jason

[Wild_cat]

Jason t I take it your from around the central area as you mentioned the kepple cat. If you are chasing a cat there is at least one in the Morning Buletin ( local rag for Rocky) 17ft with 2 (get this) 2004 or 2005 75 or 80 mtors for around $17K. I have not seen the papers from saturday so I'm only going on memmory. And someone said to day they thought it was my cat in the paper on Saturday so they must be still tryng to sell the sharkcat.

Mate size wise I don't think you can compare mono with cats At least up to 23ft. I have an 18ft with 90hp's (I've owned 3 mono hulls before the cat and spent a lot of time as youngster in family boats) and depending on the seas I get about 1lt / 1 Km for both engines and that rings true from a couple of people I have talked to with similar riggs I think that would be as good as if not better than a mono hull with a lage motor above 115hp. I have had trouble with the steering earliy on and found I could steer it home just with the motors. I could not plain with one engine (not that I tried to hard) but one engine was well and truely enough to get me home. Deck space is incredible. Ride in side on or following sea is great and can maintain speeds of 40km/hr in 1.4 to 1.8 meter seas (I like to stick around 36km/hr in a sea). Plugging into a sea it just as much fun as any small boat but just take a slight tack out of the swell and it will improve the ride somewhat

Downside is maintaince is double the price eg batteries $190. Difficult to put back on the trailer by yourself. Getting it under cover you'll need a shed with almost 3 meter high doors (markham whalers like you are talking about might be a bit less). weight of 17-18ft boat and trailer sails pretty close to 2 tonne so trailer breaks are an issue plus vehicle tow bar must meet requirements. the steering maybe a bit harsh on the cables and drive I replaced mine with Hydraulic steering which was a fair job in itself. Make sure you have bilge pumps in both hulls as I have heard that they are a bit scary to ride in rough weather with a large amount of water in one hull ( pretty scarey to get a large amount of water in any hull I guess). I've also heard the rounded hulls on the markhams are less likely to broch on a wave then the shark cats. I have brouched once on a wave coming into rossyln Bay harbour but that was more due to poor planning on my behalf then the boat design.


I had a Yalta 186 (17ft) with a new 90hp it was probably the best boat I had ridden in but I feel alot more at ease when I take the family out in the shark cat then I did with the mono hull because of 2 things the ride and the safety of two motors two batteries two fuel filter and two seperate feul tanks.

Anyway like I said get someone you know up in Rockvagus to look at satudays Morning Bulletin classifieds you might be suprised at the price of the sharkcat

[grex]

Jason This may be of interest , check out the video's , No. 7 & 8 are the most interesting.

http://www.inverlochmarine.com.au/webster/webster.htm

On the down side , there appears to be no dealers in your area , any way , worth a look

Regards
Geoff

[JasonT]

Thanks Wild_cat for your insight. As a matter of fact I had seen the advert for that particular boat myself! Based on the info, it seemed to be what I was looking for!
Unfortunately, I'm in Brighton, Brisbane, and it was a little too far to travel for a look!
I'm convinved the cats handle better than the mono-hulls based on all the info I have managed to accumulate over the past few weeks!
so.. the search is on!
Hopefully within the next couple months or so I'll find what I'm looking for and be out on the water!

thanks Geoff for the link... very handy site... added to my favorites!

Jason

[bay_firey]

Wild_cat, Jason

That cat WAS NOT advertised in this weekends paper, don't know if it sold or what
I am in the market for a new rig and was going to have a look see, might ahve a look through and old paper and get the number

[DR]

Jason t,
i have a 4.3 webster. fantastic little boat, but still a LITTLE boat & if you are considering outside fishing i would look for bigger than 4.3. for comfort.
although had an interesting chat with a 4.3 webster owner when doing research on mine. he regularly fished hutchies in his & had no probs at all, even in some pretty ordinary weather that sent bigger mono hulls home. me, i like to err on the side of caution & when it gets too uncomfortable it ceases to be fun.
from all accounts the 4.6 webster will do the job.
have a look here http://websterstwinfisher.com.au/ for dealers in your area..

[88fishframe]

I'm a 'cat' person and have owned monos and cats. The general rule of thumb I was always told is that a cat will perform like a mono hull approx. 1/3 its size bigger again. For example, a 5m cat will perform like a 6 to 6.5m mono hull. Although this is quite general and dependant on many factors like beam, construction material, weight ect ... its a pretty honest way to look at things and all the cats I have owned and ridden in certainly performed above their weight class. The reason you see less cats on the bay is because of price - plenty of mono hulls around that cost less and that is what people end up buying.

[gavsgonefishing]

I have a 4.3 markham, slightly modified, it travels from mool to the hards, banks, hutchies, noosa no problems. its handles the chop quite well. The free board takes a little to get used to.

If you are buying a second hand markham chech the hull out properly. They were foam filled, and there is a fair chance the foam has been used a sponge making the boat quite heavy.

If you want more info just yell, I know the markhams inside out.

[JasonT]

Gav,
4.3 -4.6m seems around the size for me as I will have to launch / retrieve by myself.
You mention your rig is modified? Could you tell me more about that please?

All!
Wild_cat made mention that the cat was a little more difficult to put on the trailer. Is this a problem related to the boat itself, or more of a trailer problem?
I had assumed that the boat would be able to be driven at least partly onto the trailer, if not all the way. Is this the case?

Guys your comments and info are very appreciated and thankyou for taking the time..

Jason

[gavsgonefishing]

The whole idea of getting a little cat was so I could launch retrieve and fish myself. At times putting the thing on the trailor with a side wind and a tide to contend with can be challenging, but apart from that its not a real drama. The trailer is the same vintage as the boat ( early 80's) and has been modified so I can drive the boat on. Unfortunately the trailer is just not designed for drive on ( so I wasted my money getting the mods done). I will be purchasing a new trailer early this year so the boat can be driven on.

Theres a thread under the boating chat search markham which will explain the mods in detail.

In summary, put some pods on and strengthened the guts of the boat to acommodate bigger 4 strokes, bigger fuel tanks, more eskys, built in live bait etc


For bay work you really can't go wrong.

the before

[gavsgonefishing]

the after, its a pity the only shot I have got of it finished is with bloody xmas lights all over it