18' Cat Ketch
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Design Number 204
1982 |
This design followed the 16' Sailing Tender by several years. During this interval,
I'd had quite a bit of experience with the 16-footer as we looked after her for ten to eleven months a year.
This experience with Conch Ad Libitum led to a number of thoughts and ideas on how she could be changed and/or
improved.
The commission for the 18' Cat Ketch came from a client wanting to try out sailing a cat ketch on a smaller scale
before owning a larger cruising boat with the same rig. He felt that this would give him useful experience and
knowledge about how to sail a cat ketch and confirm his desire to own a larger one.
In creating her, we knew that she was to be sailed off a trailer. Reduced structural weights would make this
easier to do, and make her more lively to sail. We also decided to increase her sail area, based on our
experience with the 16-footer. We came to realize that most all the sailing of a small pleasure craft was in
lighter wind conditions, rather than thrashing through heavy weather. More sail area would make her more fun
to sail, and we've done that with the 18-footer
We've also given her a longer foredeck. This will provide shelter for bagged camping gear and a place for kids
to hide from the weather. We've kept the cockpits more open, making more room for camping aboard. There is only
one rowing position, well aft where the helmsman could row. Another position could be added forward, but this
would mean adding another thwart, taking away from the open layout.
For a heavier duty version of this boat, I would suggest adding 1/8" to the plywood thickness of the hull and deck.
This will add about 150 to 200 pounds to her structure. A heavier boat will carry her way better through some
conditions, but I would not recommend doing this unless your usage calls for a very rugged boat.
The photos on this page show Dr. Jerry Limbers' 18' Cat Ketch built as preparation for the
34' Sailing Dory he now has under construction.
| Particulars: | Imperial | Metric |
|---|
| Length overall | 18'-0" | 5.49 m |
| Length datum waterline | 16'-0" | 4.88 m |
| Beam | 6'-0" | 1.83 m |
| Draft | 0'-8"/4'-6" | 0.20/1.37 m |
| Freeboard: | Forward | 2'-6" | 0.76 m |
| Least | 1'-6" | 0.46 m |
| Aft | 2'-0” | 0.61 m |
| Estimated structural weight | 200 lbs. | 91 kg. |
| Displacement, to DWL | 800 lbs. | 364 kg. |
| Displacement-length ratio | 87 | |
| Sail area | 155 sq. ft. | 14.4 m2 |
| Sail area-displacement ratio | 28.78 | |
| Prismatic coefficient | .567 | |
| Pounds per inch immersion | 280 | |
| Entrance half-angle | 22° | |
Note: The displacement numbers are calculated to the arbitrarily chosen DWL.
The calculated ratios of displacement-length and sail area-displacement will vary widely
depending on the loading of the vessel.
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