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Dear Sailor,
Thank you for your inquiry.
I have been building catamarans since 1975 and now have boats all around the world. The cost of having a custom boat built has soared the last 10 years and I have tried to offset this by offering a Kit for the owner builder.
The most difficult part of building a boat is the hull. Several designers have tried to make this easier for the builder by tortured compromised shapes in plywood or glass. You have probably heard terms like constant camber or cylinder molded used to describe the building of hulls. All these involve laminating thin layers of wood into one shape and then trying to bend this into a different shape. If you have ever tried to bend plywood that already shaped you know this is very difficult to do. This is without question the wrong place for a compromise. The hull shape is critical for any vessel. The interaction of hulls with the water is everything.
What I have done is build a 48 foot female mold based on lessons I have learned in the past 30 years of catamaran construction.
There are two 48s you can charter and see for your self the great ride and potential this hull platform has. Please contact me for charter information.
We have incorporated the best features to make this catamaran fast, smooth, light weight and very durable.
The mold is a two piece female type. The hulls are built in two halves and then jointed at the centerline. The keel is solid fiberglass.
The hull is 48 feet overall length with a maximum hull beam of 4 feet 6 inches. At 21,000 lbs. displacement the DWL of the hulls is 47 feet with the waterline beam at 44 inches and hull draft 22 inches. The height of each hull from keel to sheer is 7 feet at the maximum. This shape has proven to be fast with a large weight carrying ability. The hull has balanced full ends to reduce the pitching moment. If the builder keeps the weight in the center of the boat the rough water ride is great.
The hull construction is to U.S.C.G. inspected vessel specifications. The all composite hull is built with a high heat distortion temperature 100% solids epoxy resin. The outer fiberglass skin is 10oz. boat cloth plus 34oz. biaxial fiberglass. The divinycell foam core is H100 grade 25mm thick which is vacuumed bagged with epoxy glue to the outer skin. The inner hull skin is 34oz. biaxial fiberglass. There is also heavy local reinforcement in high stress areas. The exterior of the hulls are supplied with an epoxy barrier coat which must be final painted by the builder. The basic hulls kit is shipped with two bulkheads installed and two rolling cradles per hull.
The crossbeams have several options. One can build in wood/epoxy or all composite. We can supply plans or we can build them for you. We have cats thirty years old with wood/epoxy crossbeams and decks that are in perfect condition. Your boat will weigh more with the wood/epoxy system but will cost a lot less to build.
The crossbeams are plywood skins with a laminated solid wood truss beam sandwiched in between. These are easy to build and very strong. If they are sealed in epoxy they can outlast you. If you want a minimum boat 12” 6061T6 aluminum tubes with nets between the hulls is quick to build. Build a small cabin to fit on the deck later. Go sailing now.
Remember weight is good only in a steamroller. The best performing catamarans are ones that are kept to a minimum. It will be a much better to build a 48’ cat with the accommodations of a 40’ not a 60’. Forty eight feet goes through the water a lot better than forty. The difference will be incredible.
What are you going to use the boat for? Make a list of what you need. Divide the list into categories and give each one a budget. Be realistic on your budgets. Remember the cost for the building site and launching costs.
There are infinite variables in building a great catamaran but a few of the basic parameters are: · Mast height less than 63’ above the water, ICW bridges are 65’. · Beam less than 25’. 100 ton Travel lifts slipways are 27’ max. · Daggerboards are a must, keels are for monohulls. · Wingdeck clearance should be 30” minimum. · Inboard diesel engines are the best and outboards are the worst. · Ventilation is your friend. · Weight is your enemy. · Load the boat with the weight in the middle · Build it strong but light, · Remember you are going back to the store before the cruise.
Contact me for a current price list of hulls, plans, crossbeams, rudders, daggerboards, bulkheads, mast, boom, etc.
All parts are handcrafted at my shop in Florida.
Michael Bell President Offshore Catamarans By BELL COMPOSITES, INC. . . I would also like to stress that we can go to most any location for preliminary setup, critical
construction, final assembly, and operations training. . .
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