Why Catboats?

Beetle Cat sail. Lake Union, Seattle, WA.

 Because there is something right about a catboat. When I informed a good friend I was thinking of the FatCat2 (FC2) his first question was "Why a catboat?" That's a good question indeed. Their perceived vices are well known, the come from the other side of the continent and they are the epitome of anachronism when it comes to a sail craft in the 21st century. And there I think lies the answer. At least for me.
 This whole sailing thing started when I realized I had a burning desire to go to sea on a sailing ship from centuries past. And that it was a feeling I couldn't get rid of. So I built a boat and here we are. But it wasn't to go cruising on a modern cruiser or ride the cutting edge of technology in an AC yacht. It was to be a man of iron in a wooden ship and see the watery part of the world as it was then. Or at least through the pages of Melville and Alexander Kent. But that's tough to do in a land locked state. I'm not sure if the Royal Navy has ever BEEN to Montana and whaling is decidedly not an industry that ever took great root here. On account that we have no whales. Or salt water.
 But as a nautical romantic I'm drawn to these things. And what is more in line with that then a true working sail craft from the era? Nothing to my eye, well damn little anyway, looks as proper as a catboat under sail. Ghosting along on some foggy New England morning with the days catch a mere glean in the eye of her skipper and the ships cat just now waking up. The moan of a far off foghorn and the clang of a bell buoy. You can taste the salt air when you look at a catboat! It's for cable knit sweaters, pipes in teeth and a proper cap to top it off. That is a catboat. At least as I see it. It's the whole form. The barndoor rudder, the gaff rig, the oval windows the way even a plain jane catboat has a grace and a purposeful elegance.
 We've attempted this road before when I ordered the plans for the Skat. Which I still have here. Somewhere. But that isn't quite the full boat I need. No guarantees what will happen when I happen across the safety stashed plans mind you. But as I examined what I needed in my near future a 12' open cockpit boat wasn't quite it.
 See the Lady of the Manor while indulging my sailing obsession as it ebbs and flows with the seasons is not what I would call an enthuastic sailor. She runs a good foredeck and can be counted on to be a level head when mine is decidedly not but she is content to be a passenger. And as skipper it's my job to ensure her comfort. And sitting on a hard plastic seat in a fourteen foot centerboard sloop is not her idea of a great time. And as the seasons progress it's becoming less of mine as well.

The Lady of the Manor on the jib.

 I've touched on this before but I would really like a weekend boat. At least I think I would. Something to bring down on Friday, sail till Sunday and drive home well spent. And if I can do it a manner that the Lady would like to join me on occasion all the better. The Lady enjoys her beauty rest and informed me that a place to take a nap, a 'down below' if you will would suit her needs greatly while sailing. Someplace to occupy other then a plastic bench in a plastic boat while we go careening about the briny deep in search of my nautical fantasies.
 Now Jim Michalak designs fine boats. So that was the logical place to start. I have towing weight to consider, aesthetics of the thing, overall saltiness, ease of build and the list goes on. I was very attracted to the beach boats but one thing I couldn't abide by and that is a split top cabin. Call me old fashioned and a stick in the mud but if you're going to put a cabin on something make it a proper cabin. And that alone narrowed my choices. The love of the cat rig narrowed it further and the desire for a lower trailer weight left only one choice. The FC2. This process was started and finished in four days. From the time I decided I needed to build a new boat to pulling the trigger on the plans. They arrived four days later.
 So now I have the plans, an idea of a build timeline and what needs to happen in order to meet my projected splash date. I have a design for a boat that speaks to me on such a nautical level it makes my arm hairs stand on end. And I'm really looking forward to building again. Of course this means letting go of a majority of my fleet including Lido #1280 but I think we're both okay with that. After all we've had many adventures and I could not have been blessed with a finer first real sailboat.
 The last thing I'd like to point out as to why a catboat is the fact I sailed my first one just this last year. You can find that adventure down the blog but it was wonderful. I don't think the smile left my face from the minute I saw it at the dock to hours after the lesson. The photo at the top of this post is the background on my phone. That 45 minute sail simply cemented the fact I had to have a catboat in my life. As a matter of fact I think I professed that to the lady as I was tying the boat up afterwards. And she agreed. Because there is just something right about a catboat.

This is my very very happy face. As I'm trying to not end up on the leeward side.

It's like the DC-3 of small working boats.

The Newest Addition to the IP&NCo. Fleet. Coming July 2019!