Design

Specifications

L.O.A.	15 Feet 8 Inches
Beam	7.5 Feet Standard (Custom Widths Available)
Weight	Approximately 850 Pounds Bare Boat (no motor, batteries or gear)

Center Deck Area:	Approximately 50 Square Feet - (7 foot 6 inch wide model)
Outer Deck Area:	62 Square Feet - (All Models)
Total Deck Area:	112 Square Feet - (7 foot 6 inch wide model)
Storage Capacity:	Approximately 90 cubic feet of internal cargo storage accessible through ten deck hatches.
Weight Capacity:	1200 lbs. Passengers and Gear - Can vary depending on how the boat is equipped.
Person Capacity:	5

Form Follows Function

Design Philosophy

The two 24 inch wide pontoons are reinforced fiberglass, each with five bulkheads to increase strength. The bulkheads between storage compartments 1 and 2 and 4 and 5 have cutouts allowing longer objects to be stored. At the twelve points where the hull mates to the frame 1/4 inch aluminum plates are laminated into the hull to provide immense strength in the joint. Five bulkheads are glassed in the hull to add rigidity and to compartmentalize the pontoon. In the case of a breeched hull only part of the hull will take on water allowing the pontoon to retain buoyancy. We offer optional variations on this system, one with drain plugs and one with foam flotation material. The barge design offers the best draft to load ratio on the market. The wide, square shape of the pontoon allows more displacement per inch of draft than traditional round pontoons making it possible to get into places with less than a foot of water. The bare boat with three seats, two batteries, two trolling motors, 500 pounds of fishermen and 100 pounds of gear draws about 6 inches of water making crossing shallow water a breeze. The Flat Cat differs from traditional pontoon boats with its center cockpit design. Instead of locating the furniture around the perimeter of the boat we put it in the center. This allows access to the outboard areas making it far easier to land a fish.

Construction

The hull and deck lids are hand laid with fiberglass with high stress areas being reinforced with extra glass and woven roving. The key word in describing our frame is strength. The main cross-members are 2 x 2 aluminum square tubing with a inch wall thickness. These are butt welded on all four sides into a hefty ¼ inch thick aluminum plate. To further strengthen the connection a piece of ¼ inch angle is welded to the cross-member and double bolted with 3/8 inch stainless steel bolts. 2 x 1 inch stringers with a 1/8 inch wall thickness are used to connect the cross-members. ¼ inch thick end plates complete the tube chassis.