10ft Beach Catamaran - Too Small?

Discussion in 'Multihulls' started by Cedric Oberman, Nov 10, 2020.

  1. Cedric Oberman
    Joined: Nov 2020
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    Location: uk

    Cedric Oberman Junior Member

    I'm contemplating building a simple, low tech, demountable beach catamaran but I have a size restriction imposed by the circuitous route the hulls would have to take through my apartment to the back garden. 10ft maximum.

    I'm asking for opinions on whether this is big enough for a worthwhile cat. It doesn't have to be fast, or cope with big seas, or carry a payload more than 100kg, but if a cat that length is going to be horrendously pitch unstable and the bows dive underwater all the time, then it's not going to be much fun to sail. Are there ways to offset the characteristics of short hulls in the design?

    Thanks.
     
  2. Tiny Turnip
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    Tiny Turnip Senior Member

  3. Blueknarr
    Joined: Aug 2017
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    Location: Colorado

    Blueknarr Senior Member

    I learned to sail on a ten foot beach cat. Amazing fun to sail.

    Keep your weight aft to keep the bows up
     
  4. BlueBell
    Joined: May 2017
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    Location: Victoria BC Canada

    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    Are you designing it too?

    You could build two, bolt together pontoons made of two, 10 foot sections.
    They (4 pieces) could even fit inside each other for easy storage.
    And you'd have a 20' cat.
    Of course you're going to need a taller mast.
    Are we limited on 10 feet there too?

    Or spend more money for an inflatable.
     
    brendan gardam and Tiny Turnip like this.
  5. garydierking
    Joined: Sep 2004
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    garydierking Senior Member

    BlueBell and Tiny Turnip like this.
  6. Cedric Oberman
    Joined: Nov 2020
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    Location: uk

    Cedric Oberman Junior Member

  7. Cedric Oberman
    Joined: Nov 2020
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    Location: uk

    Cedric Oberman Junior Member

    Thanks Bluebell. I don't plan to design it myself (I don't have the expertise) and I did consider the bolt-together option, although I worry that the front section of each hull would need a heck of a lot of strength (and hence weight) added, to cope with being unsupported for its entire length. Perhaps I'm wrong. Also building the hulls would more than double in complexity and cost and time spent on that phase of the build and, as you say, necessitate a taller rig. The inflatable option certainly meets my needs, although, where's the challenge in that ;-)
     
  8. BlueBell
    Joined: May 2017
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    Location: Victoria BC Canada

    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    Well that's a relief.
    Just find a design that suits you and you're away.
    If it's designed to take forward loading,
    then there's no need for worry...
    if it's a good design.

    You could make a sectional mast.
    Telescoping may be an option.
     
  9. Ike
    Joined: Apr 2006
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    Ike Senior Member

    I sailed a 10 foot cat way back in 1965. It was a lot of fun. Just keep in mind the limitations of such a small boat. Go sailing, have fun.
     
  10. patzefran
    Joined: Feb 2011
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    Location: france

    patzefran patzefran


  11. patzefran
    Joined: Feb 2011
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    Location: france

    patzefran patzefran

    Built !
     
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