Standard Measurements:

Length.........5.486m
Beam..............2.3m
Mast Height......9.000m
Sail Area.........12.7sqm

TC Design developed these A Class in 1996. At the time they were the first All Carbon A Class boats built in New Zealand. Peter Waldron built 'Comfortably Numb' and Impact, while Terry Valder built 'Signs at Work', and has since won the New Zealand A Class Nationals 3 times. The lightest (Comfortably Numb) weighed 69 kgs sailing. Since then a minimum weight of 75 kgs has been introduced by the class. Peter Waldron has recently modified his boat in line with current A Class trends.

Three new all carbon A Class Cats have been built to my design.

A development of the Viper 5 hull shape, each boat has been computer optimised to each skippers weight and constuction method.

The hulls are egg shaped with 'V' sections up forward and minimum skin area. Instead of stressed plywood, the boats have been built in female frames and stringers, with Herex foam bent into the mould with heat and sewn down. The inside carbon skin is added, then the foam frames and centrecases and the two halves are glued together.

The outside carbon skin is added and the carbon beams are bonded on.

Most other fittings are also in carbon fibre.

Over the last two N.Z. A Class nationals, TC Design Ltd A Class cats have come 1st and 2nd!

A new hull shape is now being developed to handle the "wild thing" style of sailing downwind, and will be under construction shortly.