Need Help with Unique Problem

[rasorinc]

I don't know what it is. I'm not a sailing man. However, if he wants to go wild and draw attention to himself. How about this with the 3 circles being 14' in diameter. http://www.boatdesign.net/gallery/sh...php/photo/1481

[DiningShip]

Robherc,

If you could post pictures it would great! I have a local contact here who says he can build said hulls for about 65 an hour (is that a good price?). I'd love to forward along a picture for more accurate money estimates.

Awesome picture Rasor. The Volvo Penta ISP engine is a directional control engine which can point in any direction. Operated by joystick. Mounted in the center of the craft the boat can spin 180 on spot. They also do some nifty things with exhuast and get pretty amazing GPH. The versitaility here would be to mount on in the middle of a the cat toward the rear. Idealy it would retractable while sailing, but that might be pushing it. =) We can dream right?

[rasorinc]

On that engine is it connected to a sail drive? Of course you could mount a long shaft outboard in a well, hidden from view, with a simple lift system to pull it up for sailing. I bet that Volvo costs big $$$$$$$ That would be an eye catching cat. I saved that pic off this forum so someone here did it.

[robherc]

@razor-
Inventive, VERY inventive!...If the circles are 14' diamaeter, then I'd guess that to be about a 35'LOA cat? don't think I, personally, would be interested in owning anything like that, but it COULD become one heck of a tourist attraction.

@DiningShip-
I don't know much about prices for builds...I'm a hobbyist & design/build all my own stuff, so I have no idea what things cost in the "real world." As far as the engine(s) I'd REALLY recommend going with double engines, one in each hull for the boat. Ideally, I/O engines would give you the most maneuverability, but you could pretty easily get away with normal inboards as long as you put the props directly forewords of your rudders.
Pictures are coming...soon as I can get them saved & posted.

[rasorinc]

The real joy for me is in the Rough design work then putting it all to close scale so I can make a materials list. I do most of it freehand. When I settle on a hull I go looking for plans of the hull done by a professional and buy them. The rest is weights and balances of my topside designs. I never design a hull sorta like if the foundation of a home is screwed up - the whole house is F-----.. That is why I tell newbes buy a set of professional plans for the hull. Just what I did on my 30' cat

My cat is 9'-2" x 30'-06" and the materials, for the hull , cabin (14' long) with Queen bed under front deck and a 6' rear deck built out of doug Fir and DF marine Ply, with sides and bottom glassed is running about $6,000.00 US for all materials.
As far as that design goes "COCTAILS BEING SERVED IN THE UPPER MEZZENING"

mY HULL . I have of course made changes. https://www.boatdesigns.com/products.asp?dept=722

[DiningShip]

I liked the picture of the round top cat too, but I'm pretty sure that you'd get some Magnus force off it. Also seems a little more tailored to shock, then practical.

[robherc]

Here are the Linesplan (2160*1141 pixels...I made it BIG so it'd print legibly), design hydrostatics at 1.5' draft, and hydrostatics for 1' draft through 2' draft @ 3" trim & 3" draft increments.
I must not, however, that this is a fictitious hull that I designed in about 10 minutes. It does not include bulkheads, akas, superstructure, or anything....so take it with a BIG grain of salt please!

[rasorinc]

enlarge this look.

http://www.boatdesign.net/gallery/sh.../size/big/cat/
On the round one it all depends on the materials you use and the color scheme. Plus I would work on the roofs. It would not be top heavy if done right the sides of the lower circles are about 4' high but in the center between sponsons you have full height. use the sides for seating. Your in a competitive business and need a real eye catcher that performs well. you can put a fair amount of seated people in a 14' circle.

Ross
go for a simple twin inboard istallation with controllable pitch props (featherable while sailing), they keep you engines in good health for very long and save on fuel. All in all they cost not more than the Volvo system (to same hp total), but live three times longer. Gori, Hundestedt etc.

The cost for 1lb of the boat (through the door) is in the ballpark of 15 to 22$ at present. Below that figure you should expect crap (or a builder in hassle), above is luxury with all the bells and whistles.

I have seen PAR is on the scene... stay relaxed and let him guide you. Even if he does´nt design it for you (I´m almost shure he will not) he will find the right ones.

Regards
Richard

[rasorinc]

Going with a catamaran hull is your best bet. Now you can make it and the topsides look like anything you want.
South Pacific, Chinese (junk), sleek sailing vessel ? only your imagination really limits you and some praticality. Have a lot of fun and enjoy the process. Do check with the CG though, so you can avoid mistakes up front.
And I recomend inboards as mentioned in early posts. If you want any further input from me, you can send me a PM also, I will continue to follow your progress on the forum. Stan

shrink this concept down a bit. http://www.boatdesign.net/gallery/sh...hp/photo/12010

[mydauphin]

Low speed Surface drives for shallow draft and efficiency.
I don't 30 feet is enough for a dining and good real kitchen.So either make boat much bigger or keep kitchen off. Kitchen also increase power needs that take up shape and produces problems. Remeber that having a legal commercial kitchen on board can be a lot of work.

Cat idea is good for draft...etc... But depending on how far out your going, how about a big flat bottom house boat hull like Somerset

Or just go for big pontoon boat.

or a barge...

Originally Posted by mydauphin

or a barge...

Ey... thats a nice one, and it has its pier already in tow, clever

[PAR]

This is the boat I mentioned in my email Ross, not that I'm suggesting it as your dinner cruiser, but as a working dinner cruiser I've done. She can accommodate quite a crowd, well more then your requirements.

[Buildboats]

I have a kit catamaran that might be what your looking for and it's very cost effective NV Catamarans

[DiningShip]

I appreciate the thoughts guys, most people quickly fall into the "big crowd" thoughts. I'm not serving more than 6 people. I presently can do that with the equiped boats we use, but due to kitchen size (icebox, 2 burner alchol stove, 10 inches work space, sink), it can only be one dish. I can easily serve six guests six unique dishes with just a medium sized grill and a burner or two. All of it can be Propane, or even charcol, and an open air style kitchen, where you watch the chef work eliminates the need for excessive fire hoods and safety concerns. Simple is the key here. We keep things simple by using Captains with "six pack" licenses (though most have far high class licenses), no CG inspected vehicles. I knocked up a (very rough) model in Acad last night to give some idea of what I'm looking for. An island hopping cruiser with beds and excess heads is what most Cat's turn into if you think 'big'. Looking at the picture, you can also see that it could be a pontoon or houseboat, but we all like the silent sailing aspect of the trip and don't really want to change it to the typical engine based dining cruise ship. It adds very unique feel when you can look up from the table and see the sails filled with air and hear the wind whistling through the rigging.

Hulls in this model could contain water/waste storage as well as engines and other such nessacities, leaving the deck free for guests and chef. Thoughts?