Catamaran-like Fishing boat

[timnphx]

Hello all,

I, am another newbe to this forum, and also seeking inputs to a boat design i have idea about. I have built 2 boats so far over the years, 1st being a strip ceder canoe, then a Great island rowboat design I purchased from Ducktrap boats. The rowboat was also rigged to use a 8ft birdsmouth hollow mast and sprit rig sail. All of which I built several years ago. Used it many times for fishing and all. See my images. However, I am looking to build a new boat, so as not to have such low-to-the-deck seating and something that is more stable for standing in while I flyfish. I have a rough drawing of a catamaran-like boat I would like to build (last Image). I would like it to be 12-14ft LOA and with a good beam size and with good freeboard. Anyone know of allready existing plans or would I have to design from scratch?

[Lt. Holden]

How about converting a 12' AQUACAT sailing catamaran by replacing the trampoline with a rigid deck and fiiting a mount for a small gas or electric motor on the aft transverse beam?

[kengrome]

How are you going to power this boat?

[timnphx]

I have a Minn Kota trolling motor, and maybe pick up a small outboard motor later. I have no intention of setting up any sailing rig.

[kengrome]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for clarifying this issue, this simplifies the design requirements a lot. I presume this boat will be used only in calm waters, is this correct? How many people should it carry? Should it be extreme shallow draft?

You know ... flat bottom boats are more stable than catamarans having the same horizontal area, and they float in much shallower water too. You might want a simple flat-bottom jonboat if maximum stability and extreme shallow draft are your goals. But if propulsion efficiency is important a catamaran will do better.

12-14 feet is much longer than you need for only one person. I was going to suggest a 10x5 or maybe even 8x4 if it's only for one person. The smaller and/or lighter the better as long as it serves the purpose, right? :)

If you're determined to get a catamaran I'm sure there are boats out there that you could buy, but I don't have any recommendations for you, so ...

Here's my idea of a not-very-attractive but very simple and functional catamaran for one person. This boat is almost 8 feet long by 5 feet wide, it will be very easy to propel because of the sharp ends of the hulls. It displaces 475 pounds at 6 inches draft.

To build it requires only three sheets of plywood, some pipe or 2x2 lumber, and a day or two of your time. There's tons of storage space inside the hulls which you'd access by installing a hatch in the middle of each. I would box in the ends of the hulls and use them for sealed airtight flotation if I built this boat for myself: