Maricat Weights

[Warrier]

Measured the weight of 2 Maricat 4.3s cat rigged-Hulls,rudders,front and rear beams and it weighed 92kg, the other weighed a very light 85kg. Masts on both weighed 11kg.

How do these weights compare with other Maricats sailing in the Nationals.

My first Maricat weighed 97kg but it spent most of later life sitting on a surf beach.

[shy thunder]

Hey Warrier,

MIN weight = 95 kg for hulls& beams And tramp rudders etc

See the following specs. copied from the NSW MAricat Ass. web site.

http://users.bigpond.net.au/graham_heap/index_maricat.html

APPENDIX 1

CLASS SPECIFICATION FOR THE

Maricat 4.3

CATAMARAN

Length 4.27m

Beam (maximum) 2.35m

Mast Height (include base & head) 6.785m

Boom Length (include goose neck) 2.65m

Minimum weight 95kg

Sail Fabric Dacron

Mainsail Area As per Association drawings

Jib As per Association drawings

Bridle Wire Length 1010mm

Furler Ronstan RF76 or equivalent

These measurements, except for the weight, could vary +/- 1%. Any changes to the Maricat 4.3 which will not alter the above specifications will be to reduce the manufacturing costs, and/or replace sections no longer procurable, and will not alter their performance of the boat.

cheers d

ps I haven't weighed mine but it feels about the same weight as everyone elses.

[Warrier]

I am under the impression that the whole boat including rig can not weigh under 95kgs.

At some of the Nationals in the past boats have been quite light.

Some of the photos I have seen at the Nationals this year the boats had been altered to make them lighter ie beam bolts shortened.

I am not likely to come over for the Nationals anytime soon but thought it might be an interesting talking point.

The difference between my first Maricat sail no 864 and my new one 1891 is very detectable when lifting the boat.

Warrior

[This message has been edited by Warrier (edited 18 May 2004).]

[macca]

Well there is absolutley no chance of my boat being light! besides the rate at which it leaks means that if there was a post race weigh in I would need 4 guys to get it on the scales!

[Emmessee]

And the fact that you still have the Mosman Council A4 sticker on the side asking you to move it or they would impound it.

I wish I had a light boat too, but it isn't.

[Warrier]

What makes a Maricat lighter than another?

Is there a sail number or year that is reguarded lighter than other vintages.

Ive heard that in the Nacra 5.8 class that this happens.

Warrior

[Emmessee]

That depends how many beers you've had.

Most Maricats would be around the same as they are all aged now, unlike the Nacra's that are still being produced.

[macca]

The Nacra's changed weight for the 1500 series boats I think, not that it was official or anything, they just started to be a lot lighter than the previous boats.

The Maricats seem to be aimed at having the same weight but there would have been the usual variances with wet layup boats of the 70's and 80's. The other differences would be due to how the boat has been looked after since then, if the boat was always drained after sailing and kept in a dry place then it will for sure be lighter than the ones left on the beach. As for the Yellow council stickers, they are purely there as a speed enhancement device, much the same as red stripes on a billycart or a "badgirl" sticker on a VK commondore at Mt Druit

[Pete]

I started sailing Maris in 1978. My first was a 400 series and quite heavy. My second was a 1300 series and was much lighter - even the mast was lighter. That boat had a great race record but suffered bad cracks under the main beam even after 1 season of being sailed cat rigged. After a break to have a family etc I bought a 2200 series. This is the one that weighs 85 kgs. Its deck is covered in hairline cracks. It also spent many years living on a beach at Coles Bay. Just as well the boat is light as I am way overweight. In fact I was going to suggest that we have a class for the 100kg plus skippers at the next Maricat Worlds.

Warrior and I have weighed quite a few Maricats in the last year. Maximum variation about 15 kgs.

I guess there must have been quality control issues when the manufacturer was really pumping them out.

How about it guys - what does your Maricat weigh?

[shy thunder]

I have an old mag at home describing that the mari 4.3 was made up of balsa end core layup this article was a seaspray mag circa 1982 approx, this could explain the weight gain as the balsa absorbs resin and or moisture.

Later boats may have had klegcell?

any one shed some light on this subject?

Andrew holden may be?

cheers d

[Pete]

I have had cause to cut several holes in mine to effect repairs. No sign of anything but low tech E glass and chopped strand mat in mine. Having built a couple of fibreglass craft I must say my that the glass work on my Maricat is rough.

[Inland_Sailor]

Pete

How are each of the series identified? By sail Nos or production Id plates?

[Pete]

Original sail numbers are a reasonable indication of when a boat was built. They sold like hot cakes early on. Getting stock was the problem, not moving it.

[berny]

As far as I know all Maris are chopped strand mat / polyester layup. The ones built for hire/resort duty are heavy for several reasons not the least of which is the alum oxide impregnated resin keels they have.

In my experience no 'light weight' Maris were ever built, only the odd one which by the law of averages came out lighter than the average. I tried to have a 'min. weight' boat made for me but I was refused every time. My boat, bought second hand at a car auction in Penrith, was over 100kgs as most are so if you have one which weighs 85k you've got a real collector.

The newer masts, rear beams and booms were/are all heavier than the earlier std. sections and while the older section mast is not quite as stiff, it's lots lighter and a better stick IMHO.

Bern

[marinsw]

In 1997 a weigh-in of 14 boats was completed after a National Titles. Boats where across the range with both styles of rear beams. Results as per table below.

Bathroom scales where used under each hull, boats where derigged with the mast layed on the deck. Average 94.6kg

Starboard/ Port/Total

48 48 96

46 45 91

54 50 104

46 45 91

46 46 92

46 47 93

49 47 96

47 47 94

48 48 96

45 46 91

47 50 97

49 48 97

49 46 95

47 45 92

[berny]

That was Toukley if memory serves.

Ok, I stand corrected, most boats in the 90kg range and low 90's at that. I thought my boat (Satdyarvo) was over 100kg but I must be mistaken. Let me have another guess and say 93/94kg?

Bern

[Warrier]

Thanks marinsw

In other words the 95kg minimum weight is not taken to the word of the law and it dosen't matter if boats are a little lighter.

Warrior

[This message has been edited by Warrier (edited 20 May 2004).]

[Pete]

Those weights at Toukley look very light for a fully rigged Maricat. I don't know about anyone else, but my rig (mast, boom, sail ropes etc) dry, weighs around 15 to 16 kgs which puts Paleface at over 100kgs fully rigged. Perhaps Warrior and I have only bought, and or weighed, dogs of boats, but 91 kgs for a fully rigged Maricat seems unbelievable, unless the boats have been severely butchered.

If I remember correctly Bern when I bought your old sail you told me that your boat weighed 103 kgs. On the basis of the boats Warrior and I have weighed, Satyarvo was reasonably (almost very) light. Bern if you boat was 12 kgs heavier than some of your oppositions' then your record in the Maricat championships is even more remarkable. So remarkable that you probably won't be invited to the Maricat worlds.

In fact looking at the Toukley weights only one NSW/ACT boat will be invited!!!

On the other hand perhaps all the heavy boats were send down here after we broke the early shipments.

What have you guys done to get these boats so light.

[berny]

It's just possible that those are platform weights. I spoke with Graham on Satdy and we really don't remember just how the boats were weighed but given that all the rigs were different, i.e. cat, sloop, s/sloop, I think they probably decided to weigh only the platform C/W rudders and possibly the mast also. I also think that because all the sails are pretty standard with no real possibility of gaining significant weight advantage there, it's only necessary to know the hull weights to see if a particular boat is under weight.

I seem to remember that a Maricat mainsail with battens weighs around 10kg which would make those numbers about right.

No boat/s were found to be under weight as I remember.

Bern

[REV YUKKA II]

well if the min wieght is 95 +- a % then 7 of the boats where under 94.06kg (which is 95 less 1%.

[berny]

Martin, if the weights are platform with mast and boom, and I seem to recall that this was the case, then given that a mainsail with batterns weighs about 10 KG, the lightest cat (91kg platform), complete with rigging and fully batterned main would weigh 101 kg, well over minimum (91+10=101).

Bern

[REV YUKKA II]

so it is 95kg fully rigged. is that cat or sloop. the 2nd post on this topic surgests that it is the platform and rudder's tramps and dose not include masts booms and sails. i would like to know what is included in the wieght. ps if the 2nd post is right then i am right in saying 7 of the boats are under wieght. REV

[Pete]

Looking at the weights from Toukley, and the weights of the platforms plus rudders only, that warrior and I have weighed down here in Hobart(range from 85 to 100kgs,)I reckon that the Toukley weights must be platform only.

I wasn't at the Toukley weighing, but I have weighed a few Maris over the years and never seen one anything like 95 kgs fully rigged. In my limited experience most would be closer to 110kgs or higher.

Just as a comparison the foam sandwich Windies platforms have a minimum of 77 kgs but according to their website average something like 85kgs. Would our 1970's technology 20+ year old boats be lighter than a modern Windie? I doubt it.

[Warrier]

My read is that the wording from the second post is wrong.In the Class Specification Rules

It reads Minimum Weight=95kg

It does not specify hulls,beams,rudders etc.

Which to me means that a fully rigged Mari 4.3 cannot weigh below 95kg.

Which means that most if not all Maris are legal.

Warrior

[Pete]

Warrior has confessed to purchasing another Maricat last weekend. This makes three Maricats he has bought in two years. I think that is close to being classified as obsessive behavior.

A six hour drive to save 3 kgs of hull weight - was it worth it? - you bet. I would do it every time.