Cruising catboats have cabins and normally range in overall length from 16 - 26 feet. Others are fully or partially decked and suitable for day sailing or camp cruising. Three Areys Pond Cats M ost cats have centerboards, although some keel cats exist. A few cats have Marconi sails, but most are gaff headed.
Most cats are shallow draft, broad beam boats.
The classic Cape Cod Cat's beam measurement is half the waterline length which makes a very stable boat. F or a personal and different perspective on the history of the catboat, you may find the following text from a recent address given to the S.S. Crocker Association by retired senior editor of the CBA Bulletin, Pete Brewer insightful. They usually consist of two or more a symmetrical hulls, dagger boards and a raised trampoline for crew seating and trapezing. A. A gaff rig uses three spars and the Marconi rig uses two spars. More correctly termed a gaff, this second spar carries the top or head of the sail.