build your own catamaran

The Fusion 40 "Kit Cat" is revolutionising the boatbuilding industry. This vessel has been designed from the beginning as a high performance cruising catamaran that can be stacked into 40 foot containers and freighted anywhere in the world.

Construction Flexibilty:

By producing this modern catamaran in modules, which in turn fit in containers, it has meant delivery is simple and it has opened the doors to worldwide marketing of the Fusion 40. The cost savings on overseas shipping as deck cargo, is in excess of $40,000.00. Private contractors are available to assist with assemblies to any stage if you desire.

For more information on this fabulous product, or even where the closest one to you is, please click here to contact us .

How To Create the Perfect Cruising Catamaran Layout

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More than ever before, sailing fans are gaining an interest in catamaran layouts and designs that define performance. Many others are also looking into either buying a cruising catamaran or designing and building one. While building a catamaran is no piece of cake, this article shows you how to create the perfect cruising catamaran layout. 

To create the perfect catamaran layout, carefully consider factors like a good hull design, optimal helm station placement, boat stability, and adequate load-carrying capacity. Excellent galley positioning, ease of handling, and spacious living and sleeping quarters are also crucial. 

The modern cruising catamaran is a far cry from the simple Polynesian double canoe of old. That’s because structural innovations and new composite materials have resulted in multihulls with impressive cruising abilities. Keep reading to learn more about exceptional catamaran layouts.  

The Changing Trends in Catamaran Designs

The early cruising catamaran designs resulted in boats that could sail much faster than traditional sailing boats. In addition, they could glide with ease in shallow waters and required less wind and crew. Unfortunately, these cruising cats were heavy, had small, cramped interiors, and boasted somewhat challenging handling abilities. 

Today’s cruising catamarans are different. They boast the utmost comfort, high speeds, and the safety of a well-designed cruising yacht. They are also more exciting, visually appealing, deliver the smoothest of rides, and sport more spacious interiors. 

Have a look at the below video showcasing the top ten cruising catamarans:

Features To Look Out for in Catamaran Design Layouts

Cruising catamaran designers understand what most sailors look for in a cruising vessel. They, therefore, design cruising multihulls that address these pertinent issues and more. Some of the features you might want to consider having in your dream boat include the following:

• Responsive performance. Outstanding performance allows for pleasurable cruising and ensures your safety since you have more options during difficult weather.
• Excellent load-carrying ability . This allows you to have an extended cruising vacation or ocean crossing.
• Boat stability . Go for lightweight, robust construction, which results in a lot of buoyancy.
• A low center of gravity for smooth rides and enhanced performance. Centering weight around a low center of gravity improves the overall sailing quality, reduces pitching movement and reduces the risk of capsizing .
• Adequate bridgedeck clearance to reduce slamming and provide better performance in rough conditions. A high bridgedeck also means less noise and slapping action from the waves hitting the boat bottom, thus ensuring a quieter, smoother ride.
• Comfortable sailing. To enjoy a quality life on board, you need comfort while at sea. Thus, elements like gentle movement, no creaks or groans, no bridgedeck slamming, and minimal pitching are essential for quality, peaceful and restful sleep.  

Now that you know what a cutting-edge catamaran features, let’s look at how to create the perfect cruising catamaran layout.  

Build a Larger-Sized Catamaran

The early catamarans ranged between 36-42 feet (10.9-12.8m). At the time, this appeared to be a good size in terms of safety and ease of handling. However, the boats were heavy, and the additional drag and displacement adversely affected their performance and windward ability. 

It’s now possible to make the new generation catamarans lighter, larger, and more spacious with excellent power-to-weight features. The current trend is larger-sized catamarans in the 45-50 feet (13.7- 15.2) range. Composite engineering and technologically advanced equipment such as furling systems, electric winches, and autopilot make it easier for a smaller crew to sail larger boats with confidence. And to do so without compromising safety or stability. 

Get the Best Catamaran Hull Design

A cruising catamaran’s performance depends on three main aspects; its length, the sail area, and the boat’s weight. Long boats are generally fast. A light boat with more sail area is also faster than a heavier boat with less sail area. In other words, you can make a multihull faster by making it longer, lighter, or adding more sail.

However, there are exceptions to this rule; a boat with too much sail area is more likely to capsize if there are brisk winds. Also, if the boat’s design makes it too light, it’ll be unable to handle much punishment, while a hull design that’s too slim would make the vessel incapable of carrying any significant loads. But that’s not all; if the boat is too long or too large, it’ll become grossly exorbitant. Narrow hull shape might also mean smaller cabins.

Nonetheless, these three factors alone are not enough to determine a cruising catamaran’s performance. While faster boats boast finer hulls, the wetted surface area tends to increase as fineness increases; thus, fine hulls end up becoming less fast in low wind speeds. Also, very wide hulls mean a reduction in actual performance.

The Prismatic Coefficient (Cp), a measure of how full the ends of the hull get, is the most essential design hull shape factor for any catamaran. A high Cp equals high speeds, although you can still use a lower Cp if you have fine hulls. Nevertheless, the key to a good Catamaran design is a higher Cp for fast sailing. 

To achieve a high Cp, there are several things you can do: 

• Fit bulb bows . Unfortunately, the bulb bows tend to slam in a seaway when you do this.
• Have an extensive planning aft section . However, this can increase the wetted surface area, WSA and lead to additional challenges. 
• Flatten out the hull rocker and add a bustle aft. This helps to add displacement aft. 

Build Convertible Main Living Spaces

The open cockpit is now a thing of the past. Instead, pioneering designers for catamaran manufacturers like Nautitech, Gunboat, and Catana now replace traditional-style salons, cockpits, and cabins with spacious indoor and outdoor living spaces. The concept involves merging separate saloon and cockpit areas with duplicate lounge spaces and the use of hard-wearing composite materials. 

You can also design the cabin to suit your preferences. You may decide to add a cabin or remove one, add a bathroom, have the forward berth in the hull or on the wing deck.

• The design enhancements boost usable space while opening up the living areas.
• It reduces time and costs for interior maintenance and cleaning. 
• Large windows bring in more light, increasing visibility. 
• Luxurious, spacious, and airy owners’ cabins provide more comfortable living space. 

Bulkhead Helm Stations vs. Twin Stern Steering

Many catamaran owners have traditionally preferred bulkhead steering. This helm position remains popular, but twin stern steering positions come with more advantages since they provide greater sails visibility. The twin stern positions are also best suited for racing or day sailing since they often lack adequate protection for extended cruising. 

Exposed helms are not ideal for a long ocean passage. Go for a safe, secure, and well-protected helm station that provides good visibility and comfortable space for long watches. Again, it’s best to have all control lines at the helm to establish a static control station. Also, have all push-button-controlled winches, instruments, windlass, and autopilot prominently located inside the cockpit. 

• Twin stern steering positions give you a better view of the sails
• You get a better feel for overall sailing conditions.
• Twin stern steering positions lack the necessary protection for extended cruising. 

Go for the Flybridge Design

The flybridge design is appealing because it offers excellent visibility, more comfort, and additional entertainment and lounging space for everyone on board. Unfortunately for smaller boats – those below 50 feet (15.24m), there is minimal protection from the elements. As such, you might want to consider adding enclosures to offer protection. The flybridge, thus the helm, remains cut off from the vessel, which makes communicating with the crew a challenge. 

• It provides great visibility.
• It offers comfortable spacing. 
• It might be unsafe to move from the cockpit to the flybridge in bad weather.
• It isn’t easy to communicate with the crew.

Daggerboards vs. Fixed Keels

Average cruising catamarans typically utilize fixed keels while high-performance cats have daggerboards . Fixed keels allow you to beach your catamaran easily, and your hull remains intact if a collision occurs. While you lose some angle when sailing upwind, you gain more interior space in the hulls that you can put to good use.

Daggerboards are essential in a performance cruising catamaran since they guarantee that the boat delivers good upwind sailing, including during difficult situations. During long passages, they allow you to point better upwind though the drawback is that they consume much interior space within the cruising catamaran’s hulls.

Since flying on foils ( hydrofoils ) isn’t that practical on cruising catamarans, designers of larger-sized boats have also come up with modified daggerboards. These daggerboards produce lift and prevent leeway, too, thereby improving performance significantly, as seen with the Catana 59’s curved daggerboards. These foil-like daggerboards lift the boat ever so slightly upon reaching higher speeds, making it feel less heavy and much faster. 

At the end of the day, calculating the performance of a boat sailing in a wide range of varying seas and winds might not be easy – despite a daggerboard or fixed keel configuration. This is because upwind speed depends not only on the sails’ quality but also windage and the height of the bridgedeck beyond the water.

• The design innovations -curved daggerboards and hydrofoils- improve catamaran performance significantly.
• Daggerboards enable you to access otherwise inaccessible anchorages.
• Daggerboards take up hull space in the hulls of your vessel.

Galley Up vs. Galley Down

Galley layout are becoming more and more important as more people, including families, start sailing regularly. While at sea, your galley needs to be a safe place, well-ventilated, and functional. Everything should be well-thought-out for the sailor’s comfort, including handholds to make it safer to move around the boat. 

While the galley location can either be up the bridgedeck or down in the hull, galley up appears to be the most popular trend. This makes the galley the focal point of both the living space and entertainment areas.

If you have a family, this placement is ideal since you make your meals from the galley and get to spend most of your time here. Many cruising families and couples prefer this arrangement and find separating the galley down the hull unappealing. Besides, carrying hot food up and down the staircase is unsafe.

Still, galley down is ideal for charter boats since it offers a private cooking area and uses up hull space efficiently.  

• Having the galley on the bridgedeck is ideal for families and cruising couples.
• Placing the galley on a similar level with the serving area and cockpit is safer and less tiring.
• There’s better ventilation on the bridgedeck, making for comfortable cooking. 
• There’s less kitchen privacy galley up.
• On smaller catamarans, this layout can impact the size of the saloon seating area significantly.

Production Catamaran vs. Custom

The choice of either a production catamaran or a custom design might seem pretty straightforward. Production catamarans from major brands come backed by proven designs, dependable construction, solid warranties, and many years of experience. The catamarans are easy to service, source for parts, and most – particularly the owner’s versions – hold on to their value, making them much easier to resell. 

On their part, custom boats are fantastic in that you can tailor them to your exact needs. However, they might be more challenging to maintain or service. That’s because of parts unavailability and lack of construction knowledge.

Choose Quality Construction Materials

The best quality materials to use on your catamaran are both light and robust. While carbon fiber is great, plywood, plywood/epoxy, and strip-cedar are excellent materials too. What’s more, they are also affordable, so you don’t have to get too hung up on cutting-edge building materials. What matters is build quality; thus, a well-built plywood catamaran boat can last as long as a boat made from more high-tech materials. 

Combining various materials also helps combat some of the issues that plague plywood boats in terms of resale value. At times, the design tends to make the boats appear pretty dated.  

• Plywood and strip-cedar materials are affordable and provide excellent build quality. 
• Plywood boats may have a lower resale value than those built with modern materials.

Consider Ease of Handling

An important factor in handling a cruising catamaran is deck layout. Most cruising catamarans sailed short-handed , so if your boat has one helm, all lines should run back here to allow for a static control station for the entire boat. 

The other essential element is visibility from the helm. The 360 degrees of visibility while maneuvering, docking, or underway is crucial to your boat’s safety, as well as life and property. As such, you should be able to view both bows, or at least the pulpits and sterns, while standing at the helm. If not, you may have challenges handling the boat due to blind spots.

Consider the Load Carrying Capacity

A well-designed catamaran is enjoyable to sail in all weather conditions. It’s also much easier to handle than a monohull because of its widely spaced twin engines. But when you immerse extra hull depth, the vessel gets sluggish and moves slower, maneuvering in tight spots or when docking becomes more challenging. Furthermore, the hull submersion reduces bridge deck clearance, leading to hull slamming. 

To allow for adequate load carrying capacity, you need a design that provides a generous displacement. This helps to ensure that you maintain reasonable bridge deck clearance even when fully loaded. It also allows you to avoid digging big holes in the water as you drag your transoms. 

Displacement refers to the amount of buoyancy designed into the hulls, which essentially means that your boat will cruise better if its weight is less than your designed displacement.

Note that an overloaded catamaran not only loses out on performance but eventually, on safety too. To counter this, choose a lightweight catamaran with hulls bearing cored construction and interiors made of lightweight materials.  

Remember, when you go cruising, you will need to carry fuel, extra water, supplies, equipment, and amenities, translating into thousands of extra pounds. Therefore, try and avoid the following design errors to ensure that your catamaran has an adequate load-carrying capacity:

• Avoid putting in place too much accommodation space.
• Avoid building a heavy boat ‐ use low-tech construction materials.
• Avoid installing inboards in a small boat.
• Lightly constructed catamarans perform faster and carry more weight.
• Cored construction makes for a strong and stiff catamaran, thus enabling good performance.

Final Thoughts

A well-designed cruising catamaran is a joy to behold. Today’s modern technological advancements mean that you can buy or build a light but strong cruising catamaran. And as you can see from this article, there are many excellent cruising catamaran layouts that you can choose from. 

However, whichever layout you decide on needs to fit your sailing needs and purposes to ensure you remain comfortable and safe while at sea. Above all, ensure that you go for a vessel that you can handle with ease in all weather conditions.

Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!

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Fusion 40 Catamaran Build

7 Minute Read

Many thanks to Shane and Carmen, who are building a Fusion 40 in Australia, for agreeing to share their experiences on the project.

Fusion Catamarans design and sell a modular marine construction kit of components: resin infused, gelcoat and fibreglass components that enable you to build your own performance cruising catamaran or outsource the work to a yard.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your plans. Why did you decide to self build a Fusion 40? Are you planning a big trip, for example? We decided to build a Fusion as this will be our home and we want to ensure it will meet our demands of travelling around the world Priorities are that we want this to be a fast and comfortable boat.

Why did you choose the 40? Did you sail a Fusion Cat prior to deciding? No, we have never sailed a Fusion Cat (yes you read that right, we have never sailed one and yet we are building one!) We did a lot of research and decided on the 40 because we thought it looks stylish and it has the design aspects required for an ocean-going catamaran (ie. bridge clearance and beam)

Were there any other brands you considered? Our original plan was to purchase a Dehler mono (42ft). Then we realised we would struggle with the lean factor on lengthy ocean crossings! We looked at Schionning but didn’t like the balsa core and amount of labour involved. Fusions are foam and divinycell. We also looked at Seawind but were put off by the inability to customise the boat and the large capital outlay

Did you consider buying a second hand yacht? Yes. We initially looked at Sonra, a Fusion 40, which was built in 2010. We seriously considered the purchase however due to the engine hours, having to replace the rigging, dated electrical coupled with the capital outlay (when we weren’t yet ready to cruise) it didn’t feel like the right decision at the time

How long will she take to build? Our estimate is approximately 3 years

Can you share some of the challenges you have faced /expect to face on a project like this? There are too many to list here! Some of the main challenges: Fatigue! Being self-motivated means long hours! Moving to a new location without our friends and family close by for support Working with nasty chemicals…boat building is a very undesirable job!   Have you made any significant modifications to the design? Is there a process to do this with Fusion? We have completely rebuilt the bows from the standard kit. Now 13 degree reverse bow adding another foot to the waterline. Increased the cockpit length and hull bridge by 2 feet. We have also modified and extended the sterns by 3 feet, including modified transoms (another 3 feet at waterline) So in a nutshell, we have made 3 major modifications to the original design (bows, bridge, transoms)

How much space do you need for a build like this? We are currently leasing a slab at a local slipway approx 40 x 8 x 25 ft but can’t stress enough the importance of a dome cover for shelter.

In your opinion, what kind of experience is required to successfully pull off a project such as this? Ha! So many things some to mind! – Resilience – Teamwork – Planning – Diligence – Perseverance

Are you completing the build on your own or do you have a team? It’s just us! Shane and Carmen. With occasional help when required. Our mate Mark has been helping us out of late (thanks Mark!)

Can you give us an idea of the rough price differential between a self-build and a comparable manufactured cat? Differential – It’s hard to say as we are capitalising on some unique items such as the rig, sails, electrical etc. At a guess we would say the rough saving of building (as we are owner builder) vs a production boat is approx. 20%.

What are the main advantages of a self-build catamaran like this over a production cat? The main advantage is we have had the ability to modify and we have been able to increase the structural integrity of the boat to suit harsher ocean conditions

Are there any disadvantages? Physical labour has been very taxing on our bodies! Being in a rural area has restricted our ability to secure qualified labour This build journey has meant Shane has stopped working in his trade We are always itchy and sometimes we have questioned why we are even doing this! 😂   What is the best thing about the design? You can make it what you want by being able to customise and modernise to suit current and modern designs and trends (which we have done)

Is there a design feature you don’t like? What would you change if anything? We think the hatch behind the mast looks cumbersome. It breaks up the flush look of the windows. The installation of a flush hatch is a consideration if the area is not required for the mast rotation system. This is “Pie in the Sky “ and applicable to an extended version only. If we could change the design we would alter the underwater profile from the mini keel aft to the sterns to have less camber (turn) and more width (fatter and flatter). The aim would be to provide greater volume and a smoother release.

What are the “Must Have” options for the boat over and above the essentials? eg electric winch, engine size, folding props, heating, water maker, inverter, solar, gen set etc…. 12Vdc, 24Vdc and 240Vac systems 24V High output alternators coupled with Lithium-Ion Batteries

What are the “Nice to Haves”? – Rotating carbon fibre wing mast with a Harken Split track car system – Reefing Hooks – OneSails carbon sails – 39HP (vs standard 29HP) Yanmars – Harken Electric winch – Beautiful sports steering wheel – Coffee machine and a kick ass stereo

Which features are not worth bothering with? Integrated air-conditioning! Expensive! Washing machine (says Shane 🤣)

How will you configure the helm? Single helm station port side Hydraulic steering

How will you configure the living space – is there room for personalisation here? Galley up No gas (full electric) Full domestic appliances including induction cooktop Customised feature coffee table Swinging chart plotter No navigation table 3rd bedroom will be interchangeable to a workshop

What kind of average speed on passage are you aiming for? 11 knots. Maximum 20+ ⛵️   How is the market for second-hand self-built Fusion cats? We hear good things! We have already got brokers ringing us

What kind of finish are you aiming for in the interior? Clean, light and modern. Neutral colours and soft textures.

How is the Fusion Owner’s community? Do you get good support from Fusion? The Fusion community of owners has been amazing. Very grateful – Call out to Nev and Amanda from Bossanova. Thankyou!!

Anything else you would add to help people thinking of building a Fusion 40? Research research research and research some more. The kit is only the beginning. There is a lot of work to consider on top of assembling the kit itself. Would seriously consider buying a Fusion already semi built and refit/modify as required to save time (and frustration!)

You can follow Shane & Carmen’s progress at Sailingstraitlines.com

Or on their Instagram and Facebook page. They are posting with the following hashtag: #sailingstraitlines

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• GRAINGER DESIGNS

CRUISING NEWS

Never too young to enjoy a nice sunset.

 Looloo (left) and Lucky McGee enjoying the cruising lifestyle aboard Chincogan 52 Moonraker  anchored at the mouth of the estuary at the south end of Ko Phra Thong after spending a couple of weeks at Ko Phayam.

Then and now

The seafront of Cartagena in Colombia is the backdrop for two sailing vessels of different epochs and sharply contrasting character.

Against the sea wall  Galeon Bucanero , a replica of a Spanish galleon of the seventeenth century is totally at home against the fortifications of this historically significant Spanish port city.

In the foreground Chincogan 52  Sole currently circumnavigating the globe stops over en route to Panama and the Society Islands.

Over the years I've received many wonderful photos of our boats from around the world. This one is an absolute classic. Many thanks to Mike and Sarah Mason for the shot.

SAILING CATAMARANS

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Building Your Own Sailboat

Overseas radio network – building a sailboat.

• Why we built our boat
• Things to consider when building a boat

GARY FRETZ: Ahoy, mates! You’ve tuned into “Yachts: The Perfect Escape Vehicle”. This Gary Fretz and I have my co-hosts here today, Stephen and Estelle Cockcroft. You might be wondering why yachts makes the best escape solution. Well, it is because you can find live aboard yachts for $15,000, $15-million, and everywhere in between. They serve as your home and they provide inexpensive transportation around the world.

For a transcript of this podcast, click “read more” below. (Also, check out our Catamaran Buying Guide .)

Yes, it’s possible to sail around the world for next to nothing using windpower. And if you would like to know how to do that just stayed tuned.

Why We Built Our Own Boat

ESTELLE COCKCROFT: Hi, guys, today we are going to talk about new boats, used boats, building your own boat, and building your boat in a shipyard. We all know that we can’t find a perfect boat, but you can get it as close as possible when you do build your own boat or when you have it built by shipyards.

Stephen, you and I built our own boat, or you mostly, I suppose. But do you want to talk a little about what you experienced when you built your own boat?

STEPHEN COCKCROFT: Sure, you know in South Africa when we were getting…when we were putting our boat together, there wasn’t really the opportunity to go down to the local market dealer and buy a boat. Because in South Africa, the trend was for people to build their own boat in the backyard and so we followed the trend.

The percentage of people that finished their boats in the backyard is about 2% of everyone that starts them so you would drive around and see all these boats in the backyards and you would know that hey 2% of everyone is going to hit the water for various reasons.

GARY: Wait, why is that? That’s incredible.

STEPHEN: Well, you know, financial…a lot of guys will buy a boat. They’d buy maybe a hull and deck and bulkheads, and then they’d think, OK, well as I make money, I will put it together. The average time for someone to do one of these projects is actually 10 years. We were very lucky, you know, we had the financial ability to build constantly. And so we from start to finished build ours in 2 years.

You know, they are very custom boats and so you actually have to go and get a lot of input. What I used to do is drive around to the different brokers and tell them I was interested in buying a boat and specifically and I give them my brand of hull I had. And then I would go and say, “Well, this is great,” and take photographs like crazy. So I had about 1000 photographs of sister ships and that’s how we decided what to do inside the boat. There were no plans because we had to invent the whole thing from scratch.

What You Need to Build Your Own Boat

So building a boat, you need some pretty good technical ability. I wasn’t that good when we started but, believe me, after 2 years of hanging upside down in that boat every single spare minute I ever had you know I pretty much knew my boat and I pretty much knew how to fix it and how to build a boat.

The problem is the time and the time you dedicate to the boat. Sometimes I use to sit and wonder why I just didn’t buy a new boat. Also, there’s a lot of skill you can’t develop in the time that you need have to build the boat such as woodworking. So I had some experts and some cabinet makers and some really good carpenters that came in to assist with build of the boat. The end result was a beautiful monohull, 45-foot long. We launched her in Cape Town, you know. We sailed her up the eastern seaboard of Africa. We stopped in Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania…we went around the Horn of Africa, dodged them pirates, up the Gulf Aden into the Suez, up the Red Sea, first into through the Suez in the Meds, across the Med, out of the Med into the Gibraltar, across the Caribbean, and ended up into the US.

GARY: Wait, I am just curious. But not counting the hours you put into the boat, did you make money when you resold Royal Salute or what?

STEPHEN: Well, we were pretty lucky. We ran a sailing school in St. Martin and taught a lot of people how to sail. And the boat was our teaching aid. So the boat almost earned as much money as she cost us to build. And then if you took the exchange rate at day, we sold her for essentially what she cost us in rent in South Africa. So that was a particularly good boat because we made the asset work for us.

ESTELLE: We found that a big problem with home-built boats is that it sometimes looked home-built and that detracts from the value of the boat. We were lucky enough, like Stephen said, we had good cabinet makers and who really did a fantastic job in our boat. And so she looked like she was built in a shipyard, professional shipyard. Also, our systems…we had a friend of ours work with us on our systems and, you know, it was near perfect by the time he were done with us.

So we had those advantages, it’s difficult to do it yourself but if you have perseverance and money you can do it.

GARY: But, don’t you think there is a hell of a lot more that goes into a boat than you anticipated?

STEPHEN: That’s an understatement. If I’d known how much we needed to do to that boat, I would have just sucked it up and paid for it and let someone else build it, you know. It was a huge amount of work, but I had a lot of help from a lot of vendors, you know. It was a fun project and it stood us in good, you know. Thereafter, for sure, as far as running our boat, we did 34,000 miles with our boat. It gave us very little trouble.

ESTELLE: Yes, I have to agree we loved the boat and if we hadn’t done it ourselves we probably would have ended up with a lot more trouble. However, unless you are absolutely devoted to this project, don’t even start it. Because it is, like Stephen says, very, very few people ever finish it and you very seldom get your money out of it once you started the project, you know. So even if you sold the hull and deck, whatever project or however far you came with the project. So be sure that’s what you want to do.

STEPHEN: Estelle was quite fine letting me start the boat because she never thought I wouldn’t finish it. She thought that would be something to keep him busy. When the day came, I said, “We are getting ready. We are going to get trucks. We are going to get all sorts of things we are to launch the boat.” She was quite shocked that, you know, this had all come to pass. But. you know, would I did it again? I don’t think I would do it again. I am not that passionate about manual labor.

GARY: Well, thank you for those valuable tips. We are going to be right back after this short break. And you are listening to “Yachts: The Perfect Escape Vehicle” only on the Overseas Radio Network. And this is Gary Fretz, Stephen Cockcroft, and Estelle Cockcroft. We will be right back.

Estelle Cockcroft

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2 thoughts on “Building Your Own Sailboat”

Amazing description of BUILDING A SAILBOAT

Patrica, thank you. I hope this will help people understand what is involved before taking on a big project like building a boat.

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7 luxury brand websites to inspire your next high-end project

Browse these seven luxury brand websites and learn how to use rich design features and functionality to create premium websites for your clients.

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For luxury brands, first impressions are everything.

The online experience you provide through high-end service and retail websites must be as grand as the products and services themselves. A well-crafted luxury brand website needs to attract affluent customers and reinforce your client's prestigious status.

Covering sectors like fashion, real estate, and travel, the following examples showcase how to build websites that create premium impressions at first sight.

Design elements to include in a luxury brand website

Here are some essential design components to include in your client’s brand website to evoke a sense of high-end appeal:

• High-quality visuals. Use professional, high-resolution images and videos to tell your client's story, provide virtual tours, and highlight the exclusivity of the brand's products and services.
• Rich colors and whitespace. Use rich, elegant colors like gold, black, and white to enhance the brand's image. A clean aesthetic with ample whitespace allows these colors to stand out.
• Responsive design. A responsive layout ensures your client’s website looks and functions consistently across multiple screen sizes and devices.
• Storytelling elements. Create narratives highlighting the brand's history, values, and unique selling points. Use language and visuals that evoke emotions, making visitors feel like they're part of an exclusive community.
• Interactive features. Animations, interactive galleries, and hover effects add dynamism to your client's website, giving them the edge over competitors with static layouts. It also adds a personal touch by allowing visitors to experience products and services virtually.
• Cohesive branding. Using consistent logos, fonts, and colors across your client's website reinforces their brand identity . To embellish the site, you can also add details like custom icons and elegant typography .
• Essential business information. Provide quick access to contact information, store locations, and customer service. 
• Calls to action (CTAs). Strategically placed CTAs encourage visitors to take desired steps, like buying a product or signing up for exclusive offers.

7 luxury website examples

No matter your client’s industry, you can take inspiration from these seven luxury brand websites to improve their site’s appearance and functionality.

1. WHITE PLAN

WHITE PLAN's website , made by SAYU. STUDIO , has a minimalist design that prioritizes high-resolution imagery showcasing the elegance and quality of the products. Hovering over these reveals more images, like opening a closet to find more clothes.

Ample whitespace allows the images to stand out, creating a clean aesthetic that nods to the brand's name and lavish identity. The light palette and delicate typography also contribute to the website's visual style.

The central area of the homepage features a clear, bold statement about the company’s mission, “Creating the space for the ladies to find her own path,” with a CTA button encouraging you to explore WHITE PLAN's luxury fashion products. A simple yet elegant floral illustration adds a touch of artistry without overwhelming the primary content.

At the bottom of the page is essential customer service information and a subscription option, ensuring convenient access to support and updates. Meanwhile, the hover-activated menu on the left side offers a quick way to navigate the site.

2. Emmanuelle Silk

Emmanuelle Silk's site , designed by Dimitris Theofanous , features a striking hero image of a woman wearing a patterned silk scarf. Bold, all-caps typography instantly draws attention to the company's newest arrivals. Scrolling reveals a dark and rich color palette , including black, gray, and green. The black menu at the top of the screen is ever-present with high contrast, making it visible and readily accessible to navigate to different pages.

The luxury shopping website is organized into multiple sections, including a welcome message that adds a personal touch and tells the brand’s story through its latest collection, as well as a “Journal” section linking to the website’s blog and featuring the most prominent articles and topics.

Some of these areas link to separate pages within the site, such as the “Lookbook,” “Journal,” and “Our Story” sections. These pages highlight the website’s most important elements without neglecting any information.

3. Villiers Private

Villiers Private's website , created by Web Bae , exudes a lavish appearance through its clean layout, high-quality imagery, and focused messaging. The landing page features a slideshow with images of upscale UK residential properties, establishing the brand's high-end appeal as a luxury realtor.

The minimalist design with generous negative spacing makes the content stand out, and a monochromatic color scheme allows the images to pop while increasing text legibility. Each image has a "Get in touch" section at the bottom, encouraging you to take action if you’re interested in a listing.

A hidden menu, accessible via the hamburger icon in the top left, keeps navigation uncluttered while maintaining functionality. The "Villiers Jet Charter" option redirects you to related luxury services and promotes the brand's umbrella of offerings.

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4. DAVINCI XXI

The DAVINCI XXI website , designed by Inca Olaogun , is elegant and monochromatic. A looping video with models showing off their DAVINCI XXI luxury watches on the homepage immediately grabs attention. 

Upon scrolling down, you’ll find the company offers personalized services with customizable options and signature engravings, catering to their affluent market's desire for exclusivity. Testimonials and social media images serve as social proof, highlighting the brand's popularity and building trust with potential customers. Partner logos, including big names like Mercedes, also increase DAVINCI XXI's credibility.

Parallax scrolling effects break up the viewing experience and make various luxury collections stand out. In the top-left corner, a hamburger menu allows you to navigate to different pages quickly.

5. Ascension Luxury Catamaran

Ascension’s website , made by Juan Pablo Sanchez , has a single landing page design split into multiple sections. The sticky menu ’s transparent background becomes black with white text, a contrast that increases readability. This menu boasts a responsive design that lets you quickly navigate to any part of the site.

The header image is a vibrant picture of Ascension’s catamaran yacht, immediately indicating the company’s value proposition of chartering a private boat. The following sections build on this value proposition, describing how the product’s supreme comfort creates a relaxing atmosphere for your family and friends. High-quality nautical visuals add to the marketing message of luxurious adventure.

Scrolling down reveals several parallax effects, creating an immersive experience with high-resolution, edge-to-edge images. Below, the “Our Services” and “Meet the Boat” sections showcase the yacht’s luxury travel features. 

Near the bottom of the page, Ascension displays charter rates. This transparency means you don’t have to contact anyone to ask about pricing, which builds trust among potential customers. If you’re eager to learn more, you can fill out a simple contact form and click the “Send” button to inquire about their services.

6. Viice Versa

Viice Versa's homepage features a full-screen video showing friends enjoying each other's company while drinking the brand's high-end wine. This dynamic initial greeting captures and holds visitors' attention, while a large "Shop Now" button in the middle of the visual encourages action.

The menu at the top of the screen represents the site’s color scheme of solid, earthy tones that exude an elegant-yet-grounded sense. On the logo’s right, you can contact Viice Versa via WhatsApp and Instagram, making the brand feel accessible and relatable, or add wines to your shopping cart. On the left, you can contact the company through a form or sign in to your account. These sections allow you to shop or get in touch quickly and conveniently.

Selecting the "Vino" option in the menu takes you to an interactive carousel where you click arrows to display different wines. Your cursor turns into a small circle with the text "Check Vino" to learn more about the products. Clicking these products reveals an immersive and interactive scrolling experience with parallax effects, videos, and elegant typography. 

A sticky "Add to cart" button at the bottom of the screen lets you add products to your cart as you see them, continuously encouraging you to shop as you browse.

7. Ishq Villas

Ishq Villas is a luxury accommodations brand in Sri Lanka. Their website has a slideshow displaying various properties to showcase the company’s diverse offerings, a form for checking room availability, and a notification banner sharing the company’s contact details.

A white background and negative spacing make vibrant pictures of the elegant Villas stand out, and text is distributed throughout in a visual hierarchy to ensure you view every important component. For example, the homepage directs visitors to immediately think about booking a visit by nestling a “check availability” feature right under the stunning hero image — where you can’t miss it. The bottom of the homepage has a “Quick Links'' section, letting you conveniently navigate to any area. And the footer also has essential contact information, social media links, and payment options.

The minimalist design language and the footer are constant on every page. This design reinforces the brand’s visual identity while offering a quick way to jump to any part of the site.

Build elevated websites with Webflow

Communicating luxury is all about perfectly packaging premium features and products, and a well composed website is just the place to do it.

To attract high-end clients, you'll need an equally high-end website builder. With Webflow , you can make websites that are rich in appearance, functionality, and value.

Webflow’s visual design features mean you don't need to rely on developers to create sophisticated visuals and intuitive navigation. We offer options like quick stack elements, flexbox and grid layouts, and responsive design components to help you build sites your clients will be proud of. 

Craft stunning websites for your luxury brand clients with Webflow today.

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