how to build a catamaran power boat

HOME / INDEX PAGE  

Your source for the latest news on yachts, boats and more. Read through our articles to find out how to compare boats and find the right fit for you!

Power Catamarans: A Complete Guide

Dec 06, 2023

less than a min

Power Catamarans, often termed as the epitome of modern maritime engineering, are gaining popularity for all the right reasons. Their distinct design, enhanced stability, and cruising efficiency set them apart from traditional monohull boats and even their sail-driven counterparts. This guide dives into the world of Power Catamarans, shedding light on their advantages and how they compare to other vessels like monohulls and trimarans.

Historical Prelude:

The concept of catamarans traces its roots back to ancient maritime cultures. However, the power catamaran is a relatively modern innovation that marries the traditional twin-hull design with powerful engines, offering a unique blend of speed, stability, and space.

Distinguishing Design:

Power Catamarans are characterized by their twin hulls, which significantly reduce the drag, thus enhancing speed and fuel efficiency. Unlike monohulls, they have a broader beam, which contributes to increased stability and more living space. The absence of a ballast for stability further lightens the vessel, contributing to its speed and fuel economy

Speed and Handling:

One of the significant advantages of power catamarans is their speed and handling. The twin hulls allow for a smoother glide over the water, making them particularly favorable for watersports enthusiasts. Their handling in rough waters is superior to monohulls, thanks to the inherent stability provided by the dual-hull design.

The stability of power catamarans is unparalleled, especially when compared to monohulls. The wide beam and twin hulls provide a stable platform, reducing the rocking and rolling common in monohulls. This stability is not only comforting in rough seas but also crucial when docking or anchoring.

Comfort and Space:

The spacious design of power catamarans offers homelike livability, with ample room for cabins, lounges, and even onboard amenities like grills and bars. The wide beam also allows for large deck spaces, ideal for sunbathing or enjoying the scenic ocean vistas.

Economy and Redundancy:

Power catamarans are economical, with fuel efficiency being one of their selling points. The redundancy built into their design, with separate engines for each hull, provides an added layer of safety, ensuring that the vessel can return to shore even if one engine fails.

Regular Upkeep and Care:

Power catamarans, given their unique design and structure, come with their own set of maintenance requirements. Like all boats, routine checks and upkeep are essential to ensure smooth sailing. The twin hull design means double the underwater gear – from propellers to rudders, which necessitates regular inspections for any signs of wear, tear, or fouling.

Antifouling:

Given that power catamarans have a larger surface area underwater due to their twin hulls, they may be more susceptible to marine growth. Regular antifouling treatments can help in keeping the hulls clean, ensuring optimal performance and fuel efficiency.

Engine Maintenance:

One distinct advantage of power catamarans is their dual-engine setup, but this also means double the engine maintenance. Regular oil changes, cooling system checks, and filter replacements are crucial. It's beneficial to synchronize maintenance schedules for both engines to ensure consistent performance.

The lifespan of a power catamaran largely depends on its build quality, materials used, and how well it's maintained. With proper care, a power catamaran can last for several decades. The engine's maintenance significantly impacts the catamaran's lifespan, with gasoline engines requiring maintenance at 1,200 to 1,800 hours and diesel engines at around 5,000 hours​​. The construction materials play a crucial role; for instance, fiberglass catamarans, when well-maintained, can last for many decades, while aluminum cats might change ownership after 10-15 years but can last a lifetime with proper care​.

World-Renowned Builders:

The power catamaran sector boasts several reputable manufacturers such as Lagoon, Leopard Catamarans, Fountaine Pajot, and other notable names like Seawind Catamarans​.

Lagoon, a revered name under the Beneteau Group umbrella, has carved its niche in crafting luxurious, spacious catamarans. A prime example is the Lagoon 630 Motor Yacht, embodying opulence with its nearly 250 sq. ft. aft deck and 900 sq. ft. interior, comfortably housing up to 12 guests. Known for its superyacht styling, it boasts superior fuel efficiency and a commendable average velocity-made-good of 9 knots.

Leopard Catamarans:

Emerging from the reputable Robertson and Caine shipyard in South Africa, Leopard Catamarans is synonymous with innovation and efficiency. The Leopard 53 Powercat is a testament to this legacy, showcasing excellent seakeeping abilities, offering 3 or 4 cabin configurations, and achieving a top speed of 25 knots.

Fountaine Pajot:

A trailblazer since 1976, Fountaine Pajot constantly redefines catamaran design. The Fountaine Pajot MY6 is a shining example, encapsulating the brand's visionary ethos. Stretching 15 meters, the MY6, equipped with dual engines of up to 2 x 353 Kw and 2 x 480 hp, promises dynamic sailing. Crafted meticulously by Pier Angelo Andreani, the interior mirrors a 20-meter monohull's spaciousness, reflecting modern aesthetics and comfort that stand as a benchmark in the Motor Yacht world.

These manufacturers continue to innovate, offering a blend of luxury, performance, and efficiency in their power catamaran models, making them a popular choice among maritime enthusiasts.

Comparing with Monohulls and Trimarans:

While monohulls are traditional and often cheaper, they lack the stability and space offered by power catamarans. On the other hand, trimarans, with three hulls, provide even more stability but at the cost of additional drag and less interior space.

TheBoatDB - Your Gateway to Maritime Exploration:

If you’re looking to delve deeper into the world of power catamarans and other vessels, TheBoatDB offers a comprehensive boat database. Explore various catamaran models, compare them with monohulls, trimarans, and other types of boats, and make an informed decision on your next maritime adventure.

In summary, power catamarans encapsulate a modern engineering marvel in the maritime domain. Their blend of speed, stability, comfort, and economy makes them an attractive option for a broad spectrum of boaters. Whether you are a long-distance cruiser, a water sport enthusiast, or someone who cherishes the tranquility of the sea, a power catamaran could be the vessel that transforms your maritime adventures into unforgettable experiences.

You might like these too

Sailboat or Motorboat – Learn the pros and cons

Aug 24, 2022

Types of Catamaran Boats: Sailing, Power, and Luxury Catamarans

Feb 10, 2023

Which is better a wooden boat or fiberglass boat

What are the main types of sail rigs for sailboats

Which is the Best Economical Catamaran

Oct 04, 2021

What is a Chine on a Boat

Oct 01, 2021

Time For a Catamaran Adventure

Isn't Time For Yours?

Building Your Own Catamaran

Building your own catamaran is another option to getting into your own boat. In this page we will go over the advantages, considerations, and a detailed history and journal of our boat-building adventure with Light Wave . We hope this will give you a clear picture of what lies ahead if you go this route, including:

• Construction methods
• 9 essential design features
• Review of the four leading catamaran designers for home builders
• Construction times
• Budget: How much did it cost to build a basic cruising catamaran?
• Layout of our catamaran, LightWave , and lots of pictures
• Carllie’s article from September 2000 Multihulls Magazine: “The Boat Builder’s Wife “
• Equipment outfitting
• Radio and communication outfitting
• Dinghy selection and considerations
• Having a boat custom-built for you

Because of the huge dollars needed to buy a new or even a used catamaran, we would never have gotten a catamaran if we hadn’t built it ourselves.

Let’s start by saying that building any type of larger boat, especially a catamaran, can be one of the most intellectually and physically challenging things you will ever do.

It has been said that building a large boat is the closest a man can come to giving birth to a baby. In other words there is going to some discomfort and pain along the way; you will question yourself on whether this was such a good idea; it’s very difficult to reverse the decision; and though friends will support you, you will be on your own most of the time with your significant other if he/she is game.

Know your boat

You will intimately know every part of your boat. You will know where every wire, hose, bolt, bulkhead, rib, and support is because you installed them!

Pride of ownership

We have often thought what it would be like to just buy a boat from a manufacturer, and know that while owners who have spent a lot of cash (or future life to pay off the lien) their often possessive and competing-with-the Joneses could not begin to compare to our quiet glow of happiness and akinship we feel with Light Wave .

Our boat is like part of the family. So much time was spent on her that we have a major emotional investment. Every time we see our vessel – from a distance at anchor or approaching her in our marina, we say, “What a pretty boat! I can’t believe we built it!” Then that sense of accomplishment settles back in and we feel we have indeed earned the privilege of all of the beautiful experiences we have had sailing, cruising, exploring the beautiful BC Coast and much further a field (or should we say “an ocean”?).

You will be able to pay for the materials as you go and “donate” your time to the cause.

Get a newer design

Many of the production boats that are out there are designs of many years ago because the manufactures have to recoup their capital investment on the mold and production setup. When you build your own you have much newer designs to draw from.

Details on Our Boat Building Adventure

We had sailed our first boat Wave Dancer for five years and had many adventures on the British Columbia coast. In May 1996, I had just returned from a little one-week solo trip in the Gulf Islands of BC when I bought the book, The Cruising Multihull by Chris White (Future link to book review on our web site).

This is the book that got me going (Carllie was not yet convinced). I must have read it a half dozen times over the next 6 months, each time becoming more convinced that this was the way to go for our next boat. It was really still pre-internet web site days so I wrote to all the designers that were listed in the back of the book. Over the next several weeks packages of information started appearing in the mailbox (there is just something about getting packages in the mail – I guess it’s the anticipation). I would pour over these preliminary printed pages with pictures and accommodation layouts. Next, I put a few dollars down to buy the information packages and study plans from the top prospects.

I waited patiently for the study plans. It was like the night before Christmas when I was kid. Oooh the wait! Finally they came, and again I carefully scrutinized the next level of detail. Things were getting a little more serious. The top contenders were:

• Richard Woods
• Chris White
• James Wharram

Click here to read my comments and reviews on their catamaran designs as well as those of Jeff Schionning.

I remember initially drooling over the Atlantic 42 by Chris White, still one of my favorite designs. It seemed to be so seaworthy (by the way if I run into about $800,000 USD any time soon, I am going to buy an Atlantic 55). The most important piece of advice that came out of the material was from Richard Woods:

“Build the smallest boat you‘d be happy with it.”

Axiom #1: The hours to build a catamaran is in almost in direct proportion to its weight.

Which brings us to Axiom #2:

Axiom #2: It takes about 1 hour to create 1 pound of finished boat.

In our case we spent 3,500 hours ( click here for full details on the construction hours ) to build a 4,000 lb. boat (just a little less than 0.9 hours per pound). If a boat’s empty weight is 8,000 lbs., it will probably take about 6,000 hours to build.

When you think about it, you can only mix and handle so much material per hour. More boat weight, more material, more hours. Sure there are some economies of scale on a bigger boat, but usually the systems become more complex and these take longer to install.

This decision process took 8 months and I figured we’d launch in 6 months. It was now January of 1997. Little did we know it would be 26 months and 3,500 hours between the two of us until we launched on June 5, 1999. We ordered the full plans and we were off and running.

We were ready to build, but where would we start the process? First of all, we live in a tiny 480 sq. ft. apartment in Vancouver. Back-yard building wasn’t exactly an option so I found a small garage nearby that we rented for 5 months.

After about 4 months in the garage, I had made all the small parts and it was time to build the hulls. This meant that we had to go larger facilities. We found space at Shelter Island Marina and Boatyard in Richmond. This is the biggest boat yard in the Vancouver area with dozens of commercial and private projects, big and small, under way.

We were out of money by then, so we sold our first boat so we could buy resin and fiberglass. It was a traumatic time as we said goodbye to our beloved Wave Dancer . We were now committed. We than had all the foam for the hull cores, barrels of resin, and huge rolls of matting and roving needed for the fiberglass skins delivered to our “domed stadium”. We kicked ourselves many times that we didn’t take a picture of this raw material stacked in one corner of the empty shed, so we could later show “before” and “after” photos. It was time to build the hulls.

Over the next several months we proceed to join the hulls with the beams I had built in the garage, and then to install the cuddy cabin, cockpit, and decks. By the spring of 1998, it was staring to look like a catamaran. Through the spring and summer of 1998, we continued with the major structural components: mini-keels, hatches, stairs, and interior. Then we went on to the very laborious work of fairing the boat before painting. Don’t under estimate that job!

By October 1998 we were ready to prime the boat and start painting. I really thought this would go quickly. I forgot that I would have to do two more complete sandings to sand off and finish the two layers of primer application. In addition we had to fill countless pinholes – a laborious process somewhat like hiking up a mountain – each time you get to what you think is the top, you see another summit!

The boat seemed to get bigger and bigger. Believe me, there is a lot of surface area on a catamaran. I clearly remember that last sanding: I had reached the end of my physical and mental endurance – I was exhausted. I was ready to move on to the next phase – any phase but more sanding!

We now started spray-painting the hulls bright yellow. It was around this time we decided on our boat name of Light Wave . The painting took over a month: the hulls being the easy part, it was the topsides, the nonskid, and all the masking and prep that seemed to take forever. Happily, the worst of the dust was gone.

By March 1999 we were in the home stretch. The center bridge deck cabin was completed so we took a week off from our paid jobs and lived on the boat in the shed so we could work all day and not waste time commuting. March, April and May were frantic months as we finished all the final touches: engine installation, rudders, windows, deck fittings, electrical, plumbing, mast, and rigging. See our outfitting page (for more details on what we picked and why, and things we would do differently now.

Initially, our electronic systems were relatively basic but included GPS and autopilot see the following link for all our electronic outfitting choices and reasoning for more details.

It was May 22, 1999 and we decided that Saturday, June 5th would be “Launch Day” so we could send invitations to all of our friends. On the Friday night before Launch Day, we still had a number of final things to do, many of them outside. Unfortunately it was pouring rain. We were tired and very wet but the boat had to go into the water next day so we persevered on till everything was ready.

The moment of truth came as Light Wave was lowered into the water. While still in the slings of the Travelift, I jumped aboard to check for leaks. Of course there weren’t any! More food and laughs and tours of the boat for all attending. It was a great day.

Emotionally drained that night, we slept in Light Wave in the water for the first time. It was another week before we actually went out for our first trip as we had to sell the shed, setup sails, and install some final deck hardware.

To sum it up, building a catamaran was a great experience. We learned a lot. Carllie and I grew closer together through it all. We had a great time doing it. We had a beautiful catamaran to show for it. Now it was time for a catamaran adventure !

Service Locator

• Angler Endorsement
• Boat Towing Coverage
• Mechanical Breakdown
• Insurance Requirements in Mexico
• Agreed Hull Value
• Actual Cash Value
• Liability Only
• Insurance Payment Options
• Claims Information
• Towing Service Agreement
• Membership Plans
• Boat Show Tickets
• BoatUS Boats For Sale
• Membership Payment Options
• Consumer Affairs
• Boat Documentation Requirements
• Installation Instructions
• Shipping & Handling Information
• Contact Boat Lettering
• End User Agreement
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Vessel Documentation
• BoatUS Foundation
• Government Affairs
• Powercruisers
• Buying & Selling Advice
• Maintenance
• Tow Vehicles
• Make & Create
• Makeovers & Refitting
• Accessories
• Electronics
• Skills, Tips, Tools
• Spring Preparation
• Winterization
• Boaters’ Rights
• Environment & Clean Water
• Boat Safety
• Navigational Hazards
• Personal Safety
• Batteries & Onboard Power
• Motors, Engines, Propulsion
• Books & Movies
• Cockpit Confessions
• Communication & Etiquette
• Contests & Sweepstakes
• Colleges & Tech Schools
• Food, Drink, Entertainment
• New To Boating
• Travel & Destinations
• Watersports
• Anchors & Anchoring
• Boat Handling
• ← Seamanship

The Planing Power Catamaran: A Different Kind Of Cat

Advertisement

Planing powercats deliver the high speeds dayboaters and weekend anglers crave — but without so much pounding in choppy seas.

The air cushion ­created between the two hulls dramatically reduces wave impact at running speeds. (Photo: World Cat)

Powercats are different beasts than sailing cats, and the powercats you're most likely to see on your local waters are those in the 20- to 40-foot range (like my 22-foot Glacier Bay). Unlike the big cruising powercats, which are more like cat trawlers with top ends maybe a little over 20 mph, smaller cats have planing hulls that perform much like today's modern powerboats.

Depending on the engine package, there are a few cats that top out in the lower 30s, lots in the lower 40s, some in the 50s, and a few that break 70 or even 80 mph.

While a similar length monohull may have a 40-mph cruising speed in a 2-foot chop, the monohull captain will pull back the throttles and cruise at 30 to avoid being beaten up. The cat guy, on the other hand, may be able to keep on doing 40 thanks to the smoother ride. But having two hulls underfoot does create some interesting similarities in how these different types of boats react to input from the helm. So you'll see a few of the tips here mirror those used for sailing or cruising catamarans. Whatever type of cat you may be captaining, remember the following:

• Center the wheel and use only the throttles to control the boat. Powercats have their engines exceptionally widely spaced apart, and are far more responsive than monohulls when steered via throttles. Generally speaking, turning the steering wheel will only serve to reduce the effectiveness of working the throttles. This, of course, is assuming you have two engines. There are a few rare cats with one engine.
• At identical rpm, the engine in forward will create more thrust than the engine in reverse. So even if the throttles are set evenly when opposed, the boat will likely slide forward a bit as opposed to spinning in its own length. As a result, when attempting to speed up the maneuver it's usually best to favor giving the reversed engine extra oomph as opposed to the one in forward (assuming you don't want to move forward while turning the boat).
• Check the speed and direction of the wind before docking , and remember that some cats, particularly those with low draft, can be blown around more easily than many monohulls as there may be less hull below the waterline.
• When docking in a new slip for the first time with lines that haven't been preset, bear in mind that once you're docked, securing the boat can be difficult in some situations because few powercats have centered cleats. Most will have a single cleat on either side, in some cases obstructed by a bow rail and/or pulpit, which can make crossing lines difficult.
• Never shut those engines down until all the lines are secured . Again, remember that many cats can get blown out of kilter faster than the average monohull, and if you don't have lines preset, it may take a moment to figure out how to best secure them. Many a captain has done a perfect docking job and then shut off the engines, only for a gust of wind to push the boat right back out of the slip before the lines can be tied. Keep those engines running until the boat is 100% secure so you can apply power, if necessary, to maintain position.

Why Two Hulls?

Like all boats, catamarans come with distinct advantages (smooth ride, draft), and areas of compromise (docking, turning). Regardless of design aesthetics, the first question is usually: Why two hulls?

Mike Myers, vice president of product development for World Cat explains: "Catamaran hulls experience little to no drag or resistance to get on plane, resulting in greater fuel economy. They have a steady rise in speed and fuel burn with little to no spikes in fuel consumption."Planing powercats have a unique trait — which many cat lovers consider the top advantage over monohulls — the impact-absorbing cushion of air created by a compression tunnel between hulls.

And when it comes to beam, catamarans' parallel hulls create reliable stability, which helps to avoid heeling and capsizing, and greatly reduces the vessel roll at rest and at trolling speeds.

"Many boats are primarily designed around comfort for the captain. This usually means anyone at the front or sides of the boat takes most of the jostling,"Myers says. "The catamaran-style hull delivers ride comfort, smoothness, load distribution, and stability."That stability draws anglers to powercats of typically 20 to 40 feet; and cruisers to sailing cats 40 to 60 feet and beyond.

— Rich Armstrong

Taming The Cat

When it comes to handling powercats in open waters, the most important thing to remember is that all boats are different. Just as you wouldn't lump the handling characteristics of all monohulls together, the same goes for powercats. But many have a few common traits to consider.

• Some powercats have relatively low buoyancy in the bow compared to monohulls, as many have very narrow hull entries . As a result, in some cases, idling into a sea can allow waves to break over the bow. Gaining some headway so the bow rises a bit and packs air into the tunnel can alleviate the issue.
• Some planing powercats will run smoother at faster speeds than slower speeds, as they compress air in the tunnel between the two hulls. In these cases, speeding up may actually provide a more comfortable ride in some sea states as compared to slowing down. Depending on your boat, its tunnel may result in other differences from the monohull that you may be familiar with. Learning about these will improve you experience.
• Some powercats display a "snap roll,"which is a very fast righting motion that can rock the boat uncomfortably, especially when drifting in a beam sea. In these cases, people who may want to drift often (such as anglers) will sometimes deploy a drift sock off the bow to reduce rocking and rolling.

Photo: World Cat

• In general, powercats are often more weight-sensitive than monohulls, especially when the bow is loaded down . It's always best to be aware of how you're loading your boat, and if the tunnel is slapping or the bow is digging into waves, consider shifting weight aft.
• Some powercats, particularly older models, lean out in a turn rather than banking in. There's no way to eliminate this phenomenon (although trimming up an outboard engine when initiating a turn may reduce it a bit), so it's important to give passengers a warning to hold on before making any aggressive maneuvers.
• "Sneezing,"or blowing a puff of mist out the front of the tunnel that the boat then runs through (getting everyone aboard damp), is a phenomenon associated with some powercats. In many cases, trimming the bow up a bit will significantly reduce or even eliminate sneezing.

Related Articles

The truth about ceramic coatings for boats.

Our editor investigates the marketing claims of consumer-grade ceramic coatings.

Fine-Tune Your Side Scan Fishfinder

Take your side-scanning fishfinder off auto mode, and you’ll be spotting your prey from afar in no time

DIY Boat Foam Decking

Closed-cell foam flooring helps make boating more comfortable. Here’s how to install it on your vessel

Click to explore related articles

Lenny Rudow

New Boats, Fishing & Electronics Editor, BoatUS Magazine

Top tech writer and accomplished sports fisherman, BoatUS Magazine Contributing Editor Lenny Rudow has written seven practical boating books, won 30 awards from Boating Writers International — many for his marine electronics articles – and two for excellence from the Outdoor Writers Association of America. He judges the NMMA Innovation Awards, and is Angler in Chief at FishTalk, his own Chesapeake-based publication. A great teacher and inspirational writer, Lenny hosts many of BoatUS Magazine’s very-popular how-to videos, which can be found on the BoatUS YouTube channel, or at BoatUS.com

BoatUS Magazine Is A Benefit Of BoatUS Membership

Membership Benefits Include:

Subscription to the print version of BoatUS Magazine

4% back on purchases from West Marine stores or online at WestMarine.com

Discounts on fuel, transient slips, repairs and more at over 1,200 businesses

Deals on cruises, charters, car rentals, hotel stays and more…

All for only $25/year!

We use cookies to enhance your visit to our website and to improve your experience. By continuing to use our website, you’re agreeing to our cookie policy.

Projects: Constructing a 40ft catamaran with WEST SYSTEM epoxy

Work doesn’t necessarily slow down after retirement, as engineer Martin Ellison proved when he left his teaching post at the age of 59 and set about building his first boat. What started as some prompting from his wife to find a meaningful project evolved into the idea of building a 40ft catamaran. Martin tells epoxycraft how it all came about.

I have always loved being on or near the water and wanted to have a boat of my own. As someone who has renovated a few houses in the past, I wasn’t daunted by the idea of building a wooden boat from a set of plans, although I’m not sure it was the scale of project my wife had in mind!

I chose to build a catamaran because I wanted the space and stability; preferring a power cat, I searched online for some designs and went for the Skoota 36 ( Woods Designs ). This is a relatively simple timber and plywood design sheathed in fibreglass, although I have slightly modified the design to increase the length to 40ft so that I could enlarge the accommodation space in the hulls.

When I began in earnest in September 2014 I didn’t even have a boat shed, so that was the first project. It was ready for action by March 2015 and I have been steadily working on the boat for the past nine months.

I’ve used WEST SYSTEM  epoxy all over… and found its strength and versatility to be ideal.

For the build I’ve used WEST SYSTEM® epoxy all over – jointing, filleting, waterproofing and sheathing and have found its strength and versatility to be ideal for this project.

I’ve mainly used WEST SYSTEM 105 Epoxy Resin® with WEST SYSTEM 205 Fast Hardener® . In addition, I’ve combined the epoxy mix with WEST SYSTEM 403 Microfibres and WEST SYSTEM 409 Microsphere Blend® to ensure all the gaps have been thoroughly filled. When it came to sheathing, I used 300g and 600g Episize™ Biaxial Fabric and 300g woven WEST SYSTEM 787 Aramid Fabric® to provide extra protection below the waterline.

The boat build so far has taken just over 1100 hours. It’s a big boat and there’s a lot of work – mainly woodwork – involved in completing each stage. I’m enjoying it though, it’s very rewarding and most of the build has gone pretty smoothly.

As luck would have it there is another Skoota 36 being built in Canada which is about one year ahead of me and the owner has very kindly shared his build photos, which has been a great help. People say it looks very difficult but in practice it isn’t – it’s simply a case of following the plans and having the confidence to get on with it.

There’s still a bit of a way to go but I’m really looking forward to turning over so we can finalise the internal layout and then getting her in the water and cruising in her.

Our thanks to Martin Ellison for sharing his story. We wish him well and will be following him closely as he completes his build.

If you would like more information about this project you can follow the build on https://my-new-cat.weebly.com

Back to projects

G/flex® 650 vs. 655: Choosing the Right Epoxy Adhesive

Swiss Couple’s Boat Restoration Rescue?

What Can You Do With a WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy A Pack?

[email protected]

Category: Our Catamaran Build Kits

Recommended equipment.

Quality suppliers & manufacturers

The schionning team have a lot of contact with equipment suppliers and manufacturers, and hear feedback on certain brands or systems from our many customers. there are many schionnings cruising the world and testing products longevity and the customer service offered by the manufacturer., on this page we will list products and companies that we know to provide above average quality and service. it is always growing, and if your company provides equipment used on our designs and you would like to be included - please contact us., engines & drive systems.

Visit:  https://oceanvolt.com

Batteries, Power Management

LITHIUM POWER (VIC)

Back in 2013 I knew that my boat batteries were reaching the end of their lives, I had been researching LiFePO4 cells for a few years and decided that I should install them. Unfortunatly I was unable to find a local supplier. So Lithium Power was established.

Technical Information

The technical information page is a collection of documents (mostly in pdf format) on the materials and systems used in schionning catamarans. including data sheets, engineering information, strength comparisons of each core material and informative articles from jeff outling the design of certain system such as engine choices and main sheet systems., detailed engineering data for your research, we understand that getting your head around the process of building your own boat, or having one built, can take a little while. to gain a greater understanding of the materials used in our designs, the below data sheets have been supplied by atl composites, and contain all of the technical data you could need regarding the composites we use. in addition are articles or documents written by jeff about certain systems used on our designs and why., all technical information and data sheets on west system/duflex/durakore provided courtesy of atl composites. for more information please see the atl composites website here., documents library.

Information Sheet – CE CERTIFICATION PROCESS

• Mainsheet Systems for Catamarans
• Motor Choices for Schionning Designs
• Weight and Weight Distribution Schionning Designs
• Schionning Designs Sailing Performance and Tips
• Hull Shapes and Performance – Power Designs
• Outboard Engines VS Diesels – Written by Ross McCombe
• An Outboard Installation That Works – Ross McCombe Follow up
• Data Sheet – DUFLEX BALSA for Catamaran Kit Builds
• Data Sheet – DUFLEX FOAM
• Data Sheet – FEATHERLIGHT Paper Honeycomb
• Data Sheet – WEST SYSTEM R105
• Data Sheet – PUMP SYSTEMS
• Data Sheet – MICROFIBRE BLEND 403
• Data Sheet – MICROLIGHT 410
• Data Sheet – MICROSPHERES 411
• Information Sheet – USING FILLERS
• Data Sheet – KINETIX RESIN Thixotropic
• Information Sheet – DURAKORE PLANKS 413
• Data Sheet – DURAKORE PLANKING 414

Kit Materials Contents

Kit materials' contents, so if you order a schionning kit, what exactly is going to arrive see an overview of the materials you will receive, and what each is used for during the build process. fibreglass cloth or tapes microspheres, microballoons or microfibers take a closer look and you can answer these questions., our schionning kits are a no nonsense, common-sense approach to building a boat. we offer great service, fast delivery and access to anything you could need for your boat straight from the supplier to your door. our construction plans and kits are sold with 100% professional boatbuilder support via phone and email, any time you're unsure or just need a second opinion, we're here..

Our kits contain all of your basic materials to build your boat to a faired shell stage, ready for painting and fit-out. We have sail-away costing estimates available for all of our standard designs, and this will give you an accurate idea of the overall cost of your project. This costing varies depending on your level of finish, as you can imagine different options vary greatly in price.

Below is a quick glance at what your Schionning Kit will include and what each item is primarily used for, we hope this is helpful and if you should require more detailed information please don’t hesitate to contact our office.

What do I actually receive?

DUFLEX PRE-LAMINATED PANELS

DuFlex pre-laminated panels are the main and most important material used in our kits, predominantly in the flat panel designs, however they are used in Strip-planked designs also, though to a lesser extent. These panels are 2400mm x 1200mm and are CNC routed to speed up build time on our Wildernes X Series, as well as some of our power designs. For internal furniture, a paper honeycomb core is used instead of the end-grain balsa wood core that is used for main structural areas. The use of this is purely to save weight in the shell and therefore produce a faster, more responsive catamaran.

KINETIX LAMINATING RESIN & HARDENER

WEST SYSTEM EPOXY RESINS

FIBREGLASS TAPES (DOUBLE BIAS)

CARBON FIBRE CLOTH

FIBREGLASS CLOTH

The kit process, building your own boat can be a daunting prospect, however to demonstrate each step in the kit assembly process, we've created this guide for you to study. as you can see our kits are the ultimate in building efficiency and have been streamlined over 30+ years to ensure that you're on the water faster and with less effort., how does it all go together.

The first step to building your dream catamaran begins with a strongback – this is a square frame used to position the temporary frames that will be used to form the hull shape. This frame will be set up and must be square and accurate, a string or laser level can be used to achieve this.

The forebeam is now installed along with the striker attachment fitting, as shown above. The bridgedeck is installed shortly after and taped onto the bulkheads with webs installed, this now completes what is a quite stiff and strong platform to work on.

Now that the bridgedeck is in place, the forward webs and dash will be fitted. At this stage, all furniture and internal work begins, with the main panels left off for ease of access when working.

Material Choices

Schionning material choices, solutions that work best for catamarans & why, our designs are based on cored composite construction techniques using west system epoxy resin and knitted fabrics. but given the range of today's composite technologies, which solution works best for catamarans and why written by jeff schionning, selecting the correct materials, resin choices.

It also fully protects the boat against water absorption and it can not develop the dreaded Osmosis.

We choose ATL Composite’s resin systems for their superior quality, reliability and value for money.

Having worked closely with the ATL Composites team and their products for many years, we know we can stand by their material solutions, and rely on great service should something unexpected happen.

This may not seem important but when working with a material for an extended period of time, the small things make all the difference.

CORES Which One to Use?

• End-Grain Balsa – 150kg per cubic metre
• Superlight Balsa – 94kg per cubic metre
• Western Red Cedar – 360-380kg per cubic metre
• Foam – 80kg per cubic metre

BALSA END GRAIN (150 kg/cubic metre)

Balsa  has very good values and we can produce a shell using a very light laminate. It will be very stiff and very resilient to fatigue.

It has exceptional qualities including very high compression strength, extremely good sheer capabilities and fantastic sheer stiffness.

Compressive strength is the resistance to collapsing when pressure is applied perpendicular to the surface as when pushing directly onto the material with the point of your finger. Balsa is far stronger than Foam (80kg/cubic metre) in compression.

Balsa is also very strong in shear. This is when the core sample is held flat between your hands, one hand slid one way and the other slid the opposite way, when the core tears through the middle the core has failed in sheer. The amount of stretch you feel before the core shears is shear stiffness. To compensate for sheer weakness the core is made thicker. So 13mm Balsa may be equal in sheer to 19mm Foam.

(80 to 200 kg/m³)

There are many boats sailing that are built from foam as it’s mechanical properties are good for boat building.

• Initially one would expect this cat shell to be lighter as it is ½ the weight of Balsa. We do have to compensate for its weaknesses and will then add to the reinforcement the reinforcement on the outside to spread that compression load over more core and need a triaxial type weave to compensate for the veneer content that runs fore and aft on the Durakore.
• Secondly, we need to increase the Core thickness to compensate for the shear value, usually neutralizing the weight advantage.
• We only use structural foam core that is closed-cell and cross-linked.

The end result using foam core amounts to a very similar total boat weight. Professional builders can achieve a good result but usually use vacuum bagging and very good molds to achieve this.

Secondary Issues

Balsa can absorb water. It needs extreme neglect to rot (very unusual). Water soaks along the end grain quickly. It travels very slowly across the grain. We use balsa under the waterline especially because of it’s high compression strength for beaching etc. any core type must be sealed. Damage to all cores results in the same sort of repair. Notice a damp spot remaining when drying out to anti-foul… simply grind back the surface glass exposing the core, dry it out and re-glass – it’s that easy.

Timber cores are cheaper than Foam in most cases.

A light, high tech cat returns a far better (often 2 – 3 times) re-sale than lower tech materials. Often saving $10,000 on materials initially, loses $200,000 on re-sale – a serious reality.

Our boats can be built using Balsa, Foam or Western Red Cedar. Combine strength, stiffness, lightness and cost, with ease of use – it just makes good sense!

Did You Know That We Offer Contract to Closing Services? Click Here to Find Out More.

Need Marine Financing? Apply Here With Our Partner, First Approval Source

• Catamaran Interviews
• Catamaran Reviews
• Buying Advice
• Selling Advice
• Woods Design Advice
•     Admiral 38
•     Admiral 40
•     Admiral 50
•     Americat 3014
•     Antares 44
•     Aquila 44
•     Aquila 48 Power Catamaran
•     Aventura 37
•     Balance 442
•     Balance 482
•     Balance 526
•     Bali 4.0
•     Bali 4.1
•     Bali 4.2
•     Bali 4.3
•     Bali 4.4
•     Bali 4.5
•     Bali 4.6
•     Bali 4.8
•     Bali 40 Catspace
•     Bali 5.4
•     Bali Catsmart
•     Beneteau Blue II
•     Broadblue 346
•     Broadblue 38 Prestige
•     Broadblue 385
•     Broadblue 435
•     Broadblue 46
•     Rapier 400
•     Rapier 550
•     Catalac 10M
•     Catalac 11M
•     Catalac 12M
•     Catalac 8M
•     Catalac 900
•     Catalac 9M
•     Catana 381
•     Catana 39
•     Catana 401
•     Catana 40S
•     Catana 411
•     Catana 42
•     Catana 42 S
•     Catana 431
•     Catana 44
•     Catana 471
•     Catana 50
•     Catana 521
•     Catana 531
•     Catana 55
•     Catana 581
•     Catana 65
•     Catathai 44
• Chris White
•     Chris White 48 Voyager
•     Chris White 55
•     Condor 40
•     Contour 34
•     Corsair F28 R
• De Villiers
•     Dean 365
•     Dean 400
•     Dean 440
•     Dean 500
•     Dix DH550
•     Dolphin 380
•     Dolphin 460
•     Edel 35
•     Endeavour 30
•     Endeavour 35 Victory
•     Endeavour 36
•     Endeavour 44
•     Endeavour 44 TrawlerCat
•     Endeavour 50 Pilothouse Trawler
•     Excess 11
•     Excess 15
•     F-41
•     Fastback 43
•     Fastcat 445
•     Fisher 28
•     Fisher 32
•     Fortuna 36 Island Spirit
•     Fortuna 401 Island Spirit
• Fountaine Pajot
•     FP 32 Maldives
•     FP 35 Tobago
•     FP 36 Mahe
•     FP 37 Antigua
•     FP 38 Athena
•     FP 39 Fidji
•     FP 40 Isla
•     FP 40 Lavezzi
•     FP 40 Lucia
•     FP 40 MY
•     FP 40 Summerland MY
•     FP 41 Lipari
•     FP 42 Astrea
•     FP 42 Venezia
•     FP 43 Belize
•     FP 44 Helia
•     FP 44 Orana
•     FP 45 Elba
•     FP 46 Bahia
•     FP 46 Casamance
•     FP 48 Salina
•     FP 50 Saba
•     FP 56 Marquises
•     FP 57 Sanya
•     FP 58 Ipanema
•     FP 60 Eleuthera
•     FP Saona 47
•     Fusion 40
•     Gemini 105
•     Gemini 3000
•     Gemini 3200
•     Gemini 3400
•     Gemini Freestyle 37
•     Gemini Freestyle 399 Power
•     Gemini Legacy 35
•     Grainger 420 Mystery Cove
•     Gunboat 55
•     Hirondelle 7M
•     HopYacht 30
• Island Packet
•     Island Packet Cat 35
•     Kennex 420
•     Knysna 440
•     Knysna 480
•     Knysna 500
•     Knysna 550
•     Lagoon 35
•     Lagoon 37 TPI
•     Lagoon 380
•     Lagoon 39
•     Lagoon 40
•     Lagoon 400
•     Lagoon 410
•     Lagoon 42
•     Lagoon 42 TPI
•     Lagoon 420
•     Lagoon 421
•     Lagoon 43 PC
•     Lagoon 44 Power Cat
•     Lagoon 440
•     Lagoon 450
•     Lagoon 46
•     Lagoon 470
•     Lagoon 50
•     Lagoon 500
•     Lagoon 52F
•     Lagoon 55
•     Lagoon 560
•     Lagoon 570
•     Lagoon 620
•     Lagoon Seventy 8
•     Lagoon Sixty 7
•     Leeuwin 42
•     Leopard 38
•     Leopard 39
•     Leopard 39 PowerCat
•     Leopard 40
•     Leopard 42
•     Leopard 43
•     Leopard 44
•     Leopard 45
•     Leopard 45 Classic
•     Leopard 46
•     Leopard 46 Lion PowerCat
•     Leopard 47
•     Leopard 47 PowerCat
•     Leopard 48
•     Leopard 50
•     Leopard 51 PowerCat
•     Leopard 53 PowerCat
•     Leopard 58
•     Lidgard 73 Executive
•     Looping 50
•     Maine Cat 30
•     Maine Cat 38
•     Maine Cat 41
•     Manta 40
•     Manta 42
•     Matrix 450 Vision
•     Matrix 760 Silhouette
•     Maverick 400
•     Maverick 420
•     Maverick 440
•     Moxie 61
•     Nautitech 40
•     Nautitech 40 Open
•     Nautitech 44 Open
•     Nautitech 442
•     Nautitech 46 Open
•     Nautitech 47
•     Nautitech 47 Power
•     Nautitech 475
•     Nautitech 65
•     Neel 45
•     Neel 47
•     Outremer 40
•     Outremer 45
•     Outremer 50 Standard
•     Outremer 55
•     Outremer 5X
•     PDQ 32
•     PDQ 36
•     PDQ 42 Antares
•     Privilege 37
•     Privilege 39
•     Privilege 42
•     Privilege 43
•     Privilege 435
•     Privilege 45
•     Privilege 465
•     Privilege 48 Transcat
•     Privilege 482
•     Privilege 495
•     Privilege 510
•     Privilege 65
•     Privilege Serie 5
•     Prout 31 Quest
•     Prout 33 Quest
•     Prout 34 Event
•     Prout 35 Snowgoose
•     Prout 37 Snowgoose
•     Prout 37 Snowgoose Elite
•     Prout 38
•     Prout 38 Manta
•     Prout 39 Escale
•     Prout 45
•     Prout 46
•     Royal Cape 45
•     Royal Cape 500 Majestic
•     Royal Cape 530 Majestic
•     Sailcraft 30 Iroquois
•     Sailcraft 32 Comanche
•     Sailcraft 35 Cherokee
•     Sailcraft 41 Apache
•     Sailcraft 44 Apache
•     Scape 39
•     Wildcat 350
•     Seacart 30
•     Seawind 1000
•     Seawind 1160
•     Seawind 1190
•     Seawind 1200
•     Seawind 1260
•     Seawind 1600
•     Simpson 48
•     Solaris 36 Sunrise
•     Solaris 36 Sunstar
•     Solaris 42
•     St Francis 44
•     St Francis 48
•     St Francis 50
•     Stealth 11.8
•     Sunreef 60
•     Sunreef 62
•     Sunreef 70
•     Sunreef 74C
•     Sunreef 82 DD
•     Sunreef 88 DD
•     Switch 51
•     Switch 55
•     TRT 1200
•     Heavenly Twins 26
•     Ocean Twins 38
•     Vaan R5
•     Vision 444
•     Voyage 380 Maxim
•     Voyage 400 Norseman
•     Voyage 430 Norseman
•     Voyage 440
•     Voyage 450 Cabriolet
•     Voyage 47 Mayotte
•     Voyage 480
•     Voyage 500
•     Voyage 580
•     Voyage 590
•     Kronos 45
•     Wharram 38 Tiki
•     AMI 320 Renaissance
•     Woods 22 Wizard
•     Woods 35 Banshee
•     Woods 35 Flica
•     Woods 36 Scylla
•     Woods 36 Vardo
•     Woods 38 Transit
•     Woods 40 Meander
•     Xquisite X5
•     Xquisite X5+

Catamaran Design Formulas

• Post author By Rick
• Post date June 29, 2010
• 10 Comments on Catamaran Design Formulas

Part 2: W ith permission from Terho Halme – Naval Architect

While Part 1 showcased design comments from Richard Woods , this second webpage on catamaran design is from a paper on “How to dimension a sailing catamaran”, written by the Finnish boat designer, Terho Halme. I found his paper easy to follow and all the Catamaran hull design equations were in one place.  Terho was kind enough to grant permission to reproduce his work here.

Below are basic equations and parameters of catamaran design, courtesy of Terho Halme. There are also a few references from ISO boat standards. The first step of catamaran design is to decide the length of the boat and her purpose. Then we’ll try to optimize other dimensions, to give her decent performance. All dimensions on this page are metric, linear dimensions are in meters (m), areas are in square meters (m2), displacement volumes in cubic meters (m3), masses (displacement, weight) are in kilograms (kg), forces in Newton’s (N), powers in kilowatts (kW) and speeds in knots. 

Please see our catamarans for sale by owner page if you are looking for great deals on affordable catamarans sold directly by their owners.

Length, Draft and Beam

There are two major dimensions of a boat hull: The length of the hull L H  and length of waterline L WL  . The following consist of arbitrary values to illustrate a calculated example. 

L H  = 12.20      L WL  = 12.00

After deciding how big a boat we want we next enter the length/beam ratio of each hull, L BR . Heavy boats have low value and light racers high value. L BR  below “8” leads to increased wave making and this should be avoided. Lower values increase loading capacity. Normal L BR  for a cruiser is somewhere between 9 and 12. L BR  has a definitive effect on boat displacement estimate.  

• Tags Buying Advice , Catamaran Designers

Owner of a Catalac 8M and Catamaransite webmaster.

10 replies on “Catamaran Design Formulas”

Im working though these formuals to help in the conversion of a cat from diesel to electric. Range, Speed, effect of extra weight on the boat….. Im having a bit of trouble with the B_TR. First off what is it? You don’t call it out as to what it is anywhere that i could find. Second its listed as B TR = B WL / T c but then directly after that you have T c = B WL / B TR. these two equasion are circular….

Yes, I noted the same thing. I guess that TR means resistance.

I am new here and very intetested to continue the discussion! I believe that TR had to be looked at as in Btr (small letter = underscore). B = beam, t= draft and r (I believe) = ratio! As in Lbr, here it is Btr = Beam to draft ratio! This goes along with the further elaboration on the subject! Let me know if I am wrong! Regards PETER

I posted the author’s contact info. You have to contact him as he’s not going to answer here. – Rick

Thank you these formulas as I am planning a catamaran hull/ house boat. The planned length will be about thirty six ft. In length. This will help me in this new venture.

You have to ask the author. His link was above. https://www.facebook.com/terho.halme

I understood everything, accept nothing makes sense from Cm=Am/Tc*Bwl. Almost all equations from here on after is basically the answer to the dividend being divided into itself, which gives a constant answer of “1”. What am I missing? I contacted the original author on Facebook, but due to Facebook regulations, he’s bound never to receive it.

Hi Brian, B WL is the maximum hull breadth at the waterline and Tc is the maximum draft.

The equation B TW = B WL/Tc can be rearranged by multiplying both sides of the equation by Tc:

B TW * Tc = Tc * B WL / Tc

On the right hand side the Tc on the top is divided by the Tc on the bottom so the equal 1 and can both be crossed out.

Then divide both sides by B TW:

Cross out that B TW when it is on the top and the bottom and you get the new equation:

Tc = B WL/ B TW

Thank you all for this very useful article

Parfait j aimerais participer à une formation en ligne (perfect I would like to participate in an online training)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• HOME > NEWS & EVENTS >

Circumnavigating in a Power Catamaran – A Leopard 53 PC Owner Story

[july 19, 2024].

When boating folks talk about circumnavigating the globe, they generally think about doing so under sail. Sailboats use wind for fuel and handle well in offshore conditions, right?

Many who consider circling the globe on a power assume that a trawler or other slow-displacement boat is the way to go. How else can you do it without massive fuel tanks and a slow, efficient hull design?

Well, you know what happens when we assume.

Don Richards and his wife, Anja, are currently making a circumnavigation in their Leopard 53 Powercat. We caught up with them in Tahiti as they prepared for the next leg of their journey.

Coming from a monohull

This is Don and Anja’s second circumnavigation. That first experience, made in a monohull sailboat, shaped their plans for their current adventure, including the decision to make the odyssey in a Powercat.

“Mainly, I got tired of sailing and grinding winches,” Don told us. “I’m nearly seventy. I’m done raising the mainsail.”

He also noted that while sailors spend a great deal of time under sail on longer transits, once they arrive at a destination, most of their shorter trips—between islands, for example—are under power. So why not just motor all the time?

“The biggest difference once you arrive at a destination,” he adds, “is the Powercat is a floating apartment compared to a monohull. It’s a lot more comfortable.”

Powercat passage making

The Richards picked up their new Powercat 53 at the Leopard facility in Cape Town, South Africa. They spent a lot of time there making measured runs, logging fuel consumption and building realistic performance curves for passage making. Their work paid off, and their load and consumption tables were accurate throughout their Atlantic and Pacific crossings.

The couple travels at a leisurely pace to maximize range. Don and Anja do most of their crossings and passages at seven knots, which gives them a range of close to 1,700 miles. At nine knots, by comparison, their range drops to 1,000. They’ve installed reserve tanks with an extra 100 gallons (400 liters) of fuel but never needed those reserves for cruising. The Richards filled two 290-gallon (1,100L) fuel bladders carried on deck for a few very long passages.

Of course, the Powercat’s ability to cruise at 18 knots comes in handy when rough weather looms, the customs office is closing, or nightfall approaches.

“A big difference between powering and sailing is knowing when you’ll get there,” Don says. Since you’re not subject to the vagaries of light air and wind direction, planning is much more accurate and predictable under power.

The passage west

The Richards are Australian and may eventually bring their Powercat back to Australia. Like most cruisers, however, they write their plans in wet sand at low tide, so they’re still determining when or if they’ll finally get it Down Under.

Of course, the shortest straight-line distance from Cape Town to Australia is east, across the Indian Ocean, but that is not a recommended route. Prevailing wind patterns, currents, and weather make a passage east from Cape Town unpleasant and possibly dangerous.

“We spoke to a lot of experienced delivery captains and skippers. And they all said clearly, do not go east,” says Don.

Instead, they headed north and west across the South Atlantic. They envisioned heading up through the Caribbean to the U.S. East Coast and over to Europe to cruise the Mediterranean. But the realities of hurricane season and insurance needs kept them south, and they found themselves headed towards Panama and passing through the canal.

On their last circumnavigation, Howard and Anja didn’t make it to Central America or Mexico, so they headed north after coming through the Panama Canal to see it this time. Eventually, they set out from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for French Polynesia, where they made landfall after a 2,710-mile leg to Hiva Oa. Almost all of that was powering straight on the rhumb line.

Cruising differences

The most notable differences when cruising with a Powercat instead of a monohull are the onboard space and comfort. There’s no comparison with a monohull for the comfortable living space on a stable platform with a full-sized galley. The other is redundancy. You’ve got two engines in two hulls, so there’s always a second engine if one has trouble.

The Powercat also changes where and how the Richards anchor since they can tuck in closer to shore inside the keelboats. Anchoring in shallow water with more protection from shore is almost always better, and moving short distances between anchorages is quick and comfortable.

Hauling the Powercat out of the water takes a little more planning. Like a sailing catamaran, you have a lot more beam and need a travel lift to handle the size. But the bridge deck and cross beams are stout, and Robertson and Caine, builders of the Leopard Powercat, were always available with helpful instructions for where to best place the straps for the safest lift.

Where to next?

The Richards’ current plan is to head to Samoa and likely spend the cyclone season in New Zealand. Next year, they may visit Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and stop at Norfolk Island. Like all their plans, these may change with the conditions.

“We’d also love to head over the top of Australia back to southeast Asia,” Don says. “Maybe the Solomons, Papua New Guinea. Australia’s always an option, too. Who knows?”

When asked one thing potential Powercat cruisers should know, Don’s answer was unequivocal: “You need to know that you can get almost anywhere with the standard tanks. Sure, you’ve got to slow it down. But don’t think you’ll be limited by fuel if you don’t want to be.”

No limits. Sounds like the perfect mantra for world cruisers.

Related articles

Sailing the BVI on a Leopard 50: A Vacation Itinerary

August 7, 2024.

The Leopard Family: How to Find Your Community

July 26, 2024.

Ask a Leopard Owner: Dave + Beth on the Leopard 45

July 23, 2024.

Our newsletter will provide you with the latest news, special offers, previews and shows

Product updates and announcements. No spam.

Evolving from 50 years of customer feedback, Leopard Catamarans has pooled their expertise with builders Robertson and Caine to design today’s Leopard range: spacious, robust, performance-driven blue water cruising catamarans.

• News & Events
• Our catamarans
• Sailing Range
• Power Range
• Leopard 40PC
• Leopard 46PC
• Leopard 53PC
• Download Brochure
• Terms of Privacy

©2024 Leopard Catamarans. All Rights Reserved

Choose Language

Kingfisher 730 Powercat 2024 Review

New zealand specialist power catamaran boat maker, kingfisher, has launched a tough new fishing model called the 730 powercat.

This hardtop half cabin boat is available with an open or enclosed wheelhouse – and with a huge range of fishing features and accessories.

This terrific new sports fishing trailer boat is paired with twin Yamaha 200hp four-stroke outboards to deliver excellent performance.

Kingfisher made its way across the Tasman from New Zealand in 2023, launching at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat show with Queensland dealer, Wynnum Marine.

The first Kingfisher models in Australia were single-engine centre console cats in 4.5m, 5.1m and 5.7m lengths.  

More than 12 months on, the Kingfisher brand is gaining traction as anglers and powered catamaran enthusiasts acknowledge the quality of these innovative craft.

At the 2024 Sanctuary Cove Boat Show , Wynnum Marine presented several larger Kingfisher models – including the brand new, twin-outboard 730 Powercat hardtop.

We spent some time on the water with Kingfisher’s new offshore cat, with the test rig paired with twin Yamaha 200hp extra-longshaft outboard engines.

Price and equipment

The 730 Powercat is now Kingfisher’s biggest trailerable powered catamaran, replacing the 620 series as the trailer boat flagship. 

Larger, wide-beam Kingfisher cats are also available in sizes through to 14m for both recreational and custom commercial boating applications.

Remarkably, Kingfisher also has a full line-up of plate-alloy monohull boats from 4.0m to 10.0m in length – although still no access to those boats in Australia.

The Kingfisher 730 Powercat is available with or without a fully enclosed, lockable wheelhouse.

Our test boat was the open version with the helm station enclosed on three sides, complete with a view-enhancing single-piece front windscreen and sliding cabin side windows.

Package pricing for the Kingfisher 730 Powercat HT starts at $257,539 and includes dual counter-rotating Yamaha 150hp extra-longshaft outboards with digital electronic controls and electric power steering; a Yamaha CL5 engine display; Evolution 3500kg rated custom trailer with electric-hydraulic brakes; dual cranking batteries; dual house batteries; safety gear pack; and boat and trailer registrations.

Inside the boat there is plenty of factory kit as well – too much to list here, but scroll to the bottom of this review to view all of the standard inclusions. 

Our test boat was set-up for display at the 2024 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show. It was accordingly loaded with cool options, features and accessories.

Electronics gear included Garmin 8416xsv and 8412xsv multi-function displays with Airmar and Garmin through-hull transducers; Garmin GMR Fantom Radar with Motionscope; Garmin 215i VHF radio; Fusion RA210 Stereo with four speakers; and a ROKK wireless phone charger.

Optional fishing features included a transom live bait tank; port-side bait board with tackle drawer and fishing tools; raw water deck wash; starboard-side custom Plaztek tackle station with drawers; Plaztek tool, pole and gaff holders; Kilwell outrigger bases and poles; plumbed sub-floor kill tanks; extra rod holders; transom sink with tap and 50L freshwater tank.

Elsewhere, the test boat was optioned with an upgraded Maxwell drum winch, U-Dek flooring upgrade; metallic hull side paint upgrade; extra cleats; two windshield wipers; additional deck lights; underwater and under-gunnel lighting; electric toilet; custom port-side wheelhouse seating with dinette; transom door; Travel Buddy pie oven; Icey-Tek ice box upgrade (115L and 90L); and more.

With the above extra kit, and paired with larger Yamaha F200 four-stroke outboards, Yamaha’s full Helm Master EX navigation and joystick control system, and an upgraded GFab tri-axle aluminium braked trailer, the driveway package price rises to $376,253.

Hull and engineering

The Kingfisher 730 has a maximum length of 7.3m and an Aussie road-legal towing width of 2.49m.

The bare hull weighs about 2000kg, while the wet towing wet for the heavily optioned test boat is 3500kg when paired with the standard Evolution tandem axle trailer – but rising to about 3600kg on the premium GFab tri-axle braked alloy trailer.

Either way, the Kingfisher 730 is no light weight: you’ll need a Dodge Ram/Chevy Silverado size vehicle to haul this big rig on the highway. 

Below the waterline, the Kingfisher 730 has symmetric shaped sponsons with a very fine bow entry shape.

Inner and outer chine flats run all the way aft to provide lift at speed, stability at rest.

The topsides are tall and there is a pronounced sheer to the deck-line that’s designed to keep spray at bay – and to give the boat a tough-looking stance on the water.

The 730 Powercat is made using 5mm welded plate alloy for the hull and transom, 4mm for the topsides, cabin and self-draining cockpit floor.

Related: Top 10 trailer boats of the 2024 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show

Design and layout.

Our Kingfisher 730 test boat had an open plan layout so that you can walk right through from the cockpit to the front cabin where there is a full width double berth.

The double berth is 1.83m long x 1.42m wide, and upholstered using a patterned (stain hiding) brown cloth material.

Beneath the berth there are storage lockers, as well as provision for the optional toilet on the starboard side.

Lack of privacy will be an issue when using the toilet, as there is no cabin bulkhead. However, I am pleased that Kingfisher has at least made a toilet available.

To use the toilet, you need to remove the starboard side berth cushion and the centre infill cushion/board.

Surprisingly, given the Kingfisher has something of a working boat vibe, there is carpet lining the cabin ceiling and surrounds – which warms up the interior.

Access to the front anchorwell (and included Maxwell drum winch) is via the exterior cabin sides, rather than through a cabin hatch.

Helm and hardtop

The helm station is nicely setup with a full width dash beneath the one-piece toughened glass windshield which provides an unrestricted view for the skipper.

The helm fascia/instrument panel is not as large as some I have seen recently, but it is big enough to flush-fit a 16-inch display – such as the Garmin 8416xsv optioned to our test boat.

A second Garmin display was bracket-mounted in the centre of the dash, above an optional Travel Buddy pie oven to port and a very handy full width welded grab rail.

The helm dash/fascia panel might be modest in size, but provision is made to comfortably fit Yamaha’s digital binnacle throttle controls, along with a Yamaha Joystick to operate the optional Helm Master EX boat control system.

Sliding side windows channel cooling air into the wheel house when required.

Overhead, beneath the hardtop, there is provision for radio head units, stereo speakers, lighting, dual full-length ceiling handrails and cockpit spreader lights out back.

The hardtop itself is sturdy and rigid. There was no movement or vibration when underway.

The hardtop is also used as a mounting base for the optional Kilwell outriggers, Garmin radar, navigation lights, radio aerials, and a nine-rod rocket launcher rod-rack.

Reconfigurable seating

The Kingfisher comes standard with box-mounted bucket helm chairs, but our test boat was optioned with a Plaztek tackle station behind the starboard side helm chair/storage box, and a clever seat/dinette arrangement for the crew opposite.  

With removable and repositionable backrests, the port side seating layout can be configured as a chaise-style lounge, a two-person dinette with adjustable height table – or as a pair of forward- or aft-facing single seats with backrests.

Both port and starboard side seat boxes allowed for the fitment of the upgraded, split-lid Icey-Tek ice boxes – which slide out into the cockpit.

Fishing cockpit

The large, U-Dek surfaced self-draining cockpit stretches 1.95m aft of the helm seats back to a full height transom wall.

The cockpit is flanked by 2.35m-wide side coamings and a two-tier side-storage pocket setup that extends the length of the cockpit.

The lower side pockets are comfortably above the floor (to provide toe/foot support underneath) and incorporate a horizontal rod storage rack.

Two large, sub-floor kill tanks provide more storage, and/or space to ice-down the day’s catch.

Other features/options included a Plaztek bait board with drawers, starboard-side sink with faucet and freshwater tank, multiple welded rod holders and cup holders, a casting/swim cage out back, elevated transom battery/storage compartments, and a live bait tank built into the centre transom boarding step/walkway.

The bait tank is sufficient in size and shape, but it did have a rigging tube running across the top of it – which may cause bruising/irritation to live baits.

On the water

The Kingfisher 730HT is a fun, fast offshore fishing boat – especially when paired with the twin 200hp Yamaha extra-longshaft outboards.

We clocked a top speed of 43.8 knots with two adults onboard and with full fuel and water.

More significantly perhaps, the Kingfisher is quick offshore – in the sense that the very smooth, cushioned ride and balanced handling allows for a high cruise speed in mild to moderate conditions.

The 730HT is also very solid, stable – and drier than many other cats I have tested in the 6.5-8.0m size range.

Like most cats, the Kingfisher runs best with the engines trimmed out/up to allow air flow into the tunnel to generate lift.

That said, the big cat is responsive to power trim so you can lift or lower the nose easily to suit the sea conditions.

At displacement speeds, the Kingfisher sits solid and secure in the water. However, this model does not have a tunnel “wave-breaker” fairing/pod so there is some tunnel wave slap when slow trolling directly into a headsea.

Overall, the Kingfisher 730 delivers the goods with regard to handling, ride and performance.

I’d happily run this boat to the wide offshore canyon fishing grounds, safe in the knowledge that it’s capable of dealing with the rough stuff and getting me home safely.

Performance

REVS   SPEED FUEL USE        RANGE

1000     4.4kt (8.1km/h)  6.0L/h   306.5nm

1500     5.6kt (10.4km/h) 10.0L/h 234.1nm

2000     6.9kt (12.8km/h) 15.5L/h 186.1nm

2500     10.8kt (20.0km/h)          24.4L/h 185.0nm

3000     16.4kt (30.3km/h)          29.7L/h 178.1nm

3500     21.7kt (40.1km/h)          38.5L/h 235.6nm

4000     26.7kt (49.4km/h)          48.5L/h 230.1nm

4500     31.0kt (57.3km/h)          64.5L/h 200.9nm

5000     35.3kt (65.3km/h)          86.7L/h 170.2nm

5500     38.7kt (71.6km/h)          101.3L/h           159.7nm

5700     43.8kt (81.0km/h)          145.0L/h           126.3nm

Range on 95 per cent of the 440L fuel supply at 3500rpm: 235.6nm

The Kingfisher 730 Hardtop is an excellent powered catamaran, and a superb fishing trailer boat.

It’s not cheap with all the optional gear and equipment fitted, but as tested the Kingfisher is ready to go offshore to do battle with everything from mackerel to marlin.

Would I have one? In a heartbeat.

Kingfisher 730 Specifications

Model: Kingfisher 730 Powercat

Length overall: 7.3m

Beam: 2.49m

Hull weight: 2000kg (approx)

Towing weight: 3500kg (approx)

Hull and transom alloy: 5mm

Topsides alloy: 4mm

Maximum power: 2 x 200hp outboards

Maximum engine weight: 240kg (each engine)

Engine as tested: Twin Yamaha 200hp four-stroke extra-longshaft outboards

Fuel: 2 x 220L

Passengers: 10

Priced from: $257,539 including dual counter-rotating Yamaha 150hp extra-longshaft outboards with digital electronic controls and electric power steering; Yamaha CL5 engine display; an Evolution 3500kg rated custom trailer with electric-hydraulic brakes; dual cranking batteries; dual house batteries; hardtop with one-piece windshield, sliding side windows, rocket launcher rod-rack and electronics box; swivelling bolster helm chairs with footrests; 2 x Icey-Tek 70L ice boxes; cabin berth cushions and infill extensions; carpet lining to cabin; Octigrip deck tread flooring; 4 x drink holders and built-in rod holders; interior lighting; underfloor storage; side storage shelving; anchor locker with electric drum winch and rode; transom swim/casting cage with ladder; boarding platforms; painted hull and cabin top; safety gear pack; boat and trailer registrations.

Price as tested: $376,253. As above but with dual Yamaha 200hp four-stroke outboards; Yamaha’s full Helm Master EX navigation and joystick control system; upgraded GFab custom aluminium tri-axle braked trailer (4500kg ATM); Garmin 8416xsv and 8412xsv multi-function displays with Airmar and Garmin through-hull transducers; Garmin GMR Fantom Radar 24x 50W HD with MotionScope; Garmin 215i VHF radio; Fusion RA210 Stereo with four speakers; ROKK wireless phone charger; transom live bait tank in walk-through; port side bait board with tackle drawer; raw water deck wash; starboard side custom Plaztek tackle station with drawers; Plaztek tool, pole and gaff holders; Kilwell outrigger bases and poles; custom plumbed sub-floor kill tanks; extra rod holders; transom sink with tap and 50L freshwater tank; upgraded Maxwell drum winch, U-Dek flooring upgrade; metallic hull side paint upgrade; extra cleats; two windshield wipers; additional deck lights; underwater and under-gunnel lighting; electric toilet; custom port-side wheelhouse seating with dinette; transom door; Travel Buddy pie oven; Icey-Tek ice box upgrade (115L and 90L).

Supplied by: Wynnum Marine

What we like

• Very soft riding in short, sharp chop
• Superb fishing fit-out
• Great styling, imposing presence

Not so much

• Some tunnel slap at trolling speeds into the waves/wind offshore

Stay up to date

Become a boatsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.

Catamaran to Isla Mujeres: Snorkel, Open Bar & Transfers

Set out on a captivating excursion to the enchanting island of Isla Mujeres , where crystal-clear waters and vibrant coral reefs await. This all-inclusive catamaran cruise offers an unforgettable adventure, complete with snorkeling , an open bar, and convenient transfers from your hotel. For just $120 per person, you’ll learn about the stunning natural beauty of the region, indulge in a delectable buffet lunch , and have the opportunity to explore the charming downtown area. But the excitement doesn’t stop there – prepare to be swept away by a lively Tequila party on the return trip. Discover why this excursion is the perfect way to experience the magic of Isla Mujeres.

• Scenic 8-hour catamaran cruise to Isla Mujeres, including round-trip transportation from Cancun and Riviera Maya hotels.
• 40-minute snorkeling session at a vibrant coral reef with certified guides, witnessing diverse marine life.
• Buffet lunch at the Ice Bar Beach Club with views of Cancun’s skyline.
• Two hours of free time to explore Isla Mujeres’ downtown area, shops, and Playa Norte beach.
• Lively Tequila party with music and dancing during the return journey.

More tours and experiences nearby.

• TYE All Inclusive Luxury Yacht With Private Island
• Puerto Aventuras: Dolphin Swim Adventure
• Puerto Aventuras: Dolphin Swim, Manatee Meet, and Lunch
• The Camaleon Mayakoba Golf Course | Tee Time

Overview of the Activity

The activity is a catamaran cruise to the scenic island of Isla Mujeres , located just off the coast of Cancun. Priced from $120 per person, the 8-hour excursion includes snorkeling at a vibrant coral reef, an open bar , a buffet lunch, and free time to explore Isla Mujeres.

Travelers can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund , and the operator offers a "reserve now, pay later" option. Round-trip transportation from hotels in Cancun and Riviera Maya is included, with pickups starting an hour before departure.

The tour provides coffee, bread, bilingual guides, mandatory life vests, and federal taxes on docks and marine parks.

Pricing and Inclusions

Typically, the Catamaran to Isla Mujeres activity costs from Kč 2,693 per person. The 8-hour tour includes round-trip transportation, an open bar with soft drinks, beer, rum, vodka, and tequila, as well as a buffet lunch at the Ice Bar Beach Club. Snorkeling equipment and a certified guide are provided for a 40-minute session at a vibrant coral reef. The package also covers federal taxes on docks and marine parks. A breakdown of the inclusions is outlined in the table below.

Itinerary and Highlights

Visitors embark on a picturesque journey through the turquoise waters of the Mexican Caribbean aboard a comfortable catamaran.

After arriving, they’ll have the opportunity to snorkel for 40 minutes at a vibrant coral reef , with certified guides providing the necessary gear.

Following the snorkeling adventure, guests can indulge in a delectable buffet lunch at the Ice Bar Beach Club, while taking in stunning views of Cancun.

The trip also includes two hours of free time in downtown Isla Mujeres, allowing travelers to explore the island or take a guided walk to the renowned Playa Norte beach.

The return journey features a lively Tequila party on board, complete with dancing.

Snorkeling and Coral Reef

After arriving at the vibrant coral reef , visitors don their provided snorkeling gear and venture into the vibrant underwater world, guided by certified professionals.

For 40 minutes, they explore the diverse marine life and colorful coral formations teeming with tropical fish.

The snorkeling experience offers a unique opportunity to witness the beauty and fragility of the Caribbean ecosystem up close. Guests can observe schools of fish, sea turtles, and other captivating marine creatures in their natural habitat.

This immersive snorkeling activity is a highlight of the Catamaran excursion , allowing participants to connect with the stunning underwater landscapes of the Mexican Caribbean.

Lunch at Ice Bar Beach Club

The catamaran then takes guests to the Ice Bar Beach Club on Isla Mujeres, where they enjoy a delectable buffet lunch while taking in the stunning views of the glittering Cancun skyline across the turquoise waters.

The lunch spread features a variety of Mexican and international dishes, catering to diverse tastes. Travelers can savor freshly grilled meats, colorful salads, tasty sides, and indulgent desserts as they dine al fresco under the shade of swaying palms.

The laidback atmosphere and breathtaking scenery create the perfect setting to refuel and recharge before the next part of the adventure.

Isla Mujeres Exploration

With their appetites satisfied, travelers then have around two hours of free time to explore the laidback charm of Isla Mujeres’ downtown area .

They can wander the colorful streets, popping into local shops and galleries showcasing Mexican arts and crafts. Many opt to take a guided walk to the scenic Playa Norte beach , known for its powder-white sands and turquoise waters.

Others simply stroll along the marina, admiring the view of Cancun’s skyline across the bay. This independent time allows visitors to soak in the island’s relaxed island vibe before the return journey back to the mainland, which includes a lively Tequila party on the catamaran.

Return Trip With Tequila Party

As the ship departs Isla Mujeres, the journey back to the mainland transforms into a lively Tequila party on board the catamaran.

Theres some good an open bar stocked with tequila, as well as other spirits and cocktails.

The party atmosphere is further accentuated by music and dancing , allowing travelers to fully embrace the vibrant Mexican culture.

This celebratory portion of the excursion provides a fitting end to the day’s adventures, leaving guests with lasting memories of their Isla Mujeres experience.

The return trip ensures the experience remains engaging and enjoyable until the very last moment.

Important Considerations and Recommendations

For travellers considering this catamaran tour to Isla Mujeres, several important factors merit attention. The activity may not be suitable for those with mobility issues, back problems, or expectant mothers. Participants should come prepared with comfortable shoes, sun protection, and swimwear. Last-minute bookings are subject to availability, and no refunds are offered for no-shows. It’s crucial to provide all required information to the operator to ensure a seamless experience.

Here's a few more nearby tours and experiences we think you'll like.

• Cozumel: Buggy Adventure to Punta Sur Park and Snorkel
• Spider Monkey at Punta Laguna
• Cozumel: Night Snorkel Adventure
• Cancun: Dolphin Encounter on Isla Mujeres and Garrafon Park
• From Riviera : Kaan Luum With Cenotes & Lunch ECO
• Puerto Aventuras: Dolphin Encounter With Buffet Lunch

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i bring my own food and drinks on the catamaran.

According to the provided information, outside food and drinks are not allowed on the catamaran tour. The tour includes an open bar with a variety of beverages, as well as a buffet lunch at the Ice Bar Beach Club.

Is There a Minimum Age Requirement to Participate?

There’s no minimum age requirement for this activity. Children are welcome, though the tour may not be suitable for very young kids due to the snorkeling and open bar components.

Can I Request a Vegetarian or Special Dietary Meal?

Yes, travelers can request vegetarian or special dietary meals. The tour operator is happy to accommodate any dietary requirements with advance notice. Simply inform them of your needs when booking the tour.

How Many People Typically Participate in Each Tour?

The tour typically accommodates a group size ranging from 20 to 80 participants. The exact number can vary depending on the specific date and availability, so it’s best to check with the tour operator for the latest details.

Is the Catamaran Suitable for Families With Young Children?

The catamaran tour may not be suitable for families with young children. It’s primarily an adult-focused experience with activities like snorkeling, an open bar, and a tequila party, which may not align well with the needs of small kids.

Not for you? Here's more of our most recent tour reviews happening neaby

• Cozumel: General Admission to the Mayan Cacao Experience
• Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club | Tee Time Riviera Maya
• Jungle Atv Tour at Cozumel
• Cancun: Speed Boat & Snorkel Jungle Adventure
• Gran Coyote Golf Course
• Contoy Island
• Riviera Maya Dolphin Connection: Dolphin Beyond Connection
• Tulum: Chocolate & Honey Sanctuary Experience With Lunch
• Cozumel: Mexican Wrestling Show With Tacos & Margaritas!
• Combo Adventure: Parasailing & ATV Jungle Trail in Maroma
• Cozumel: Clear Boat Ride and Snorkeling Trip
• Catamaran to Isla Mujeres, Lunch, Open Bar & Snorkel
• Cozumel: Playa Mia Beach Club Day Pass With Transportation
• From Cancun/Playa Del Carmen: Maroma Beach Nude Day Cruise
• Hard Rock Golf Club

This catamaran excursion to Isla Mujeres offers an exceptional value, providing a well-rounded experience that showcases the island’s natural beauty and vibrant culture. From snorkeling at stunning coral reefs to indulging in a delicious buffet lunch and exploring the charming downtown, this tour is sure to create lasting memories. The open bar and tequila party on the return trip add to the fun and festive atmosphere, making this an unforgettable day in paradise.

Similar Posts

Rent a Bike

Santiago De Compostela: Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience

Bali Downhill Cultural Cycling Tour

Private Hanoi: Crowd-free Morning Highlights of the City

Levada Nova – Mill’s Path by Overland Madeira

Private Ephesus Tour From/To Kusadasi, Istanbul & Bodrum