Big Cat Now Down In Essex.

[JennyMorgan]

I was recently asked if I knew what happened to the large 'cat' that used to be at the illustrious Waveney River Centre way back in the 1970's/80's. It was built by Henry & Iris Petersen as a means of fulfilling a dream to sail to the Caribbean. They were never to make it, they reached Canvey Island where regretfully Iris died. Henry continued to live a board for a few years until he became ill and had to move into a care-home. Inevitably Henry died, his boat then became a home to a friend of his and that was the last I heard of Hotei, for that was her name. If she is still afloat, or indeed somewhere in the Thames Estuary I don't know. She was built to sail but whether she ever did or not I don't know. Iris had started to make the sails but didn't complete them before she died. As a seaboat I often wondered, Henry had put so much weight forward in order to provide the accommodation that he felt that Iris deserved and I have long wondered how successful she was at sea and whether the subsequent owner fulfilled the dream that drove Henry & Iris. News of any sightings much appreciated.

[JennyMorgan]

Another snap of Hotie, this time including my tribute to Watney's Red Barrel. The red 'barrel' on the left was the holding tank for the toilet pump-out!

[ChrisB]

Well she was in good company at Canvey. Home to Prout & Sons, builders of the Snowgoose Class among others.

In the early 60s they built the largest Cat in Europe which I think was nearly 80ft loa. We always aspired to a Cat when our children were young, though our choice was a Catalac. The class that Rosie Swale and her husband plus kids rounded the Horn in.

Trouble was we needed a marina berth and could not aford the cost of a cat.

[ChrisB]

Which was charged at double the normal rate.

[VetChugger]

Clearly I'm still suffering the morning after blues! When I read the thread title I thought there must be another Lynx or some other big wild cat on the loose!

Not two rag on a pole things stuck together!

[SueH]

And the first thing I thought of was Martin's RC model Catalina.  Affectionately called 'big Cat' 

Sue

[Polly]

And I thought Mike Jaguar had emigrated!

[Regulo]

No chance, Polly, we won't have him down here.

[thingamybob]

On ‎05‎/‎04‎/‎2017 at 2:30 PM, VetChugger said:

Clearly I'm still suffering the morning after blues! When I read the thread title I thought there must be another Lynx or some other big wild cat on the loose!

Not two rag on a pole things stuck together!

When I first saw the heading I thought it was the stray moggie that has taken residence in the local gardens where I live and is killing all the wildlife including dragonflies, butterflies and frogs in the area.