The account below was written by the original owners of Keys Cat and is still worth reading.

My wife and I went to the 1999 Miami Boat Show planning to buy either a Gemini 105DL or a PDQ36 Altair. We had chartered both of these cruising cats in the Chesapeake and the Florida Keys, our primary cruising grounds. Neither boat had exactly what we wanted, but we were excited about making a decision. [Little did they know that the Maine Cat was waiting nearby. It already had several potential buyers on the bridgedeck- Dick V.]

The Gemini is a great deal at about $130k, but we had a few concerns about quality, especially fit and finish, the centerboard/rudder arrangement and the diesel sealeg. While there are compromises to be expected in this price range, the fit between any two interior parts was disconcerting, even if mostly cosmetic. Check out the line along the rear edge of the hard dodger- it wavers by up to 1/2". Also the ability to handle shallow water through a clever series of lines and blocks in the centerboards and rudders seem limited to the longevity of lines in salt water. During our month long charter of the Gemini "Flying Cloud", the line holding the starboard rudder down nearly parted, worn through by an invisible piece of internal hardware. Two other irritations were the lack of halyards running aft and the inability to steer without looking through the salon, which gave a claustrophobic feel.

The deal killer for us was the single sealeg drive, now standard on the DL model. Lost is the twin screw sense of control from the earlier 2 outboards, and we made some squeaky entrances to our 24' wide canal in a cross wind that would have been a piece of cake with twin screws. Also, the sealeg exposes the prop directly below the after deck and is rather menacing to view from above. I often envisioned falling directly into the prop under power and being pureed [They're getting closer to the Maine Cat 30. I'm sure they'll soon be aboard - Dick V.]

In overall quality of construction, comfort, and ease of handling the PDQ was looking like the winner, although at ~$200k, a little pricey. I loved the twin diesels for control in tight spaces, although weight, drag and service or replacement were worries. The biggest sticking point was the fixed keels, which limited cruising in the thin water of the Keys. After some discussion, the folks from the factory were willing to create a daggerboard model for a very reasonable premium, and it looked like we had our boat.

Then we saw the Maine Cat 30. My wife loved the comfy, large tramps forward; the hard deck on the Gemini had been a big negative from a comfort point of view. (“Comfy Tramps” would make a good boat name.) Next, the bridgedeck is huge, and wide open. We joined 6 other adults on the bridgedeck at the show, and it still felt spacious. The foredeck is very much a part of the action (a few steps straight forward from the wheel) instead of a roundabout balance bar walk from the helm. While the Gemini and PDQ feel less like dungeons than comparable monohulls, this was more like a solarium- wide open views in all directions, but protected (when necessary) from the weather. [I knew they'd discover us - Dick V.]

The accommodations are split between the port and starboard hulls. While space below is more limited than on either of the bigger cats, we spend very little time below in actual use, and besides there is standing headroom (I'm 6'2”) anyway, and plenty of space for living and storage. An interesting feature is that the cook at the stove can converse with the skipper at the helm without shouting, a nice touch. The other plus with the separate hull accommodations is that two couples have genuine privacy from each other, a good thing on a long trip.

We took her out for a test sail, and became firmly convinced. Seven people on deck, and no crowding; even with all that weight she made 8 knots in a relatively light breeze. The screacher was raised on the clever collapsible bowsprit without anyone having to duck out of the way, and tacking the big sail was relatively straightforward. While the test boat only had one outboard, the engines are far enough apart that I'm expecting an easy time with close in work, helped by the low windage of the boat.

Dick asked for a paragraph, but I have a hard time shutting up about the Maine Cat. I'd be willing to carry on an email conversation with anyone looking at this boat, especially if I can get email through the SSB when we bring it home from Maine to Florida this spring. [Thanks, Jeff. You write a great review - Dick V.]

Here is their new Maine Cat 30, "Keys Cat," after launching in May of 1999.

Jeff photographed the delivery trip from Maine to Maryland. Become a virtual member of his crew.

Jeff Osborn and Liz Stebbins
Key Largo, FL

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