Design and Construction
Grabner built the Evolution around newly designed floats meant to deliver the best sailing performance of the series, and the hull earns its rigidity from an operating air pressure of 0.3 bar that the builder cites as the guarantee of a very stable and hard hull. The boat is constructed without PVC, chlorine, or plasticizer, using renewable primary material that is 100 percent recyclable and produced under humane conditions, with easy repair a stated attribute. The air chambers are wrapped in an outer EPDM layer over an airtight natural-rubber inner skin, joined by pressure-heated vulcanization, and the multi-chamber system splits the boat into two independent air chambers for safety. The red hull meets ISO standard 6185cat VI/C and is rated for wind force up to 5 on the Beaufort scale.
Rig and Handling
The fractional-sloop rig carries a mast of about 21.6 feet above the waterline and a sail area of 123.78 square feet, and the catamaran's low 174-pound displacement against that canvas helps explain the lively handling and speed Canadian Boating praised. The 15.26-foot waterline matches the overall length, so the hull does not trade packed size for a shortened sailing length, and the 5.23-knot hull speed is respectable for a boat that can be paddled or powered by an outboard when the wind fails. Grabner lists a maximum outboard of 6 horsepower, so the Evolution remains useful as a tender or lake runner even without its rig.
Accommodations and Versatility
Despite the packed dimensions, the Evolution is very comfortable and unbeatably stable, with lots of space for luggage and crew, and it can carry up to four adults or a working load of 500 kilograms. Inside space measures 190 by 150 centimeters, and the bow and stern each hold 40 liters of stowage, enough for gear on an extended camp-cruise. The combination of smallest packing dimensions and highest versatility is the design's stated hallmark, and the boat needs very little room for transport and storage between uses.
Known Issues
The known constraints are inherent to the inflatable catamaran type: the hull's hardness depends entirely on maintaining 0.3 bar, and the two-chamber layout means a single breach isolates one float but still demands prompt repair. No upper limit or pressure-loss tolerance should be assumed beyond the stated figure.
Refits and Ownership
Ownership centers on preservation rather than refit. The boat is easy to repair by the builder's account, and the absence of PVC and plasticizer points to a skin that ages without the softening common to cheaper inflatables. A used example's life is governed by whether the EPDM and natural-rubber chambers have been kept at pressure and out of prolonged UV, since the renewable, recyclable construction is otherwise forgiving. The 30-minute assembly, 75-kilogram packed weight, and two-bag stowage make seasonal ownership practical where a trailered rigid dinghy would not fit.
The Verdict
The Happy Cat Evolution is a genuinely engineered portable catamaran, not a toy. Its vulcanized multi-chamber hull, tuned floats, and brisk sail plan give it a rare combination of packability and real sailing ability, and the clean-material construction is a quiet advantage for owners who care where their gear comes from.
Pros
- Hard, stable hull at 0.3 bar with two independent air chambers for safety
- Fast and well-mannered under sail for its size, per Canadian Boating
- Packs to two narrow bags; assembles in 25–35 minutes
- Recyclable, PVC-free construction that is easy to repair
Cons
- Inflatable type demands disciplined pressure maintenance; no rigid-hull redundancy
- Limited to Beaufort 5 and a 6 hp maximum outboard by specification
