Reviews

TomCat 9.7 Hull #2 “Catalyst”

“Catalyst performs especially well when tacking. We had always heard that it is difficult to tack in a catamaran, but not so with our TomCat 9.7. Maybe it has something to do with the speeds we're achieving (7-8 knots typical in a 12 knot breeze), but catalyst comes around just as well as our former 30 foot mono-hull.”

“We typically sail over 50% of wind speed, waves and current dependent of course, and have hit 75%!”

“The 9.7 has been designed with the sailor in mind. Controls are easy to use, equipment is better that average for a boat in this price range, accessibility to all systems is excellent and spaces are opulent for its size.”

“We love the feeling of "thrust" you get in a gust. You can feel her dig in and take off. Helm responsiveness is excellent.”

“Most of all - the company - TomCat Boats - operates with the highest integrity. You stand behind the boat and deliver on all promises. You must have a high overall customer satisfaction rating.”

~Dave & Pam Roberts

TomCat 9.7 Hull #6 “Dash”

“Over the past 15 years my wife Monique and I have cruised and/or raced more than 10,000 miles on monohulls. About five years ago, after we returned from a two year cruise on our 52 foot monohull throughout the Caribbean (time to go back to work), we decided to sell the mono and buy a multi. We were intrigued by all the multihulls we encountered while cruising. The extra speed, tremendous living space and additional safety (we cruise with our two small children) was too much to ignore.”

“Our decision to purchase a TomCat 9.7 was driven by two primary factors, the design of the boat and the professionalism of the builder.”

“The design of the TomCat 9.7 fit our desire for a coastal fast cruiser that was easily sailed by one person and big enough for a family of four to cruise in extreme comfort. We took delivery of "Dash" in September and are extremely happy with all aspects of the boat. We have as much living space as our 52 foot mono and performance is beyond our expectations. During a recent day sail with the family in less than 10kts of true wind we easily sustained 5 to 6 kts of boat speed. On the other extreme, while recently sailing the boat more aggressively (but still short handed) in 20 to 25kts true wind speed we achieved a top speed of 13.6kts and sustained 11 to 12kts on all points of sail. This is what sailing was meant to be.”

“Another important aspect of our decision to purchase Dash was the builder, Ted and Tom Strain. We spent more than a year researching this purchase. We toured boat shows up and down the East Coast and spoke with brokers and builders representing all different models of multihulls in the 30 to 40 foot range. The Strains are very knowledgeable and professional and were extremely helpful and accommodating throughout the building process. Their no nonsense approach to the process made our boat building experience easy and enjoyable. Finally, and most important (to me), has been the support since delivery. I cannot say enough about the ongoing communication and support provided by the Strains. Our boat has been almost trouble free since delivery but Tom stays in contact and is always available when I have questions.”

“Thanks Ted and Tom for a great boat!! Keep up the good work.”

~Tom Burgess

TomCat 9.7 Hull #8 “Bastet”

“We decided to purchase a TomCat 9.7 after much research and comparing the designs of other catamarans. Features of the innovative design that led to our decision are: the open interior layout, visibility from the central helm station, twin outboard engines, rudder and centerboard lift system, foredeck trampoline and storage space. With the center helm location, all control lines and tails are safely away from steering wheel and throttle controls.The high quality Selden rig with single line reefing also helps make the boat simple to sail by just one person.”

“Ted and Tom Strain, were very willing to customize the boat and change its layout to meet our needs. Major custom work included building a generator compartment, changing the location of the head, removing one of the aft staterooms and adding a second air conditioning unit. It is rare to find a small boat builder who is willing to provide this level of customization normally available only on large yacht projects.”

“The Strains redesigned electrical systems and tank locations to accommodate our desires. We were able to specify all aspects of the boat including galley /head equipment, fabrics, electronics, all lighting fixtures, flooring and hardware. All the work was performed at surprisingly low costs and our custom-built cruising catamaran was delivered at a price comparable to larger production monohulls.”

~Douglas Bradbury