I want some way of tying my cat to a dock for next year. I live .2 miles from my lake, and constantly launching, raising the mast, retrieving, tying down, blah blah blah, is getting a little old. I don't mind it too much, but it takes too long for the wife.

How would you recommend tying a cat to a dock? It has no extra cleats or brackets for dock lines. If I were to install cleats, where would they go so that I could still sit on the pontoons?

Thanks.

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Christopher Reeves
2001 Escape Playcat
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I would simply use dockline tied to the aluminum crossbeams when docking the boat. That way the line is out of the way and extra hardware isn't needed. If you feel cleats are needed for the dock, definitely connect them to the crossbeams versus the plastic hulls. (The fewer holes in the hulls the better). Just my two cents.

Yellowhulls

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yellowhulls
Springfield, IL
Escape Playcat
Hobie 18
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I must admit that i dont know anything about docking a cat.... but i have anchored my boat 100's of times, and overnight.

I wouldnt suggest docking where there is a tide, as you need to allow slack for the boat to rise and fall with the tide (that could be bad in wind shifts), but on a lake it may be fine.

i would create a anchor bridal by tieing line to both forstay attachments (where they connect at the bows) and i would anchor the boat. that way the boat can swing around with the wind.


This can be attached to a sunk cinderblock, or anchors.




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Andrew Scott
Mystère 5.5

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Thanks for the advice again.

I think I'll try making tie offs using rope and then tie that rope to the cleats on the docks. I live on a small lake, so I don't need to worry about a tide. Though motorists do seem to buzz around with total disregard for docked boats. There are no "no wake" zones on our lake. I'll just have to get some some padding or bumpers for inbetween the dock and boat.

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Christopher Reeves
2001 Escape Playcat
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While on the subject of anchoring...

When you anchor in say, moderate winds, what do you do with the sail? Say you find a nice spot and want to hang out and go for a swim. Do you just head into the wind, drop anchor and then tighten the sail all the way? Or do you loosen it completely. OR, do you take the sail down and roll it up and store it on the pontoons (Say you want to be there for an hour or two) and then re-raise the sail when you're ready to go? I've never tried this yet, so I'm curious what you guys do.

Thanks.

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Christopher Reeves
2001 Escape Playcat
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when i anchor (on my mystere)... i roll up the jib, raise the centerboards, raise the rudders and center the travler. I release the downhaul and keep the main sheeted... not to tight, but almost tight.

This puts my boat in reverse (backs up with the wind) very well... but if a rudder drops... or my main is not centered... i am in trouble. Also beware in shallow water that you might need to let your main flap (not sheeted in at all) because the boat can pivot and capsize in shallow water.

I know your playcat doesnt have all these things (Centerboard, and dont know if you can lift the rudders) but they all make the boat point into the wind and act like a weatherbane.

Hobie16's let lift their rudders, release the main downhaul, sheet in and let their jib flap and bang away in the wind.



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Andrew Scott
Mystère 5.5

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I cannot lift the rudders on the playcat. The design is such that the rudders are permanately down and beneath the stern of the pontoons, but still above the level of the keel. The tiller actually goes through the pontoon. This way, the rudders don't really hit anything, but of course I can't raise them to park the boat like you suggested.

Here's a picture of what it looks like:


This is not me, but a stock image from the boat designer.


In this case, would you then just take the sail down, or pull the sail snug and just hope the rudders stay straight while I'm off on a swim?

P.S. Is that boat with the man, woman and child in front of / near it yours? If so, it's nice. Heck all of those boats are nice looking.



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Christopher Reeves
2001 Escape Playcat
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I am not sure what advise to give with your rudders permanently down... you should ask the dealer / other guys who have your boat... i know i could NOT anchor mine with sails up and rudders down... it would cause the boat to shift, the sails would fill.. And off it would go (either away of over).

Keep in mind your mast (unless it is perfectly round, and even then) acts like a mini sail and can create motion in wind (I have seen boats sail home in heavy air on MAST ALONE)...

As per the boat... the boat with the kids is a mystere 6.0. If you slide the window to the right you can see my mystere 5.5. The only difference (besides his being .5 meters longer) is his mast is 31' and mine is 30'. If he had stock sails (we both fly Tornado mainsails and spinnakers) his main would be bigger than mine by a few square feet.


Side note... you can see his sail has a flag on it... that?s because it was used in the last summer Olympics by team USA. They won silver (WITH THAT TORNADO SAIL). We have a local Olympian who we all buy used gear from. They use a sail a few times and then sell then since they have to be MINT to be competitive... so we buy their used gear at about 40% off (still expensive and not long lasting gear).

>> Here is a fun video I made on my boat (I was filming) on my 5.5 racing my
>> friend on his 5.5

>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqUwGgzu4xk
>
here is his 6.0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di6eGWVVhm8&feature=related


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Andrew Scott
Mystère 5.5

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