TomCat 9.7 Buyer's Guide
Built to order from 2004, the 32-foot TomCat 9.7 catamaran is among the smallest cruising cats afloat and branded entry-level by its market position. With a 16-foot beam and 31.5-foot waterline, she is a light, fine boat whose centerboard and kick-up rudders suit shoal waters. For a shopper scanning the used market, the picture is a small, customizable cat with distinctive systems and a few inherent limitations.
Layouts on the Used Market
The standard arrangement gives three private double berths and an open saloon reached by dual companionways, with side windows in each hull and seated water views throughout. Headroom is consistent, and the helm opens into the saloon with an overhead hatch forward. Because each boat was built to owner specification from resin to décor, interior finishes and locker details vary; clear-acrylic galley closers and brushed-white gelcoat without a liner are typical. Ventilation comes via hull ports, hatches, or both.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Power and energy systems commonly include solar, lithium batteries, and air conditioning, with inverters and generators often seen on cruised boats. Navigation is typically centered on a chartplotter, and sail handling frequently adds a spinnaker or asymmetric spinnaker for light-air use. Canvas and comfort often mean a bimini and a short-handed setup, with hot water a frequent addition despite the outboard limitation. A 5-kw generator and forward and aft air conditioners appeared on at least one early hull, showing the upgrade ceiling.
What to Inspect
The sidedecks are perilously skinny, so check for wear or repairs from frequent side-deck transit. Gasoline-powered outboards pose higher fire risk than diesel and wear out sooner, and they cannot supply hot water; many owners added propane heaters, so confirm what is fitted. Control lines for board and rudders plus a manual bilge pump sit at the helm — verify operation. Shrouds led to the quarter can chafe the mainsail when eased, so inspect the sail and rigging for rub damage.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up in the United States and Panama. For a buyer, the checklist is short: confirm the centerboard and rudder kick-up function, inspect sidedecks and mainsail chafe, verify outboard condition and any propane heating, and review the level of owner-specified equipment against your cruise plan. A customizable, shoal-draft cat with real visibility — but mind the skinny decks and gas outboards.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the TomCat 9.7. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 5 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 25 | 1 | $80,000 | — |
| Jul 25 | 1 | $124,900 | +56.1% |
| Sep 25 | 1 | $124,900 | 0.0% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $124,900 | 0.0% |
| May 26 | 1 | $124,900 | 0.0% |
Where they're listed
TomCat 9.7 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 3.
Country view
3 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $124,900 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
4 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corsair Cruze 970 | 31.82' | $ 202,866 | 20 | 2 |
| J-Boats J/97 | 31.53' | $ 138,678 | 14 | 8 |
| Tofinou 9.7 | 32.22' | $ 257,350 | 4 | 1 |
| TomCat 9.7You are here | — | $ 124,900 | 3 | 0 |