2.5 hulls

[planzman]

Yup, that is right, 2 and a half hulls.

Having thoughts about the Packet Cat 35 which has the "delta" hull and wonder several things.

does the half hull increase the load carrying ability of the boat substantially and how does it effect/affect (can't remember which) the performance?

sample boat link.

The Packet Cat 35

[sailortjk1]

did you read the Perry review linked in the IP site?
Should be helpful for you.

[sailingdog]

IMHO, stay away... the "half-hull" adds wetted surface and will badly affect light air performance. The boat also has a lot of windage for a cat that size. Finally, the "half-hull" pretty much guarantees the sucker will get pounded in anything but dead calm seas. It probably doesn't increase the load carry capacity much, which is primarily in the two main hulls, but it may increase the reserve buoyancy quite a bit.

I would guess that the boat sails like a pig with two club feet...

[Sailormann]

Hard to see the actual hullform, but I think you might find it very, very, very slow. This is not a real sailboat, it is a very comfortable platform to idle away hours on at the slip...more of a houseboat with a mast than anything else... don't want to sound negative, and if you're not planning on going anywhere with her, she looks ideal. Not an easy re-sell though, you will own her for a long time.

[jctoucan]

There are 3 reviews of the Packet Cat, by Bob Perry, Chuck Kanter( a multihull expert), and one by Practical Sailor(who accepts no advertising so they can be impartial), dated 5/15/94. The first 2 I got by googling Packet Cat review. The test sail by PS recorded "7.7knots in 16-18k of wind w/a 1-2' chop". Sailing performance was not at the top of the designers list, but comfort, reliability, and safety were. The designer states also that it will "sail faster than an IP 40". It all depends on what you want. Some people in the powerboat world own 10k trawlers, others want that 18-20k powerboat. Our Iroquois was a great sailing boat, but when we arrived at anchor, it was uncomfortable. We never went out to the mooring to just"hang out" on it, again, not comfy. The Packet Cat is not a dock boat, because it gives a nice, seakindly ride and is easy to maneuver. I think dock boats are those that you wouldn't want to be out in if it was windy or rough(the proverbial bleach bottles) or those that were too hard to handle, so why make the effort to go anywhere. We met a professional captain in the Chesapeake who is on a variety of boats, and for his personal boat he chose a Packet Cat. So take advise from the owners, read the reviews and make up your own minds.