New Power Catamarans

Discussion in 'Powerboats' started by Jb44, Feb 21, 2021.

  1. Jb44
    Joined: Feb 2021
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    Location: Vancouver

    Jb44 New Member

    Hi all. Been lurking and reading. I’m looking for a new power catamaranTo take me fishing and traveling all over the world. I have been looking at a couple of power Catamarans and I would like your opinions of the designs and quality of fit and finish. I’m looking at at Granocean 68 or 24 m Pachoud exploration. Any information that you can give me would be great. Thanks so much for your time and your opinion. Jim
     
  2. KeithO
    Joined: Jul 2019
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    Location: Michigan

    KeithO Senior Member

    $1.7 million for the Granocean 68. The brochure says a single "Cummings" engine ? Hopefully the boat is not as badly put together as the marketing material. So is your plan to hire a qualified captain for the beast ?
     
  3. Jb44
    Joined: Feb 2021
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    Location: Vancouver

    Jb44 New Member

    Yes the boat will be professionally. Crewed.
     
  4. KeithO
    Joined: Jul 2019
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    Location: Michigan

    KeithO Senior Member

    Have you done any investigation regarding the number of ports you would be able to haul out the boat for bottom work or repairs ? I imagine the options would be very limited compared to even larger monohulls ? With crew, perhaps managing bottom growth should not be a problem, but bottom paint would need to be renewed periodically. Regular maintenance can be done while floating. Fuel capacity seems adequate for a decent range and the boat is large enough that should make it comfortable under normal conditions.
     
  5. bajansailor
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: Barbados

    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

    Here is a link to the Granocean 68 -
    https://www.granocean.com/catamarans/w-68

    And the Pachoud 24 m. exploration -
    24m Exploration HeliCat http://www.pachoud.co.nz/current+projects/24m+exploration+helicat

    Thanks for mentioning these builders - I had not heard of them before, and I have a keen interest in all powercats.

    There is only a 2 metre length difference between these two (despite the misleading '68' for the Granocean), and both of them do look very fine - I am sure that they would both be able to do the job if their Builders outfit them accordingly.

    @Mr Efficiency is very knowledgeable about power cats, and he is Australian, so he might be able to give you a personal opinion about these two.
     
  6. Mr Efficiency
    Joined: Oct 2010
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    You flatter me bajansailor, thanks just the same, I notice one ( Granocean) is said to have a top speed of 32 knots, the other boat 20 knots, the information is sparse however. To the eye, you would think the speeds would be the other way round, the Granocean "looks", from what you can see, a displacement cat, the other appears more akin to a planing type or a hydrofoil assisted planing type. I think you need comprehensive facts sheets and specs on both, to be able to make any meaningful comparison.
     
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  7. Mr Efficiency
    Joined: Oct 2010
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    I have been aboard this boat, which is a tourist vessel, 24 metre composite construction, powered by a couple of Yanmar Diesels under 1000 hp each at the time, 800-900 hp area, it cruised past 20 knots pretty easily, so I wonder why the NZ boat is given as cruising at 12 knots, similar size and installed power. Perhaps the 12 knots is the cruise speed selected to get extended range, and the boat pictured was being gunned to the hilt, but the speed was certainly past 20 knots.
    Spirit-of-Hervey-Bay.jpg
     
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  8. bajansailor
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

  9. fallguy
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    Location: usa

    fallguy Senior Member

    I am not really of much value on f&f, but I can't really imagine buying a boat to travel the world at a rate of 1M plus and not requiring 2 engines and redundancies. If Keith is reading it right; run. If their marketing is wrong; that seems rather off putting. But the boat does 37mph, so the range might be a problem? If she gets 2mpg on 1300 gallons; her range is not enough to make Hawaii unless you can drop to 6 knots and make 3; then still no. The other vessel carries more than twice the fuel.

    Politely, the boats have significantly different capabilities on a quick look, one would think the SOR is a little underdone to worry about fit n finish. The Helicat is the only real choice as I see it.

    If you don't have a well fashioned Statement of Requirements; you'll want to pay someone to help you a bit.

    I didn't have as big a budget, but I spent several years trying to come up with a plan and went with a 10M powercat. Hire someone to help guide you to the right boat.
     
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  10. KeithO
    Joined: Jul 2019
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    Location: Michigan

    KeithO Senior Member

    Im pretty sure it has 2 engines, but misstated on the spec sheet. Also no data on displacement etc. Seems scary, as if they had never built one before or even knew how to write a specification... They give cruise speed as 15kt with the max much higher. Having been on a navy crash boat at 30+kt I cannot imagine doing that sort of speed on a cat in the luxury class, or the consequences of striking anything in the water at such speed.
     
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  11. fallguy
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    fallguy Senior Member

    My apologies to the OP. I searched the internet hi n lo out of sheer curiosity and found a long range version that is 2 cummins 425 and 2900 gallons fuel..guessin that version can make Hawaii from California, most likely..

    But quite odd the company wouldn't post that on their main site.
     
  12. WarthogARJ
    Joined: May 2021
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    Location: Sheffield

    WarthogARJ Junior Member

    I think you'd be better off to use thrusters, with one motor per unit. So there's your redundancy, as well as being more efdficient than the standard inboard diesel fuel hog.
     
  13. WarthogARJ
    Joined: May 2021
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    Location: Sheffield

    WarthogARJ Junior Member

    Is this really a serious drawback for a biggish cat? being able to haul it out for bottom work/repairs?
    For anything you can schedule like fouling and painting, you can pick somewhere that can handle the cat.

    As far as needing it done at a time and place you CANNOT choose, like needing repairs, seems to me whoever is building these cats should address that.

    I think with a bit of lateral thinking, you could design the hull to be removed in other ways than the standard monohull crane affair.

    This is just an initial idea, but perhaps build in a few reinforced places in the hulls to run axles through, and add wheels whilst in the water.
    In effect, turning your hulls into their own trailer.

    Then you get a winch to pull you up a sloping/gradual shore point.
    A beach even.
    Can carry the axles with you.
    And they have flanges on so you can bolt on truck or tractor tire rims/tires.
    Can use as many as you need, after all an 18-wheeler has.....18.
     
  14. fallguy
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    fallguy Senior Member

    What are you suggesting for engines?
     

  15. WarthogARJ
    Joined: May 2021
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    WarthogARJ Junior Member

    You should have a choice: electric or diesel.
    Or a hybrid.

    In the Med, or Costal USA waters you might be happy with only one engine, but further afield, redundancy is a good idea.
    But just doubling up on standard diesels, in a standard planing monohull, and direct drive propellors....well you end up having an intrinsicalky poor power/weight ratio, especially with the diesel fuel weight you need.

    So why not use a system where you can actually benefit from two engines?
    And the best would be an electric motor as the drive, and supply electricity by a generator(s), and some batteries.
    That way each motor is used in an optimum way for it's torque/power/rpm characteristics.
    No gearbox needed.
    And you size your diesels not as huge beasts to go your max speed at the very limited times you want that, but rather to supply enough electricity that with your batteries you can handle peak demand.

    IDEALY, you step out of the whole very inefficient planing energy pit, and use hydrofoils.
    You need even LESS engine brute force then, and thus can cut back on lugging around heavy diesels with massive fuel tanks.
     
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