William Garden Family Cat

[cnodnarb]

BTW, it is hull #2, June '79.

 

[Shipway]

If the electric motor works when needed, you're gonna have fun!

 

[Baloo1979]

Lotus, the family cat

Very good looking boat Doug. It looks very similar to the legnos mystic 20. I would love to come down and see it sometime. Jeff

 

[Shipway]

New sail

This year I splurged and had a new 6.5oz cream sail made by Leitch and McBride in Sidney BC. No roach or battens, the sail is big enough without the extra complications. Much better performance to windward now....

 

[Shipway]

Here's a photo of the James W Hart sailing in Desolation Sound last week. Still the original rig and sail at 40 years of age.

 

[Warren M]

I h have been looking around the web for information on William Gardens Family Cat. I found a few 2004 posts about the hull and how it had also been used with a motor launch. Looked sweet. I am still looking for more information and photos. I have just purchased a Family Cat called Lotus she has beautiful lines and we plan to clean her up and do a restoration. One major alteration. I would like to have a tabernacle fitting put on the mast. Any information of help appreciated. Lotus is 23' with a beam of 10' and draws 2'10'

I recently photo'd a cat boat called the James W Hart at Squirrel Cove on Cortes Island BC

 

[Shipway]

In his book on boat designs, Bill Garden wrote in reference to cat eye ports that " a little cat like this is a one-portlight-per-side size; two would be an affectation...", but they have nearly all been built with two eyes per side. Bill must have adjusted his thinking once he was inside one looking out in all directions, since a later revision to his drawings, now in the Mystic Seaport collection, clearly shows two eyes, and old Carrot Nose at the helm...

 

[Jack Webster]

James W Hart

This year the catboat actually named James W Hart came up for sale near Courtenay BC and I talked some friends into buying it, and I helped in the transition of getting the boat to Cortes Island, where my boat lives.

Here's a picture of the two boats rafted up halfway across Sutil Channel on a very calm September afternoon for a lunch break. Later on the breeze came up and the JWH won the race to Baker Pass because it's at least 600lb lighter in ballast.

Next year, another Family Cat - Saoirse - will join us at the Shark Spit Regatta, full moon in August. Any other cats from Bill Boyd's shop up for a rendezvous?

My name is Jack. I owned James W Hart until the mid 2000's. I sold James to a fellow in Courtenay. James W Hart
is Hull No.1 built by Bill Boyd in 1978. I have the bronze builders plate with the Hull designation number on it. It has never
been attached to the boat. Nice to see he is still sailing and being used. I wonder if the little Lunenburg Foundry wood stove is
still aboard.

 

[Shipway]

Another photo of my Family Cat to keep this old thread alive

 

[Stephen H.]

Hi. I have a "factory" brochure for a Family Cat 23. Four pages, specs, photos, etc. From Bill Boyd Boats, Victoria.
If you have the boat but not the brochure, let me know.
Stephen