Few boats
smaller than 20 feet are considered capable
of undertaking a 469 mile trip across some
of the most hostile waters the Great lakes
have to offer. But such a journey is
exactly what a tough little 11-foot power
catamaran recently accomplished.
An 11-foot, four inch CraigCat, piloted by Adam Gursoy and Trevor
Baykowski, recently launched from Grand
Haven Michigan, on that state's west coast
on Lake Michigan. It traveled north to
Mackinac Island, Cheboygan and the inland
waterway, ending up in Conway eight days
later.
Along the way, Gursoy and Baykowski encountered seas up to 12 feet,
torrential rains, thick fog. dangerous rocks
and hundreds of questions from bystanders at
every port of call.
"People were just plain amazed at the feisty little CraigCat," said Gursoy,
who operates a CraigCat dealership in Grand
Haven.
The high-performance boat features sleek, sporty looks and nimble
handling in virtually any conditions. With
a 25 hp outboard, it reaches speeds up to 30
mph and uses just a gallon of fuel an hour.
Its twin pontoons, made of foam-injected
polyethylene, connected to an elevated
fiberglass deck. The pontoons bank
independently, like the legs of snow skier,
so they can move up and down waves easily
and maintain a stable, relaxing ride.
Rugged first-class and a patented design help ensure the boat would
withstand the rigors of this journey. And
the crew appreciated the cushioned,
side-by-side seating and ample legroom. At
one point, the two crossed 30 miles of open
lake Michigan water to reach Beaver Island,
halfway between the state's upper and lower
peninsulas. Heavy rain and fog severely
reduced visibility and the waves were
treacherous."We were climbing what seemed
like mountains and rolling down the other
side," said Gursoy. The crew used a small
hand-held compass to navigate.Between
Leeland and Northport, Michigan, the rescued
a family whose boat had run out of gas a
mile offshore. They gave the stranded group
their reserve tank so they could make it
back to shore. After the trip, Gursoy said,
"This CraigCat is an amazing watercraft. It
handles the water like no other craft I have
ever been on, and I have been caught in some
very nasty storms on both the Atlantic Ocean
and Lake Michigan. Never once did I have
second thoughts about the ability of the
CraigCat to get us to our ports of call."The
CraigCat is lightweight, tows easily and
offers many convenient optional features,
such as an electric trolling motor, fishing
rod holders, dive tank holders, and storage
racks. With a suggested retail price that
is thousands less than other small boats.
Courtesy of: Rhode Island Boating
News Paper
Craig
Catamaran Corporation Does not endorse the
use of the CraigCat in severe weather or
water conditions. |
