Thaicat

By Charles Hood

ThaiCat TT £31,230, or £43,861 with twin Mercury F100 outboard engines

Coasting by: the Thaicat rides the waves
All photos by Charles Hood

Forward seating and storage

Aft deck and removeable seat

Engines and stern ladder

The helm

£31,230 or £43,861 with twin mercury F100 outboard engines

When Tim LeRoy, Osmotech's marketing director, rang me to say he had a small catamaran (or cat) that was ideal as a club boat and perfect for diving from in UK waters, I was pretty sceptical. I've grown up in the knowledge that there are only two types of craft capable for the job: either a large, permanently moored hardboat or, of course, the clubs' favourite - the RIB (rigid-hull inflatable boat).

However, LeRoy persuaded me that a 500-mile round trip to Southampton would be worth it, so, on a cold but calm November day, I headed to the pontoon where the open-top TT version of the Thaicat was moored. My first reaction was: it's enormous. 'Are you sure it's only 6.4m long?' I asked.

The demonstration model wasn't particularly rigged for diving but it was easy to imagine where kit would be stowed. Cylinders could be mounted each side of the aft deck (up to four on each side), then there is ample space for kit bags up forward. This would still leave seating around the table for six and two further seats for coxswain and mate. Then there's the head, which could alternatively be used as another huge space to store stuff. There's ample room under all the seats for safety equipment, spares and second cylinders - not to mention lunch in the two ice boxes.

So far so good, but what was it like out at sea? As we pootled out of the Hamble, the twin 100hp Mercury four-stroke engines effortlessly got her cruising at around 30 knots. Into the Solent and it was very much the same, and when I wound her up, 45 knots was her top speed.

As the water was too flat for a proper test, we kept trying to produce a wake to cross, but the Thaicat simply doesn't make one worth talking about. Fortunately, a large tanker-shaped vessel was heading into Southampton, which gave us a nice wake - and it has to be said, she was pretty dry, even when crossing it at 20 knots. I found a marker buoy and tried a few close manoeuvres, which - with a quick instruction from LeRoy on how to use one engine going forward and one in reverse - showed how easy it is to move her around.

On the way back up the Hamble, I learned more about the thinking behind the boat. She is designed by an Australian and built in Thailand - hence the name - where Thaicats are used for fishing, diving and as weekenders. There is also a cabin version available with twin beds, small galley and shower. When the owner of Osmotech was on holiday in Thailand, he was so impressed with the Thaicat that he started importing them to the UK. Made of fibreglass, they are designed to take twin outboards from 60hp to 100hp.

As standard, you also get a lot of goodies thrown in, such as two 150-litre stainless-steel fuel tanks, water tank, transom shower, navigation lights, bilge pump, anchor and roller system, seats, ladder, hand rails and toilet. Options are a bit on the pricey side: a fridge comes in at around £1,000, as does the electric winch and the full cover. The latter is definitely worth considering, especially if you dive during the winter months, as it can be left on while motoring around.

Back in the harbour, the Thaicat was easily driven straight onto a purpose-designed trailer (an extra £2,702.50) and was ready to be towed home. I could find very few faults with the boat, and if I didn't already own a fairly new RIB, I would certainly consider buying a Thaicat, which would work just as well for those of you who want to do a spot of fishing or some water skiing, as well as for days out with the family - there's loads of space.

There are a few things to think about, though. Lifting cylinders out of the water over the side would be a stretch, although a side door option is available. Also, it doesn't benefit from the bumper-like qualities of a RIB and thus is not as forgiving if you collide with things, so your boating skills have to be up to scratch. At more than 3.2m high when on the trailer, it probably won't fit into a garage - but if you think about it another way, how many 6.5m or even 7m RIBs do you know of that can take eight divers comfortably out for the day, with enough space left to really spread out?

The big question surrounds the price, which does seem high. That said, you get a huge amount of boat for your money, so it represents pretty good value and you will probably save around 10 litres per hour in fuel consumption over a RIB. As a quick comparison, a 7m XS RIB from Barnet Marine with the same engines and accessories (minus head) costs around £28,000 - almost £15,000 cheaper. But, this boat is very, very nice and I want one!

Anyone wanting to test-drive the Thaicat TT or CC (cabin version) can do so by contacting Osmotech, who will gladly take you out from the Hamble Point Marina for a demonstration.

DIVE says
Fantastic - if pricey - alternative to a RIB
Value 7
Performance 9

Contact
Osmotech • 023 8045 6450 • www.thaicats.co.uk