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Yachtsnet's archive of boat details and pictures
 

The following information and photographs are displayed as a service to anyone researching yacht types. HOWEVER THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND TEXT ARE COVERED BY COPYRIGHT, AND MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF YACHTSNET LTD. Details and photographs are normally based on one specific yacht, but could be a compilation. No reliance should be placed on other yachts of the same class being identical.  Where common variations exist, we have endeavoured to indicate this in these archive details.

Catalac 8M

Brief details

Builder

Tom Lack Catamarans, Christchurch, Dorset.

The Catalac 8M is GRP development of the plywood Bobcats, a family cruising catamaran from the 1960s. The twin hulls have chined vee-bottoms, and she will dry out upright on sand or mud bottoms. Like all catamarans, the lack of heeling beyond 5 or 10 degrees is a feature many people value, as is the space both below and in the cockpit. Catalacs have no pretensions to high performance, though offwind they can be a bit faster than comparable sized monohulls.

LOA

27' 0"

Sail area

386 sq ft main and genoa

Beam

13' 6"

Rig

Sloop

Draught

2' 4"

Berths

5

Displacement

3,000 kgs

Engine

single outboard or twin diesel

Keel type

Vee-hulled catamaran

BHP

Various - twin diesels often 10 hp each, or outboards of 10-25 hp.

Tom Lack Catamarans Ltd. started out building Bill O'Brien designed Bobcats in marine ply, but in around 1970 started working with designer John Winterbotham and created the first Catalac 9M. The slightly smaller 8M followed in 1975, and was the most popular model of the range, which eventually included 10 and 12 metre versions.

The 8M and 9M Catalac designs were slightly modified to Mk II in about 1980, by adding a skeg and changing the rudders from lifting blades to fixed rudders supported at the base by the skeg. This modification improved the windward performance of the boats, and the yacht shown her, although built before this change, had a similar skeg and rudders fitted when new twin diesels were installed in 2010.

 

The 8M Catalacs were usually powered by a single outboard of 10 to 25 hp mounted on the back of the bridge deck, but some were built with twin Yanmar 1GM engines of 6 or 9 bhp. Outboard powered boats had the engine mounted centrally on the back of the bridgedeck. Fuel cosnumption was higher, particularly with two-stroke petrol engines.

Production of Catalac catamarans made by Tom Lack ceased around 1985, although other builders took over the various moulds and continued building Catalacs in smaller numbers thereafter. About 600 Catalacs in total were built by Tom Lack Ltd.

All the Catalac range are pure cruising catamarans, with moderate displacement and modest but adequate sail area. They are not designed for high speed, although on all points of sail except dead to windward are as fast or faster than most similar length monohulls. Catalacs are absolutely not designed to "fly hulls", and except in very extreme conditions (unlikely to be experienced in any normal cruise) are virtually capsize-proof. Over the years quite a number have made transatlantic and longer passages.

Yachts seen here are no longer for sale - the data is online as a free information service for buyers researching boat types. THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE COVERED BY COPYRIGHT, AND MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF YACHTSNET LTD.

Go to our brokerage section for boats currently for sale

Below: Many Catalac 8Ms including this one were fitted with a fixed shelter over the companionway hatch, giving additional shelter. This structure is actually asymmetric, with sides more vertical on the "doorway" side. It looks odd from some angles, but works well.

Yachts seen here are no longer for sale - the data is online as a free information service for buyers researching boat types. THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE COVERED BY COPYRIGHT, AND MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF YACHTSNET LTD.

Go to our brokerage section for boats currently for sale

Looking at the cockpit space it is difficult to believe the Catalac is only 27 ft long.....

The saloon is in the central section over the bridgedeck, with standing headroom
under the raised canopy, and sitting headroom by the table and seating.
Forward of this (the other side of the two circular perspex windows) is the
forecabin with a double berth 6' 3" long by 4' 10" wide (photo below).
Access to the forecabin is via the starboard hull and galley area.

Above and right: Access to the forecabin is via the galley which is in the starboard hull. Headroom here is 6' 3"

The port hull holds a very long (7' 6" plus but narrow - 23" tapering to 16")
double berth, forward of which is the heads compartment

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