catamaran engine(s)?

[brian c]

hi all.
i have just bought a 17ft fibreglass catamaran with a front cuddy (it is a powerboat and never was designed to be a sailboat). Problem is it has two outboards - 12hp 'wind' apparently theyre made in russia but i cant find any information about them on the internet, anyway one needs a small end bearing and a gudgeon pin.

What i need to know really is if i dont get the parts what is the best way to go about changing the boat to a single outboard, 25hp i suppose should be enough, but with the wake kicking up the inside channel between the hulls will that 'drown' - for want of a better word - the outboard? if so can anyone suggest what i should do, is there any single engined catamarans that have addressed this problem. hope you can help

many thanks

brian

[Skeeter]

Hi Brian, just today I was talking with the builder of a tunnel hull boat, called Airide. In order for a cat or tunnel hull boat to work with a single engine something must be done to "clean" the water passing underneath. They had to fashion something like a wing to press down and smooth out the water between the hulls. It has a technical name and I can't remember what it is called. Also, Livingston boats in Washington state builds cats up to 18ft. and they are designed primarily for single outboard power. Find them at www.livingstonboats.com I don't think Airide boats has a website, but Livingston should be able to answer your questions.

Good luck,

Greg

[brian c]

i can see the back view so i'll do something similar, i'd love to see the bottom plan, but i guess its a taperd V shape.

thanks greg