A catboat is a sailboat with a single sail on a single mast set well forward in the bow, giving lots of space, and a shallow draft hull.

Cayman catboats are characterised by having a double ended hull, allowing the boat to move through the water in either direction when being rowed.

The shallow draft allows the boat to come very close to shore into every little cove, whilst the wide beam allows the boat to keel over far to one side, allowing turtles, which can weigh up to 400 pounds (180 Kg) to be more easily hauled into the boat.

Cayman catboats are finished in blue – not just because it looks pretty, but because it is thought this it makes it more difficult for turtles to see the boats as they are the same colour as the sky.