Looking for power cat plans

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by suprathepeg, Jul 16, 2015.

  1. suprathepeg
    Joined: Jul 2015
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    Location: Winnipeg, Canada

    suprathepeg Junior Member

    I'm thinking of building a smaller power cat for use on larger lakes and possibly the ocean. I'm having trouble finding something that fits my needs can someone make some suggestions? Here are my criteria:

    -I'd like to keep it under 20', prefer in the 16-18' range
    -Glass on plywood construction, prefer stitch and glue so the hulls are easier to keep inside.
    -8' beam so I can trailer it without restrictions
    -beginner level of complexity to build as this will be my first boat build
    -would like a design that can push 30-40 knots

    I've been thinking of using twin smaller jet ski power trains to power it as it would be a nice clean look and easy to maintain etc

    I really like the look of this cat http://www.ikarus342000.com/ECOmotorboat.htm but it won't support the speed I want, I'd like to be able to tow a tube etc.

    Would really appreciate some good input/direction.
     
  2. Jamie Kennedy
    Joined: Jun 2015
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    Location: Saint John New Brunswick

    Jamie Kennedy Senior Member

    Do you have a total displacement in mind also?
     
  3. suprathepeg
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    suprathepeg Junior Member

    No, I would like to be able to carry 2000lbs of crew and cargo though if that helps. I know that shallow draft with a cat is hard to achieve but it would be cool if the boat can be beached easily enough.
     
  4. Kailani
    Joined: Apr 2013
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    Location: Hawaii

    Kailani Senior Member

    Glen-L has been selling plans for a long time and you can get support from all the Glen-L builders.


    Glen-L Jet Cat

    Glen-L Hell Cat

    Glen-L Aqua Cat
    http://www.boatdesigns.com/18-Aqua-Cat-roomy-power-catamaran-cruiser/products/275/
    (You could modify the cabin and deck to be more modern if you wanted)​

    Glen-L WILDCAT "E-X-T" SPORT
     
  5. suprathepeg
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    suprathepeg Junior Member

    I looked at the Glen-L powercats but I can't find anything being made by anyone currently. Also these designs are pretty dated, is there anything new out there?
     
  6. Kailani
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    Kailani Senior Member

    Here's a wildcat built in 2013 in Australia
    http://boatbuilders.glen-l.com/wildcat-sport-design/?album=232&gallery=1508
    Comments says with two Honda 90's 65 km/h.

    And here's one built in 2012 in South Dakota
    http://boatbuilders.glen-l.com/wildcat-sport-design/?album=232&gallery=1178

    There's one built in Quebec earlier there if you scan thru the album on the Glen-L site.

    Most of what people think of as modern is styling and you could modify the deck and console to be more modern. Start with a very simple set of plans with a big number of builders to offer support and then style it to be more modern. Kurt Hughes has newer designs more like the america's cup support boats, more efficient slender hulls for slower speeds and less fuel use. Most of the time you can't go full throttle anyway because of weather and not wanting to knock your teeth out.
     
  7. suprathepeg
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    Location: Winnipeg, Canada

    suprathepeg Junior Member

    Thanks for those links. They are the larger 22' cat which is bigger than I'd like to build.

    The aqua cat is much closer to what I'm thinking.

    I'd really like fewer bulkheads than the wild cat design.

    Here is another concern. Most of these older designs are optimized for the older outboards that were significantly lighter. How do I compensate and still use a higher HP power plant?

    So let's assume I did an aqua cat. Would it be hard to move the sitting area higher and further forward? The cuddy seems like a poor use of space to me.

    Finally stitch and glue seems like it would be easier to graft in jet ski power trains.

    Is this asking too much of those designs?
     
  8. Kailani
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    Kailani Senior Member

    Yes the older designs I'm sure were done for 2 strokes originally (100 lbs lighter per outboard on the transom). But I think Glen-L has considered added weight of 4-strokes already. The Honda 90's that Jean-Sébastien who built one in Montreal mentioned were 4-stroke I'm pretty sure. All honda 90's have been 4 stroke since 2004 at least. The wildcat can be built as either 20, 22, or 24 feet already so it's close to your length too and the center console will have better resale value.
     
  9. suprathepeg
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    suprathepeg Junior Member

    To be honest I'm not super hot on outboard power either way. That said from what I've seen looking at the Glen-l stuff they have not adjusted their designs for heavier 4-strokes. I certainly don't know everything about them but I have done some research. The most common power boats that get built are classic style inboards.

    I really want to build using jet ski power. 20' is more weight than I think I want but if that's the best option to build off then so be it. I'm not against the bigger boat but the wildcat has a lot of bulkheads in the hull. The plan so far is to graft in the ski hulls into the cat hulls. How do I work around all the bulkheads?
     
  10. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    I think Boden's boat plans have a power cat in the size range, but the hulls look too fat to me. Cats are more difficult to build because there are so many more individual panels compared to a monohull, more than twice as many.
     
  11. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    There are precious few jet drives in 18' cats, you are venturing into uncharted waters with that, imo. It could disappoint, outboards will be quicker and less fuel.
     
  12. Kailani
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    Kailani Senior Member

    Good thing with outboards is they are easiest to adjust if needed. Raise, lower, setback, or swap. Even mass produced boats with jets aren't always winners and the mass produced boats have money for testing to get it all worked out. With enough time anything is doable. However, outboards almost always outperform the jet versions for the same horsepower. For example compare Boston Whaler outboard to jet versions with same fuel consumption.
     
  13. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    I spoke to one fella with a twin-jet cat in the 6.5-7m range and he lamented the lack of a fuel company sponsorship ! Getting enough space to install engines inside skinny demi-hulls is a problem too. I'd forget the jets, unless there is a specific need to have them, but really for shallow-draft requirements a cat is not a good choice anyway.
     
  14. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member


  15. suprathepeg
    Joined: Jul 2015
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    suprathepeg Junior Member

    Yea good points about fitting jets to the hulls. Outboards would be easier...

    I'm starting to take a shining to the 14' jet cat the more I think about a glen-l boat. The problem again being the weight of the outboards. Again a smaller hull would probably be effected by the weight of the motors more than the larger ones.

    How much freedom is there to change the layout of things like the deck? Could the cuddly be changed to more of an open bow easily? How about moving the steering console forward to allow more room in the rear?
     
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