Wyliecat 65 Srv - Available now

The Wyliecat 65 is an innovative and technologically advanced design that meets the needs and desires of sailors, researcher, educators, and adventurers alike.  Combining the speed, features, and comfort of a yacht with the utility, strength, and safety of a commercial vessel, the Wyliecat 65 is a dynamic design, capable of accomplishing a varity of missions.      

Over the past decade, the Wyliecat 65 has functioned primarily as a sailing research vessel, serving distinguished scientific communities such as: The Monterey Bay Aquarium, NOAA, Oregon State University, Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station, and OCEANA.  Scientists applaud the Wyliecat 65 for her excellence in innovation and technology.  The minimal wake, exhaust, and sound disturbance are factors that allow for more accurate readings of sonar equipment and frequent encounters with seals, dolphins, and whales.  The end result: better science and more fun! 

In addition to serving scientific and educational institutions, the Wyliecat 65 is well suited for individual and family adventures.  Her sister ship, Convergence, is currently traveling the world as a blue water family cruiser.  Over the years, the Wyliecat 65 has proven herself to be a fun and easy ride, capable of operating exclusively or seamlessly as a private cruiser, scientific research vessel, school ship, or charter boat. 

Whether your dream is to research whales, circumnavigate the globe, or to discover coral reefs with your children, you can get there aboard the Wyliecat 65.

Stylish Beauty 

• Elegant hull shape 
• Balanced design elevations 
• High-gloss varnished interior wood details
• Finely crafted Douglas Fir and Honduras Mahogany cabinetry

Spacious Layout

• Large 22’ x 12’ cockpit/workstation complete with electric winches and key electrical instruments    
• On-deck storage for RIB inflatable, kayaks, windsurfers etc.
• Titanium A-frame and removable transom for easy deployment of ROV’s etc. 
• Under-cockpit cargo hold with 5,000 lb capacity
• Comfortable engine room with 100 hp Yanmar turbo diesel, 6KW Northern Lights gen. set. 
• Ample head room  

Luxury and Utility 

• Large pilothouse with 6’ 6” standing headroom  
• Beautifully furnished salon 
• Expansive navigation station with inside controls
• 360^o views from settee, galley, and navigation station
• 10 bunks in 4 cabins
• 3 heads and 3 showers  

Safe and Fun

• Family friendly
• 25,000 Monterey Bay Aquarium guests experienced the Science Under Sail Program
• Built to US Coast Guard Subchapter-T specifications
• Exceeded US Coast Guard safety inspections for 10 years running
• 2 watertight crash bulkheads
• 39.5” life lines
• Coast Guard mandated fire-suppression with 67 GPM pump out  
• Coast Guard licensed to travel West to Midway Island, North to Alaska, and South to the Panama Canal with only two crew

Fractional Operating Cost  

• Under power, she consumes 2 gallons of fuel per hour at 10 knots
• Coast Guard rated to take 49 passengers with only 2 crew 
• Only requires 2 sails 
• No standing rigging and minimal hardware to maintain 

Easy to Control 

• Sister ship is comfortably circumnavigating the globe with one child and 2-3 crew members  
• Self-trimming and tacking freestanding carbon fiber rig  
• Efficient airfoil sail shape powers up in light air and de-powers in heavy air  
• Only 2 control lines per sail 

Wyliecat constructed the 65 SRV to the U.S. Coast Guard's stringent safety and construction specifications for passenger vessels. The 65 SRV is USCG Subchapter-T certified. There are sleeping quarters for 12 passengers and 2 crew in three staterooms and two common areas. The 65 SRV's hull, deck, wheelhouse and bulkheads are Baltek endgrain balsa-core combined in a fiberglass/carbon fiber reinforced "sandwich," the strongest and most environmentally friendly materials and construction method available today. A 100 horsepower diesel engine provides enough auxiliary power to reach 12 knots. The range under power alone is 1500 nautical miles. This speed and range is greater than most motor-only research vessels of this size and assures that schedules can be followed. In short, the Baylis powers at 10 Knots on 2 GPH.

The 65 SRV has many modern features that uniquely qualify it as a 21st century sailing research vessel. It was designed by the Thomas Wylie Design Group to be easily and inexpensively sailed with a minimum of effort. Its hull and keel are highly evolved shapes, designed to provide an easy, comfortable and efficient motion through the water. The keel is a fin-bulb design, similar to those used in modern racing boats, which places the center of gravity low and provides increased stability as the boat heels. The cat-ketch rig, with a sail area of 1,530 sq. ft., is innovative, simple and effective. The tapered carbon fiber masts are free standing and flex, changing the sail shape as the wind velocity changes. The result is a rig that to a great degree adjusts itself as conditions change. The rig absorbs changes in the wind without transferring as much of those forces to the hull. This smooth transfer of energy results in a smoother motion through the water, reduced heel and no speed loss. Much less effort is needed to operate this rig; one person can handle it using two small winches. Plus, the reduced sail inventory, elimination of standing rigging and reduction in other rigging and winches lowers the operating costs. The cockpit is unusually spacious with a door fitted at the transom. A Titanium A-Frame is available for deployment. This area can be used to carry research or school equipment such as a submersible, RIB, or a flotilla of kayaks. The hold can be used to store dive tanks, compressors or other equipment.

The 65 SRV was designed to operate in a manner that has the lowest possible negative impact on the environment. It is self-contained, with no overboard pumping of waste. As a sailing vessel, it can be operated in a quiet, non-contaminating way. It can be maneuvered silently, holding station or peacefully following observed subjects in a non-threatening way. Under sail, rolling motion is reduced and engine odors are eliminated, reducing the chance of seasickness and increasing the productivity and enjoyment of the voyage.

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