16. 10. 09
How to Make a Catamaran Sailboat from PVC Pipe
RebelCat.com (new site!) now has plans on DVD for this catamaran. Thanks to all of you who have waited so patiently. I wanted to thoroughly test the sailboat before offering plans of it. RebelCat 5 performs exceptionally well, and only a few small modifications were needed to make it ready. My web site has been totally redesigned and is online. Subscribe if you want to be notified of new releases. Thank you all for your kind comments and great questions.
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In: Sailing Videos
cool idea but the pvc pipe cost 300$ here in canada
if i can find pvc pipe in a scrap ward i will build one
Prices of PVC pipe have gone up with the price of oil. You want PIP (thinwall) pipe, NOT schedule 40. Look around for better prices. I found a store in New Mexico selling the best pipe I’ve seen for half what it costs here in Arizona. Drain pipe can sometimes be found left at construction sites, but you want PIP, the thinnest and lightest pipe (and cheapest) pipe made. Good luck.
When your DVD comming out ?
firstly i didnt see a thing to get plans and secondly 90min set up is not the least bit practical
how much was this to build any way
The DVD is done, I’m negotiating the duplication now. Sailboat setup is longer than you think. Go watch people sail, they arrive with their boat on a trailer, launch it, raise the mast, rig all the ropes and sails… have a stopwatch with you, and you will see the reality of sailing. But keep in mind that people don’t use sailboats like kayaks. They spend all day sailing, maybe many days, so 90 minutes is trivial. Cost varies widely, depending on PVC and materials one has and can scrounge.
generally they arive with it on a trailer raise the mast put the sails up 40 mins tops and you wont always want to go for a day sail often times it is only a few hours
RebelCats are made of pieces which are assembled. RebelCat 5 is far more sophisticated than RC 1 – the little cat I made in Brazil. It has controls not found on many monohulls for adjusting to different wind conditions: traveler for the mainsail, adjustable fairleads for the jib. You CAN carry it assembled on a trailer, raise the mast when you launch. RebelCat 5 makes it possible for people to build their own cat using simple hand tools and local materials, carry it w/o a trailer, and sail fast.
DVD is now being replicated by a professional company and will take about 14 days. My new web site is coming along and will be online before the 1000 DVDs arrive. Thanks to all of you for your patience. It is a lot of work for one person wearing many hats.
most monohulls that i have seen have a traveller and boomvang not sure what fairleads are but if thatts the two shets that go to the boom then every boat with a jib has one
how much was it for u to make
im not trying to argue with u man its just that it doesnt sound like it is very convenent unless u have a trailler in which case u have plans for are farily exspensvie
why is ur boom so low
RebelCat homemade catamarans are not trying to be anything else than what they are: sailboats that just about anyone who can use hand tools can build from locally-available materials for less money than one would normally spend for a cat with these features and speed. Assemble it on the shore or carry it on a trailer. I carry mine on my roof-rack and don’t mind the setup time. Look around at boat plans and how-to DVDs to compare prices. Nobody will be forced to buy it, but hundreds are ready to.
Boom height is a person choice. I am athletic and can scramble under the boom to the other side of the boat with ease. My cats have about 24″/60cm from deck to boom – Plenty for me. But if a boat builder needs 3 feet or 4, he or she can have it. The advantage to a low boom is that you can have more sail area for the same length mast. Also, the COE is lower, making the cat harder to blow over. The higher the sail, the more leverage the wind has to tip the mast and the boat.
Update: The first 1000 DVDs are now in production and will be delivered on 8-7-09. The new web site is nearly done and should be online at the same time. Thank all of you for your patience. I wear many hats and do everything, so it takes longer than having a team.
what about sailing boomless we do it on our megregor 26
Good point. Boom or boomless is the choice of the sailor. Sailmaking is science and skill. It requires more skill to craft a boomless sail that performs well, and probably requires special fabric. On the other hand, many people could take some cheap polytarp and make a decent triangular sail for a boom rig. In my DVD I mention that the sails on a boat are the motor, and many kinds of sails will work on the cats I design. Your choice.
do you experience being stop in sailing your cat since your cat is very DIY looking?
anybody that taking care of the lake that you sail on might worry that you cat will not float.
Yes, many people stop to look at my cat, and they comment that it looks really cool. It attracts a lot of attention, all positive. People like to see homemade boats that work well. My cat goes so fast that nobody worries about it floating. It leaves all of the store-bought monohulls in its wake. Dinghies can’t catch me. No, nobody worries that my cat won’t float. Some people might be concerned that they spent so much money on a sailboat that goes so much slower than my DIY cat.
do u sell them
Good question. I sell a DVD which shows you how to make your own. More information at my web site (FAQ 8). If you are wealthy and make me a good offer, sure, I’ll build you a sailboat. I’ll even deliver it. But if you have that kind of money, you might prefer to buy a boat locally. Of course, it won’t be as cool as mine
what does DIY mean i notices it was on your other sailboat video?
Do It Yourself. Dine In Yemen. Dress In Yellow. Department of Infernal Yesmen. Director of International Yuppies. Dean of Instant Yogurt. Divine Institute of Yoga. Defend the Irish Yacht. and so on… I use the first one.
Does the cat5 have a tendancy to tip or capsize in windy conditions? I would be sailing it in lake ponchatrain which is large(25 mi. across) and can get quite breezy at times. Cool idea man 5*.
Thank you. Catamarans are relatively more stable than monohulls, and RebelCat 5 is wide enough to be quite stable. However, the crew are responsible for keeping a sailboat from capsizing. Every experienced sailor knows how to deal with strong winds, regardless of the type of boat. Spill wind, reef, change to smaller sails… I have made five new sails for RebelCat 5, including a storm jib and a small main for strong winds, soon to appear on my web site after testing this month (9-09).
It would be far more compelling if there was video showing the boat actually moving.
You are so right. That’s what I am doing this month. The DVD has video of the cat sailing, but nowhere near the speed potential of ‘RebelCat 5, due to low wind. I’m going for two weeks of sailing. It’s hard to make a decent video of yourself sailing, but that’s how I got the footage for the DVD – everyone else was sailing too, so tripod on the shore…. This time I’m not leaving until I get the video everyone wants to see, including me. Aerial video by kite too. Check here Oct. 09 for new video.