beetle cat sailboat specs

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One-Design Class Type: Dinghy

Was this boat built to be sailed by youth or adults? Both

Approximately how many class members do you have? 250

Photo Credit:Land’s Edge Photography

Photo Credit: Land’s Edge Photography

About Beetle Cat

The Beetle Cat is a 12′ 4″ gaff-rigged wood catboat first built in 1921. It is the oldest one design racing fleet continuously built out of wood that is still actively raced. Beetle Cat sailboats compete all over the northeast with large fleets in Chatham, Bass River, Nantucket, West Falmouth, and Westport, MA; Weekapaug and Edgewood, RI; Brooklin, ME; and East Hampton, NY. With over 4,000 boats built to-date, it continues to remain a popular family boat for people of all ages.

Boats Produced: 4000

Class boat builder(s):

Beetle, Inc. – https://beetlecat.com/

Approximately how many boats are in the USA/North America? 600

Where is your One-Design class typically sailed in the USA? List regions of the country:

New England, Mid-Atlantic

Does this class have a spinnaker or gennaker? No

How many people sail as a crew including the helm?  2

Ideal combined weight of range of crew:  300

Boat Designed in  1921

Length (feet/inches): 12′ 4″

Beam: 6′

Weight of rigged boat without sails: 450

Draft: 8″ board up, 2′ board down

Mast Height: 14′

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Affordable Classics 14 – Beetle Cat

I f the USA had an ability throughout the 20th century to create global icons, particularly in transport, then the Beetle Cat is surely one of them. The boat probably holds various records in terms of the number built (more than 4,000), and the length of production: Beetle Cats have been built continuously since 1921 and they are perhaps now the only traditional wooden boat in the world that is built ‘factory style’, albeit in lesser numbers than in their heyday.

The Beetle Cat’s roots lie even further back, with boatbuilder James Beetle, who built open whalers for the whaling fleet. By the 1920s, whaling was on its knees, but sailing just for the fun of it was on the up, and so it was that in 1921, John Beetle, then head of the firm, produced the Beetle Cat as a family dayboat, and that’s exactly the role it has played ever since.

The Beetle Cat, as the name suggests, is a catboat and like a true catboat has a beam of nearly half the length of the hull, as well as the characteristic single sail, flown from an unstayed mast in the very bows of the boat. It’s a beautifully simple rig to handle, and many of north America’s top sailors over the years will tell you that they learned to sail in a Beetle Cat, but unlike other ‘children’s’ boats, like the Optimist and Mirror, or the later very limited singlehander the Topper, this is a beautifully built, solid timber, carvel work of craftsmanship.

Also, unlike those other boats, the Beetle Cat has real accommodation, as befits the ‘family daysailer’ description. This is, of course, thanks to that generous beam. A Beetle Cat will take a family of four, together with their picnic and gear for a day out, across the lake to the island, or quite a bit further, in inland or coastal waters. The weight and that extreme beam, as well as the relatively low centre of effort afforded by gaff (as opposed to bermudan) rig, make it so stable that an adult can stand up on the large foredeck without being tipped into the drink.

The very low draught, even centreboard down, another hallmark of a catboat, is coupled to a ‘barndoor’ rudder (so called because it is longer than it is high) which does not extend below the keel. For that reason, it is beachable, which is a big part of the appeal; it makes the perfect camp cruiser for this reason.

Lateral resistance is supplied by a centreboard, and the long, tapered skeg that starts about a third of the way after the bows. A Beetle Cat’s combination of form stability and heavy timber build means it is unballasted. This, in turn, makes it unsinkable.

These days, Beetle Inc, as it’s known, is based in Wareham, Massachusetts, not far from the old whaling centre of New Bedford, where the story started. Construction is still on the original moulds using the same timber types – Atlantic white cedar on steamed oak timbers – as the first boats from the 1920s. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” is not Beetle Inc’s strapline (they don’t need one), but if they did, it would probably be about right.

The design has evolved slightly over the years, most importantly in 1973, when all fastenings, which had previously been of galvanised iron, were replaced with   silicon bronze. This is worth knowing about for buyers in the used market, as it was often iron corrosion that spelled the end for these boats, at least those that were not one of the hundreds that, over the years, have been restored by students at the IYRS boatbuilding school in Newport, RI. Cutting your teeth on a battered Beetle Cat has become a right of passage for IYRS undergraduages. Look for a hull number higher than 1535 if you want a bronze-fastened boat.

And as for the boats themselves? They are, these days, to be found all over the USA, but particularly in their home waters of New England, and they still serve precisely the same purpose for which they were conceived by John Beetle in 1921. Owners over the years have included John F Kennedy and John Kerry, and today they are owned by such luminaries as Steven Spielberg and Calvin Klein, among the thousands of families, who must spend these cold months waiting for the day when they can throw the covers off the Cat and go for that first sunny sail. 

LOD:  12ft 4in (3.8m); b eam 6ft (1.8m);  draught (c/board UP)  0ft 8in (0.2m);  draught (c/board down)  2ft (0.6m);  sail area 100sq ft (9.3m 2 );  weight  450lb (204kg)

Owners’ View

“We bought two Beetle Cats when our daughters were learning to sail, with the idea that each boat could carry one parent and one kid. Now we sail one, and the kids sail the other (and sometimes beat us racing). We appreciate the simplicity of being underway just minutes after deciding to sail, and we enjoy the authenticity of a wooden sailboat that has low maintenance and the full support of an active boatbuilder for parts, repairs, and expertise. More than anything, we love sailing the same kind of boat that four generations of our family have sailed, and we love racing our Beetles in a place where they’ve raced for nearly 100 years!” George & Stephanie Shuster, Edgewood Yacht Club, Cranston, Rhode Island.

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“If you ever see one on the water, it’s a thing of beauty you can’t look away from,” said Beetle Inc. owner Bill Womack.

Indeed, there was no need to divert from the original. With a beam of six feet, the broad, tub-like boats are extremely stable, and the gaff-rigging makes it easy for novices and kids to handle. Womack said even Jackie Onassis ordered a Beetle Cat sailboat for her children.

Rad the full story.

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The New England Beetle Cat celebrates 100 years of sailing

The year 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the Beetle Cat sailboat. This will make the “Beetle Cat” the oldest one design that has been continuously produced out of wood and continues to be competitively raced for the past 100 years. The boat is a big part of New England history, sailing, wooden boats, and wooden boat building. Its distinctive silhouette is known at a glance, the name brings back memories of learning to sail, first tries at the tiller and of course the smell of cedar, varnish, and pine tar.

The Beetle Cat is a 12’, gaff-rigged wooden catboat designed by John Beetle in 1921. Originally built in New Bedford, Beetle, Inc. is now the sole builder of Beetle Cats in Wareham, MA. The boat continues to be hand crafted by true craftsmen working together using traditional methods to preserve the integrity and quality of the boat. Over 4,000 Beetle Cats have been built since 1921.

The Chatham Yacht Club is set to host New England Beetle Cat Association Annual Championship Regatta on July 31-August 1, 2021, on Pleasant Bay and will celebrate three centennials – the 100th anniversary of both Chatham Yacht Club and John Beetle’s cat boat and ten decades of sailing Beetle Cats on Pleasant Bay. This is the annual championships for the Beetle Cat, the jaunty little catboats that have held a special spot in the hearts of Cape & Island boaters of all ages for a century. In addition to the overall champion, prizes will be awarded to the skipper and crew of the first three boats in the following divisions: Junior (under 18), Women/Men’s/Old Salts (50-59) and Ancient Mariners (60+).

Learn more about Beetle Cats here .

ABOUT DOYLE SAILS //  As sailors, our obsession with sailing connects us to the water. The water is our playground, a sanctuary where we seek enjoyment, a competitive playing field where we race as comrades; it’s sometimes our home, and always a place that unlocks our sense of adventure wherever that adventure might take us.

Our obsession with sailing takes us to every corner of the world and on board every yacht. We become part of teams, share in the adventures of friends and families, sharing our knowledge and experience with those who have the same passion for sailing as we do. Sailing is in our DNA, where the water unlocks our sense of adventure. We are the custodians of a legacy that has been supporting sailors for close to four decades and while our world changes around us, our commitment to sailors who seek the same enjoyment and adventure as we do, hasn’t.

From our sailors to yours. We are your experts in sailing. Your adventure starts with Doyle. 

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Reference Beetle Cat

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The Beetle Cat is a 12 foot, gaff rigged, wooden sailboat first built in 1921 by the Beetle family of New Bedford, Massachusetts. They are dedicated to preserving the art of traditional Plank-On-Frame wood boat construction using the highest quality of materials and craftsmanship.

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Sail Measurement Procedure

A detailed standard procedure will be used when sails are measured by NEBCBA:

• Procedure as MS Word File
• Procedure as a PDF

The sail specifications are published by the builder of the Beetle Cat, Beetle, Inc.

Printer friendly sail specifications .

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• Sailboat Guide

1960 Beetle Cat

• Description

Seller's Description

Hill #766 built in 1960. Deck refurbished 1994. Hull completely rebuilt about 2012 and boat has been hanging from the garage rafters ever since. The backbone (stem, keel, centerboard trunk, and stern knee) was manufactured by and purchased from Beetle Inc. as were the pre bent white oak frames. The short forward most frames were steamed onsite and installed hot of course. All original fastening hole were filled using West System epoxy putty, all new fastening are bronze (dipped in old thick varnish for lubrication and protective coating, as they should be), and countersinks filled with Wood Dough above the waterline and Evercoat 27 waterproof polyester below. The hull had been stripped prior to the project and has one coat of badly mildewed primer on it. The interior has been painted with Kirbys flat gray bilge paint (factory original) and the original ceiling reinstalled with 1 #6 bronze screws treated as per the topside fastening and primed. Everything has been done first rate and despite her dreadful mildewed appearance this boat is ready for paint and ready to float.

All the necessary gear is included. Rudder, centerboard, tiller, complete rig including a spare mast, and sail. She should be ready to go. We will lower the boat out of rafters when we receive some serious interest and make her available for close inspection. Those who are familiar with the Beetle Cat and fully understand the condition of this boat, and know the value of these boats, will appreciate the value offered at a price of $5000

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

The ‘authentic’ BEETLE CAT is a strict one-design class and built of wood. After World War II, Carl Beetle, son of the designer, passed the rights for construction of the original Beetle Cat Boats to the Concordia Company. As of 2014 it was being built solely by the Beetle Boat Shop. (Beetle Cat Inc.) There are, and have been, numerous boats modeled after the original BEETLE CAT, of fiberglass and other methods of construction. (In the US and elsewhere.)

This listing is presented by SailboatListings.com . Visit their website for more information or to contact the seller.

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“The Little Engine That Could” 100 Years of Beetle Cats

Feature article in Woodenboat Issued#276 Sept/Oct 2020 by Stan Grayson digs deep into the history of the Beetle Cat sailboat as the boat approaches its 100th Anniversary in 2021. Never before seen photos and history revealed, along with a section on “Beetle Techniques” from some of the best and most prolific Beetle Cat sailors.

BEETLE CAT Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of BEETLE CAT. Built by Construction Navale Franck Roy and designed by Carl N. Beetle, the boat was first built in 1921. It has a hull type of Centerboard Dinghy and LOA is 3.76. Its sail area/displacement ratio 38.19. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by undefined, runs on undefined.

BEETLE CAT has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about BEETLE CAT and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, contributions, who designed the beetle cat.

BEETLE CAT was designed by Carl N. Beetle.

Who builds BEETLE CAT?

BEETLE CAT is built by Construction Navale Franck Roy.

When was BEETLE CAT first built?

BEETLE CAT was first built in 1921.

How long is BEETLE CAT?

BEETLE CAT is 3.56 m in length.

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