help identify this mystery cat

Yep, the Orem guy got it!

Jeez Shaun -- What part of 'Dibs! ... I call it!' do you not understand? Huh?
Maybe I should have sprayed it or something ... My cousins used to lick sandwiches to claim them, maybe that would have worked 😉 ....

Great you joined! I'm glad to know the whereabouts of this boat and anxious to watch your resto/rebuild.

Thanks for the link of the similar boat in NY -- I contacted Phil and am waiting for a reply. That boat is way closer to me than Utah 😀
OK GUYS - DIBS ON THAT ONE! 'KAY???

Get pics up as soon as you can!

Hey Shaun

FYI, Utah DMV will let you register it without prior registration/pink slip/sales recipt/Etc. Ask for "insufficient evidence of ownership" and they'll give you the forms to get it rolling. They don't always tell you this up front...

Chris

AJ, thanks for not licking it - gross! I don't think I could ever sit on it again after that. I hope the NY one works out!

Chris, yep, got it done. They even found the former registration and had it as a 1967 and its model listed as "Bowning." Maybe a typo of "Browning" and listed as model instead of make? Make is registered as "unknown." But I bet Damon's right, because the front cross member looks exactly like those Pacific Cats.

Here's some info on current condition in case you're interested:
- some waviness in hulls, but no soft spots.
- needs look-through ports replaced (the threading is broken away)
- needs yellow jacket nests removed
- daggerboards look good, rudders need some reworking - the epoxy coated plywood is worn through in a couple spots
- Hobie 16 main, mast, and boom in great condition, other than a number or two coming detached.
- Some repainting needed over new glass/primer, and some paint cracking and chipping.
- Got tramps resewn. They should last a while longer.
- It would be nice to rerig the forestays into a single cable so I can add a jib.
- Swapped out the wheels - one tire was totally shot and the other has cracks and didn't look trustworthy. Took some smaller ones off another trailer for now.
- Trailer in good condition though it would use a new paint job.
All in all, it's in great shape and I could sail it right now!

Shaun
1967 P-Cat Cousin
Orem, UT

Hey Shaun, where in UT did you get the tramp re-sewn and was it a good job and good price? I have an early P16 no ports tramps that is in pretty good condition except the the thread is very sun damaged so it needs re-stitching. You should take it to Deer Creek on the 23rd and 24th for the Summer Games. And bring it to Bear Lake 4th of July Weekend or Labor Day Weekend.

BadKitty wrote:

Thanks for the link of the similar boat in NY -- I contacted Phil and am waiting for a reply. That boat is way closer to me than Utah 😀

Now that I've seen the blue one in New York at least we know this wasn't a one-off custom. Maybe someone in the 60's was selling plans for this, that would be cool to find.

i was having a quick google for browning catamaran

and came across this 1941 photo of browning camp cats on a lake

http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/FS003286/catamarans-on-pine-view-lake

Edited by erice on Jun 15, 2012 - 06:18 PM.

Quarath wrote: Hey Shaun, where in UT did you get the tramp re-sewn and was it a good job and good price? I have an early P16 no ports tramps that is in pretty good condition except the the thread is very sun damaged so it needs re-stitching.

Some friends did the sewing for me. They have a nice machine with special feet (& other sewing jargon) that seems to handle material like this quite well. If you're interested, I'm sure they'd fix up your stuff for super cheap. They're here in NE Orem.

With the early spring, Bear Lake should be nice and "warm" this year! I'll be there sometime in August for a family reunion. I'm keeping the boat a secret from my family until then to make up for nearly making my niece cry when she found out I sold my Catalina 22 before last summer's vaca. My computer screen saver is a shot of the glowing aqua blue water below that boat, which was one big motivation to look for another a week ago. Lucky me!

Edited by bananaboat on Jun 16, 2012 - 07:38 AM.

Shaun ~

I just did a quick search for 'BOWNING' and found the following YT vid and blog - No YELLOW JACKET but what history ... too cool;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_uL4LilMWI

http://www.catsailingnews.com/2012/03/isaf-multihull-trials-1967-beggining.html

Great name BTW! YELLOW JACKET !!!

I'll dig deeper this weekend and see if there was a Bowning or Browning associated with P-Cat design -- maybe Tom of 'SMILODON' fame will know something and chime in here. How 'bout it Tom, know anything about the
early P-Caters?

I don't know what I'll find out about the NY boat - images are dated from 2002 - 10 years ago :-O

Wow! This thread is getting more and more interesting everyday! Welcome Shaun and congrats on getting that awesome looking cat! (i am slightly jealous over here) I am happy it went to a good home. I'd love to see it out and sailing! I'll probably be out on the Jordanelle quite a bit this summer. Bring it on up!

Hobie 16 mast on an 18 ft boat with no jib might be a little slow... but i bet it would be super stable, and at least you know you can get those related parts pretty easily. I LOVE the kick up dagger boards (i once shipwrecked my Solcat when my daggerboard tore through the whole hull after hitting a rock off the coast of New Hampshire) I've contemplated implementing something like that on my cat. I also LOVE the angled hulls, fiberglass front spar, and lack of dolphin striker. It is probably the coolest looking catamaran i have ever seen. It reminds me of a Corvette.

The blue "P-Cat cousin" / "Bowning" is very interesting. The mystery is unfolding. At least we know there were more than one made!

BadKitty, those videos are pretty awesome. Thanks for sharing.

P.S. your "Yellow Jacket" and my "Bumblebee" might have to have a little race/showdown sometime! Oh, and i may have an old set of bridle wires from my Solcat when i replaced the rigging. You are welcome to have them if you want to try to rig up a single forestay/jib. I don't remember what sort of shape they are in or if i still have them... i'll have to look.

Edited by Venora on Jun 15, 2012 - 10:14 PM.

Shawn,

Looks like you own the only one in existence!

I just talked to the 'owner' of the blue boat in NY and that boat was destroyed several years ago. He could offer no history nor information on 'his' boat's make/model ... other than 'It's a custom boat.' I pressed for more information and he acted like he 'couldn't be bothered'. "Why do you want information from me about a boat I don't own?!!?" ... Really Dude? - I'm just trying to get some info, that's all. I should have jerked his chain a little and told him he destroyed an extremely valuable boat with significant sailing history!

So, we're back to square one (that is, until another shows up 😉 )

AJ.. NIce link. History always teaches us things.. H

Venora wrote: It is probably the coolest looking catamaran i have ever seen.

Thanks!

P.S. your "Yellow Jacket" and my "Bumblebee" might have to have a little race/showdown sometime!

Sounds like a plan! I'm considering starting up a Utah Lake Yacht Club so we may get abundant opportunities!

Oh, and i may have an old set of bridle wires from my Solcat when i replaced the rigging. You are welcome to have them if you want to try to rig up a single forestay/jib. I don't remember what sort of shape they are in or if i still have them... i'll have to look.

And thanks again! That would be awesome if you do - though you recognize, of course, that it would even the playing field and your Bumblebee may become a Humblebee when I flip on my nitrous booster rockets 😉

BadKitty wrote: I should have jerked his chain a little and told him he destroyed an extremely valuable boat with significant sailing history!

lol, yeah, you should have! We could always get a few people to call him, all excited-like, asking if they can wire him the money immediately, etc.

BadKitty wrote: Looks like you own the only one in existence!

Very interesting. I'm getting even more curious about it now. I'll get it sailing, post some photos around, and *somebody*'s gotta know something. Would have gone out this morning but there was no wind at all.

erice wrote: i was having a quick google for browning catamaran

and came across this 1941 photo of browning camp cats on a lake

http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/FS003286/catamarans-on-pine-view-lake Edited by erice on Jun 15, 2012 - 06:18 PM.

That is really funny as I sail at that reservoir at least once a year. Twice last year. It is the venue for our clubs end of season get together called Oktoberfest. Many in our club sail there every week because they live close and it has reliable afternoon thermals. Some have their monohulls based there as well.

With the early spring, Bear Lake should be nice and "warm" this year! I'll be there sometime in August for a family reunion. I'm keeping the boat a secret from my family until then to make up for nearly making my niece cry when she found out I sold my Catalina 22 before last summer's vaca. My computer screen saver is a shot of the glowing aqua blue water below that boat, which was one big motivation to look for another a week ago. Lucky me!

I was there Memorial day but I didn't sail. Mostly froze my butt off. We stay at Rendesvous Beach. Utah Sailing Association reserves it for the 3 major holiday weekends every year. $100 or so get you all 3 events for 3 nights each. 2 of them have group dinners included. Tent camping and some trailors but parking can be tight.

The Water is very high right now very close to the camp area so no long hikes to the water.

And thanks again! That would be awesome if you do - though you recognize, of course, that it would even the playing field and your Bumblebee may become a Humblebee when I flip on my nitrous booster rockets 😉

my point exactly, though i seriously wouldn't be surprised if it had rockets... and if it doesn't you should add them!

I posted a link to this thread (with a few pics of Shawn's boat YELLOW JACKET and the NY blue boat), on both the BoatDesign.net site and SailboatData.com site forums. Maybe someone on those forums can offer some insight into the history of this unique design.

I'll post here if anything come up ...

Sailed today. Awesome! Nice breeze, did 10-15 knots a lot of the time. Those sharp bows slice through waves like a hot knife through butter.

Put a 15" crack atop one hull which I'll need to reinforce. Jammed 2 liter bottles into the 4" inspection ports (waiting for new ones to be delivered) which worked pretty well, but we still took on a couple gallons of water. Need to create a way to keep the rudders down.

Worst news of all? One dagger board thing came untied, dropped through the hull and was gone long before we noticed.

Shawn! Dude! ... TAKE CARE OF MY BOAT!

Put a 15" crack atop one hull which I'll need to reinforce. Jammed 2 liter bottles into the 4" inspection ports (waiting for new ones to be delivered) which worked pretty well, but we still took on a couple gallons of water.

AAUGH!!! :-O

Worst news of all? One dagger board thing came untied, dropped through the hull and was gone long before we noticed.

NOOOOOOOOO! ... SAY IT ISN'T SOOOOOOOOOO ....!!!!! :wallbash:

that sucks... but at least you got it out and sailing! Which lake did you take it? you could probably take your other dagger/center board and use it as a template to cut a new one out of high quality plywood then sheath it in fiberglass or something.

OR.. Take the one U have and shop it around to see it one of the "regular" cats dagger board is the same. IMO.. In those days parts were often "lifted" from other boats.. H

that boat is 17'6" right? look at this

http://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures/?g2_itemId=71989&g2_imageViewsIndex=1

look at the buyers guide and then banana 5.5

Edited by optikid on Jun 24, 2012 - 09:16 AM.

optikid wrote: that boat is 17'6" right? look at this

I was getting very hopeful when it measured exactly 17'6"...but the beam is 7'4" at its widest point instead of the 7'11" mentioned there.

I'm considering renting space on the back of milk cartons. "Have you see me?"

halliske wrote: OR.. Take the one U have and shop it around to see it one of the "regular" cats dagger board is the same. IMO.. In those days parts were often "lifted" from other boats.. H

Good idea. They center boards and rudders are *certainly* newer than the boat itself (as is the rigging). I'll post photos soon.

BadKitty wrote: NOOOOOOOOO! ... SAY IT ISN'T SOOOOOOOOOO ....!!!!! :wallbash:

I am SO, SO SORRY! It will NEVER happen again 🙂

Venora wrote: that sucks... but at least you got it out and sailing! Which lake did you take it?

Exactly. A test run to see how it flies and what improvements it needs, and it felt GOOD to get out there! Utah Lake.

I *might* know where we lost the center board - we sailed to the Provo River mouth to pick someone up off a kayak and when coming about, I felt some slight resistance while passing near some reeds. But with the current and a 100,000 acre lake...I doubt it's worth going back to look (though I will anyway just to get the thought out of my head).

In the mean time, we'll get another manufactured. Is there a best place to buy epoxy and tint for new gelcoat?

Edited by bananaboat on Jun 24, 2012 - 03:59 PM.

halliske wrote: ...see it one of the "regular" cats dagger board is the same. IMO.. In those days parts were often "lifted" from other boats.

I posted a few photos & descriptions of rudders and center board at http://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures/?g2_itemId=87625 .

Anything look familiar to you guys?

I think is more of a centerboard than a Dagger board. Probably rotates to the up position and maybe even kicks up if it hits something. Never seen one like that though.

Quarath wrote: I think is more of a centerboard than a Dagger board. Probably rotates to the up position and maybe even kicks up if it hits something.

That's right. And we successfully built a new one this afternoon! Oh, it's good to have friends with great power tools. It's all cut out, planed, routed, and sanded. Tomorrow I'll pick up some tint for the epoxy and we'll glass it.

Many other great fixes on the way as well!!! I'm pumped. We may get it finished up tomorrow and looking much better than ever!

I would consider making 2 new ones while I was at it and save the original for a template.

bananaboat wrote: [quote=Quarath]I think is more of a centerboard than a Dagger board. Probably rotates to the up position and maybe even kicks up if it hits something.

That's right. And we successfully built a new one this afternoon! Oh, it's good to have friends with great power tools. It's all cut out, planed, routed, and sanded. Tomorrow I'll pick up some tint for the epoxy and we'll glass it.

Many other great fixes on the way as well!!! I'm pumped. We may get it finished up tomorrow and looking much better than ever!

I agree with HULLFLYER if you have the tools to make a new one that quick you might as well make 2 and get all the glassing done at the same time and save the original.

You should bring it to Bear Lake Rendezvous Beach July 5th-8th. There is a little -No Rules- Gumball Rally Race on SAT just for fun. Bring the Family WIllow 3 Campground is reserved by the Sailing Association. I think it is like $50 buck or something for the family for the 3 nights and that includes a group meal SAT night. Either Mexican or Spaghetti I can't remember.

I'll have my P18 and hopefully my FrankenBoat P16 as well. I tried to double stack it and take it up last weekend but didn't get a half mile before I went home and unloaded it. My trailer suspension couldn't handle the weight. I need to find some stuff to get the traps on the P16 (no little blocks for the shockcord). The Hiking straps pretty much disintegrated from sun exposer on the tramp as well.

That's right. And we successfully built a new one this afternoon! Oh, it's good to have friends with great power tools. It's all cut out, planed, routed, and sanded. Tomorrow I'll pick up some tint for the epoxy and we'll glass it.

Many other great fixes on the way as well!!! I'm pumped. We may get it finished up tomorrow and looking much better than ever!

Glad to hear it. someone did that with plywood on my old cat before i bought it. They just painted it white and left it. It worked great i never bothered to modify it. Must have been marine plywood.

You should bring it to Bear Lake Rendezvous Beach July 5th-8th. There is a little -No Rules- Gumball Rally Race on SAT just for fun. Bring the Family WIllow 3 Campground is reserved by the Sailing Association. I think it is like $50 buck or something for the family for the 3 nights and that includes a group meal SAT night. Either Mexican or Spaghetti I can't remember.

That sounds awesome, and i REALLY wish i could go too, but i have to work, and already used all my PTO 🙁 In fact, my avatar picture was taken at rendezvous beach when we vacationed up there last year. I love it there

Edited by Venora on Jun 30, 2012 - 07:03 PM.

Finally got around to uploading some photos from the restoration: http://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures/?g2_itemId=88865

Taking it to Bear Lake on Monday!

Edited by bananaboat on Aug 03, 2012 - 04:19 PM.