Hobby Kat: A 1973 Beach Catamaran With a Trampoline Deck
A twin-hull beach catamaran from Mechanix Illustrated, December 1973, with a trampoline deck between the hulls.
Hobby Kat brings the beach catamaran into the home workshop. Published in Mechanix Illustrated in December 1973, it has two slim hulls joined by a trampoline deck, the setup that made beach cats so popular for fast, splashy sailing straight off the sand. It suits anyone who wants something more exciting than a single-hull dinghy and has room to build two hulls side by side.
Hobby Kat at a glance
| Detail | Hobby Kat |
|---|---|
| Type | Catamaran |
| Construction | Twin-hull beach catamaran with trampoline deck |
| First published | Mechanix Illustrated, December 1973 |
| Plan sheets | 8 |
Twin hulls, big fun
Two hulls give a wide, stable base, while the trampoline deck keeps weight down and lets spray fall straight through. That is what gives beach cats their famously lively feel. Being a beach boat, it is designed to be launched and landed straight from the sand. Eight sheets cover the twin hulls and the trampoline deck.
The original plan sheets
These are the 8 original sheets from 1973, scanned from the magazine. For building, use the full-size PDF in the download section below.
Before you build
- Build both hulls side by side and check they match exactly, so the cat sails straight.
- Lace the trampoline drum-tight and check the lacing before every sail.
- Learn how to right a capsized catamaran in shallow water before heading further out.
Download the plan
The full 1973 Hobby Kat plan in one file: all eight sheets ready to print or open on a tablet in the shop.
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