Yachting
February 2004

On The Docks
Sightings
Cat Cay 53
By Scott Shane

Putting the finishing touches on a boat building project is exciting for everyone involved, from the builder who dreamed her up, to the the naval architect who penned the vision, to the engine supplier who dials the power, to the technician who tightens the last screw. The forthcoming Cat Cay 53 is no exception–the anticipation is off the charts.

Though this 53-foot catamaran is a Cat Cay design, Lazzara Marine is handling her construction. Her interior, in fact, is made almost entirely from components that go into Lazzara’s 80-foot motoryacht. Fit and finish are expected to be of exceptional quality.

Catamarans, long embraced in other parts of the world, have been slow to gain momentum on our shores. John Kelly, vice president of marketing at Cat Cay Yachts, believes that is about to change.
“It all comes down to appearance,” Kelly said, “and in profile, as well as from the transom and from the bow, our yacht is very good-looking.”

The performance numbers the builder projects are impressive, too; this is at least partly due to the boat’s 38,500-pound displacement. (A comparable traditional sportfisherman might come in nearly twice that.) End grain balsa, lightweight foam core and materials such as carbon fiber, Kevlar and E-glass should help ensure strength without creating bulk. Cat Cay uses vacuum-bagging to eliminate voids in the hulls. The hulls are engineered with integral steps.

A prototype of the yacht, with a pair of 420 hp engines, achieved a 40-knot cruise, according to the manufacturer. The first production build, which will have a pair of 700 hp MANs, is expected to reach a 45-plus-knot cruise. A top end of 50 knots is the target.

The Q-Speed carbon-fiber surface drive, from New Zealand (a longtime mecca of catamaran construction), has five-blade, surface-piercing propellers, with rudders abaft the wheels. Below the waterline aft is reverse transom with 45 degrees of deadrise. Imagine hacking down on a greyhound marlin at 6 knots. The prototype was capable of exactly that.

Her 140 square-foot cockpit has a lightweight livewell and fishbox with an optional icemaker. The area offers engine access through a walk-in hatch. A generator and oil-change system are standard; a water maker is optional. Watertight compartments shield the machinery space.

The Cat Cay 53’s helm deck can be climate-controlled with the addition of a hardtop and an enclosure, options few will pass up. The curved, one-piece windshield should provide an unobstructed forward view.

The cherry interior, designed by Lazzara, includes two staterooms and two heads. The master stateroom, which has a queen island berth, is said to be as spacious as those aboard yachts with 75 feet LOA. The gally will include high-grade components, and the addition of a dishwasher, trash compactor and wine captain to the usual appliances is an indication of the level of comfort an owner can expect. The entertainment systems are also fit for a megayacht. Lazzara was careful to keep the accommodations and the saloon bright and well-ventilated by incorporating numerous portholes, skylights and hatches.

If the prototype is any indication of what is to come (the only change to the production version was some bulkhead positioning by Dick Lazzara) the Cat Cay will soon be turning heads at a tournament near you.