what is a cat boat sailboat

Set Sail with Confidence: Expert Advice on Catboat Sailing

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Catboat_(Roscoff)-cd01.jpg

What is a Catboat?

A catboat is a sailboat with a single sail, set on a mast that is located near the bow of the boat.

The sail on a catboat is typically a gaff rig sail, which means it has a four-sided sail with a spar called a gaff, extending out from the top of the mast. This type of sail design allows for easy handling, as the sail is relatively simple to hoist, lower, and trim.

Catboats are known for their wide and stable beam, which makes them an excellent choice for cruising and day sailing in calm waters. The shallow draft of a catboat also allows them to access shallower waters that deeper draft boats cannot, making them ideal for exploring coastal areas.

Table of Contents

Why is a catboat called a catboat?

The origin of the term catboat is unclear, but one theory suggests it may come from the Dutch word “kopje” meaning small cottage, which would be fitting for a boat used as a makeshift home away from shore.

Catboats were popular in colonial times for fishing and transport in shallow coastal waters, carrying goods and people to and from small islands and coves.

Catboat vs Catamaran

Catamarans are characterized by their twin hulls, which offer more stability and speed. They are generally larger in size and can accommodate more passengers, making them a popular choice for leisurely cruising or competitive racing.

Catboats, on the other hand, have a single hull and a relatively shallow draft, making them more maneuverable and versatile.

Catboats are known for their simplicity, with just one sail and basic rigging , and are often favored by solo sailors or those looking for a more intimate sailing experience.

Techniques for Sailing a Catboat

Sailing a catboat requires some skill and technique to maximize your speed and enjoy your sailing experience. Here are some tips to help you sail your catboat with confidence:

1. Balance the Boat

Unlike other sailboats, catboats have a single sail, which can make them more challenging to balance. To balance the boat, you need to ensure that the sail is positioned correctly and that your weight is evenly distributed.

2. Adjust the Sail

To get the best performance from your catboat, you need to adjust the sail’s position and shape.

When sailing upwind, the sail should be positioned as close to the wind as possible, while when sailing downwind, the sail should be positioned perpendicular to the boat.

3. Tack Efficiently

Tacking a catboat involves changing direction by turning the bow of the boat through the wind. To tack efficiently, you need to release the sheet (the line that controls the sail) and quickly turn the rudder to the other side.

4. Control Your Speed

Depending on the wind conditions, your catboat can quickly gain or lose speed. To maintain your speed , you need to adjust the sail’s shape and position constantly.

5. Use the Tiller Correctly

The tiller controls the direction of the boat. To sail straight, you need to position the tiller slightly to the side of the boat. To turn, you need to move the tiller in the opposite direction.

6. Reef the Sail

If the wind gets too strong, you may need to reef the sail to reduce its size and power. To reef the sail, you need to lower the halyard (the line that controls the height of the sail) and fold the sail along the reefing points.

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How much does a catboat cost?

The price of a catboat can vary depending on its size, age, and condition, as well as the location and seller. However, here are five popular catboats and their approximate costs:

This classic catboat measures 12 feet and is perfect for solo or small group sailing. It’s wooden hull and simple rigging make it easy to maintain and operate. Prices start at around $6,000.

Marshall 22

With a 22-foot fiberglass hull and room for up to six passengers, the Marshall 22 is a popular choice for day sails and weekend trips. Prices range from $25,000 to $35,000.

The Cape Dory 10

Designed for single-handed sailing , the Cape Dory 10 has a 10-foot fiberglass hull and can reach speeds of up to 6 knots. Prices start at around $5,000.

The Com-Pac Horizon Cat

Measuring 20 feet in length and featuring a shallow draft, the Com-Pac Horizon Cat is a versatile catboat that can be used for sailing in lakes, bays, and coastal waters. Prices range from $40,000 to $60,000.

The Stur-Dee Cat

This sturdy catboat features a fiberglass hull and traditional gaff rigging. With a length of 22 feet and a beam of 8 feet, it offers ample space for up to six passengers. Prices start at around $20,000.

How fast does a catboat go?

On average, a catboat can reach a top speed of around 6-8 knots (7-9 mph) in moderate winds.

However, it’s important to note that catboats are not designed for speed racing but rather for cruising and enjoying a leisurely sail.

Their wide beam and low profile make them great for relaxing on the deck and taking in the scenery. Plus, with a shallow draft, they can sail in shallow waters that other boats cannot access.

Here is a good video to show you the details of a Nathanael Herreshoff’s catboat

What are the benefits of a catboat?

1. Catboats have a unique design with a single mast and a wide beam, making them stable and easy to sail.

2. Catboats have a shallow draft, which means they can navigate in shallow waters, making them perfect for exploring coastal areas.

3. The boom on a catboat is typically very long, which allows for easy sail handling and maneuverability.

4. Catboats are known for their simplicity, making them great for beginners and experienced sailors alike.

5. They are great for family sailing adventures, with ample space on deck for lounging and enjoying the scenery.

6. Many catboats have cabins below deck, providing a cozy spot for overnight trips.

Are catboats safe?

Catboats are generally considered to be very safe boats. The low freeboard and wide beam make them stable in a variety of conditions, and their simple design means fewer systems can go wrong.

Catboats vs Sloop

Here’s a breakdown of the key differences between the two:

The most noticeable difference between catboats and sloops is in their rigging . A catboat has a single sail mounted on a single mast, while a sloop has two sails – a mainsail and a jib – mounted on two masts.

Because of their wide beam (width), catboats tend to be more stable than sloops. This makes them a popular choice for beginners or those who are prone to seasickness.

Maneuverability

Sloops are generally more maneuverable than catboats, thanks to their smaller sails. This makes them a better choice for racing or for those who prefer a more responsive vessel.

Because of their wide beam, catboats offer more interior space than sloops. This makes them a great option for cruising or for those who prefer more living space onboard.

Catboats vs Single hull

Catboats are often compared to single-hulled boats, as they both have a single keel running the length of the vessel. However, several key differences set catboats apart.

Firstly, catboats tend to have a wider beam than single-hulled boats, which gives them more stability on the water. This can be particularly important for novice sailors or those sailing in rougher conditions.

Additionally, catboats often have a shallower draft than single-hulled boats, which means they can sail in shallower waters without risking running aground. This can be advantageous for exploring areas that may be off-limits to other types of boats.

Another key difference between catboats and single-hulled boats is the sail plan. Catboats typically have a large, single sail located towards the front of the boat, whereas single-hulled boats may have multiple sails and a more complex rigging system.

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Cat Rigged Sailboat - Pros and Cons

• Thread starter catalanc
• Start date Nov 18, 2018
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

Hi Guys, I saw a Seaward cat rigged sail boat on Dillon lake a while ago. I sail single-handed most of the time and the lake can be very tricky with shifting wind direction and quickly changing speed. So, the cat sounds kinda interesting to me. Anyone out there have one and/or anyone have pros and cons of a cat rigged vs. a sloop rigged.  

catalanc said: Hi Guys, I saw a Seaward cat rigged sail boat on Dillon lake a while ago. I sail single-handed most of the time and the lake can be very tricky with shifting wind direction and quickly changing speed. So, the cat sounds kinda interesting to me. Anyone out there have one and/or anyone have pros and cons of a cat rigged vs. a sloop rigged. Click to expand

Since you are sailing Dillon Lake, I am guessing you saw one of the Sage boats made in Golden, CO. https://sagemarineblog.wordpress.com/2016/08/11/sailing-a-sage-15-cat/  

JohnShannon

Well a cat boat is super easy to sail. You only have 4 or 5 lines on the entire boat. Tacking is super easy. I bet one large sail is cheaper than a bunch of smaller sails. Performance wise? I expect a sloop outsails it, but I am not sure the difference is so dramatic. Most cat boats are relatively heavy and not exactly modern keel/rudder setups, and a little slow. Wyliecat 30 is light and modern underbody and is fast. For lake sailing and single handing I think a catboat is a good choice.  

A single mast cat rigged boat sails better than a sloop or a cutter under jib or main alone, but not better than either under proper sail. So, if you're not looking for sailing performance, but the ease of sailing instead, a catboat may well be a good choice.  

Hey, AFAIK, The pros and cons: Pros of a catboat: - Shallow draft - Easy to sail - just one sail, tack by just turning the wheel - tiller - Fast downwind with the large sail Cons of a catboat -Pointing ability - can't point high, don't go upwind well Barry  

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Behind the design - what is a cat boat.

If you are from New England, or a mariner who loves to sail the waters of the islands off the Massachusetts coast, you will easily recognize the iconic sailboat affectionately called "The Cat Boat."  Distinguished by its single gaff-rigged sail set forward in the bow, the cat has a wide beam making it stable and roomy.  They generally range in size from 14' to 26' in length.  Orignially used as workboats for passenger ferries or fishing, legend says that the name "Catboat" comes from the fishermen having to "shoo" the cats away from the dead fish on the boat.  These vessels were particularly useful because of their shallow draft and easily retractable center keel.  But, after the turn of the centry, they became more "vacation" or pleasure boats than working vessels.  They then became the popular racing boat for amateur sailor racers all over New England.

The "Rainbow" is a well-recognized small cat boat that was designed in 1920 by John Beetle as a fun, safe sailboat for children and was brought to Nantucket in 1926 as the standard craft for a race with each sail being made of a different color so that parents could recognize their child's boat!

Of course Claire had to design a series of rugs and accessories celebrating this time-honored tradition, and so was born the Cat Boat and Rainbow Fleet collections.  But you need not have to live on Nantucket to appreciate the inspiration and art of these handsome rugs.  Available in many sizes and versions, they have become some of Claire Murray's most recognizable rugs.

https://clairemurray.com/collections/the-cat-boats-and-rainbow-fleet-collection

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Boat Review: Marshall 22 Catboat

This enduring fiberglass catboat is good choice for classic boat enthusiasts..

Photo by Stan Grayson

Founded in 1962, Marshall Marine is a rarity, a pioneer of fiberglass sailboats that is still in operation, still family owned, and still catering to an enduring niche market. Those who recall the companys earliest days attribute its successful launch to three things. First, the late Breckenridge Breck Marshalls timing was impeccable. His first catboat caught the market when interest in a traditional boat built of fiberglass was just taking off. Second, Marshalls move from his original location in the New Hampshire woods to South Dartmouth, Mass., put him in the right place at the right time. Third, the boats design, construction, and practicality exceeded customer expectations, and word spread.

Todays lineup includes all three catboats originally developed by Breck Marshall: the 18-foot Sanderling unveiled at the 1963 New York Boat Show, the 22 (based on the 18 and introduced in 1965), and the 15-foot Sandpiper of 1972. Positioned as the companys family cruiser, the 5,660-pound displacement 22 is a hefty little vessel. Although used primarily as a daysailer and weekender, some 22s have made ambitious coastal passages, including New England to Florida and back.

Behind Breck Marshalls success lay an impressive sailing resume that ranged from classic catboats to ocean racing. When he returned from naval service in the South Pacific, Marshall acquired a 28-foot catboat that he promptly modified with an 8-foot bowsprit and a 52-foot mast. Zamboanga could spread nearly 1,300 square feet of sail and became a force to be reckoned with on Narragansett Bay, R.I.

An astute observer of boats and the marine trade, Marshall believed that fiberglass represented the future. After a stint with fiberglass innovator Carl Beetle in New Bedford, Mass., Marshall became foreman at American Boat Builders in East Greenwich, R.I. This company tooled up to build Bill Tripps iconic Block Island 40 in the late 1950s. Although his experience was primarily racing and building bigger sailboats, Marshall saw a market for a low-maintenance, Cape Cod catboat. Long a staple of fishermen and yachtsmen, the beamy, centerboard catboat was well adapted to local conditions that combined shoal water, strong breezes, and powerful currents. The first boat derived from an 18-foot, marconi-rigged catboat featured in Yachting in 1944. Marshall acquired the rights and a few station molds for the boat, which had been designed, built, and raced by a skilled Rhode Island sailor named Ernest Pop Arnold.

Together with his shop foreman, Marshall spent three weeks developing Arnolds design for fiberglass production. To create what Marshall initially dubbed the Custom Catboat 18, they increased the sheer, hollowed the bow at the waterline, revised the stem, and replaced the marconi rig with a gaff rig. By the end of 1964, 18 boats, now called the Marshall Sanderling, had been sold. In 1965, Marshall took off the lines, refined and sharpened the bow sections, and brought his drawings to renowned boatbuilder Alan Vaitses. Vaitses did the lofting required to scale the 18-footer up to 22 feet and built the plug used to create the mold.

The Marshall 22 is an evocative rendition of a classic Cape Cod catboat. The 10-foot, 2-inch beam is not quite half of the boats 21-foot, 4-inch waterline, a general catboat rule-of-thumb. The vertical transom carries the familiar barn door rudder. A big centerboard trunk with a hinged table divides the cabin. The 29-foot mast is, of course, right in the bow (making it easy to reliably secure the end of the anchor rode). While the 388-square-foot sail is significantly smaller than that of a 19th-century engineless catboat of comparable size, todays sailors find it more than enough.

The first 22-footer was entered in the 1965 Newport-Block Island race. Years later, Breck Marshall still remembered his amazement at the owners decision to shake out both reefs when the breeze dropped from 30 to 25 knots. Grimalkin placed second on elapsed time, and won on corrected time. Catboats were promptly banned from the event for the stated reason that they were not self-righting, but 46 years later, that first Marshall 22, renamed Grayling, is still sailing.

Accommodations

The earliest boats had an open layout with a pull-out double berth to starboard and galley counter with sink and alcohol stove to port. A hanging locker was positioned ahead of the galley area, and two small berths were located on either side forward with a toilet between them. Beginning around the late 1960s, the head was repositioned to starboard, behind a partial bulkhead and curtain that separate this forward-most part of the cabin, affording some level of privacy. Drawers, shelves, and bins are located throughout.

The interior is reasonably comfortable for two adults. What is lacking, of course, is standing headroom. The topsides are deliberately low, reducing windage but allowing just enough seated headroom for those about 5-foot, 11-inches tall. Ventilation can be an issue. Most 22s have a forward hatch that is not hinged and requires a make-shift support to hold it open. Newer boats have a modern-style hatch. In all cases, a 24-hour hatch-mounted solar-fan is useful to battle mildew. An opening port is located at the front of the cabin on many boats, and many have optional louvered cabin doors. Some owners have installed a dorade vent.

The Marshall 22s cockpit is larger, more unencumbered, and more comfortable than those of many significantly larger boats. The great majority of owners purchase the optional dodger, onto which an available cockpit awning zips. Said one owner: The dodger is a must as it vastly increases living space and crew comfort.

Deck Layout

The sidedecks have molded toerails and are just wide enough so that one can walk forward to the mast. Catboats offer limited deck space for anchor handling, making the optional teak anchoring bowsprit desirable for cruising. Other than when anchoring, mooring, or reefing, there is little need to venture beyond the cockpit. Peak and throat halyards and a topping lift belay on the cabintop. Later boats have useful fairleads to guide the halyards aft. No halyard winches are installed or deemed necessary by most owners.

The extruded aluminum mast is tapered, and the bottom six feet are foam-filled to increase stiffness. The only standing rigging is the traditional forestay. Older masts should be examined for evidence of corrosion caused by the stainless-steel screws attaching the stainless gooseneck. Occasionally, a new mast is the safest approach. A stainless steel, vinyl-lined gaff saddle is used rather than jaws. The saddle is durable, but it and the gaff hardware on which its mounted require prompt replacement if anything has become bent.

Prospective buyers should carefully inspect this sail during a sea trial. A kink at the inboard end of the batten pockets usually means stretched fabric that will benefit little from re-cutting. Longtime owners recommend getting detailed, written quotes from at least two sailmakers experienced with gaff-rig. Buyers should also be sure the boat they are interested in has at least two rows of reef nettles. Imagine my shock, one buyer related, when I found the previous owner had the sail cut down in size.

Abaft the cockpit coaming is the traveler, made of bronze like all the boats deck hardware. The mainsheet is rigged through a double block on the traveler and another on the boom. Some owners replace these doubles with three larger, single blocks (standard on the Sanderling) and report smoother performance. A stainless-steel socket for the boom crutch is mounted on the cockpit coaming. The sockets wooden mounting pad should be checked for cracks.

The bronze steering wheel drives the linkage that operates the rack. Its a rugged setup, but the nut and bolt used in the linkage should be periodically checked to ensure tightness. The rudder has the traditional hole through which a line can be rigged to manually steer in the rare event of gear failure. Most boats have bronze steps on the rudder and transom. These are critical to safe re-boarding in addition to being very convenient ashore.

Engine access is excellent through a big hatch in the cockpit sole. There are still boats equipped with a Palmer, Atomic 4, or Gray Marine gasoline engine, however, Yanmars 3GM20 became standard in 1980. The raw-water-cooled 2GM20 was adopted in 1985. These diesels can be expected to outlive most owners if properly serviced. When the 2GM was discontinued about 2005, the 3YM20 freshwater-cooled model succeeded it. Boats with a replacement diesel should be carefully surveyed to ensure professional installation and unimpeded routing of all fuel lines.

The 12-gallon aluminum fuel tank is located at the forward end of the cockpit beneath starboard seat. Prospective buyers should check the tank for leakage. If replacement is needed, access is reasonably good. Up until about the mid-1970s, Marshall 22s had an external stuffing box, while later models have an internal box. A survey should include the cutless bearing. Replacing the bearing requires removal of the rudder and prop shaft before the bearing itself can be cut apart and a new one installed.

Construction

The hull and deck (and other components) are molded, as they always have been, by Pine Grove Plastics in Freetown, Mass. Hull lay-up is by hand, using mat and roving bonded with polyester resin according to the schedule developed by Marshall himself. Seven basic plies are used with additional layers applied in the forepeak, garboard area and centerboard trunk. Composed of 25 plies, the mast step is laminated in its own mold.

In 2009, closed-cell foam replaced plywood in several key areas. These include the transom and rudder cores, the main cabin bulkhead, and the floor frames. Some older boats suffered water intrusion into the plywood transom or rudder cores, usually caused by damage or improperly bedded fittings installed by a previous owner. If such damage exists, its best to turn to professional guidance for repair or replacement. Given the Marshall 22s overall sturdiness and market value, such core repairs are usually worthwhile.

Cabin and cockpit coamings are solid glass while the cabintop and foredeck are foam-cored except where hardware is installed. Older boats may have developed leaky port lights but removing and rebedding is not difficult. Breck Marshall was especially proud not only of the sturdy hull lay-up, but of the hull/deck joint, which uses no mechanical fasteners. Instead, four successively wider bonding strips of fiberglass are applied, creating a thick fillet and, essentially, a leak-free, monocoque hull/deck unit. No interior liner is used, contributing to easy maintenance, but some boats have dressy cedar staving thats an option for both cabin and cockpit. Teak trim around the cabin coaming and encasing the aft end of the centerboard trunk are options found on many boats.

The plywood-cored centerboard pivots on a bronze pin concealed within the hull laminate. Absent severe damage, the pin should require no attention. The pennant, however, should be checked for chafe.

The most significant structural change occurred in 1983 when a molded fiberglass cockpit replaced the original glassed-plywood sole and plywood seats supported by stanchions. This improved durability, ease of cleaning, and utility. The molded cockpit has three lazarettes in addition to the icebox located portside abaft the bulkhead. The lazarette hinges are well-secured by bronze bolts. The ice box of the earlier glass/plywood is almost certain to need replacement as most develop rot in the plywood, leak air, and offer insufficient insulation.

Some checking can be expected on the interior face of the plywood main cabin bulkhead, but its generally cosmetic. However, the lowest portions of the bulkhead should be inspected for soundness, particularly on boats with the old-style cockpit, with the notoriously leaky ice box. The joint between the seats of the molded cockpit and the cabin is sometimes a potential source of intrusion by rainwater, which will collect beneath the companionway steps. A renewed bead of caulk along the joint will reduce but not eliminate the problem as will the cockpit dodger.

The molded cockpit has two bronze scuppers at the aft end of the centerboard trunk. Each scupper drains through a seacock located beneath the companionway steps. Earlier models simply have drain holes in the aft end of the centerboard trunk.

Those considering purchase of older M22s are likely to find the original gelcoat remains in excellent condition. Hull blisters have seldom, if ever, been a problem. Still, the builder advises that, as a precaution, boats going south where theyll remain in the water for extended periods should have the bottom stripped and barrier-coated.

Performance

With 850 pounds of interior lead ballast, a wide beam, and modest deadrise, the 22 barely budges when one steps aboard. These are stiff sailors, too, and, when properly handled, sail at a modest heel. A drink can left on the sidedeck generally is quite safe. Its a dry boat for its size, but the dodger is an asset once seas build to three feet and winds exceed 15 knots.

The 22 tacks through 50 to 60 degrees depending on wind and sea conditions. Never missed stays in the 13 years Ive had her, said one owner. Competitive sailors emphasize that keeping the mast raked forward is vital to upwind performance as is peaking the sail as high as possible. A 12-knot breeze will produce a speed of about 5.5 knots but a steep chop may well knock off a knot or so. In 15 to 18 knots, the boat can show 6.5 knots plus. One owner who removed his boats engine and filled the skeg aperture reported cruising easily at 6 knots and that hes often seen 7.5 knots speed over the ground.

A key to catboat sailing is learning to reef to reduce excessive weather helm as wind speed increases. A single reef is called for at about a steady 15 knots. The boat is a good single-reef performer and can stand up to 25- to 35-knot gusts when double-reefed. Very light air performance-0 to 5 knots or so-is hampered somewhat by the boats weight and prop drag.

A 13 x 13 prop, three-blade prop is standard. A two-blade prop offers less drag under sail, but a three-blade, noted one owner, will get us through a Buzzards Bay chop twice as fast as a two-blade. Either prop will push the boat to hull speed under most conditions, but the three-blade provides somewhat better maneuvering. Performance in reverse is made trickier by the winds effect on the mast.

Some 40 sloop-rigged versions have been built. The sloop tends to point less well than the cat rig but offers somewhat better balance off the wind. The mast, relocated from forepeak to cabin, does compromise the interior somewhat.

As a weekender or coastal cruiser, the Marshall has much to recommend it, especially to those who can fully exploit its shallow draft, who revel in catboat lore, and who value the boats simplicity and the challenge of its big rig. Construction is unquestionably solid, and the 22 packs a lot of living space into its beamy hull. The original owner of a 38-year-old boat advised: I think looking at a recent boat and comparing it to the one you are considering is a good way to figure out what you miss and where youd need to make some alterations. Having a helpful, customer-focused builder available to promptly supply parts and advice is a bonus.

In 1973, the 22 sold new for about $12,000 and can fetch substantially more than that assuming care and upgrading. Today, new-boat prices range from the base $76,900 to around $90,000 or more. Used boats range from around $18,000 to $70,000 or more. A survey is advisable. Most purchasers can expect to get back about what they paid, assuming proper maintenance and, as sailboats go, the Marshall is a generally reliable investment. Clearly, a 22-foot catboat is not for everyone. It lacks the go-fast adjustments many are accustomed to, and requires development of specific skills. Its beamy hull and big sail are doubtless better adapted to Nantucket Sound than San Francisco Bay. A healthy back and willingness to adopt the catboat crouch when going below are needed.

The Catboat Association, founded in 1962, exists as a clearing house for information, ads, and a source of camaraderie. Its approximately 1,600 members share a fascination with catboat history and technique. Gatherings and races are held from Maine to the Chesapeake and Florida, though Marshalls are now scattered as far as the West Coast. Overall, the Marshall 22 is a capable, good-looking, practical boat that offers a unique combination of quality, safety, fun, and comfort. For our purposes, said one long-time owner, it would be a surprisingly hard boat to replace.

• Marshall Cat
• The Catboat Assn.

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HELLO Darrell

I am thinking about buying a Catboat, this will help me in my choice. If you have any other documentation comparing Marshall Sanderling, against other tailorable catboats such as: Comp-Pac Horizon cat , Arey’s Catboat, or the Menger Cat, I would appreciate it. Also Are they all about the same with maintenance?

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Boat Profile

The Wittholz Catboat

A classic adapted for plywood

From Issue   February 2021

T he catboat is a beamy, monohulled sailboat descended from a line of working watercraft. No one is sure of the origin of the name “catboat.” Some said the boat was as fleet as a cat. Or, the name might have been inspired by dock cats that greeted returning fishermen. Catboats fished, hauled freight, and ferried passengers along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard as early as 1850. Their spiritual home is Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where generations of the Crosby family built catboats, determining their shapes with hand-carved models.

The beam of a catboat is typically half its length. Such generous beam afforded room for a fisherman to work. A single mast, stepped far forward, has a forestay but generally no shrouds. The rig is a single sail, often a gaffer. Fishermen made headroom by furling the rig then hiking it high overhead with one of the halyards. Because catboats worked in shallow waters, most have shoal draft and a centerboard. Catboats have a characteristic barn-door rudder, hung proud of the stern and steered with a tiller.

Working watermen eventually adopted steam and gasoline. But a new kind of sailor, the pleasure boater, adopted the catboat, which retains a loyal following to this day.

Naval architect Charles W. Wittholz of Silver Spring, Maryland, designed boats ranging from 11’ dinghies to 85′ replica ships. In his career, Wittholz designed several catboats, but it was the 17-footer that he himself sailed on the Potomac River. Built in 1967, he named his boat GOOD OMEN and sailed her for more than 20 years.

The keel version of the Wittholz 17 catboat has its greatest draft 13-1/2′ back from the stem, so it can be brought fairly close to shore. The bundled boom and gaff have been hiked up by the peak halyard to provide more headroom in the cockpit.

T he plans for the 17′ 1″ plywood catboat include 11 sheets with good construction detail: materials, dimensions, fastening schedules, notes, and comments. Several alternatives are included: self-bailer instead of deep cockpit, lead-ballasted full keel instead of a centerboard, open cockpit instead of a cabin, gaff or marconi sailing rig, optional anchor-handling bowsprit, and an optional inboard engine. The plans date to the early 1960s, so some of the suppliers mentioned have long been out of business.

The Wittholz 17 requires lofting from the plan’s offsets. Drawing the body plan (the end-on view) requires a 6′ x 10′ drawing surface and is critical to loft accurately as it provides the full-sized patterns for the frames. The 6′ x 6′ side-view lofting of the stem provides patterns for the stem/forefoot assembly. The lofting for this catboat is not complicated; Greg Rössel’s book, Building Small Boats , covers lofting nicely.

Hull construction is straightforward: assemble the oak stem, the 1/2″ plywood transom, and the nine frames of mahogany or oak with 1/2″ plywood gussets. Set those elements on a level building jig, upside down, with the frames 22″ apart. Fit the mahogany or fir sheer stringers and chines, and the mahogany keelson to the frames.

The hull sides and bottom are 3/8″ plywood. The plans suggest a layer of fiberglass cloth on the ply for extra durability. I know from personal experience that if you get the catboat sideways to the wind and ram the dock, you can crack some plywood along the sides. The most vulnerable areas are between the frames forward of amidships, aft of the forward bulkhead. I suggest adding oak blocking between frames about 12″ above the waterline and heavy-duty fiberglass-epoxy on the inside of the plywood in these areas.

In my experience, fir and Aquatek plywoods check and crack if painted only, so they must be covered on both sides with fiberglass cloth set in epoxy. If you do cover plywood in fiberglass, do it after cutting pieces to shape, before installation, while they are still flat. This is so much easier than fiberglassing an assembled boat. High-quality okoume plywood is nice stuff: no voids, many plies. Okoume, when used for parts of the boat other than the hull, benefits from a barrier coat of unthickened epoxy on both sides, but it does not require fiberglass cloth.

This boat will always have a little water in the deepest part of the bilge. Seal this area with several coats of epoxy resin.

Get the sides from 5′ x 20′ panels (two sheets 5′ x 10′ scarfed). Attach the sides first. Get the bottoms from 4′ x 20′ panels (4′ x 8′ sheets scarfed). The bottom panels overlap the side panels most of the way then transition to a butt seam forward. Fit the keel to the keelson before turning the hull over.

T he sail plans include both marconi and gaff rigs. The gaff-rig mast I built is solid spruce: 5-1/4″ in diameter, 25′ long. The gaffer requires a single forestay but no shrouds. The hardware called out in the plans is all from Merriman Yacht Specialties, a company no longer in business. Most parts have readily available equivalents, but if gooseneck hardware is hard to find, try wooden jaws. See William Garden’s article, “The Right Jaws for your Gaff and Boom,” in WoodenBoat No.59 .

The gaff rig’s solid mast is too heavy and awkward to step handling it solely from the foredeck. Lacking a crane, it requires a person on a low bridge or atop a neighboring houseboat to steady the mast while a crew of two lifts/lowers on deck. Spare halyards from two neighboring sloops would also work to step this mast.

Those wanting a trailer-sailer will look to the marconi rig then make modifications for folding. The builder will have to design the modifications, because the plans say nothing about folding. The marconi mast is a 5-1/4″ x 4-1/4″ hollow rectangle, 32′ 3″ long. This mast requires a forestay and two shrouds that belay aft of the mast partner.

The gaff rig peaks up higher than is usual for a center of effort similar to the marconi. Build either sail with two sets of reefpoints as shown on the plans. The second reefpoint has a calming effect in 40-knot winds.

The optional bowsprit is not for a jib, as a jib of any kind would unbalance the boat. The bowsprit is for anchor handling, equipped with a chock to guide the chain and rode.

The Wittholz catboat has a centerboard, as catboats commonly do. Draft with centerboard up is 21″, down 4′ 3″. The centerboard case is 6′ long, most of it in the cabin, with 19″ extending aft into the cockpit. The centerboard itself is 3/8″ galvanized steel. There are 500 lbs of movable ballast in the form of lead pigs under the cabin and cockpit floorboards.

The trailer for this keelboat version of the catboat is fitted with screw pads to steady the hull while the weight of the boat is supported beneath the keel. The centerboard version could slide onto a trailer equipped with bunks.

The plans include an option for a full ballast keel, as seen in the catboat pictured here. The draft of the full-keel version is 28″. The builder must make a mold to pour 600 lbs of lead shaped to fair with the deadwood in the keel. The mold requires lofting, too; refer to the Bud McIntosh book, How to Build a Wooden Boat , for a simple explanation.

Either model weighs about 2,200 lbs, including the ballast. The trailer for it could be a bunkboard arrangement, but a trailer with boat stands is better. When trailering, the boat must rest on its keel, not its garboards.

With the tiller swung to port, there’s room for the stove when the cockpit is pressed into service as the galley. The plans call for an engine box, which would occupy the center of the cockpit. A transom-mounted outboard motor frees up that space for the crew.

T he cockpit is seriously spacious. Sloop sailors often walk by and exclaim, “Look at all that room!” The cockpit can easily accommodate six people. The seats have a comfortable slope, and the coamings are tilted as backrests should be. The footwell is deep but not self-bailing. Water will sump to the deepest part of the bilge where a reliable pump awaits. For a self-bailing cockpit, see the plans; there is a sheet for that. The high sheer up forward keeps the cockpit dry in most conditions.

At anchor, it is a fine thing to hike up the sailing rig for standing headroom in the cockpit. On the gaffer, do this by furling the sail, lashing boom to gaff, and hauling on the peak halyard. For the marconi rig, modify the wire topping lift. Its upper end is fixed to the top of the mast, so modify the bottom end with 1/4″ rope, blocks, and a cleat on the boom to adjust it.

The plans for the cabin include two berths and cabinets aft of them, one equipped with a sink, the other a two-burner stove. The keelboat version, seen here, leaves the space between the berths unobstructed by a centerboard trunk.

In the cabin, there is sitting headroom on berths port and starboard. The two lockers amidships are sure to be customized by the builder. At anchor, a Coleman stove works well in the cockpit aft, so the two-burner alcohol stove in the cabin shown in the plans may not be required. The drawings show a head up forward, but it flushes straight into the sea. Better find a place for a porta-potty, either forward or perhaps amidships port or starboard. When it comes to building the cabin, How to Build a Wooden Boat is again a good companion to the plans.

The plans show where to fit a small inboard engine, but a 5-hp, four-stroke, long-shaft outboard motor serves well as an auxiliary. The plans also show an option for stowing an outboard under a hatch set in the cockpit floor. On smooth water, the outboard will push the boat at 6 knots. Mount the outboard to a bracket on the transom, but keep it clear of the big rudder. Add framing in the transom for attaching the bracket to the boat. The bracket should be adjustable up and down to keep the propeller in the right amount of water, no matter where the passengers are. Most 5-hp outboards come with a propeller suitable for light craft or inflatable dinghies. For a boat of this size and weight, select a propeller with less pitch so that engine rpms are high enough to avoid lugging the engine.

The 220-sq-ft sail here is held to the mast by hoops and lashed to the gaff and boom. The plans not using sail track along the boom.

I n good conditions, expect this boat to sail to windward at 45 degrees off the wind. A sloop, with its two sails and narrower beam, might sail closer, but the catboat sailor specializes in his one mainsail and strives to get the most from it. The peak and throat halyards of the gaff rig provide control over sail shape. A three-part boom outhaul for either rig is useful to control the belly of the sail. The position of the crew greatly affects overall trim. Move crew aft or to windward to reduce weather helm, something catboats have in abundance. On this boat in particular, moving crew leeward can help push the hard chine underwater, so the side acts like a leeboard.

It is best not to oversheet a catboat. When hauled hard, the boom should be over the stern quarter of the boat. Hauled any harder, the boat slows down and crabs to leeward. Best to let out the sheet, find the wind, then adjust by looking for the sweet spot. On gusty days, do not cleat off the sheet; instead, wrap just enough turns around so it will slip when hit by a strong gust. On a reach, 15 knots of wind will move this boat at 6 knots. In stronger winds, reef the sail to match, preferably sooner than later.

At the helm, keep the tiller in one hand and the sheet in the other. One can sense immediately how the combination affects boat speed and trim.

Monte Copeland grew up in a lumberyard along the Ohio River, but never connected wood with water until after moving to Austin, Texas. Now retired from computer programming, Monte and his wife Sheila sail on Lake Travis. In his shop is an old Shellback dinghy getting ready for new paint.

Wittholz Catboat Particulars

Length/17′ 1″

Load waterline/16′ 6.6″

Beam/7′ 9.5″

Centerboarder draft, hull/21″

Centerboarder draft, board down/4′ 3″

Keelboat draft/28″

Displacement/3,080 lbs

Gaff sail area/220 sq ft

Thanks to reader Dick Lafferty for suggesting we review the Wittholz catboat—Ed.

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Comments (17)

Thank you very much for this article. I’ve built 2 wooden boats so far, one clinker and one stitch-and -glue plywood. I’ve looked many times at the lines of the Wittholz 17 and admired her beauty. You’ve brought her to life for me and provided a lot of food for thought.

Cheers, -Dick-

Mr Wittholz knew how to make a graceful boat! My first new boat, purchased in 1967, was a Chrysler Marine Lone Star 13. I had owned a $300 Philip Rhodes Penguin for just a month and sailed on White Rock Lake in Dallas. I quickly fell in love with the Lone Star 13s. What hooked me were two things: 1) their graceful, perfectly drawn sheer, and 2) the curling bow wave that the hollow in their forward section formed. I was sailing the Penguin one day when an LS13 came alongside and the skipper told me he had a customer who was looking for a Penguin and asked if I’d be interested in trading mine for an LS13. I (foolishly) assumed he meant a straight-up trade and gave him my phone number. He called that night and offered me $300 for the Penguin, but also offered to help me finance the LS for $30/month. I took him up on it and my only regret is that I didn’t keep that little Lone Star.

Great article. The Wittholz 17 has been on the top of my “someday” projects for a long time.

Re Fiberglassing flat plywood panels. Be aware that plywood with fiberglass is a lot stiffer than a bare piece of plywood. Some designs feature significant conical development and a fiberglassed panel will resist the conical bend. If you find yourself with this problem, the only solution is to remove the fiberglass with a heat gun, install the panel, and then fiberglass in place.

A lot of amateur boatbuilding is figuring out how to correct mistakes!

You raise a good point about flexibility of a fiberglassed panel. Other drawbacks to applying fiberglass to panels before use are that you miss the opportunity to span seams for reenforcement and cutting and planning the edges is hard on tools.

It’s with great interest that I read the article on the Charles Wittholz 17-1/2′ catboat. I own a fiberglass version of this boat, built in 1974 by Cape Cod Shipbuilding, in Wareham, Massachusetts, in 1974. Sailing the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia is beautiful, but demanding territory for a small craft, but this design is totally up to the task! In the four years I’ve owned this boat, I’ve come to trust its ability to handle open water, and its ability to gunkhole in and around bays and islands, with its shoal draft, and retractable centerboard. My boat has the original gaff-rigged mainsail, with two sets of reef points. I have rigged single-line reefing system, as I single hand the boat, and led the lines back to the cockpit. I have added a boom gallows in place of the removable boom crutch. This also allows for tackle to be rigged to help raise and lower the 6-hp four-stroke outboard on its folding bracket. Other upgrades include cabin-top hatch for ventilation, bulkhead-mounted compass, and marine head. Planned future upgrades include installation of a tabernacle to enhance the trailer-ability of the boat. I would love to hear from readers with plans/photos of how to do this. I would encourage your readers to consider this time-proven design, as a salty, capable, pocket cruiser that’s well worth the time and effort to build!

I live in Portland Oregon, turned 80 in November and own a 17ft. Whitholz/Herman Cat. It needs some small attention anyone wanting to share information or look at my little project feel free to contact me*. Just read the article about Whitholz. I just saw the photo of Sandy Shaffer’s boat in your magazine and it would be nice to talk to her.

*Leave a comment here. We’ll forward it. —Ed.

The article about the Wittholz 17′ Catboat naturally interested me. In my opinion, it is the best looking and most useful of any 17’ boat I have ever seen. It is just good to look at; Wittholz had the nautical eye. To achieve a good-looking boat in something so short and squatty is a miracle. It is the mark of a real artist. I think his little 17-footer answers all of the desiderata. And for me, it even satisfies my love of engines, in having an inboard diesel. But it is also my eye that is pleased. I love the perfection of his retroussé bow. It is just right. I met Charles W. Wittholz. He was unpretentious, just a boat guy who had great talent. Conversation was easy with him. My buddy Tony used to have a catalog of his steel boat plans. Sadly, Tony threw that catalog away. I wish I had it. The catboat would not have been included in those plans. And because I had seen that catalog long before I had seen my own catboat and long before I met Wittholz, I associated him with steel yachts. Tony loved his 42’ketch. He thought of building it or having it built by Dennis Schreiber. We were visiting Schreiber in St. Augustine at the time when Wittholz just happened to stop by to talk with Schreiber, who was building one of his steel boat designs at that time. Wittholz was a normal-sized man, wearing shorts and just a plain short sleeved shirt and looking like an everyday guy. He wore glasses. His hair was dirty blond. You could see how much he loved boats in every word he said. He quizzed Shreiber on whether his plans needed any reworking. He asked questions on some technical issues of construction. What was obvious is that Wittholz not only wanted his plans to produce a beautiful boat, he wanted the technicalities of construction to be good. Strength, convenience, maintainability, and practicality of construction, were all concerns of his. You could see he did not approach boat designing casually. The very construction of the boat was a matter of importance. I can’t remember for sure, but it is possible that Schreiber told him of some small little tricks he had come up with to deal with a special aspect of the construction. Working with steel, of course, is a lot different than working with wood. And oddly, many of Wittholz’s designs could be built out of wood as well as steel. For example, my friend Tony has both the wood plans and the steel plans for Wittholz’s 42-footer Cutter/Ketch yacht. This babe is everything a man could want in a yacht. It was Wittholz’s answer to the SPRAY. Want to sail the Magellan Strait? It could do it. Until meeting Wittholz, I had always imagined a naval architect as being a very formal man, on the order of Phillip Rhodes or Nat Herreshoff. But in Wittholz, I was seeing a man who could be out there in the boat yard painting his boat. But once he started to talk, you knew you were dealing with the real thing. Surely, he is among the truly talented boat designers. I do value it highly that I met Charles W. Wittholz.

Great advice about reefing. Sailing a Herreshoff America 18 in Florida’s intracoastal, I would take in one reef before leaving the somewhat sheltered dock and shake it out when I reached open water if the breeze was light. That was much easier, single handed, than the other way around.

A beautiful boat, a true pocket cruiser. Excellent write up. I, too, have pored over the plans for many an hour; now, if we did not already own two catboats….

I would offer this as a possible approach to hinging your mast: you may wish to read Dave McCulloch’s article in which he uses three 1/4” SS plates with bolts and pins on his 4” diameter Marsh Cat mast. He has a similar system on his Kingston Lobsterboat. See WoodenBoat #237 M/A 2014 page 38 “A Simple In-Mast Hinge.” Note that he added side stays. I have seen his installation; it is clean and neat. He brought the boat to a Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival to much acclaim. You may wish to check with David regarding plate size for taller masts. I have a set of plates all cut out but can’t bring myself to saw my mast in half. Bill Rutherford CACTUS WREN

Could Bill Rutherford put me on to Bill McCulloch? I am building a Marsh Cat and plan to use a tabernacle for the mast. After much noodling, l’ve reinforced the deck from underneath using a piece of an old 4″D bird’s-mouth mast perched on the oak mast step and an oak deck pad. The tabernacle design is still in the works. Cheers, Robert Hale PS: I cruised on a steel Wittholz Departure 35 from Guatemala to Gulfport, Miss. Good sea boat.

I recently got an early Ted Herman version of the Wittholz 17, with the Marconi rig.

I recently restored my ’71 Herman 17 with a Marconi rig. I’m concerned with the mast bend I get in the upper portion at the diamond shrouds when close hauled under full sail. Being a sloop sailer for years, I am not familiar with tuning this setup. Diamand shrouds are not adjustable but possibly have stretched?

I am in the process of buying a 1973 Wittholz/Cape Cod Shipbuilding Catboat, so Monte Copeland’s article is very valuable. As a fellow Austinite, I would love to meet or speak with him.

Chris, I always look forward to the 1st of each month and the new issue of Small Boats Magazine . The ARCHIVE feature is an incredible bonus, especially for those of us of a “certain age,” since we can read again those articles of a few years back that seem as new as the latest issue!

I’m looking to build the 14′ or 17′ Wittholz cat boat and wondering what would be involved in using cedar strip and instead of plywood to get the rounded lines?

I built a Wittholz 17′ cat at around the same time as Monte Copeland and have been sailing it in Belfast Lough (the original one in Northern Ireland) for some 14 years now. I was able to exchange a few emails with Monte at the time we were building, which helped a lot to encourage me to keep going! I also had great advice from Dan Whiteneck who was building one near Boston, but I have unfortunately lost touch with him. The boat attracts admiring looks and compliments from all who see her and has become part of my life. Looking forward now to the summer for leisurely and surprisingly quick sailing in my unique Wittholz cat.

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Prowling the Coast in a Catboat

Halloween was just around the corner when I sailed my Marshall Sanderling catboat Second Edition from her mooring in Blue Hill Harbor to the boatyard in McHeard Cove to be hauled for the winter.

I’d launched the boat a few days after a pre-Memorial Day tow up to Maine from the Marshall Marine yard in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, and spent the summer learning to sail her on Blue Hill Bay. I learned the vagaries of singlehanding a huge, gaff mainsail on a shoal-centerboard boat, sailing on and off the mooring in a crowded harbor, keeping track of an 80-foot mainsheet, reefing under way when the wind came up unexpectedly, and, better, reefing before leaving the mooring.

As the lessons took hold, I grew happier sailing on the bay for a couple of hours or most of a day, or pottering around the harbor under easy sail before settling back on the mooring to enjoy the sunset and a sundowner.

It didn’t take long for my comfort level to rise. After all, Second Edition was my second catboat.

I came to sailing more than 50 years ago, but I got a late start. I’ve  been around boats, and loved them, from my early childhood when my family had a summer place on a lake outside New York City, but none of them sailed.

From a stodgy, flat-bottomed skiff with oars longer than I was and a 2-horsepower Johnson outboard that often started, I graduated to the family’s lapstrake runabout that had a 25-horsepower Evinrude as big as a modern 300-horsepower behemoth on the transom. Much later, my wife, two sons, and I lived aboard in New York Harbor on a classic, pre-Depression Lawley commuter yacht with a pair of diesels beneath the pilothouse that replaced the original Hall-Scott gas engines.

In the early 1970s we moved ashore to Cape Cod, within walking distance of a tiny harbor on Buzzards Bay, and everything changed. A narrow inlet squeezed between a rock breakwater and a long sandspit, the harbor sheltered a handful of daysailers—mostly Cape Cod Knockabouts—and one elegant Swan cruising sloop. Suddenly, I was desperate to go sailing and a traditional Cape Cod catboat seemed the obvious choice to go sailing on.

I wish I could say my decision to learn about sailing on a small, centerboard boat featuring an enormous, gaff mainsail was the product of extensive thought and serious research, but really I just fell in love. Up the estuary in an almost landlocked pool nestled between the sandspit and the steep shore I found an old catboat riding to a sheltered mooring. The setting was beautiful, almost mystical, and—with the mast set in the eyes of a plumb bow, handsome sheer, and traditional single gaff sail—so was the boat. I had to have one.

An autumn afternoon in 1973 found me at the South Dartmouth, Massachussets boatyard run by Breck Marshall, founder of the Marshall Marine Corp. With his design of the company’s 18-foot fiberglass Sanderling in the early 1960s, Marshall was largely responsible for the resurgence of interest in catboats among sailors without the wherewithal, financial, emotional or otherwise, to restore one of the handful of available wooden classics.

A walkaround with Marshall and inspection of a few boats under construction hooked me. The following summer I took delivery of a new Marshall Sanderling—hull #287— Amiable Consort .

For the next four years, my wife, our two sons, and I sailed that boat all around Cape Cod. We thrashed along in Buzzards Bay’s smokey sou’westers. We crossed and re-crossed the bay to socialize and race at Catboat Association get-togethers in Padanaram. We cruised to Cuttyhunk and Hadley Harbor in the Elizabeth Islands and sailed through boiling Woods Hole Passage to Menemsha and Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard. We even made it all the way to Nantucket.

On most of those trips the crew included my wife and our two sons—ages nine and three when we took delivery of Amiable Consort . When the weather was fine, the boys would enjoy the large cockpit—where my older son and I slept under a boom tent on cruises. When the weather got nasty, the boys would head below. My younger son invariably curled up on the lee berth to sleep peacefully through the worst of it. Miraculously, my wife kept all hands well fed with only a gimballed Sterno stove.

Over time, our crew grew—not in number but in size—and we found Amiable Consort too tight a fit for the four of us. After four summers, we sold the catboat and its horrible British Seagull outboard and began to move up the boat size ladder.

First, we cruised an elderly, wooden 24-foot Eastward Ho sloop built long ago in the Netherlands and leaky as a colander. Her most notable features, aside from having an actual galley and four full-length bunks, were a Navy-style bilge pump that required constant use under way and a Palmer auxiliary gas engine, “Little Devil,” that invariably died in the Woods Hole Passage. In 1983, we bought Hurler , a Robert Perry-designed Baba 30 double-ended cutter that sailed well in light airs and heavy, had a real galley and plenty of space below, and an engine that, like everything else aboard, always worked.

Eventually I began to think that Hurler was more boat than I wanted for a regimen of singlehanded day sails and rare overnights to nearby harbors. I wanted a boat that was simple to maintain and sail by myself—no winches or furlers, no electronics or electrical system, no diesel to maintain. I wanted a boat that didn’t need a boatyard or Travelift. I wanted another catboat.

After 35 years, I sold Hurler into good hands and went looking for a used Sanderling in good condition. No surprise, the boat that sold for just under $5,000 new in 1973 is considerably more expensive now.

I searched countless catboat listings on the internet and, eventually, a spring afternoon found me once again at the Marshall boatyard, now run by Breck Marshall’s son Geoff, to look at a Sanderling. The yard was very much as I remembered it, though the newer boat features several improvements over the 1973 model. The result of my second visit was much the same as the first—I took home a boat, my Second Edition , and went sailing.  

Stephen Rappaport is the Waterfront Editor at  The Ellsworth American , has lived in Maine for 30 years, and is a lifelong sailor.

Catboat sailors love to race one another—there are countless club events and the Catboat Association lists “formal” races in harbors stretching from Florida to Maine. These are 14-footers built by the Arey’s Pond Boat Yard. Builder Tony Davis based the popular little cats on a boat drawn by designer Edson. I. Schock. Most are fiberglass but Arey’s Pond also builds a wooden version. Photo by Tyler Fields

Initially designed for fishing, catboats have become popular recreational sailers..

BY STEPHEN RAPPAPORT

Along most of the New England coast, when people think about catboats what often comes to mind is the traditional Cape Cod cat.

Broad of beam—the typical length-to-beam ratio is 2:1—with a heavy mast right in the eyes of the bow and big “barndoor” rudder on the transom, these shoal-draft centerboarders carried a big gaff mainsail. On the boats that came from the yards of builders such as the several members of the Crosby family—particularly Charles Crosby and H. Manley Crosby—of Osterville on Vineyard Sound from the late 1800s until right around World War II, the booms often extended several feet beyond the boat’s stern. But despite their well-deserved reputation, the “Crosby cats” were scarcely the only catboats on the water.

Maritime historian Howard I. Chapelle tells us that, in the 19th century, catboats evolved in at least three distinct areas including, in addition to Cape Cod, lower New York Bay with the waters along the New Jersey shore, and Narragansett Bay. In all three areas, catboats were, at least initially, designed as fishing boats. Catboats continued to fish in the waters around Martha’s Vineyard, though mostly under power, until well into the second half of the last century. Many of those boats came from the Old Sculpin shop of Edgartown boatbuilder Manuel Swartz Roberts. Later, especially around Cape Cod and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, large catboats—a few as long as 40 feet—were used to carry passengers and freight. Lillian, built in Hyannis, Massachusetts, in 1888 and lengthened to just over 38 feet, carried freight and passengers between villages on Nantucket Harbor until the late 1930s.

The catboats that developed at the eastern and western extremities of this range were primarily centerboarders, a reflection of the shallow waters around most of Cape Cod and on the inner bays along the Jersey shore where they worked. Keel catboats evolved on the deeper waters of Narragansett Bay, and W.W. Phinney of Monument Beach on Cape Cod built large keel cats to carry passengers and freight.

It didn’t take local yachtsmen long to develop an appreciation for the fast-sailing catboats, and that interest drew the attention of some of the nation’s most important designers. Nathaniel Herreshoff, C.C. Hanley, Francis Sweisguth, and A.C. Smith among them.

By the end of the 19th century, catboat racing was well established at yacht clubs along the Atlantic Seaboard. By the 1920s, though, catboat racing had virtually disappeared in New England. But it remained popular, as it still does today, on Barnegat Bay in New Jersey.

The New Jersey boats, especially the A Class and B Class boats of Barnegat Bay, were an entirely different breed of cat from their New England relatives. Perhaps the most impressive example of the type is the 33-foot B cat Silent Maid , which was launched in 2009 and has become a prominent, and successful, participant in classic wooden boat yacht racing along the East Coast. The original Silent Maid was designed by Francis Sweisguth for yachtsman and author Edwin Schoettle in 1924, and raced successfully on Barnegat Bay for many years.

Several builders are currently producing smaller, more manageable catboats in both fiberglass and wood, at least four of them in Massachusetts.

Besides Marshall Marine in South Dartmouth, builder of the 15-foot Sandpiper and Marshall 22, as well as the 18-foot Sanderling catboat, all in fiberglass, Arey’s Pond Boat Yard in South Orleans builds a line of catboats ranging in length from the 12-foot Kitten to a spectacular custom 29-footer available in wood or fiberglass. In Wareham, Beetle Inc. builds traditional 12-foot Beetle Cats using the same plank-on-frame construction as designer Carl Beetle used in his New Bedford boatshop nearly 100 years ago. In Barnstable, Howard Boats builds a fiberglass reproduction of the Carl Beetle design. In Clearwater, Florida, Com-Pac Yachts builds six fiberglass catboats ranging in length from 14 to 20 feet.

Although no longer in business, both Freedom Yachts and Hinterholler built a variety of large fiberglass cruising catboats, the latter under the Nonsuch name, most carrying some variation of the wishbone rig developed by naval architect Frederick Fenger.

Also no longer in production are the 18-foot Herreshoff America, a traditional centerboard fiberglass catboat designed by Halsey Herreshoff first built in 1971 and last produced about 20 years ago, the rugged catboats built by William Menger on the south shore of New York’s Long Island during the 1980s and 1990s, and any of the many handsome designs from the board of designer Charles Wittholz.

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What’s in a Rig? Cat Rig

By: Pat Reynolds Sailboat Rigs , Sailboats

What’s in a Rig Series # 7 – The Cat Rig

Typically speaking, a cat rig is a single mast situated well forward, near the bow, which carries a large single sail and has no standing rigging, sometimes referred to as “unstayed.” An Optimist, Laser or Sabot are common (smaller) examples of a cat rig, but many bigger boats utilize the set-up.

As we’ve established in other What’s in a Rig articles, rig choice is always subjective. Most folks go for the popular Marconi (or Bermuda) sloop rig, but others like to be a bit different and work with less standard arrangements. The thinking behind choosing a cat rig as apposed to a yawl for instance, is probably rooted in more practicality than romance. Take it east yawl sailors, we know we know, they are more stable, and have advantages for long range cruising. Maybe, but we also know you like the way they look! Cat rigs, on the other hand, are truly simple to sail and manage. With one large sail and no rigging, a cat rig is up and running in moments and they can be single-handed quite easily. There is also considerable savings not having to maintain, tune or replace expensive rigs. And yet another benefit of the cat rig design on bigger boats is the amount of salon space they deliver. With a mast placed so far forward, the cabins are often very roomy.

So what’s the downside? Well, you’ve heard this tune before: upwind performance. There’s a reason why the common sloop rig is so incredibly popular. Some may say it’s because racing has such a powerful influence on the market, but the truth probably more accurately revolves around the fact that sloops are simple to sail and just go upwind so very well. There are modern cat rig designs like Wylie boats that have innovations (the wishbone boom) that address the upwind limitation, but most classic cat rigs suffer in the upwind department. However they do not suffer if fast efficient tacking and comfortable downwind running is your bag. Tacking a cat boat is basically one quick turn through the wind and it all pretty much happens for you.

Cat rigs are simple, maneuverable, efficient and economical. They’re especially suited for short-handed sailing and downwind passages. And a catboat sailor is probably someone who doesn’t mind traveling on a less trodden path. If you plan on a long downwind journey alone or with one other, take a look at some catboats – might just fit the bill.

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NONSUCH 30: A Modern-Day Catboat With a Wishbone Rig

The Nonsuch 30 was the first and most successful of the Nonsuch line of una-rigged cruising catboats built by Hinterhoeller Yachts of Ontario, Canada, from 1978 to 1994. Designed by Mark Ellis at the instigation of Gordon Fisher, a famous Canadian racing sailor who wanted a fast, easy-to-handle cruising boat for his retirement, this boat in particular and its four siblings (the Nonsuch 22, 26, 33, and 36) are among the most popular alternative-rigged production boats ever built. In all a total of 975 Nonsuchs were launched over the years; of these 522 were 30-footers. The Nonsuch remains a popular cult boat and its very active owners’ organization, the International Nonsuch Association (INA), has over 700 current Nonsuch owners enrolled on its lists.

The most distinctive feature of any Nonsuch is its sail plan. A freestanding tapered aluminum mast, situated all the way forward in the bow of the boat, supports a loose-footed mainsail that is hoisted inside a wishbone boom, the end of which is sheeted to the boat’s transom. The boom, because it is canted downwards, acts as a vang and keeps the clew of the sail from riding up as it is eased.

Sail shape otherwise is controlled with a single line called the “choker,” which when tightened pulls the boom aft in relation to the mast, thus flattening the sail. When eased the choker allows the boom to shift forward, thus increasing draft. The only other controls (aside from the one halyard) are slab-reefing lines for the tack and clew. The reefed portion of the sail (or the entire sail when doused) falls unassisted into a set of permanently rigged lazyjacks hanging under the boom.

The great advantage of this rig is its simplicity. Tacking the boat involves no line-handling whatsoever (just turn the wheel), though jibing is more challenging, as the sail is very large and like a conventional main is unbalanced, with no area forward of the mast to dampen momentum as it swings across the boat. The rig automatically spills air when pressed, as the head of the unstayed mast is flexible. Reportedly, it falls off as much as a foot in just 10 knots of wind. The crew therefore need not work a sheet or traveler to keep the boat on its feet when gusts come barreling through. The lack of shrouds also makes it possible to set the sail square to wind when running off. Not having any standing rigging to worry about is also a big maintenance bonus.

The downside to the rig is there is no headsail slot to improve windward performance. Nor is there any way to increase sail area when running off in light air, though more zealous owners do sometimes try to fly bloopers to help things along.

There may be questions, too, as to the aluminum mast’s structural integrity when sailing in rough conditions. One Nonsuch 36 I was familiar with was twice dismasted during different offshore passages, and I’ve heard other stories secondhand about Nonsuchs losing their rigs. It is worth noting that boats with more contemporary unstayed wishbone rigs, like the much sleeker Wyliecat, have stiffer carbon-fiber masts. There was in fact a carbon-rigged version of the Nonsuch 30, known as the Nonsuch 324, but only a handful were built before Hinterhoeller folded in 1996.

The other distinctive feature of any Nonsuch is its hull form. Like a classic Cape Cod catboat, which it deliberately mimics, a Nonsuch hull is very beamy and carries a lot of extra volume into its ends. The underbody, however, is modern, with a fin keel and a semi-balanced spade rudder right aft. This keeps the boat from developing a heavy helm like a classic catboat and helps windward performance. The boats reportedly can sail just under 45 degrees off the wind when closehauled.

All that beam also creates a lot of initial stability and allows for an enormous interior. The Nonsuch 30 certainly has about the roomiest accommodation plan of any boat its size. The so-called “classic” layout, with single and double quarterberths aft and a saloon with two full-length settees all the way forward, can honestly sleep five people if necessary. The more conventional “ultra” layout, offered as an option beginning in 1983, with a Pullman double forward and a large saloon aft, makes a very comfortable long-term liveaboard space for a couple and even includes a head with a separate shower. The great sense of space aboard is accentuated in both layouts by the generous headroom (well over 6 feet) afforded by the crowned coachroof and, in the classic layout, by the lack of bulkheads aft of the forepeak.

To save weight the fiberglass decks and hulls on all Nonsuchs, including much of the area below the waterline, have balsa cores. Both Hinterhoeller and its near-sister firm C&C Yachts were well practiced in this sort of construction–solid laminate, for example, is used around all through-hull fittings–but still the structure of any Nonsuch should be carefully examined for moisture intrusion. The deck joint is an inward flange bedded with non-adhesive butyl sealant and through-bolted at regular intervals; the ballast is external lead hanging on stainless-steel keel bolts. All structural bulkheads are right up forward, running both laterally and transversely, to support the area around the base of the unstayed mast and are well bonded to the hull.

The quality of construction generally on any Nonsuch is very high, as is reflected in the superb interior joinery. The most commonly reported problems–such as poorly designed propane locker drains, slipping rudder quadrants, and gate valves on through-hulls–are relatively minor and easily remedied. There have also been some bigger problems with corroding aluminum water tanks, but it is now possible to buy custom replacement plastic tanks through the INA.

Though Nonsuchs are strong and well built, I hesitate to recommend them as bluewater cruisers. Aside from the mast concerns mentioned above, the cockpits have no bridgedeck and open on to a large companionway with a low sill. If the companionway is not closed, there is little to stop boarding waves from jumping below. I wonder, too, about the motion of a Nonsuch in a seaway, as they are light and very beamy with flat bottoms, a combination that is likely to be uncomfortable in a steep chop. These factors are what give the boat it’s relatively high capsize screening value (over 2).

Nonsuchs do, however, make excellent coastal cruisers, as they are fast, easy to sail, and have extremely comfortable interiors. They are expensive compared to other used boats in their size range, but this reflects both the quality of construction and the fact that interior space is comparable to that seen on much larger vessels.

Specifications

LOA: 30’4″

LWL: 28’9″

Beam: 11’10”

–Standard keel: 5’0″

–Shoal keel: 3’11”

Ballast: 4,500 lbs.

Displacement: 11,500 lbs.

Sail area: 540 sq.ft.

Fuel: 28 gal.

Water: 80 gal.

D/L ratio: 216

SA/D ratio: 16.93

Comfort ratio: 22.47

Capsize screening: 2.09

Nominal hull speed: 8.3 knots

Typical asking prices: $45K – $80K

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NORTHBOUND LUNACY: Atlantic City, NJ, to Portland, ME

This indicates cored deck and partially cored hull, both possible problems for moisture entrapment

another attempt

In reply almost a year later, HOW RIGHT YOU WERE, soft sides and decks have been a major issue for anyone who bought w/o a survey.

Hey I bought something that someone was selling and did zero inspection and now I am mad that I bought a POS, lol what a fucking moron

I have a 26 and the hull has no core, only the deck.

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Cats On Liveaboard Sailboats - A Complete Guide

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

June 15, 2022

Cats are fun, safe, and friendly companions to countless liveaboard sailors. Caring for a cat on a sailboat can also be easy.

Cats can live safely and comfortably aboard sailboats with proper space, ventilation, climate control, and safety precautions. Most cities and marinas allow cats aboard, and they’re easy to care for if you take a few extra measures.

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about living aboard a sailboat with a cat (or two). We’ll go over the best breeds for sailboats, essential cat safety measures, indoor and outdoor cats, toys and entertainment, and how to keep your cabin clean.

We sourced the information for this article primarily from the tips of liveaboard cat owners. We also researched cat breeds and behavior, along with which cats are best suited for long-term living aboard a sailboat.

Table of contents

Can You Keep a Cat on a Sailboat?

Yes! Cats are some of the best pets to have aboard sailboats. They generally require less attention in terms of exercise than dogs, and many cats can acclimate easily to living on a sailboat. Cats offer great company, and they’ve been kept on boats and ships for decades.

That said, there are several unique challenges that cat owners face while living aboard a sailboat. We’ll go over the best supplies and strategies soon, but first, we’ll cover the rules and legality of keeping cats in liveaboard sailboats.

Marina Rules and Pet Regulations

The most likely issue you’ll run into is the marina itself. Some marinas that allow liveaboards have strict pet policies. These are instituted primarily for sanitation reasons, and violating the rules can get you kicked out.

Liveaboard slips are hard to come by these days, so it’s best to abide by the marina’s policies. Be sure to contact your chosen marina and make sure you’ll be allowed to keep a cat on board. Some marinas have policies strictly for dogs or outdoor cats, so you may be off the hook.

Local Pet Ordinances

Local ordinances apply in just a few situations. First, some communities set limits on how many pets can occupy a residence. These limits are usually based on square footage, which is where liveaboards usually run into trouble.

For example, a city or county may specify that you can only keep one pet per 100 square feet of interior space. These rules may or may not apply to mobile dwellings (such as RVs and boats), so it’s best to check first. Regardless, most standard cruising sailboats can only comfortably (and hygienically) harbor one or two pets at a time.

How Many Cats Can You Keep on a Sailboat?

This question depends entirely on your cleaning capabilities and the size of your sailboat. A 30-foot sailboat cabin gets awfully cramped with two or three cats aboard, not to mention the litter box problem. Multiple cats using a litter box in a well-sealed fiberglass tube isn’t a good situation.

As a general rule, it’s best to start with one cat regardless of the size of your boat. That way, you can get acclimated to taking care of a cat on a boat before taking on additional pets. For vessels under 40 feet in length, two cats is a reasonable limit.

Benefits of Liveaboard Cats

There are numerous benefits to living aboard a sailboat with a cat! The first and most common benefit is the companionship of having your pet aboard. It can greatly enhance the atmosphere by adding comfort and a real sense of ‘home’ in the very utilitarian environment of a sailboat cabin.

Additionally, cats are a great way to keep pests from occupying your vessel. Many sailors leave the hatches open during the summer, and sailboats are a five-star destination for mice and other disease-riddled rodents. Cats are humanity’s oldest and most effective pest control system.

Cats also provide a great opportunity to bond with other liveaboards. From arranging playdates to sharing common experiences, keeping a cat or two aboard your sailboat is sure to add an extra layer of quality to your experience.

Indoor or Outdoor Cats: Which are Best for Sailboats?

The indoor/outdoor cat debate has raged between homeowners for decades, and the question is even more important to consider as a liveaboard.

The primary issue here is that cats are difficult to keep contained aboard a boat. Sailboats have lots of large openings for people to move in and out of. Hatches and portlights present ample opportunity for cats to ‘escape’ and run off up the dock. Having an outdoor cat somewhat negates the issue, as they’re free to come and go as they please.

Outdoor cats are the easiest to deal with if you like opening up your boat frequently, and it frees up deck space for your cat to relax and exercise in your presence. However, outdoor cats can bring in ticks and fleas, which can rapidly overrun a confined space like a sailboat cabin.

Indoor cats eliminate the tick and flea issue, but you’ll have to keep a much closer eye on them. Some cats naturally won’t stray off the boat, so there’s a possible solution. And yes, it’s entirely possible to keep a cat from escaping a sailboat if some precautions are taken.

Which Cat Breeds are Best for Liveaboard Sailboats?

Believe it or not, there are several cat breeds that are adapted for life on the water. It’s no guarantee that your cat will swim like a Golden Retriever, but many breeds are known for their affinity for water.

The best cat breeds for sailboats are the American Bobtail, the Maine Coon, the Manx, the Japanese Bobtail, the Norwegian Forest Cat, the Turkish Angora, the American Shorthair, the Turkish Van, and most varieties of Bengal cats.

How to ‘Cat-Proof’ Your Sailboat

Cat-proofing your sailboat is essential if you’re planning to have one aboard. Cat-proofing refers to steps you should take to protect your cat from getting into areas where it shouldn’t be.

First, make sure to seal off any open access to the bilge. Sailboat bilges are often wet, unsanitary, and confined—which is just asking for trouble. Additionally, make sure your cat can’t get into the engine compartment or anywhere fuel and oil are stored.

Make sure to enclose access to electrical panels and wiring, as cats are known to chew up or destroy essential wiring and systems. Also, they can give themselves an unpleasant shock from rubbing against or biting into the wrong wires.

All other spaces on your sailboat should be safe for cats, as long as they’re accessible and open. Make sure to keep cupboards closed, and consider adding netting over deep cubbies to prevent your cat from getting stuck or trapped behind a panel or bulkhead.

Liveaboard Cat Safety

Keeping your cat safe aboard your sailboat can be easy. The main concerns are temperature, water, and the environment. Below, we’ll go over how to keep your pet safe and comfortable in the unique environment of a liveaboard sailboat.

Can Cats Swim?

Many cats can swim to some extent, but they usually don’t like it. Any cat owner who’s tried to give their cat a bath can attest to this fact. However, cats can be acclimated to the water with some patience and routine practice.

Lifejackets for Cats

It’s a good idea to spend time in the water with your cat, as you want to be sure it can swim if it falls overboard. Using a specialized cat life jacket is a great way to start. These lifejackets are also useful in an emergency.

Leashes and Harnesses

Having a leash and a good cat harness is a great way to safely let your cat enjoy the deck space of a sailboat. Many liveaboards attach a leash to the deck rail or a stay wire. A leash and harness essentially double the amount of space your cat has to hang out.

If it’s long enough, it’ll allow your cat to explore and hang out on the deck without running away. Just be sure to keep it untangled from lines and rigging. Don’t attach a leash to a collar, as it can be hazardous if your cat tries to jump off the boat or gets snagged in the rigging.

You can also incorporate a lifejacket into a leash system, which is especially helpful when making an offshore passage or getting underway. It’s a great and inexpensive upgrade for you and your cat.

Climate and Temperature

When it comes to temperature, the same rules that apply to cars also apply to sailboats. Never let your boat get too hot with your cat inside. Make sure the vessel is well ventilated, heated, and air-conditioned if possible. Sailboat cabins can get extremely hot quite fast. Remember, if you’re sweating, your cat could be overheating much worse.

Cats on Sailboats: Sanitation

Nobody likes to think about sanitation, but it’ll be the only thing on your mind if your boat isn’t cat-friendly. Small spaces can be soiled rapidly, especially with an animal onboard. However, you don’t have to resign yourself to a dirty space when you have a liveaboard cat.

Litter and Litter Boxes

Choosing the right litter and litter box is essential to maintaining a clean and disease-free sailboat cabin for you and your cat. Cat waste is noxious and must be contained effectively.

Don’t skimp on litter quality! Deodorants in cheap litter only mask the smell for a short time (if at all), so it’s best to find a product with odor-killing abilities. The best way to do that is to purchase high-quality anti-odor cat litter (the pricey stuff) and a partially-enclosed litter box.  

Food and Water

Food and water are pretty self-explanatory aboard a sailboat, but it requires spatial consideration. You can still feed your high-quality cat food as long as there’s enough room aboard to store sufficient supplies. Additionally, you’ll need an anti-spill water bowl to prevent your floating home from rolling and spilling water everywhere.

Hair Control

Most cats shed, and cat hair isn’t the best addition to your upholstery. Thankfully, cat hair and other allergens can be controlled effectively with proper ventilation and cleaning tools. A simple dustbuster is sufficient for cleaning furniture and scooping up stray chunks of litter.

Ventilation

Keep that air moving! Cats need fresh air, and so do humans who live in confined spaces with cats. It’s easy to ensure your sailboat has adequate ventilation. Simply install a few solar-powered deck vents and crack a porthole. Additional passive ventilation (like a wind scoop) can be a lifesaver on hot and stagnant days.

Waste Disposal

You’ll probably have to clean the litter box about twice as often when living aboard a sailboat. The most important thing to remember is to get the waste off the boat as soon as possible.

Avoid flushing it down the toilet, as litter can expand and ruin pipes and septic tanks. Instead, bag it and take it to the marina dumpster. If you perform this task once every day or two, you’ll be in great shape.

Cat Toys for Liveaboard Sailboats

Keeping your cat entertained is pretty simple on a sailboat. Most liveaboard cat owners have a wide array of typical small cat toys. You could let your cat scratch up the furniture freely, though it’s better to find a place to add (or build) a scratching post.

Some sailors turn the bottom of a wooden bulkhead into a scratching post by stapling a sheet of thick cat carpet around the base. Other possible scratching post locations include the base of the mast, the centerboard trunk (if you have one), and the base of a table.

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I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Prepare to meet the newest member of the Crosby catboat family — the Crosby Harbor Cat. Built by the same company that created the catboat genre in the 1850s.

Shipwrights at the Osterville yard are now building an authentic reproduction of a classic wooden Cat Boat that Crosby Yacht Yard first designed and built back in 1937.

To ensure historical accuracy, the mold for our modern Crosby Harbor Cat was actually taken from one of the original wooden models, originally called the Oyster Harbors Cat Boat. We wanted the lines and appearance of the reproduction to be identical in all aspects for this traditional daysailer.

Originally built in oak and cedar, our boats are still handcrafted today, now with maintenance-free fiberglass and the best innovations in boatbuilding. Every boat is unique since all our catboats are made to order with renowned New England craftsmanship.

Length 14’3″ Beam 6’3½” Draft, Board down 3’7″ Draft, Board up 1’7″ Sail area 144 sq.ft

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Cat on a Boat 101: How to Sail and Live Aboard with Cats

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At first glance, having a cat on a liveaboard boat may seem like a lot of work and maybe not even possible. However, with patience and preparation having a cat on board can be a wonderful experience for both you and your feline first mate.

We’ll help you get started with prepping your boat for your cat’s arrival, finding gear you might need for your new liveaboard kitty, and how to keep your cat safe and healthy on board.

Getting Started with Your Boat Cat

Are you wondering if you can take a cat on a boat? I’m happy to report it is possible to turn your everyday house cat into a full-blown adventurous sailing cat.

Some kitties may take to boat life quicker than others, but eventually, most cats can become happy liveaboard boat cats with the right approach.

Introducing Your Cat to the Boat

We introduced our cat to our 38-foot sailing catamaran by having short visits (2-4 hours) while the boat was at the dock. We would work on the boat, and Augustus would come along and hang out. Once we moved onboard, he already felt comfortable in the space.

We would occasionally run the engines and let him get used to the sound. When we finally left the dock, he was still getting used to the engines and would find a spot down in the V-berth to hide. The more we traveled, the more comfortable Augustus became. He eventually started coming up on the bridgedeck, sitting in the windows and sometimes popping into the cockpit in calm seas.

No matter how accustomed your cat becomes to the boat, everyone is uncomfortable in rough conditions. Allow your cat some space since they might feel queasy.

Cat Proofing Your Boat

Cats are notably mischievous. If you don’t keep your wits about you, this can be a problem on a boat!

Any time we open a hole under a settee or open up a wall, Augustus is right there to see what’s happening.

Augustus has been stuck in the bilge for the better part of a day AND locked in a berth all night because the door swung closed. One time he even climbed through the settee in the bridgedeck and managed to pop out in an access hole under the bathroom sink in the starboard hull. The moral of the story – if you need to run a wire, get a cat!

But seriously – with a cat aboard, don’t leave any hole accessible. No matter how small, no matter how short a period.

Cats and Seasickness

Many cats are like humans. They feel sick for the first day or so on the water, and then they start to feel better. 

Signs of seasickness in cats: 

• licking lips a lot
• uneasy demeanor

Fresh air is as essential to them as it is to us. Getting them in the cockpit might help, but don’t push it if they are scared. 

Most cats will find a spot to ride out the queasy feeling.

You can get anti-nausea medications from a vet for severe circumstances as a last resort.

Cruising with a Cat in Hot Climates

A question we often get is how do you keep your cat cool when sailing in hot climates.

Here are a few tips to keep your cat cool on hot days.

• wet bottom of paws, nose, and ears if the cat becomes overheated
• use wind scoops for airflow and leave hatches open with screens in to keep your cat inside but the air moving (we often use this setup on anchor when we go to shore)

Cat Food On Board

If you’re cruising on your boat, you’ll probably want to stock up on cat food just as you would other essential food items.

When we buy cat food, we get an 18-pound bag of dry food along with many cases of wet food.

To keep your cat’s dry food fresh, it must be in a sealed container. You don’t want moisture or any critters getting into that precious kitty food supply. Also, you don’t want your cat turning up their nose at stale kitty food halfway through the supply.

We use the Vault pet food storage container to keep cat food fresh and love it!

We also use a smaller container such as this one for daily feedings, so we aren’t constantly opening the long-term food storage container. This method helps keep the cat’s food freshest. We have never had any contamination with this system.

You might also want to consider a kitty food mat to ensure food and water bowls stay in place when underway. We like this mat from CatGuru . This works on a catamaran, but you might need to store the bowls when underway on a monohull.

Suggested Cat Food Products

Cat food and storage products we love for living on a boat.

PRO TIP: We like Chewy.com for ordering pet food on the go in the US. They offer 1-3 day shipping on orders over $50. You can order a few days ahead and have it shipped to a marina along your route.

The litter box.

Managing a litter box is always a complex task, and it is especially challenging in a small space such as a boat.

Boats are usually in motion, don’t always offer an easy way to dispose of waste, and can be very humid.

Here are a few ideas for handling these obstacles.

• Invest in a top entry litter box to contain the litter
• Use a Litter Genie to store cat waste until you can dispose of it (it works just like a diaper genie)
• Find a location for the litter box that will have the least amount of humidity

Choosing a Litter

There doesn’t seem to be a perfect litter choice for cats on a boat. Every option has pros and cons. Below is the litter we use and another popular option from cruisers. Both of these options let you avoid carrying hundreds of pounds of litter around on your boat if you are cruising in remote waters.

• Breeze Cat Litter System – Boat owners seem to really like the Breeze Cat litter box. When the cat does its business, the pee falls through the box onto a pee pad below. The poop is scooped. Because the urine is separated, the litter pellets in the top of the box last a lot longer than the average litter. There are concerns about the price of the pee pads and the litter pellets. We’ve heard of cat owners who have bought 3rd party pads and have found ways to wash and reuse the pellets. There is a ton of information on this system if you search the Gatos Del Mar Facebook group .
• Pretty Litter – We have been using Pretty Litter for four years now. It’s nice because it lets you know if your cat has any health issues within the urinary tract. This synthetic litter is non-clumping, soaks up pee, and allows you to scoop the poop. It minimizes the amount of waste we add to the Litter Genie since it is non-clumping. However, it works by soaking up urine, which is not great for a humid environment and doesn’t last as long on a boat.

Suggested Cat Litter Products

Durable and long-lasting litter products we love for boat life.

NOTE: Some boat owners toilet train their cats to avoid dealing with a litter box onboard. Training can be a long process that requires patience, but it might be worth the effort, especially if you have a young cat who is eager to learn.

Gear for cats on boats.

Boat and sailing cats need a few more pieces of gear than the average cat. Here are some items to help your kitty stay safe while still enjoying themselves on a boat.

Life Jackets for Cats

So when should your cat wear a life jacket? Short answer – it’s totally up to you.

Watch your cat closely in their first few months aboard. They will be finding their rhythm and testing their limits. This is the time when our cat took his first dip in the ‘drink’ (and he was without his cat life jacket). I would suggest putting the life jacket on your cat more often upfront until your cat becomes more familiar with boat life. Once they start getting their bearings, you can choose to put it on them less.

Can Cats Swim?

Most cats can swim. They just don’t particularly want to. Many cruisers will train their cat to climb a rope on the side of the boat if they fall over. Augustus could easily climb up on the sugar scoop of our catamaran in calm water, and that’s just what he did when he fell in at the dock.

PRO TIP: If your cat does fall in the water, make sure you bathe them. Marina water is especially dirty and can contain diesel fuel and “other things” that might come out of a boat. You don’t want them licking themselves without first getting a bath.

Cat life vest suggestions.

Cat life jackets are pretty hard to come by. Below are a few life vests designed specifically for cats that come highly recommended in the cat owner boating community.

Baltic Maja Pet Buoyancy Aid – A cat-specific life jacket with a smaller neck opening than what you see with most dog-designed jackets. It also has an extra strap underneath for more support.

Lyra Cat FFD (Feline Flotation Device) – A cat-specific life jacket similar to the Baltic but also has a built-in harness for extra comfort. This jacket was designed and tested by a sailing cat owner.

SurferCat Life Jackets – Another life jacket made just for cats. This one is designed by a pro wakeboarder who wanted something for their cat that is very minimal and built with performance and mobility in mind.

Cat Backpack or Carrier

You’ll want a way to transport your furry feline if you are living aboard.

We love our backpack carrier because it makes moving Augustus around in this lifestyle easier.

The backpack offers hands-free carrying on and off the boat. It’s a stable and safe carrier for our cat, whether we have to cab, walk, or bike to a vet or other location.

They even have backpacks that expand for comfort traveling in a vehicle. Search cat backpacks on Amazon here.

Harness and Leash

Harness training your cat is one of the best things you can do to make your and your cat’s new life easier on a boat.

It will allow you the freedom to take your cat for walks at the marina or dinghy them to shore for land time.

Once your cat is harness trained, don’t let your cat on deck or off the boat without a harness. This approach can keep your cat from darting out the door, and they will associate the harness with time outside.

We’ve used many different harnesses over the years. Here are a couple of our favorites: 

PRO TIP: Make sure whatever harness you choose as an adjustable neck for the best fit.

Cat trackers.

A tracking device is another good idea when you have a cat that wanders off the boat in a marina or one that you take ashore.

The longer our stay in a marina, the more comfortable Augustus becomes venturing off the boat. Occasionally, he might slip by us and wander up the dock (or onto another boat) without anyone noticing.

Trackers are great for quickly locating your kitty on the dock or even finding them if they wander away from the marina.

Here are a couple of trackers we have used and our reviews of each.

The Tile Pro is a Bluetooth tracker that is intended to track things like your keys, but we found it was an affordable option that worked well to track our cat. We attached it to the D-ring on the cat’s harness.  The Pro version has a 400-foot range.

• Inexpensive compared to other trackers
• Small and lightweight compared to most trackers
• Water-resistant
• The battery is easily replaced after months of use
• Within range, you can 'ring' the Tile to locate your cat
• Out of the 400-foot range, there is no tracking
• No directional tracking (you get status updates (‘moderate’ or ‘strong’ signal), but you can’t tell in which direction

The Jiobit is a tracking device designed to track pets, children, and/or seniors. This device uses Bluetooth, Wifi, and a required cellular data plan to track the person or pet the most accurately while conserving battery life.

• Track at any distance with the data connection
• Live tracking mode to view cat’s movement in real-time
• Can alert you when your cat leaves a designated area
• Small size compared to other GPS trackers
• Requires a monthly data plan
• Needs charging once a week (on average)
• Live tracking mode will drain the battery quickly
• Data plan will not work outside of the U.S.
• Will scratch easily if you don’t purchase the optional cover/sleeve

PRO TIP: As a backup, we have Augustus microchipped (this is required to check into some countries). We also attach a pet ID tag to his harness with our phone numbers. We have also seen cat owners that have their contact and/or boat information embroidered into the harness. There are shops on ETSY that will do this for you.

Vet & pet health.

Pet care can be a little tricky when you are traveling often. Especially on the water.

Here are a couple of tips to ensure your cat is taken care of.

• Always keep a good account of your cat’s health records. We keep a digital file so we can both easily access them. This way, when we visit a new vet, it’s easy to give them all the information they need.
• If you have pet insurance, make sure you are covered in the area you are traveling.
• Talk to your vet about putting together a kitty first aid kit

Traveling to Different Countries with Your Cat

If you are planning to travel to different countries on your boat, you’ll need to check each country’s requirements for cats.

Many countries will require a health certificate to enter the country. If you are going for a health certificate, you need an appointment for just the health certificate. The appointment can’t also be for a checkup or other issue. Most countries will also require a 1-year rabies shot (instead of a 3-year), FVPR, and possibly the feline leukemia vaccine.

Check noonsite.com for details on cat check-in requirements for different countries.

More Resources for Living Aboard with Cats

Luckily, there are quite a few people out there sailing with cats! You can find more information when you know where to look.

• As mentioned earlier, the Facebook group Gatos del Mar has a ton of great information about living on a boat with a cat. You can search this group for answers or ask questions.
• Instagram accounts also have great information. I love following Miss Rigby’s account on Instagram . Rigby is a boat cat that lives aboard with her owners full-time. I’ve messaged them before with sailing cat questions and they were very helpful!
• Adventurecats.org or the book Adventure Cats: Living Nine Lives to the Fullest – this organization has a lot of great info about harness training and traveling with your kitty!

READ NEXT : If you explore by land and water, you might also like the post How to Go RVing with Cats: A Complete Guide .

Final thoughts on boating with cats.

Cats are creatures of habit, but they are also very adaptable. Use the information you’ve gathered and set up a welcoming boat environment for your cat. Have patience and listen to your feline’s responses to their new home.

If you do these things, you and your cat can have some incredible experiences together on the water!

Want to learn more about what it’s like cruising on a boat?

View our guide to read more on life on a boat and what to expect living on the water.

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Morgan, the founder of The Home That Roams, has been living nomadically for over five years. She began her journey traveling across the U.S. in a motorhome and cruising on a liveaboard sailing catamaran. Currently, she lives full-time in a travel trailer, sharing resources on RV living and boat life to help others downsize their lives and thrive in an alternative lifestyle.

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