Morris McKenzie Boat Works Launches ‘Flat Cat’ Boat

ANNISTON, AL – Morris McKenzie Boat Works, Inc. announces the launch of a new customizable boat that combines a wishlist of features into a versatile watercraft that’s ideal for fishing, hunting, family recreation, and more. The Flat Cat is a pontoon-style boat designed on the principle of “form follows function,” including abundant storage, strength, stability, and a customized layout.

With storage capacity comparable to an SUV or a luxury car, the Morris McKenzie Flat Cat allows the user to take along anything that might be needed for an adventure on the water, all neatly packed away underneath the boat’s flat surface. Approximately 90 cubic feet of internal cargo storage is accessible through 10 deck hatches.  Even fully loaded, the Flat Cat has low draft, floating in less than one foot of water. Compared to johnboats, it is exceptionally stable, making it elderly- and child-friendly.

Perhaps its best feature is the one buyers get to determine – the customized layout. “It’s your boat,” says William Morris Burt, founder and president of Morris McKenzie Boat Works. “It should fit you and the way you want to use it.  We build a boat like a fine tailor builds a suit. The final product must fit.”

Among the customizable features are the seats. The boat comes standard with three fold-down seats.  One has a fiberglass pedestal with swivel seat mount, and two are permanently mounted on adjustable-height pedestals. The fiberglass seat pedestal is offered in three heights, so adults of virtually any stature will be seated at the proper height.  The seats can also be positioned on the deck where the buyer wants them for a comfortable, functional layout. And, since the boat is made of fiberglass, it can be fabricated in virtually any color.

Morris McKenzie cut no corners in the design of the Flat Cat.  “All my life I have fixed everything from my car to my vacuum cleaner,” explains Burt. “Often I wished that manufacturers would charge me a bit more and use metal parts instead of plastic, or bolts instead of screws.  It is our job at Morris McKenzie Boat Works to make sure our customers never say this.”

According to Burt, whenever Morris McKenzie had a choice between style and function in the design process, they chose function. The two 24-inch-wide pontoons are made of reinforced fiberglass, each with five bulkheads for strength. At the 12 points where the hull mates to the frame, ¼-inch aluminum plates are laminated into the hull to provide extraordinary strength in the joint. Five bulkheads are glassed in the hull to add rigidity and to compartmentalize the pontoon.  In the case of a breeched hull, only part of the hull will take on water, allowing the pontoon to retain buoyancy.

Another important feature of the Flat Cat is its size.  While its flat surface and below-deck storage allow it to function like a much larger boat, the standard size is 15 feet 8 inches long by 7 feet 6 inches wide, designed to fit into a typical garage.  To accommodate narrower storage openings or customers’ preferences, Morris McKenzie will also build the boat with a narrower width of 7 feet or 6 feet 6 inches.

The Flat Cat comes equipped with an internal-mount battery tray with trolling motor plug.   It’s economical to operate; with an optional 10 HP motor, it burns little gas, and it’s even more “green” and economical with an electric trolling motor.  Many lighting, electronics, seating, power, deck, and color options are available.

Fishing is just one of the obvious uses of the Morris McKenzie Flat Cat.  Hunters will appreciate its quiet movement, storage capacity, and flat deck.  It’s the perfect craft for bowfishing, with its low draft and stability.  Swimming, family outings, working on the water, and even camping are equally well suited to the Flat Cat.

The Morris McKenzie Flat Cat sells direct to the public for $7995.00, including trailer.  The company, located in Anniston, Alabama, welcomes customers to visit the factory to choose options, design customized features, and see how their boat is made. 

For more information, visit our website at http://www.mmboatworks.com, or call 256-473-3339.