Maricat Association - Tuning and FAQ

What Should You Look For When Buying A Maricat 4.3?

Low profile blocks - 6:1, 2 blocks, each with 3 pulleys.
Traveller should be 2:1 and is pulled and cleated from the centre of the boat not the traveller car.
Blade rudders which lower rather than small beach rudders.
New Sails - newer sails are white and sail numbers are now into the low 4000's.
Trailer with boat box.
Back Beam can give an indication of age of your boat. Newer beams are at roughly a 45 degree angle to the horizontal (track is still horizontal). Have a look at the gallery.

These are just a few things that I would look for in a boat; if you are unsure speak to an experienced sailor.

What about the M 5.0?

The M 5.0 class is very similar to the Taipan 4.9. Because they have centreboards the hull shape is long thin and square at the end differing from the banana shaped 4.3's. It is a rare class with only 25 boats produced; most of them are still around and sail with the association.

How well do Maricats perform against other 14 ft catamarans?

Windrushes have slightly higher performance (speed) than Maricats and this is recognised by the lower VYC yardstick. Maricats and Hobie 14s have simular performance as far as speed is concerned although Maricats seem to perform better in light winds. As none of these three classes have dagger boards they have the same performance in terms of pointing when sailing close to the wind. At the YMCASC Maricats, Hobie 14s and Windrushes sail on the same yardstick, as the performance differences are negligible.

How do I right the boat if it goes upside down (turtled)?

Firstly try to point boat into wind (after making sure crew is alright) then let the mainsheet, traveller and jib sheet OFF. Get your weight as far aft as possible standing with your foot against the rudder and leaning back and out. The boat will swing around to a sideways position from which you can right it in the normal way. If your mast fills with water the boat will be nearly impossible to right so make sure it is watertight. You could try attaching a float to the top of the mast while you are learning to help prevent your boat inverting once capsized.

Are there alternatives to the rubber knuckle steering system?

The rubber knuckles, which allow the rudder bars to hinge, are not only hard to obtain but expensive (around $ 25 each) and seem to only last 1 or 2 seasons. Many sailors use improvised steering systems. Rubber hose works well with a large diameter piece over the rudder bars. Other ideas are reproducing the knuckles with rubber hose the same diameter filled with a rope and putty for strength and rigidity. Metal hinge systems can also be used but make sure that it is adjustable so that the rudders can be set to the right angle (slight toe in).

How do I tack a cat rigged boat?

It can be hard to get a cat rigged boat through a tack so here are some hints:

Get lots of boat speed before attempting the tack.
Let the sheet off before moving the rudder.
Move the rudder to 45 degrees as this should be the optimal steering angle.
You may need to reverse the boat onto the other tack by reversing the rudder and pushing the boom out.
Only pull on the sheet once you are completely on the new tack.

Rudder Alignment

The following article is by Don Grant (ESRA TEW 3720) ACT Maricat REP ex Association President, PH: (02) 6231 0365. There are many theories floating around on how to make these boats go faster, so here are a few of mine. The idea of the exercise is to achieve an effortless, responsive, fast boat to sail.

With the boat on the trailer and the rudders locked down hard in the rudder boxes, line one rudder up with the for stay saddle on the bow. Standing back and sighting it is the most successful way of pointing the rudder in the right direction and hold in that position. Sight the other rudder through to the other bow to check for 25mm of TOE IN measured at the bow. To adjust the rudders either shorten the rudder bar or drill out the rivets in the rudder box and twist the tiller arms until the rudders are aligned with the required TOE IN Re rivet the tiller arms after drilling new holes through the rudder box casting and tiller arm. The rudders work better if they are working slightly against each other.

Weather Helm

It can be decreased by raking the rudders forward under the boat - just how far is a bit of trial and error. To start with, have both rudders locked down tight and sight across the two to see if they have the same rake to begin with. If one rudder is trailing slightly, release the down lock and bump the rudder forward into the rudder box so that it leaves a dark mark from the aluminium casting on the rudder. With a course file or rasp, file off the dark marks and repeat this procedure as long as necessary while locking the rudder down occasionally to compare the rake with the other rudder. When the rudder is adjusted sufficiently forward, lock it down and do the same to the other rudder until it comes forward to line up with the first rudder. I suggest a maximum of 10 mm adjustment at any one time (measured at the leading edge of the bottom of the rudder) then test the boat on the water. The other way is to pack out the top rudder mounting on each stern of the boat but remember that there is a s/s bolt into an aluminium casting and very few of these like to be removed.

Mast Rotation

Main sails vary in many different ways so what rig configuration works well on one boat is not necessarily suitable for another. They can vary with the quality of the cloth, slight differences in the way they are cut and sewn together, the sailing conditions that they have been through, storage with battens left in tight, bolt rope shrinkage or distortion from general use. To check sail and mast compatibility with the boat rigged and the battens tensioned as you do normally, centre the traveller, pull on your down haul and outhaul as hard as you can. Then tension your main sheet to about the pressure required in 15 knots of breeze. Under this strain the mast should bend to the luff curve of the sail leaving the sail dead flat. If the sail is still full try stiffer battens, extend the bolt rope or more mast rotation allowing the mast to bend sooner to take up the luff curve. If the sail flattens with say a 12 knot effort the mast could be over rotated, or to soft, the battens far too tight. I have destroyed Weather Helm many good battens over the years tapering and softening but now realise the shape is in the sail and the battens should be firm enough to support that shape. The only value in over-rotating a mast is to allow it to bend easier while the effect of the angle into the apparent wind is negligible.

Mast Rake

Mast rake allows you to carry more power higher up the sail and get more stability up wind. While tacking is slightly more difficult, too much mast rake will make it impossible. My mast rake for sloop rig is with the tip of the mast 200mm in front of the back beam.

Sail Camber

On the beach or in very light breeze adjust the camber to possibly 25 per cent but under full load make it about 35 to 40 per cent in 15 knots of breeze.

Rigging a 14ft Catamaran With Jib

Leave the boat flat on both hulls facing into wind.

Loosen the jib ropes and lay the pulleys and shackle (which connect to the jib clew) on the ground in front of the forward beam. When you step the mast the jib ropes will then be forward of the mast and ready to connect to the jib while the bit you pull to adjust the jib will remain on the trampoline behind the mast.

Lay the mast between the hulls (and on top of the jib ropes) so that about 2 or 3 ft of the mast (at the step end) is beneath the trampoline. This enables the stays to reach the chain plates while the mast is on the ground.

Attach the stays (and jib strop) to the mast hound and lay the stays out toward the chainplates.

Attach the jib to both the strop and the bridle. This forms the forestay.

Attach one of the side stays. It the ground slopes, suggest you attach the uphill stay. Once vertical, the mast will tend to support itself on that and the forestay making your job a little easier- but don't rely on it being stable or secure - you have to hold on!
At this stage, you are ready to lift the mast and step it. But before you do, have a good look at the apparent mess you have before you. The mast, jib and stays are all connected but laying on the ground they can seem pretty messy. Visualise what it will look like in the vertical. Make sure that the strop and stays are not twisted or caught anywhere etc. You really want to avoid anything that forces you to lay the mast down again, or worse, lose control of it. OK, now that everything looks as though it will be in the right place, you are ready to proceed. It is best to have two people in the process. Firstly, you lift the mast to the vertical on the ground, then you lift it from the ground onto the mast step. Here is how you do it.

Lift the mast from a point just below the hound. Check again that everything is rigged in the right sense. You lift the mast to the vertical by 'walking' your way down the mast and at the same time bringing the base out from under the trampoline so that once vertical the mast will be resting on the ground in the centre of the boat and abutting the mast step. Wedging the mast against the dolphin striker provides added leverage that assists the lift. Note that you will initially feel a little crowded - the jib will seem to be in your way and depending on wind, the jib could be flapping around a fair bit so be careful.

Keeping hold of the mast, stand on the trampoline (beware wet feet or slippery footwear etc) and once again make sure that everything is rigged in the right sense. Hold the mast about 3 - 5 ft from the base and lift it into the mast step. This operation is manageable by one person but until you get some practice, definitely have the second person stand in front of the mast step and assist with the lift. Once the mast is in place the second person attaches the other side stay to the chainplate, taking in some of the slack.
You are now ready to attach the jib sheets, furl the jib (if you have a furler), hoist the mainsail, attach the boom and mainsheet blocks and tension the rig.
De-rigging is the reverse. De-tension the rig, remove the mainsheet blocks, boom and mainsail. Unfurl the jib and disconnect the jib sheets from the jib. Stand on the trampoline and steady the mast while the other person releases one of the side stays (the downhill stay on sloping ground). Lift the mast from the step and place the base on the ground in front of the front beam. Keeping hold of the mast, get down off the boat and move to the front of the mast. Then lower the mast by 'walking ' out toward the hound, again using the dolphin striker to help control the ase of the mast. As you lower the mast to the horizontal slide it part way under the trampoline to slacken the other sidestay.

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