The Sun Cat, now referred to as the Sun Cat 17-1 or the Dilks Sun Cat, is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by Clark Mills in 1960 as a daysailer. [1] [2]
| Development | |
|---|---|
| Designer | Clark Mills |
| Year | 1960 |
| Builder(s) | Dilks & Company, Clearwater Bay Marine Ways Inc. |
| Name | Sun Cat |
| Boat | |
| Displacement | 1,200 lb (540 kg) |
| Draft | 2.58 ft (0.79 m) with bilgeboards down 0.75 ft (0.23 m) with bilgeboards up |
| Hull | |
| Type | monohull |
| LOA | 16.5 ft (5.0 m) |
| LWL | 15 ft (4.6 m) |
| Beam | 7.25 ft (2.21 m) |
| Hull appendages | |
| Keel/board type | bilgeboard, centerboard, fixed keel |
| Rudder(s) | transom-mounted rudder |
| Rig | |
| Rig type | Bermuda rig |
| Sails | |
| Sailplan | Catboat |
| Mainsail area | 165 sq ft (15.3 m2) |
|
| |
Sun Cats, in their original form, can be distinguished from the Com-Pac Sun Cat by looking for a Bermuda rig rather than a Gaff rig as well as a Sail emblem of a sun with a C in the center. [2] [3]
Sun Cat Hull #1, a strip-planked centerboard daysailer that Clark Mills built for himself, is on display alongside some of his other designs in the Mckay Creek Boat Shop in Heritage Village, located in Largo, Florida.[4]
Production
editDilks & Company built Sun Cats in Clarksville, Arkansas.[5] [6]
Clark Mills built Sun Cats as Clearwater Bay Marine Ways Inc. in Clearwater, Florida.[7]
The Sun Cat was later developed into the Com-Pac Sun Cat in 2000. [2] [8]
Versions
editSun Cats were built as open daysailers as well as pocket cruisers with a cabin. [5] [9]
Open Daysailer
editThe open daysailer Sun Cats had many unique features, such as a roller reefing boom, bilgeboards, and an optional removable cuddy cabin. These boats had an 11' long self-bailing cockpit and could be purchased from Dilks and Company either as a kit or a complete boat. [5]
Pocket Cruiser
editSun Cats with enclosed cabins were either built with a centerboard or a keel. [9]
References
edit- ^ Walters, Greg. "Half A Wake". The Antique & Classic Boat Society (ACBS). Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ a b c McArthur, Bruce. "Sun Cat 17-1". SailboatData.com. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ "Clearwater Bay Marine Ways Inc". USPTO Trademark & Patent Filings. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ Castillo, Piper. "Pinellas' nautical history will be displayed in Heritage Village boat house". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ a b c "1972 Sun Cat News Letter". Sun Cat Nationals. 18 November 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ "The Voyage of the Sailing Yacht "Puff"". Sailboatrichlands. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
- ^ "The Weather Is Improving". Sailboat Richlands. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
I owned a similar boat back in the 80s that was built by Clark Mills in Clearwater, FL.
- ^ McArthur, Bruce. "SUN CAT 17-2 (COM-PAC)". Sailboatdata. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
- ^ a b "12/3/16, Clark Mills SunCat, 1982, Port St. Lucie, Florida, $7,500, Price reduced 1/24/17 to $7,000, SOLD 3/22/17". sailingtexas.com. Retrieved 19 February 2023.