Zapcats and Zapcat Racing
Zapcats are 4m catamarans with 50hp outboards engines on the back. You need two people to drive them, a pilot and a co-pilot. The co-pilot’s job is to balance and trim the boat through the corners and the surf. Races are held close to shore, usually around an ‘M’ shaped course marked by buoys. The whole race can be seen from the beach. The races are usually around five laps long, and all boats compete in five races per day with two days racing per weekend (plus finals). Up to fourteen boats race together at a time, making it tight, adrenaline-fuelled and competitive. It’s a non-contact sport, but the odd rubbing incident does happen. The boats all run with identical prop-guards to help prevent injury and damage in the event of an accident.”
Developed from life saving surf rescue craft, Zapcats are designed to cope with a huge variety of sea conditions from flat calm lakes to large breaking surf.
The unique fully inflatable catamaran tunnel hull design means the Zapcat is incredibly stable when afloat, whether stationary or at speed. This quality gives the CE approved Zapcat a capacity of five persons, all of whom when aboard are given an amazing feeling of security, unlike mono hull inflatables.
A Zapcat also gives the user the ability to reach speeds and carry out manoeuvres that simply could not be attempted by craft of a similar size, pulling in excess of 2 'G' in the tightest of corners!
All of this performance can be handled on and off the water by just two people, as a complete Zapcat with a fifty horse power tiller steered engine and accessories weighs in at an incredibly feather weight 148 kg.
The versatility of a Zapcat is extended further by its ability to be completely deflated and packed away to less than a quarter of its original length. Once packed, a Zapcat hull weighs a mere 75kg and will easily fit in the boot of many estate cars. Deflating or inflating a Zapcat is a simple procedure that only takes 30-40 minutes including the positioning of the engine. You are then ready to go afloat.
Zapcats are available in the following standard colours blue, white, red, yellow and turquoise, all are supplied with white trim.
Please note that before a Zapcat is released by Zapcat Racing or its Agents, whether it be for race, commercial or leisure use, the owner must provide proof of having successfully completed a Royal Yachting Association Powerboat Level 2 Certificate (or International Equivalent). This course is designed to provide candidates with the skills required to prepare for going on the water, boat handling manoeuvres as well as theory and background as to navigation.