http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VvcZ_l1pZA&feature=related

The music is super-cool too, if you`re into 70`s spanish disco.
But a very interesting boat, I love the rudder design.

A Cat rigged Cat, nice!

But I could not even see the rudder(s?). Where were they? It seemed as if they are streemlined right onto the end of the hulls? Still, I saw no hinges, only a tiller bar?

wow... neat.

steering with only bodyweight/possition?

must be lots of on the line contact

I can't see it - youtube is blocked from here...is that a Patin a Vela sailed in Spain? I have a business acquaintance that sails those and there are no rudders. They steer kind of like a windsurfer and you have to walk forward of the mast to get it to go head to wind and back it into a tack.

no rudder. no daggerboard or centerboard. Only one control: a mainsheet. Even the traveller doesn't have a control line. There is some sort of rudimentary downhaul as well.

This is one of the oldest cat design, and it is sailed primarily in Spain. I've seen a couple in Catalunya a few years back.

yes. Nice video.

That`s why I wrote :I love the rudder design. "
I love the timber workmanship on the many beams, and steered like a windsurfer, apparently you can adjust mast rake while sailing, helping to steer.
Everyone keeps talking about simple cats to get folks into catsailing. It doesn`t get simpler than this, I reckon. And it MIGHT just go faster than a laser..
But they don`t sell plans for home-built boats, so they will stay a small class in a few Euro countries.
I respect anyone who gets good starts in this fleet, with no rudders.

The 'patin catalan' or 'patin a vela' is how we call these boats in Spain.
They are fast, I sail an HC16 with a group of them and there is not big difference.
They can be sailed with strong winds Bft 5 at least.

The spanish class has an active community (mostly in the north-east mediterranean coast) with a regatta circuit equivalent to the 'standard' cats.

A.

Mary did a story on them in the magazine about 15 years ago.
Rick