RebelCat.com
The simple sailing catamaran you can make at home with hand tools
RebelCat
1 Complete
Built
in Brazil 2001, this cat became the prototype of cats to follow. Go directly
to construction page. Video
RebelCat
2
Built
in Mesa, AZ 2003, this cat was a father-son bonding project. Go directly
to construction page.
RebelCat
3
Built
in New Zealand 2004, this cat was lucky to survive the ocean, so were
we. Go directly to construction page.
RebelCat
4
Built
in Arizona 2006, this was and is a huge, colorful cat. The hulls were
made with a new techniqe I pioneered. Go directly to construction
page.
RebelCat
5
Being
built in AZ right now, this cat will redefine sailing cost, simplicity
and freedom. Go directly to construction
page.
Free
Plans
Plans
for RebelCat 5 coming as soon after its completion as I can manage, and
free.
Like to sail?
Sailing doesn't get any easier than this, or any cheaper. Here's a homemade catamaran built in a jungle in Brazil from PVC pipe and wood scraps, plus two traffic cones. Total cost: $100, including all materials and the tools and varnish to make it!
This is RebelCat 1. It knocks down in minutes into a few pieces you can toss into the back of a pickup, tie on a roofrack or pull on a simple trailer behind your bike! That's right. This entire cat I carried over my head. It's perfect for one adult or two teenagers.
The final Brazilian version is here. Please note: This is the simple and temporary design test model for refined cats which followed. To see those cats, click the links at left or here. For pics and construction details of each cat, click the construction page for each.
Watch a video of this cat here. This video, which is also available on YouTube, describes the origin of RebelCat 1 and its construction. It actually began life as a raft, and three months later was converted, right on the beach, to a cat. Tools required: saw, hand drill, screw driver, pocketknife, paintbrush - that's all.
Why sit on the shore when you can explore the whole lake?
Picture this: You've spent a few weekends making your own little RebelCat. You're ready for adventure. You tie the cat's pieces onto your roofrack or toss them into the back of your pickup, pack a lunch and cruise over to that beautiful lake or pond you love. Assemble the cat on the shore in a few minutes, tie your lunch on and sail away! Forget the rest of the world for awhile. You're in heaven. Go fishing. Take a swim. Or just cruise on the quiet water.
The fact is that lakes attract people, and it can be hard to find a nice place away from the crowds. Also, some of the best spots are not accessible by road, only by boat - like the other side, for example, or the far end. Now you can leave the crowds behind and sail off into the clear water and to the choicest spots. Find beautiful beaches and camping spots you didn't even know existed. Or take a tent and spend a weekend, or an entire week, exploring your favorite lake, camping by the water, fishing early in the morning, catching the sunrise, taking pictures of exotic places nobody has ever seen.
If you'd like to know more about Rebel Cat 1 and the three other cats I've made since, stay tuned to this site (bookmark it). By the way, this cat here is not the final version, it's the most basic one. I added a jib to sail faster, and talk about fast! The final version is here. And that was six years ago. The newer designs are here. A video of the cat shown above, including how it began as a raft, it's conversion three months later to a cat and the beautiful reservoir in Brazil where it all happened, is here.
The largest RebelCat carries six adults. The current cat - RebelCat 5 - under construction is perfect for two adults or kids of any age. Compared to the prototype above, flotation is much greater (231 pounds more), larger deck, more sail area (double), faster, kick-up rudder, cargo net, swing up centerboard, two trampolines foreward for relaxation, more durable, better in every way, especially the fun factor. Because it's only 30 inches longer, due to tapered pontoons at the back. RebelCat 5 will be the cat that changes sailing, because it can be built by a 12-year-old, it can be pulled on a trailer behind a bicycle or carried on a roofrack, it assembles in minutes, and it sails faster than any dinghy or chubby monohull, and fast means fun. Leave all those slowpokes in your wake. Cats and tris (trimarans) are the fastest sailing craft on water, currently holding the record at close to 50mph.
CAUTION: It is highly recommended that you wear a PFD (Personal Flotation Device) at all times when sailing. In the photo above, I was never more than a hundred feet from shore, and I am an exellent swimmer. In fact, I sailed in the same places where I swam daily. Children of all ages, the elderly and the physically unfit should wear a PFD.
More info and plans, DVDs coming soon. Stay tuned.
Contact Us | More Pics | RebelCat 1 | RebelCat 2 | RebelCat 3 | RebelCat 4 | RebelCat 5