Q: Is there any wood in your boat?
A: No, it is built entirely of fiberglass and Nida Core brand composite core

Q: Why do so many boat builders emphasize “no wood”?
A: For decades many builders used plywood encapsulated in fiberglass and resin to build thickness in various parts of he hull without adding the weight that comes from a solid FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) lay up. The wood rot problems that developed years later where, in most cases, not the builders fault. The rot occurred when water migrated into the wood (usually the decks) due to someone drilling into the area to install hardware and not using the proper care to caulk and seal the hole.

Q: Are your boats “unsinkable”?
A: Yes. The “unsinkable boat” was a brilliant advertising term that came from Boston Whaler many years before the Coast Guard mandated the use of floatation foam in hollow sections of boats. Today, any boat that meets the minimum CG requirements is “unsinkable”.

Q: Okay, what is sandwich core?
A: An FRP boat requires specific thicknesses of materials to withstand the forces imposed upon it i.e.; thicker bottom, thinner sides, medium thickness for the deck, etc. Conventional boat builders achieve these dimensions by simply building up multiple layers of thick fiberglass cloth called, woven roving. The roving is saturated in resin and together, the thick cloth and resin cure into a solid fiberglass part. This technique is relatively inexpensive, strong, durable, simple to apply and heavy. Sandwich core construction achieves its strength by using two very strong (expensive) layers of cloth, one laminated to each side of a light weight (expensive) core material that has enormous resistance to crushing. The thickness and strength is achieved without the weight. For more on this subject, see the Nida Core web site (www.nidacore.com) click “marine applications”. Note: the components that make up fiberglass parts are produced primarily from petroleum and the industry has seen some steep rises in the cost of these materials.

Q: What is the maximum rated horse power?
A: Max. HP is 140. The ideal engine and horse power varies a little depending on the intend primary usage. If you want to run at maximum speed for long distances, the Suzuki 140HP is the best bet, simply because it is the highest horse power available in a light weight four cylinder engine. For more moderate speeds and multi-condition usage, either the E-TEC or Suzuki 115HP are great engines. It comes down to, are you a 4 stroke, or 2 stroke fan. They are both extremely quiet and smooth. The E-Tec seems a little better at high RPM and the Suzuki seems to have a little more torque and acceleration at the low and mid-range.

Q: In the tech article on your web site, you make the point that there are many trade-offs in choosing a boat. What are the trade-offs for your boat?
A: Excellent question. The Port Erie cats get their superior performance from a combination of light weight, air flow thru the tunnel and the 26 degree dead rise in the bottom. These features make the boat a little more sensitive to weight distribution and trim angles. Too much bow-down trim will cause the boat to have a heavy "plowing" type of feel. Trimming the bow too high causes an exaggerated up-down motion at the front. Also, weight distribution side to side when running fast is slightly more sensitive than other cats. But if they are driven out-of-trim or unbalanced by an inexperienced operator, they are no less safe, they just won't perform as well. To summarize: if you were to compare a Corvette to a heavy SUV, the differences are obvious. In our case the Port Erie cats compare a little more toward the Corvette side of the equation.

Q: My current boat was delivered with an aluminum propeller and did not perform to the published speed specifications. I went thru three stainless steel props before it ran properly. What props come on your boats?
A: Because boats do not have transmissions with multiple gears, propeller selection is critical. Too low a pitch will result in blazing acceleration and diminished top speed and too high pitch will be the reverse. We have spent many hours testing props with the help of the Tech department from each of the engine brands that we sell. We include a top of the line stainless steel prop purchased from the engine manufacturer with each boat.

Q: I don’t understand the numbers that are involved in prop selection.
A: There are two sets of numbers. First is the diameter. This number is determined by the size of the lower unit on the motor and rarely varies by more than a half inch for any motor. The other number is the pitch. This is the one that can drive you crazy and cost a lot of money in experimentation. Theoretically, the pitch determines how far the boat travels for a certain engine speed. If a prop is marked 13 ¼ X 17, it has a diameter of 13 ¼ inches and a pitch of 17 inches. Therefore, the theory says, that the boat will travel forward 17” for each revolution of the prop. HOWEVER, all boats have some slippage as the prop spins in the water. Hull design determines the effectiveness of the prop bite. Port Erie cats run a 13” pitch prop on the 115 e-Tec and go 43mph. Our main competitor uses a 17” prop to go almost as fast and he has a lot of cavitation problems in following seas. Question: who has the better hull design?

Q: I understand prop diameter and pitch, but aren’t their other factors to prop performance?
A: Yes there are several more calculations, but now we are getting into propeller tuning, alternately described as a nightmare or black art. It is definitely not a subject that you would want to ask Bubba, down at the boat ramp, to help you with. In the above question we dealt only with the boat’s performance relative to speed. In prop tuning we are trying to regulate either bow or stern lift for a given loading situation. A fully tuned prop is achieved by using a combination of propeller rake, cup, pitch and the number of blades, either three or four. At Port Erie we have spent a lot of time on this equation with our prop supplier and even more hours in testing. In addition, we have developed a proprietary device that we call a wave breaker that attaches under the tunnel in front of the engine. The wave breaker regulates the flow of water around the engine and works in conjunction with the water shape in the tunnel. We have developed a different wave breaker for each type of engine and horsepower that we sell. The wave breaker is one of the items that allows the Port Erie cats to run in any type of sea condition without cavitation.

Q: How come you don’t have girls in bikinis in your photos on the web? LOL
A: My wife won’t let me, still working on it. LOL

Q: Why does the 20’ boat have only a 7’6” beam?
A: This is the perfect size beam for this design. All the dimensions of the boats are a function of a bigger picture to provide the best overall performance. Unlike most other boats, the Port Erie cats were designed for maximum performance, not top speed, not sexy looks and certainly not to appeal to first time boat buyers who count the number of cup holders and want swoopy graphics on the sides.

Q: You list 40 gallon standard fuel capacity and sixty gallons optional. How is the fuel routed to the engine?
A: There is one 20 gallon tank in each hull, the fuel lines go to a 10 micron filter and each fuel line has a cut-out valve so that fuel can be drawn from one tank at a time. There are two inspection ports (unlike most of our competitors) in the cockpit sole to get at the hose connections and fuel gauge sender.

Q: The new ethanol fuels are creating serious problems with some fuel tanks. Have you addressed this problem?
A: Yes. We use only the latest version of polypropylene tanks that are made for the new fuels and fuel additives. Some of the new fuels have a very short useful life and fuel stabilizers are highly recommended if the fuel will not be used up in 3-4 weeks.

Q: I noticed what looks like a vinyl spray rail on the pictures of the 20’ boat. How come?
A: When the boat is running fast in very rough conditions and the wind is blowing over the forward bow sections, the spray that is thrown up (on a boat without spray rails) will blow back into the boat under certain conditions. Most people like the looks of the spray rail, some don’t. If you don’t intend to run under severe conditions very often, you can order your boat without it.

Q: Do you have any way to put a porta potty on the boat and have a little privacy when my wife and kids come along?
A: At this time, we can create a place in the front step for the potty and a small canvas enclosure can be installed (like a low miniature Bimini top with sides). We are developing a new, large, light weight center console that will have a potty enclosure. Call Mary in our office for details on this item, or anything else you need to know. She will be your new best friend by the time you get off the phone.

Q: The caption with the 20’ non-liner boat says that this is used for custom fishing lay outs. What other lay outs are available?
A: We can probably give you anything you want. Different size casting decks, more or less seating, bait wells in various locations, all types of fishing gear and electronics installed, etc.

Q: There is no mention of a self bailing feature. Do you have self bailing capability?
A: Yes, however, the boat was designed for extra deep freeboard on the inside. The cockpit deck is normally installed down on top of the tunnel, which puts the aft section of the deck below the waterline and therefore unable to self bail. In extreme testing, we have never taken any water over the side, other than spray. Both hulls have automatic 600 gallon/hour bilge pumps that can remove quite a bit of water and are also used for wash-down. If you go far offshore and/or leave your boat in the water, you can order the self bailing deck. The self bailing deck is installed three inches higher than the standard deck, which translates into a three inch reduction in interior freeboard.

Q: What type of finish is used in the non-liner boat interior?
A: The interior of the non-liner boats do not have gel coat. Instead, they are sprayed with an extremely durable industrial type paint that has been modified for the marine environment. It is a matt finish with darker speckles that hide a lot of stains and minor scratches. If the inside of your boat takes a severe beating from fishing or work activities, this is the recommended interior. The paint is from Zolotone Corp. and is widely available for touch-up. All the non-liner interiors are hand-built to order and therefore incur additional cost.

Q: Where are the boats built?
A: Erie, PA

Q: I live more than fifteen hundred miles from Erie, PA. If I ordered a boat how would I know that it will be delivered in perfect condition.
A: The plant is only a few minutes from Lake Erie. We test run every boat for at least two hours on the lake, then bring it back for a careful inspection. Anything that needs to be tightened or adjusted is taken care of and test run a second time if necessary.

Q: What about warranty work on the engine or electrical if necessary?
A: Any authorized dealer for the engine brand can handle this.

Q: What about warranty work on the boat?
A: If some gel coat repair is needed under warranty we would contact a repair yard in your area and authorize the work. It is highly unlikely that any structural repair would be needed unless a boat is involved in a collision.

Q: I am exploring the possibility of exporting the boat and need to know the domestic/foreign content.
A: All of the materials to build the hull are from the United States, as well as most of the hardware, except the bilge pumps. The trailers are domestic and the E-tec engines are from Canada. The Suzuki engine is from Japan.

Q: The gel coat on my current boat started to get chalky and faded within two years. I am told that my gel coat does not have any UV filter in it. Have you addressed this problem?
A: Yes. We use Ferro brand gel coat, in our opinion the best on the market, it has a good UV component. My guess is that the builder of your boat used a gel coat from China. These gel coats look as good as any when new and will remain shinny if polished frequently with a good quality marine silicone polish containing UV filters.

Q: Do you have any gel coat color options?
A: Ferro Corporation has developed some new colors for us. The liner gel coat can be applied in a light grey color with a contrasting blue console. This is a very attractive nautical look. Also, two tone hull colors are available.

Q: In the photos on the web, I noticed a difference in the center console heights, why?
A: What you observed is that the newest 20’ model is shown with a six inch riser under the base and a six inch taller windshield. You can order your boat with either the original console or the new one at no extra cost.

Q: The only photos on the web site for a dual console boat are shown on an 18’ boat. Can I get dual consoles on the 20?
A: Any one of the consoles is available on any boat.

Q: I saw only one photo with a T-Top and it did not show much detail. What’s available?
A: The one T-Top shown is a “one size fits all” adjustable top made of stainless steel. It is imported, of adequate construction and a little heavy, but very reasonably priced. We have a new custom builder who outfits many of the hottest big boats in the southeast. He is developing a new light weight aluminum top and bow rails for us. We will get photos up soon. We hope to have the top available at about $3,000 and you can order it with some personalized features at little or no extra cost. The T-top comes with a roto-molded top panel instead of a lace-on cloth top.

Q: I like to fish in all seasons. Do you have any weather tight enclosures?
A: The custom T-tops mentioned above can be ordered with additional small tubing that would be the frame work for a canvas enclosure with vinyl windows. Also we have the concept for a pilot house enclosure, but have not yet built one.

Q: If I don’t need the bait wells in the back, can I get seats in the corners or a bench seat instead?
A: Yes, we can give you drop-down folding seats in the aft corners or a custom bench seat all the way across with a removable cushion.

Q: I am impressed with the rough water performance and stability, but want a small cat to be used as a dingy for my 48’ trawler. A boat that can take four adults and some gear ashore in all types of weather, or for the grandkids to play with?
A: We can build the boat at 14’ or 16’ with the same beam. Keeping the accessories to a minimum and using a 50HP motor would probably bring the weight down to only slightly heavier than an inflatable.

Q: The boat looks like it would work well for SCUBA diving, but the center console is too big and we would need a good boarding ladder.
A: If we rigged the boat with only one of the smaller consoles from the dual console model, you would have a lot of room to the left of the driver. The shop we use for custom aluminum fabrication can build any type ladder or boarding system you need.

Q: Can the boat be adapted for duck hunting? I want to carry a large blind to set up onshore. How about camo color?
A: Yes. See SCUBA question above for carrying the blind. The camo color is available.

Q: All the photos of trailers shown look like they are galvanized. Can I get an aluminum trailer?
A: Yes we have aluminum trailers available.