The SeaBrat, Our SeaCat SL-5C Power Catamaran
Last Updated Friday, July 14, 2006
After running our 1995 21-foot center console SeaCat (Old SeaCat (SL-1) Page) for ten years, I found an opportunity to upgrade to the 25 foot SeaCat model, with the walk-around cabin. Cheryl had always wanted a cabin, but I had been hesitant about losing what I perceived as the "fishability" of the classic center console. However, the ability to make more Middlegrounds runs and a place to get out of the weather were just too strong to resist! So, we made the deal and drove up to Pensacola to pick up our "new" 1997 SL-5C. Our timing couldn't have been better as the very next week a hurricane hit Pensacola! Fortunately we were safe at home with our new prize. It had recently been repowered with a pair of counter-rotating 130 HP Honda outboards, which had made the boat very attractive to me.
The previous owner lived less than a mile from his favorite ramp and hadn't maintained the trailer very well. As a result, our trip home resulted in several blowouts due to improper tires and, as I discovered later, my hitch being too low. Upgrading to "D" rated trailer tires and a higher hitch mount fixed the blowout problem and I also replaced the two torsion axles along with disc brakes. Our 2002 F150 pulls the rig just fine.
The new SeaBrat has a 150 gallon fuel capacity, which it needs as I was surprised to find that the fuel efficiency was only about 1.7 miles per gallon! Compared to our old 21 footer, this thing is a lot more expensive to run, especially with fuel prices these days. We have an acceptable 25 to 28 mile per hour cruise with a top speed of 35 so you can't really consider it to be a speed boat. It's fast enough for Cheryl and I, and the ride is fantastic. The cabin is a nice addition and while it does make fishing a little more difficult, it sure is nice and sheltered when the weather isn't perfect. It has a hardtop and vinyl spray curtains which really make sloppy days a lot more comfortable! The huge rear deck is a terrific fishing and dive platform and four divers, or fisherman, have all the room they need.
Other niceties include a 10 gallon freshwater shower, 40 gallon livewell, dual hydraulic steering, Raytheon autopilot (I LOVE that thing for long runs), Garmin 182 GPS, Northstar 941X GPS (with differential), Furuno 582L depthfinder, VHF radio, CD stereo, Racor fuel filters, speargun rack, anchor windlass (great for us old guys) and an Armstrong ladder with boarding rails. The fishbox is huge, but built below deck so draining/cleaning it is a real chore. It does have a macerator pump, but it takes forever to drain the box and even then doesn't get everything. We have managed to fill it up on a couple of occasions and we never could have hauled that much fish on the old 21 foot Seacat!
For passenger comfort I carry a pair of E-Searider Beanbags and I am told they are wonderful. Captaining duties have precluded me from enjoying them myself, but the snores from my crew on the way in speak for themselves! I also installed a six-foot bimini top to provide shade over the back deck, further enhancing the crew's naptimes. Rod holders abound with three on each gunwhale and two horizontal holders built into the sides. I alos installed a pair of Roll Control tank racks on either side of the gunwhales with a capacity of five tanks each. Combined with my Pelican six tank rack, I can easily carry as many as 16 tanks for extended dive trips.
This rig is a fisherman's and diver's dream and about as big a boat as I would ever care to try to trailer! Trailer and all, it measures well over 35 feet and that can be a challenge for manuevering through traffic, or parking at the ramp. I no longer have "twofootitis" and this boat will probably be with us for a long, long time to come.
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