Hello all not sure if you can remember but a while back I was asking about flying fifteens and whether they would be suitable for me and my young son. I have been lurking months now and I am starting to narrow down exactly what I need for a boat, however, as usual I have some green questions.

First up do larger cats (windrush 600, Seawind 24) have the same tendency to pitchpole as the racing cats?

Secondly what sort of conditions would you consider as dangerous to sailing this type of vessel. Eg. How large can the seas and swell be before heading in. I have tried searching but there is little info on this.

I asked my instructor about it (crewing - keelboat) and he replied that generally it is 1m length for 1ft wave but I think he was talking about swell and not seas or combination and I'm not sure if this rule applies to cats.

I'm thinking of heading to go look at some of these vessels next up but would like to know there limitations first.

I have narrowed it down to 3 options at the moment. A small race cat like the windrush 14 till my son is bigger and joining a local club. Or going the cruising route with a smallish boat/cat with good sailing characteristics. Something I can single hand by myself with sons helping out but not too big too get out of control while still learning. (Red witch size to sub 30 ft.)

I feel pretty confident about a keelboat. My last training day had 25+kt winds and it was pretty exciting but I never felt unsafe.

But... I like the cat handling and stability. Just don't like the idea of pitchpoling with my family on-board.

Cant help much on your choices but I do have a Windrush 14 and it is not very easy to pitchpole. It is one of the designs selling features.

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simmrr said..
Hello all not sure if you can remember but a while back I was asking about flying fifteens and whether they would be suitable for me and my young son. I have been lurking months now and I am starting to narrow down exactly what I need for a boat, however, as usual I have some green questions.

First up do larger cats (windrush 600, Seawind 24) have the same tendency to pitchpole as the racing cats?

Secondly what sort of conditions would you consider as dangerous to sailing this type of vessel. Eg. How large can the seas and swell be before heading in. I have tried searching but there is little info on this.

I asked my instructor about it (crewing - keelboat) and he replied that generally it is 1m length for 1ft wave but I think he was talking about swell and not seas or combination and I'm not sure if this rule applies to cats.

I'm thinking of heading to go look at some of these vessels next up but would like to know there limitations first.

I have narrowed it down to 3 options at the moment. A small race cat like the windrush 14 till my son is bigger and joining a local club. Or going the cruising route with a smallish boat/cat with good sailing characteristics. Something I can single hand by myself with sons helping out but not too big too get out of control while still learning. (Red witch size to sub 30 ft.)

I feel pretty confident about a keelboat. My last training day had 25+kt winds and it was pretty exciting but I never felt unsafe.

But... I like the cat handling and stability. Just don't like the idea of pitchpoling with my family on-board.

a wind rush is a day sailor a sea wind 24 is a weekender with the ability to be a extender if your willing do do more with less .
To me a day sailing cat are very exciting to sail on a reach or a and they can tend to drive the hull into the wave while accelerating.
An interesting book I cant thing of the name right now but it will come back to was written by Gavin Lesuer called wind swept used to sail agaisnt him many years ago

I had a international 23 , similar to seawind 24 , and i never felt like it would capsize/ pitchpole and i to believe i drove it hard , i even did some 30nm offshore trips. Spent 3 weeks around port stephens and myall lakes. When the wind was up it was a wet ride.

Theres a link in seabreeze of a sea wind circumnavtaing some where
Would be a tough trip

Thankyou for your replies.

Some rough water in the last video. Reminds me of crayfishing on the shelf out in the southern ocean.

In relation to the daysailer cats would they be wetter than a monohull pocket cruiser <30ft. Just thinking of family comfort levels to start off with. Typically your bound to be wet while on the water but this would help to narrow the field a little.

If it comes down to it if I go the cat route I might go smaller with a windrush 600 that would be easily trailered. There's one up north where I'm working at the moment that doesn't look too bad.

Windrush still produces them so that's a bonus for spare parts.

And here comes the crunch moment.

Small cruiser = $ for berth or mooring. Easy to jump on jump off. Poxy bridges at Fremantle limit availability Unless I want to drop the mast.

Small day sail cat = trailered, limited in ability cruising, possibly wet ride (depending on responses), faster than mono, stable, can do a little adventures,

Small race cat = fun days, cheap, will have to upgrade when kids get bigger, non cruising and very limited.

Anything you guys can add to this would be good.

There are a people sailing smaller cats and tris at Nedlands Yacht club, you could come down and speak to them about how they go for cruising etc.

Plus if you go the small race cat option there are plenty of them there as well.

Hi waheed,

Is the club open at the moment or closed for the winter?

I went back in Jan to check out the 125's and the guys I talked to were very friendly. The dinghies looked ok but were not really my thing I think.

I saw a lot of hobies down there.

It would be cool to come and have a chat with someone and maybe get a chance to experience a ride.

Some seawind 24's come with a trailer which is a good option of drive and cruise else where and as long as you have room can be stored at home or on the trailer at a club house.
Life on a sail boat is always a compromise of some extent or another