Building a power catamaran

[Suprathepeg]

I've been hunting around on the web and the bug to build a boat has bit me pretty hard. I think I might start with a Glen-L dyno jet but I've been thinking more and more about power cats. My wife and I plan to move to SoCal in the next 18 months so a simple boat that can handle bigger chop nicely will keep us both interested could be nice.

Here is what I'm thinking:
-16-18' long
-beam of 8'
-large enough cabin to sleep in if we want to go for a trip.
-Glass on plywood construction.
-Power train from a jet-ski in each hull so it has some punch and looks clean, plus no props to worry about in low areas.
-30-40MPH top speed would be nice so we can pull a tube etc if we want to have some fun

I can't find any plans for a boat like this online so some suggestions would be good.
This is likely not the forum for this so if you have a suggestion would be good.
General thoughts?

 

[hockynut2]

http://www.clarkcraft.com/index.php3?cart_id=04fb751e9308d515370073536e4d6d35 Check this site out, not exactly size what you are looking for but they sell a lot of great plans and you might be able to find one you like and scale it to size. Sounds like a fun project good luck!

 

[Suprathepeg]

I found this one most appealing. looks like a stealth boat lol. I'm starting to see that setting the ski jets in the hulls might be difficult.

http://www.ikarus342000.com/ECOmotorboat.htm

 

[H20Rat]

A boat 16' LONG with a 8' beam would be interesting... And not a very friendly ride either, especially at 40 mph. I wouldn't do the jetski route, if nothing else do twin outboards, one on each.

 

[Suprathepeg]

I'm looking for a width of about 8' give or take.

 

[jbcurt00]

Plan to trailer it?

Be sure you have a plan for the trailer. If the trailer is wider then an 8ft beam boat, you may run into width requirements that necessitate special planning to move or tow it.

Calif limits trailers to 8.5ft. A power cat would sit fairly high off the ground if the trailer tires are tucked under the sponsons to get under the 8.5ft width requirements.

Since you plan to move to SoCal, it'll have to be moved at least twice. From where you build it to the water. And from where you are now to SoCal.

The big SoCal move could be 1 of those overnight adventures if your on the northern west coast now
...

Good luck

Lots of DIY boat plans online. Once you narrow it down to a few or 1 plan, i'd suggest you order the minis, if available. They give you enough info to decide yes this is the 1 or not, but not enough to build from.

 

[Suprathepeg]

The ones that I've been looking at you haul on a modified flat bed trailer that is standard width. The only downside I can see is that you need to really get the trailer deep at the launch to get the boat to float off. I guess you could use a lift but that gets old fast. We would be towing this boat from central Canada to Cali, it'll take a few days.

 

[hockynut2]

If you get dimensions right a pontoon trailer might work well for something like this too. Possibly modify with rollers to help slide of trailer.

 

[Suprathepeg]

Yea the trailer is the easy part. It's a design that I can build that seems to be the challenge. The older ones are nice but the hull designs etc seem a bit out dated.