Cape Cod Catboats:
A Unique Design Invented For Cape Cod Waters
The tale of the Catboat begins in Osterville over a century ago. One of the Crosby brothers of boatyard fame set out to design a boat commodious enough for commercial fishermen, easy for one person to handle and able to "gunk-hole" into the Cape's shallow bays and inlets where shellfish linger and sailors love to explore.
The result became known around the world as the "Crosby Cat," the preferred sailboat for many, including John F. Kennedy.
The hull is usually half as wide as it is long, so this small boat has a cockpit usually twice the size of other boats in its class. Equally important, instead of a fixed keel, Catboats have a "centerboard" which swings up on a pivot if it hits the bottom in shallows. A one-ton, eighteen foot Catboat only draws 18 inches with the board up.
While this sailboat looks old and slow, it continues to be among the fastest in its class.
As the story goes, when Crosby demonstrated his new design, his wife marveled at how the craft seemed to skim over the waves and declared, "She's swift as a cat." However, others belive the "catwalk" outside the cockpit combing inspired the name.
Today, you'll see an entire new generations of fiberglass versions dotting every inlet and bay. And, don't pass up the opportunity to sign up for a sailing lesson or join a sailing excursion during your stay.
You can also visit the Crosby Boat Yard overlooking West Bay and tour the Crosby Boat House and other historic houses maintained by the the Osterville Historical Society (155 West Bay Road, 428-5861).
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