About Catalac & Bobcat
Catalac & Bobcat: History and Background
The Catalac range of cruising catamarans, built in the UK from the early 1970s to the late 1980s, developed out of a collaborative evolution of multihull design that brought together several key figures: Bill O’Brien, John Winterbotham, and Tom Lack.
Bobcat – The Precursor
The Bobcat was the forerunner to the Catalac line — an early British catamaran designed in the 1960s. The name “Bobcat” was derived from “BOB” — short for Bill O’Brien, one of the earliest multihull advocates in the UK.
- Tom Lack and Bill O’Brien met while working with flying boats in the Hamble.
- They experimented with making a 7 metre catamaran ‘Shamrock’ which paid homage to the float tanks of the flying boats.
- O’Brien was influential in popularising early multihulls and created several plywood designs for home and professional construction.
- Bobcat prototypes were crucial in demonstrating the feasibility and appeal of twin-hull cruisers to a market still sceptical of catamarans.
- The Bobcat was a simple, practical catamaran that embodied many principles later refined in the Catalac series: shallow draft, bridge deck cabin, and cruising comfort, and safety over speed.
- The Lack family spent their summer holidays long-distance cruising the Bobcats, and returned every autumn with a list of refinements, which is why the Bobcats and the Catalacs are so practical.
Catalac – From Concept to Production
O’Brien and Lack closed the Bobcat production to concentrate on updated designs : The former put the Oceanic into production, while Tom and Mary Lack took the Bobcat design further – to create a high-quality, GRP production catamaran that would appeal to coastal and offshore cruisers.
To do this, he commissioned naval architect John Winterbotham to redesign the hull and superstructure into what would become the Catalac 9m, launched in the early 1970s.
John Winterbotham: The Designer
John Winterbotham provided the naval architecture that truly shaped the Catalac identity. His design brief evolved from the basic Bobcat concept into a:
- Strong GRP hard-chine hulls and twin lifting rudders and shallow draft.
- A more streamlined bow section with significant reserve buoyancy (note the similarity with the seaplane bow) for better sea-keeping.
- A nearly-dry foredeck, and easy boarding from a dinghy from the lower aft sections.
- Comfortable, enclosed bridge deck saloon.
- The Catalacs were originally designed with a single outboard engine.
Winterbotham’s work led to a range of models that included:
- Catalac 8m Coastal-capable, a blend of the 9m hull with the Bobcat interior, with a reduced price tag.
- Catalac 9m – The ever-popular and longest-serving model.
- Catalac 10m, and 12m – Larger yachts capable of serious offshore work. (JW didn’t have anything to do with the design of an 11m).
Tom Lack: The Builder and Brand Visionary
While not the designer, Tom Lack was the force that turned the Catalac into a full production range. His company, Tom Lack Catamarans, built and marketed the Catalacs through the 1970s and 1980s, exporting over half the production to Europe and North America.
Mary Lack and two of their sons often delivered the Catalacs to their new owners in Europe, and continued Tom’s habit of returning home with a list of refinements – so the Catalac evolved and improved in much the same way as the Bobcat had done.
Lack emphasized:
- Quality GRP layup.
- Practical and spacious interiors for liveaboard and family cruising.
- Privacy / A sizeable heads compartment / A saloon table with a view, even when sailing.
- A rugged, dependable platform for northern waters — a stark contrast to the lighter French catamarans that would emerge in the late ’80s.
Legacy
Though Catalac production ended by the early 1990s, many of these boats are still sailing today, with a loyal owner base. Their reputation is built on:
- Safety and comfort, not speed.
- Sturdy and reliable construction.
- Cruising practicality with a strong motoring backup.
In Summary
- Bobcat: Early plywood catamaran, name derived from Bill O’Brien.
- Bill O’Brien: Designed the original Bobcat.
- Tom Lack: founded Tom Lack Catamarans, and launched the Catalac range.
- John Winterbotham: Naval architect responsible for the Catalac’s actual design.
The Catalac story is a uniquely British chapter in multihull history — rooted in modest innovation and built on a foundation of practicality and real-world seamanship.