Design and Construction
RS Sailing builds the Cat 14’s hulls using its Comptec PE3 system: three-layer rotomoulded polyethylene with a super-linear outer skin, a foaming core, and a general-purpose inner liner. The material produces hulls with significant volume. The boat can easily carry two crew and accommodate three or four within its maximum payload of 790 lbs (360 kg).
Multihulls World’s test of the XL version noted that the anti-leeway plan beneath the hulls carries the heritage of the Dart 16, using proven leeway-control geometry from that earlier beach cat.
The platform measures 7.02 feet across the beam. With a stated sail area of 109.79 square feet, a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 55.93, and a capsize screening figure of 5.01, it is a beamy, lightly loaded multihull.
Rig and Handling
The Cat 14 carries a fractional sloop rig with 109.79 square feet of sail area on a 176-pound hull. Multihulls World tested the XL version off Saint-Pierre-Quiberon, France, in a 10- to 15-knot westerly with a slight sea state.
The same review observed that the 14 is more suited to children. That provides useful context for a cat with a maximum stated load of 790 pounds.
Crew and Intended Use
There are no cabins on this 13.94-foot rotomoulded cat. Its hull volume allows two people to sail comfortably, with room for as many as four within the rated 360 kg limit. This is a day-sailing and training cat rather than a camp-cruiser.
Limitations
The maximum crew weight of 790 lbs is a hard limit. The reviewer’s comment that the boat is more suited to children helps define its safe operating envelope; it doesn’t indicate a recorded failure.
Ownership
The Comptec PE3 polyethylene hulls are rotomoulded and robust against the knocks that come with beach launching. With production beginning in 2017 and a displacement of 176 pounds, the Cat 14 remains a light, easily trailered boat for clubs and families.
The Verdict
The RS Cat 14 is a thoughtfully scaled beach cat. Its modern rotomoulded construction and Dart 16-derived anti-leeway plan create a stable platform with considerable carrying capacity for its size.
Pros
- Significant hull volume for a 13.94-foot cat, easily carrying two and accommodating up to four within the 790 lbs limit
- Comptec PE3 rotomoulded-polyethylene construction
- Anti-leeway geometry inherited from the Dart 16
Cons
- The maximum payload of 790 lbs restricts adult-heavy crews
- Reviewers found the boat more suited to children than to general adult use
