how to build a canoe catamaran

DIY Cruising Catamaran: Complete Building Guide

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A brand-new cruising catamaran can set you back a hefty amount of money. However, a DIY cruising catamaran provides a more affordable way to own your own boat. While building a large boat can be an extremely challenging and time-consuming experience, nothing beats the pleasure of bringing your own boat to life. 

To build a DIY cruising catamaran, buy good design plans, determine your budget and find a working space. Next, choose your hull material, buy supplies and start building the mast beam. Build and sheathe the hull, install bulkheads, the interior, and finally, launch the catamaran boat.

In this article, you will find a complete guide to building your own catamaran. You will also find detailed information on why you may want to consider building your catamaran and approximately how much this project would cost. Finally, we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of building a catamaran from scratch.

Why You Might Want To Build Your Own Catamaran

Most people might think that purchasing a used boat to repair and fix it up would be cheaper than a DIY cruising catamaran. But while building your own catamaran could be an enormous undertaking, it also comes with many advantages over buying something used. 

Other than the unique opportunity to create beautiful memories and experiences while cruising, sailing, and exploring beautiful coastlines, there are a number of benefits that come along with the DIY approach.  

Knowing Your Boat

Building your own catamaran provides you with intimate knowledge of your boat. You will know every corner, including where to find every bolt, wire, bulkhead, rib, hose, and support as you installed them yourself. This knowledge will enhance your confidence while at sea since you will have entrusted your life to a boat whose history you are aware of and deeply connected to.

Pride of Ownership

The satisfaction you get from crafting something with your own hands is immense. As a result, the knowledge that you built your boat from scratch will fill you with absolute pride and an immense sense of achievement. Furthermore, as an owner-builder, you get to keep and enjoy the boat for as many years as you wish.

Substantial Cost Savings

Building your catamaran will work out cheaper than buying a new or even gently used boat. Though you will likely require some additional labor since doing some things will require an extra pair of hands, if you are particularly good at DIY, you will save a significant amount of money on labor costs as a whole. 

Freedom To Create Your Own Designs

If you decide to buy a catamaran boat, it might not be easy to find one that meets your unique needs. However, instead of choosing from production boats that bear traditional and outdated designs, you can come up with an ultra-modern design or style for your catamaran. You also get to pick your layout, size, and equipment based on your taste and budget.

Great Learning Experience

Building your own boat will help you pick up numerous skills that will come in handy later when sailing your boat. As much as you might still require an expert to help you with specialized skills like carpentry or wiring, your new skills will serve you well. This will also be beneficial when it comes to your boat’s maintenance and fixing things for yourself. 

What To Look For in Catamaran Boat Designs

When deciding on the type of catamaran boat to build, you may want to choose a design that’s simple and easy to build. This is because doing so will allow you to spend a shorter time building the boat. 

You also need to have a set of requirements to guide you in choosing your design or what you might call an ideal cruising catamaran wish list. This is essential because, ultimately, you want to build a boat that offers outstanding qualities such as:

  • Delivers good speed
  • Affordable to own and operate
  • Agile, strong, and easy to maintain
  • Has a high resistance to capsizing
  • Great for sailing and cruising
  • Delivers a comfortable and easy motion underway
  • Good handling ability and high performance under sail
  • User-friendly embarking and disembarking
  • Provides ample living and accommodation space 
  • Presents a reasonable resale value

It’s worth noting that, in general, catamaran boats tend to offer a fair resale value mainly because of scarcity and the high price accorded to production models. So, if you build a well-constructed catamaran, you are bound to get a return that’s much higher than the cost of materials upon resale.

It’s also good to consider whether the design you settle on is from an established designer. This is significant because documentation of the building process is just as valuable when it comes to selling the boat.

How Much Would It Cost To Build Your Own Catamaran?

The cost of building your cruising catamaran will depend heavily on the size of the boat you plan to build and the skills you bring to the table. To give you an idea of probable costs, a professionally built 40 foot (12.1 m) long cruising catamaran could go for up to $300,000. 

Though building it yourself will undoubtedly be cheaper, most DIY boatbuilders tend to underestimate the expected costs. Your final costs should cover not only the cost of material and equipment but also the labor and time it would take to come up with the final product. 

If you were to build a 40-foot (12.1-meter) catamaran, your cost of materials would range between 20-30% of the total cost. Therefore, for $300,000 total, the boat’s materials would range between $60,000 and $90,000. The hull tends to range between 15-35% of the total build. Again, this depends on the finish and furniture.

But before you even start working on the DIY project, you will need to figure out where to do the work. If your home has ample space, then you can opt for a backyard building. But if you live in a small apartment, then you might want to consider renting a small garage at first and then move on to a boatyard later. This is one of the significant costs involved in building your multi-haul.  

What You Will Need

To get a clearer picture of how much the entire project would cost, let’s have a look at what else you will need to purchase.

  • Good design plans
  • Working space
  • Ground tackle
  • Matting and roving
  • Equipment such as the engine, windows, rudders, deck fittings, mast, and rigging

In addition to the above, you also need to install plumbing and electricals. You may also want to consider going electric rather than using diesel. Not only will this drastically reduce your maintenance costs, but you get to use the regenerated power for all of your housing needs while sailing. 

Some catamaran boat designs help you save costs by advocating the use of less expensive corpus materials. Most of the material goes directly into making the boat, which means there is hardly any wastage on vacuum bagging . With this method, there are few molds and temporal building forms and fewer fillers to grind off as waste. All these factors reduce the time and cost it takes to build your catamaran boat.

That said, building a boat of any kind is a huge financial undertaking. As such, you still need to have the financial ability to keep building; otherwise, your project will stall or take much longer than anticipated. Instead of enjoying yourself and making memories cruising to faraway lands, you might end up spending all your time building a seemingly never-ending boat.

To reiterate, this project is more of a labor of love, given that it involves a tremendous amount of manual work. Calculating an hourly rate on the time spent building the boat and adding this cost to that of materials may make it seem a very pricey exercise. However, it is vital to understand that your time matters, and every hour you spend working for “free” should be included. 

With that in mind, you need to ensure that you are fully devoted to the boat construction project and are sure you want to do it before you begin. Stopping halfway because it seems like too much work would be incredibly costly.

How To Build a Catamaran

When it comes to building a cruising catamaran, you have 3 main options:

  • You can buy an old boat and refurbish it.
  • Purchase a bare hull plus deck molding for a home-boat building.
  • Start from scratch and build everything, including the hull, on your own. 

As mentioned above, renovating an existing boat may end up being more costly than starting from scratch. To build a catamaran boat from scratch, follow the below step-by-step guide.

Prepare the Essentials

Before you jump into such a large project, there are several important aspects to consider:

  • Buy your plans from an established catamaran designer. You can also get inexpensive, easy-to-build catamaran designs online.
  • Get access to a large working space or build a shed . Depending on your climate, you may need to opt for climate control to avoid an excess of moisture in humid areas. 
  • Decide on your choice of hull material. This could be fiberglass, aluminum, steel, wood, or ferroconcrete. 
  • Start working on a bill of materials estimate. Include everything that you think you need to get a better idea of the initial costs.

Build the Mast Beam

Using wood and epoxy, cut and glue together the pieces of wood that will form the mast beam. Most of the work at this stage can occur in a garage since it involves building small parts. Still, the work could take up to 4 months, so be prepared to put in long hours.

Build the Boat Hull

Now, it’s time to build the boat’s hull. A catamaran comprises two hulls which are connected with a deck. Below is a short video showing how to build a hull mold:

This work requires a larger facility, so you might need to move out of the garage and into a boatyard. If you don’t have access to a larger workshop, consider building a shed where you can work as you do the construction. Make sure there’s enough room to fit the boat and also allow you to work comfortably. To cover the shed, you can use opaque white tarps. 

Sheathe the Hull

Get all the materials you require for this stage in the construction, such as lots of resin, fiberglass, and foam for use in the hull cores. You’ll also require matting and glass roving to sheath the hull . 

Sheathing helps to make the hull impervious to water and other marine borers. But first, you need to prepare the hull using a rotary sander. To make it as smooth as possible, use light, sweeping strokes. This is a very dusty task so be prepared to wear a facemask and safety goggles. 

Install the Bulkheads

Next is installing the plywood bulkheads . You might need to call in friends to help turn the hulls or use a crane. In this step, you will need to laminate the hull sides on the molded hull panels and bond them above the bulkheads. Ensure the bulkheads are snug and sealed in place.

Construct the Interior Structure

Over the next couple of months, the boat work will involve joining the hulls together with the beams that you had made back in the garage. Then, install the cuddy cabin, decks , and the cockpit . Soon the boat will start to take the shape of a catamaran.

Next, proceed to construct the major structural components such as stairs, hatches, mini-keels, and the interior. Then comes the work of fairing the boat, which is quite labor-intensive. 

Finally, it’s time to apply primer on the catamaran boat and start the paintwork. Before painting the boat, you will need to do additional sanding to finish off the two layers of primer as well as fill all the pinholes. Since it’s a large boat, the catamaran has lots of surface area; thus, the sanding could get extremely exhausting—mentally and physically—at this point.

The painting can take a while, too. The hulls are the easiest to paint, but the topsides, non-skid, as well as masking and prepping could seem never-ending. 

The final stretch involves working on the center bridge deck cabin and other final touches like installing the engines, electricals, and plumbing. This is also the time to fix the rudders, rigging, mast, windows, and deck fittings.

Launch Your Cruising Catamaran

After many months or years of hard work, your cruising catamaran is finally ready to test the waters. After lowering the boat into the water, check carefully in case there are leaks. If none, you can set up the sails and take your catamaran out for your first cruise. 

Below is a short video that takes you through the entire boat-building process:

If you don’t have deep pockets, don’t despair. It’s also possible to build an inexpensive catamaran boat, as shown in this post from the coastal passage .

The Pros of Building a Catamaran

Though it will be a costly endeavor, there are so many things to look forward to should you decide to build your own catamaran:

  • It can be lots of fun.
  • You get to have a new boat.
  • It’s an excellent hobby for DIY enthusiasts.
  • The effort is rewarding.
  • It offers a great learning experience.
  • You get the exact kind of boat you want.
  • You can alter building plans and tailor the boat to suit your specific needs.
  • It might be cheaper than buying a new boat.

The Cons of Building a Catamaran

Though there are a number of positive aspects to a DIY build, it is just as important to keep in mind that it won’t always be easy:

  • Maintenance costs can be quite high.
  • It’s both mentally and physically exhausting.
  • It might require some technical know-how.
  • It can take many months or even years to complete.
  • It requires a lot of commitment to finish the DIY project.
  • It might be challenging as well as expensive to get insurance.  
  • You will spend almost all your free time building the boat. 

DIY Cruising Catamaran Tips and Tricks

If you are new to boat building, it would be a good idea to build a small boat first. This would give you a good indication as to whether you’d enjoy tackling a more extensive project like building a catamaran. Again, if you are the handy type, fixing your own electronics could also save you a significant amount of money. 

Here are more tips and tricks to get the most out of your DIY cruising catamaran:

  • Lower your costs. Bring down your costs even further by sourcing for parts and supplies at marine surplus outlets, Craigslist, eBay, or wholesale suppliers. 
  • Enhance your resale value. Most home-built boats are not easy to sell since they tend to be too customized. To enhance your resale value, it’s advisable to work with a standard design from a well-established naval architect.
  • Follow the design instructions. Make sure to follow the designer’s instructions regarding the type of materials and tools to use during the build to avoid making costly mistakes.
  • Maintain your original budget. Avoid any additional customizations once you have started building the boat. Using good plans and sticking to them ensures that your budget doesn’t spiral out of control.

Final Thoughts

Building a catamaran is about more than saving money. It’s fun, exciting, fulfilling, and can be a great learning experience. While it might take many months of back-breaking work, comparative shopping and sourcing for materials will help you save a lot of money. Still, at the end of it all, you’ll have a beautiful catamaran boat, all ready for your first cruising adventure.

However, if you have neither the time nor the energy to build your own catamaran from scratch, refurbishing an existing hull might prove faster and easier. It also works out much cheaper than buying a new boat.

Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!

One thought on “ DIY Cruising Catamaran: Complete Building Guide ”

Hello, I am a French Quebecer who is original, imaginative, creative and who finds that all boats and catamarans have a huge flaw and a very big lack of logic. I would have a brand new concept…. I am sending this message to any catamaran creator – designer to make those who have the opportunity and the intelligence to want to know about my innovative idea which will finally upset the market much richer. An idea that will totally change the concept of sailing, navigation and save so much worry!! All I would ask for is a small percentage of each sale of the new product. To be able to make me produce one when I have enough!! It is certain that like that, you just want to tell me: come on Mr. Lessard give us your idea but do not take your word to help me in return! But, if you are the kind of man to have only one word and maybe have a proof of your good faith if the realization of the project would make it… I will be very happy!! Giving it to everyone wouldn’t bother me either…. all I would like is to be able to find flax fiber (too expensive carbon) to be able to try to make my catamaran myself. Because not rich! Have a nice day and looking forward to having a message!!

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Schionning Designs International Pty Ltd Leaders in Multihull Design and Kit Development.

The Kit Process

Building your own boat can be a daunting prospect, however to demonstrate each step in the kit assembly process, we've created this guide for you to study. as you can see our kits are the ultimate in building efficiency and have been streamlined over 30+ years to ensure that you're on the water faster and with less effort., how does it all go together.

Schionning Designs Catamaran Kit Build Process - Step 1 The first step to building your dream catamaran begins with a strongback - this is a square frame used to position the temporary frames that will be used to form the hull shape. This frame will be set up and must be square and accurate, a string or laser level can be used to achieve this.

The first step to building your dream catamaran begins with a strongback – this is a square frame used to position the temporary frames that will be used to form the hull shape. This frame will be set up and must be square and accurate, a string or laser level can be used to achieve this.

Step 2 pre-cut frame panels are erected along the strongback in sequence - catamaran building step 2 SDI

The forebeam is now installed along with the striker attachment fitting, as shown above. The bridgedeck is installed shortly after and taped onto the bulkheads with webs installed, this now completes what is a quite stiff and strong platform to work on.

Step 8 catamaran kit building - forward webs and dash will be fitted - SDI

Now that the bridgedeck is in place, the forward webs and dash will be fitted. At this stage, all furniture and internal work begins, with the main panels left off for ease of access when working.

Catamaran Kit Building Processs by Schionning Designs SDI -Step 9 The internal furniture is now installed, if you chose Kit Option 2, this furniture will be pre-cut to your previously decided upon layout. If you chose to receive blank panels, this is the period in which your internal living areas are to be built. This construction uses paper-honeycomb Duflex panels, as these are superior in weight when used non-structurally. Cabin soles, engines and daggerboard cases are also now installed.

Catamaran Plans Sun Set

Catamaran Plans: Design, Build and Sail your own Multi-Hull Boat

Table of Contents

Why Build a Catamaran: The Benefits of Multi-Hull Boats

Building a catamaran offers many benefits over traditional monohull boats. One of the main advantages of catamarans is their stability. With two hulls instead of one, catamarans have a lower center of gravity, which makes them less likely to tip over in rough waters. This makes them ideal for families with children, or for anyone who wants to feel more secure while on the water.

Another benefit of catamarans is their increased speed and efficiency. The two hulls of a catamaran can displace more water than a single hull, which means they can move through the water faster and with less resistance. This makes them ideal for racing or for anyone who wants to cover more ground in less time. Additionally, Catamarans are also known for their space, as the twin-hull design provides more room for living and storage than a monohull.

how to build a canoe catamaran

Catamarans also offer more flexibility in terms of design. The two hulls of a catamaran can be configured in many different ways, which allows for a wide range of customization options. For example, one hull can be used for sleeping quarters, while the other can be used for storage or as a cockpit. This makes catamarans ideal for long-term cruising or for anyone who wants to create a unique and personalized boat.

Finally, catamarans are also more environmentally friendly than monohulls. Because they are more efficient, they can move through the water with less fuel consumption, which reduces their carbon footprint. Additionally, many catamaran designs incorporate solar panels and other renewable energy sources, which makes them ideal for anyone who wants to minimize their environmental impact while enjoying the water.

Designing Your Own Catamaran: Tips and Tricks

Designing your own catamaran can be a challenging but rewarding experience. Before you begin, it’s important to consider your needs and goals for the boat. Are you planning to use it for racing, cruising, or a combination of both? How many people will be on board? What kind of conditions will you be sailing in? Answering these questions will help you to determine the size, shape, and features of your catamaran.

One important tip when designing your catamaran is to keep it simple. While it can be tempting to add a lot of bells and whistles, the more complex your design, the more difficult and expensive it will be to build and maintain. Instead, focus on creating a functional and efficient boat that meets your needs.

how to build a canoe catamaran

Another tip is to take into account the materials you will be using. Different materials have different properties and costs, so it’s important to choose the right ones for your design. For example, wood is a traditional and affordable material, but it requires more maintenance than fiberglass. On the other hand, composites materials are more expensive but offer great weight to strength ratio.

Finally, it’s important to consult with experts and professionals during the design process. There are many resources available, such as online forums, books, and classes, that can help you to learn more about catamaran design and construction. Additionally, you should consider consulting with naval architects, boat builders, and other experts who can offer guidance and feedback on your design. They can help you to refine your ideas and ensure that your boat is safe and seaworthy.

Materials and Tools Needed for Building a Catamaran

Building a catamaran requires a variety of materials and tools. The materials you will need will depend on the design of your catamaran and the type of construction you choose. Common materials used in catamaran construction include wood, fiberglass, composites, aluminum, and PVC. Each material has its own unique properties and benefits, so it’s important to choose the right one for your project.

When it comes to tools, you will need a basic set of hand and power tools to complete your catamaran project. These include saws, drills, sanders, and other tools that are commonly used in woodworking or metalworking. Additionally, you will need specialized tools such as a router, a band saw, and a vacuum bagging system if you are building with composites materials.

how to build a canoe catamaran

In addition to the above tools, you will also need safety gear, such as goggles, respirators, and ear protection. Building a catamaran can be a challenging and time-consuming process, so it’s important to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and others. Additionally, it’s important to have a well-ventilated workspace, as some of the materials and chemicals used in catamaran construction can be harmful if inhaled.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Catamaran

Building a catamaran can be a complex and challenging process, and it’s easy to make mistakes if you’re not careful. Here are some common mistakes to avoid when building a catamaran:

One of the most common mistakes is not properly planning and designing your catamaran. This can lead to problems later on in the construction process, such as not having enough room for your intended use or not being able to fit certain components. It is important to take the time to carefully plan and design your catamaran, taking into account your needs, goals and the materials you will be using.

Another common mistake is not properly preparing your materials. This can include not properly storing or protecting the materials from the elements, or not properly cutting or shaping the materials before assembly. Proper preparation of materials is essential to ensure that your catamaran is strong and durable.

A third mistake is not using the right tools or not using them properly. This can lead to problems such as not being able to cut or shape the materials correctly, or not being able to assemble the boat properly. It’s important to research and invest in the right tools for the job, and to learn how to use them properly before starting the construction process.

how to build a canoe catamaran

Another common mistake is not properly securing and aligning the components during assembly. This can lead to problems such as leaks, or the boat being unstable on the water. It’s important to take your time and to work carefully to ensure that everything is properly aligned and secured.

Finally, not following safety guidelines is a mistake that should be avoided. This can include not wearing protective gear, not having proper ventilation, or not taking the necessary precautions to protect yourself and others. Building a catamaran can be a challenging process, but it’s important to prioritize safety to prevent accidents or injuries.

After completing the construction of your catamaran, there are several important steps to take before launching it. These include finishing the exterior and interior of the boat, and performing necessary safety checks.

Finishing and Launching Your Catamaran

Finishing the exterior of your catamaran involves tasks such as painting, varnishing, or applying gel coat. This step is important to protect the boat from the elements and give it a professional look. It’s important to use the right type of paint or finish for the materials you used in the construction, and to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Similarly, finishing the interior of your catamaran involves tasks such as installing cabinetry, flooring, and other finishing touches. This step is important to make the boat more comfortable and functional. You can add amenities such as a kitchen, a bathroom, and a sleeping area.

After the finishing is done, it’s important to perform safety checks on your catamaran before launching. This includes checking the boat’s systems such as electrical, plumbing, and navigation. You should also check that all the safety equipment is in place and working properly. This includes life jackets, flares, and fire extinguishers.

how to build a canoe catamaran

Once all the necessary steps are completed, you will be ready to launch your catamaran. Launching a catamaran is a complex process that requires coordination between the boat owner, the marina, and other professionals. The boat should be launched in a protected area with calm waters, and with the help of a crane or a trailer. It’s important to have a plan in place for launching and to be aware of the local laws and regulations.

Finally, after the catamaran is launched, it’s important to test the boat and make any necessary adjustments before taking it out on the water. This includes testing the systems, checking for leaks and making sure that the boat is stable on the water. After this, you can finally enjoy your new catamaran!

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  • BUILDING RAKU FROM A KIT
  • Duflex Kit Construction in 9 Steps

BUILD YOUR RAKU CAT WITH A DuFLEX KIT BY FOLLOWING THESE NINE BASIC STEPS

Duflex Kit Construction Step.1

Step 1. Kit Design

Work with us to finalise the details of the design you have chosen including any design options or additional modules to be included in the kit.

We will determine the laminates, the number of panels required for each laminate, create the cutting files and prepare a quote for the kit if it is not already priced.

Once the design details and pricing are confirmed you are ready to place your order.

Duflex kit construction Kit image-01

Step 2. Unpacking

2. The kit arrives at your workshop door, usually by container, as a stack of 1.2m x 2.4m routed composite panels ready to be joined. The shipment will normally include additional reinforcements, resins, and ancilary products as specified.

Unpack the shipment and stack the panels out of the way of the space where the panels will be joined.

If you have purchased a joined kit many of the panels will already be joined up to the length that can be shipped in a container (12m).

Duflex Kit Construction Step 2 image-02

Step 3 Joining the Panels

Set up the work space where the panels are to be joined.

The panels have a scarf join called a Z join that facilitate the join without needing tapes.

The joining can be done with a heated Z press that cures the epoxy join quickly. Alternatively they can be joined with clamping pressure.

If the panel are are being joined with the Z press you will need an elevated work bench the full length of the longest panels you are using. (image below).

If you are joining them with a clamping technique the space can be on the factory floor.

A nesting booklet is provided with the kit to show how the panels are joined (right)

Duflex kit construction Step 3 image-01

Joining the panels with  clamping pressure

how to build a canoe catamaran

Panels are being joined into a single long panel by painting the surfaces of the scarf join with epoxy screwing through plywood battens that have a release film applied to one side.

Joining the panels with the Z Press

how to build a canoe catamaran

Step 4 Stacking Joined Panels

Once the joins are cured the panels are stacked to one side until they are needed for the job. The inividual parts should not be cut free of the panels until they are required.

Bulkhead and floor panels will be needed before the hull sides and cabin top so they should be left to the front of the stack wherever possible.

Diuflex Kit Construction Header image step 5.

Step 5. Separating the Parts

When assembly is ready to begin the individual parts are separated from the panels by cutting the joining tabs. It is likely you will be building onto moulded hull bottoms that have been built from strip planking or another method of building moulded components. The process for building moulded components is described in another article.

Duflex kit Construction Step 5 Image-01

Step 6. ASSEMBLY

As the joined panels are assembled onto the job you will need to apply glass tapes to the joins as specified in your plans.

Panels can be surfaced and coated inside and out with high build while they are on the workshop floor to minimise fairing time once they are assembled to the boat. The paint on the panels shown here has been kept back from the edges to provide a good bond for the tapes.

Duflex Kit Construction Assembly image-01

Smaller items such as steps, seats and dagger cases are nested into the kit and for the more complex parts diagrams are provided to assist with the assembly process.

Duflex Kit Construction Header Image Step 7

Step 7. Interior

Interior kits can be ordered with the primary kit, or they can be ordered later when final decisions have been made about the interior arrangement.

A compromise solution is to order the interior as a set of plain planels that can be cut to shape on site after finalising the layout.

Duflex Kit Construction Step 7 Image 2

Step 8 Fairing, Painting, Hardware Installation

8. The DuFLEX construction process goes a long way to minising the amount of fairing that has to be done, but inevitably any boat that has not come out of a female mould will require some level of fairing and surface preparation prior to painting. 

The fillers and resin systems required for the fairing work are normally supplied as part of the kit.

Hardware installation is the same as for any other form of construction using high density core inserts or consolidated laminate in way of fittings.

Duflex Kit Construction Step 8 Image 2

Step 9. Sailing

Go Sailing. This Barefoot 40 Catamaran was built entirely with a Duflex kit in Foam/Glass and Epoxy resin systems from ATL Composites

how to build a canoe catamaran

DuFLEX Kits are manufactured and supplied world wide by ATL Composites

atlcomposites.com.au

And in Europe by VDL Composites

www.vonderlinden.de/her/28/vdL-Composites-GmbH

For more information on DuFLEX and associated Products 

atlcomposites.com.au/category/27/DuFLEX

how to build a canoe catamaran

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Trusted, Proven Designs

We believe the ancient Polynesians knew a thing or two about building boats to last. Wharram catamarans are proven survivors.

Wharram Mana 24 with white and teal hulls, with deck tent on board

Mana 24: Boat In A Box

Assemble her yourself from pre-CNC-cut plywood parts. Keep it at home, trail it and sail it anywhere.

Seaworthy. Simple. Affordable.

Building your own boat with Wharram Designs is the easiest and most cost effective way to fulfil your sailing dreams. Wharram Self-build boat plans start from only £120.

Wharram designs are based on years of practical, hands-on experience of building and ocean sailing catamarans. They are renowned for their seaworthiness, stability and safe simplicity. Designs from 14’ - 63’ are available for self-building in ply/epoxy with very detailed, easy to follow Plans often described as 'a course in boatbuilding'.

Study our Self Build Boats to familiarise yourself with our range of designs and their unique qualities. Download and read the Wharram Design Book which reviews each design in detail and offers a detailed introduction to the world of self-build catamarans. Order and download Study Plans and immerse yourself into the boat builder's mindset; evaluate the costs; the amount of time required to build your boat; where you will build it and where you will eventually launch it.

Once you have decided on the boat that is right for you, order your Boat Building Plans . All Wharram building plans are drawn for the first time builder, so anyone with a modicum of practical ability can build one of our designs. Our Building Plans present quality instruction, guidance and advice for both novice and professional alike. They are all based on decades of actual building experience and thousands of ocean miles sailed.

Go on adventures and live the life of your dreams. Spend your weekends coastal trekking and camping, or live aboard and spend your days sailing around the world. Become a member of the global family of Wharram builders and sailors. Wharram catamarans have been built and are sailing in all the World's oceans and can be found in far away ports and anchorages.

The quality of the Wharram self-build catamarans is reflected in their popularity, excellence of craftmanship and sound sailing qualities. More than 50 years on - with over 10,000 sets of plans sold and thousands turned into proud vessels - Wharram 'Cats' can be seen in harbours across the world, maintaining the highest reputation for surviving wind and wave.

Find Out More

Aerial view of two Wharram catamarans

Self-Build Boats

Index of Wharram self-build catamarans. Familiarise yourself with our range of designs and their unique qualities.

Wharram study plans

Choosing A Boat

To help you select a design, read our practical advice about basic requirements, building times, building methods, and costs.

James and Hanneke in design studio with Amatasi model

Several articles giving an in-depth look at our core design principles and how they are reflected as seaworthy, stable vessels sailing the oceans.

James and Hanneke receiving an award

James Wharram: Lifetime Achievement Award

A special award was presented to James Wharram for a 'Lifetime Achievement' as Pioneer catamaran builder - sailor and multihull designer.

James Wharram - British pioneer of the modern catamaran

About James Wharram

In the mid 50's, based on his research into ancient Polynesian boat design, James Wharram built the first off-shore Catamaran in Britain and sailed it out into the Atlantic. While the world's yachting community still did not accept such a design as a worthy sea-going vessel, James was landing his 23'6" 'Double Canoe' called TANGAROA in Trinidad in the West Indies.

There he built a second 40' Polynesian style Catamaran, RONGO, and in 1959 sailed it up to New York and back to the UK accompanied by two German women - being the first to sail a catamaran West-to-East across the North Atlantic. These amazing Trans-Atlantic crossings and the follow up book ' Two Girls, Two Catamarans ' have etched the name 'James Wharram' into the annals of yachting history.

Since then, James Wharram has been designing, building and sailing offshore catamarans longer than any other multihull designer. James was a 'hands-on' designer having, over his lifetime, built personally many of the prototype designs. These prototypes were built in the open, in barns, workshops and all the range of building sites available to self-builders, in a variety of climate types from northern European to the Tropics. James was often referred to as a 'Living Legend' or as written in 'Yachting Monthly' in January 2006: "James Wharram is considered by many to be the father of modern multihull cruising."

James’ last achievement was his autobiography published in 2020 as ' People of the Sea ', which he wrote in conjunction with his design/life partner Hanneke Boon. James died in December 2021 at the age of 93. The design business is carried on by his co-designer Hanneke Boon .

Hui Wharram Cornwall Gathering 2024

Wharram Hui 2024

We are having another Annual Hui! This Hui will mark 70 years since James designed his first Catamaran 'Tangaroa' and we are excited that we will be mooring at Devoran Quay just a 5 minute walk from the Wharram Headquarters based in Cornwall. It would be lovely to celebrate his achievement with all of you.

  • Read more about Hui Wharram Cornwall Gathering 2024

Pacific Islander History Month

People wearing sarongs walking around a beached double canoe

This month of May in America is 'Pacific Islander History Month' and we at James Wharram Designs would like to join in and celebrate alongside them! As you may know, double canoes/catamarans are of ancient Polynesian origin. The modern day catamaran is a direct descendent of these original ocean-going vessels.

  • Read more about Pacific Islander History Month

James Wharram's Last Ride

Catamarans gathered at a quay

On 23 July, a motley fleet of self-built catamarans gathered off Cornwall to give James and Ruth Wharram their final escort. It was a fitting farewell to a legend. The ashes of James and Ruth Wharram were consigned to the sea to be carried by the ebb current out to the open ocean.

  • Read more about James Wharram's Last Ride

James' Eulogy

Matt Knight on Hecate

Hi everyone. I'm Matt. And apart from being truly honoured to be here to help send James on his way to his next adventure, I am here above all as a representative, really, for the many many people worldwide who's lives have been changed, for the better, as a result of James' life work.

  • Read more about James' Eulogy

A Living Legend Lives No More

James Wharram

We are very sad to announce that on the 14th December James Wharram left this earthly world, joining Ruth, Jutta and his many close friends that departed before him. At 93 years old his spirit has set out on the voyage to sail the oceans of heaven.

  • Read more about A Living Legend Lives No More

People Of The Sea - Compact Edition

People Of The Sea - James Wharram with Hanneke Boon

The new second edition of the autobiography of James Wharram and Hanneke Boon is now available! This more compact edition at the lower cost of £16 contains all the text and illustrations of the special first edition. An easier size to fit the bookshelf on your boat. A must for all Wharram enthusiasts and other sailors.

  • Read more about People Of The Sea - Compact Edition

Cape Falcon Kayak

Cape Falcon Kayak

Skin-on-frame canoe building course.

Custom skin-on-frame canoe building system

Course description

The "66 canoe" is a comprehensive skin-on-frame canoe building system that lets you control all of the shaping variables to build a canoe that is customized to your paddling lifestyle. This 12 hour video course and downloadable 30-page PDF plan set puts you in the classroom with me, ensuring that your first skin-on-frame build is easy, fun, and successful.

Watch the evolution of this design from concept to release on our YouTube Channel.

FIND MORE INFO ON OUR WEBSITE    //   CHECK OUT SOME STUDENT-BUILT CANOES

Generally, we refine designs for years before releasing them as student builds. This early release "beta version" was designed to offer the building system early at a lower cost to those who want to start building now.

LICENSING AGREEMENT:

See video for additional details. This online video course is intended for use by one builder only. Multiple persons may not work from a single course, with the exception of children under 18 working with an adult. Purchase allows you to build unlimited canoes for personal use or as gifts for others who ARE NOT BUILDING. Commercial use is allowed with written permission and a fee per boat, contact for details.  Violating the licensing agreement is bad karma!

Course curriculum

Introduction.

Course Introduction

Tips for a successful Canoe build, READ THIS FIRST

Licensing Agreement

How the Course is Organized

Safety Disclaimer

Tips for Avoiding a Tippy Canoe (PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO)

CANOE COURSE UPDATES AND CHANGES, READ THESE BEFORE BUILDING!

Process Overview Videos

Visual Overview of the Pack Canoe Building Process

Visual Overview of Building a Solo Single Blade Canoe

Time Lapse of the Entire Canoe Building Process

The Same Time Lapse Slowed Down 50% Gives clearer views of each step, 23 min long

Odds and Ends

Color Options for Skin on Frame Boats, Acid Dye vs. Earth Pigments

Workspace Setup and Tips for an Efficient Build

Canoe Seating Overview. (full size canoes only)

Planning for Keel Strips and Stem Bands

Canoe Rudder Overview

Overview of Polyurethanes, Oils, Glues, and Varnishes

Canoe Plan Set

SAMPLE Plan Set

Downloadable Plan Set: VERSION 2.2

Various Canoe Examples

My Latest Thoughts on Canoe Design

Solo Canoe with Tumblehome 15'1" x 30" 4/29/2021

Solo Canoe with Tumblehome 14' x 30" 6/1/2021

Solo Canoe 14' x 30" built by Gabe Batson (student) 2021

Solo canoe 14'8" x 31 1/2" built by Gabe Batson (student)

Student Built Tandem Canoe 16'3" x 36" 6/20/2021 (built with Yellow Cedar Ribs!)

Student Built Tandem 17' x 36" 2/1/2021

Tools, wood, and other materials

Tools For Skin on Frame Building

Tablesaw Safety Tips

Selecting Softwoods

Selecting Hardwoods

Understanding Bending Wood Grain

Estimating Quantity and Price of Bending Wood, and Communicating with Suppliers

Building the Steambox

Bending Oak Suppliers (text only)

Canoe Skin Choices (text only)

Prepping for the build

Layout Process Overview

Cutting the Gunwales, Stringers, and Keel

Rounding the Stringers

Laying Out the Gunwales

Measuring the Rocker Heights

Setting Up For Laminating

Laminating the Gunwales

Cleaning up the Lamination and Cutting the Gunwales

Fastening the Gunwales Together and Cutting to Length

Setting up the Plunge Router

Cutting the Mortises

Measuring Sheer Heights

Calculating Center Depth

Cutting Stem Lengths and Angles

Angled Stem Layout

Alternate Curved Stem Layout

Making the Spreader Forms and Final Gunwale Prep

Building the deck

Installing Spreader and Capture Forms

Kerfing the Gunwale Ends

Tying the Gunwale Tips Together

Checking for Symmetry

Doweling the Gunwale Tips and Trimming the Ends

Making the Rub Rails

Varnishing the Rub Rails

Attaching Stems and Center Block

Checking the Stem Angles and Setting the Rocker

Temporarily Attaching the Stems to the Keel

Bending in the ribs

Making the Rib Length Measuring Stick

Prepping the Rib Stock and Cutting Ribs

Sorting and Bending in Test Ribs

Measuring, Cutting, and Rounding the Ribs

Thinning the Ends of the Ribs

Setting up for Steam Bending

Some Tips for Steam Bending the Ribs (text only)

Leveling the Canoe, Workspace Review, and Steaming Times

Steam Bending the Ribs

Re-Steaming, Replacing, and Fixing Cracked Ribs

Pegging the Ribs

Attaching stems and stringers

Setting the Stringers

Winding Lashing Spools and Setting up for Lashing

Lashing on the Stringers

Re-Checking the Rocker

Fixing Shaping Issues

Modifying or Replacing Ribs (if needed)

Adding Progressive End Rocker

Shaping the Stems

Tapering the Keel (if needed) and Permanently Attaching the Stems

Trimming and Fairing in the Stringers

Planning for the Mast Step Location

Tying the Stringers to the Stems

Fixing Wobbly Stringers

Finishing and oiling the frame

Pegging the Keel to the Stem

Reinforcing the Keel

Final Keel Symmetry Check

Shimming and Lashing the Keel to the Ribs

Adding Sheer Blocks

Cleaning up the Frame

Choosing and Marking the Canoe Seat Locations (single blade canoes only)

Canoe Seat Location Recommendations (text only)

Installing Seat Blocking (single blade canoes only)

Alternate Seat Blocking Method (single blade canoes only)

Special Instructions for attaching Extra Long Seat Blocking (use for blocking longer than 15 inches)

Oiling the Frame

Adding Tumblehome (optional)

Attaching the Mast Step

Skinning the canoe

Skinning Supplies

Skinning Process Overview / Draping the Fabric

Pinning the Stem

Cutting and Sewing the Stem for a CENTER STITCH

Cutting and Sewing the Stem for a SIDE STITCH (use for Stem Bands)

Shortening the Fabric

Stretching the Fabric and Pinning the Keel

Wetting and Stapling the Fabric

Clamping and Fastening the Rub Rails

Cutting and Sewing the Tops of the Stems

Final Rocker Check / Tuning

Trimming the Excess Fabric

Shrinking out Wrinkles (usually not neccesary)

Setting Up for Dyeing the Canoe (skip this video if using Earth Pigment)

Coloring the Fabric with Acid Dye (skip this video if using Earth Pigment)

Coloring the Fabric with Earth Pigment

Coating the Canoe with 2 Part Polyurethane

13 Common Coating Mistakes READ THIS FIRST!

Coating Supplies

Two cup 2 part polyurethane mixing method (watch both mixing videos)

Single cup 2 part polyurethane mixing method (seriously, watch both videos, they both have important details)

Batch Size and Working Time

Coating Process Overview and Workspace Setup

Initial Saturation Coat

Second Coat

Smoothing Imperfections

Final Coat and Finishing Touches

Additional Coats (must be done within 24 hrs)

Building Full Size Canoe Seats

Full Size Canoe Seating Overview

Choosing Wood and Mortising the Seat Rails

Cutting the Tenons and Gluing the Seat Together

Sanding and Finishing Canoe Seats

Making a Laminating Jig for Curved Canoe Seats

Laminating the Seat Rails

Modifying Curved Seats for Tall Backrests

Building a Tall Backrest

Stapling on the Seat Webbing

Installing Full Size Canoe Seats

Canoe Seating Overview

Setting up for Installing Canoe Seats Using a Drilling Jig (more precise)

Installing Canoe Seats Using a Jig (more precise)

Setting up for Installing Canoe Seats, Drilling Freehand (easier and faster)

Installing Canoe Seats, Drilling Freehand (easier and faster, disregard Hex Head bolts, we use truss head now)

Adding Spacer Blocks

Finishing Full-Size Canoes

Alternate Catamaran Method

Making Stem Bands and Rub Strips

Installing Stem Bands and Rub Strips

Pack Canoe Seating and Finishing Details

Removable Backrest Attachment Loop Introduction

Making the Attachment Point (you can omit the plastic plate shown here if not planning to catamaran)

Tying the Shock Cord

Combination Portage Yoke / Backrest

Pack Canoe Seating Options

Flotation Strategies

Sail building

Sail Introduction

Sail Supplies

Determining Mast Length

Cutting the Mast and Inserting the Tiller Extension

Attaching the Canoe Mast Step

Marking and Riveting the Mast Attachment

Sail Size and Shape Discussion

Planning the Sail

Planning the Sail UPDATE

Cutting and Marking the Sail

Setting up the Sewing Machine and Taping the Sail

Sewing the Sail

Making the Battens

Drilling the Battens and Tying on Control Lines

Modifying the Clam Cleats

Attaching the Clam Cleats to the Canoe

Rigging the Canoe

Sailing Your Canoe

Canoe and Kayak Sailing Safety

Canoe Catamaran System

Kayak/Canoe Catamaran Introduction

Comparing Canoe Catamaran Styles (See last video in this chapter for instructions to build the simple catamaran system)

Bungee Loop Style Catamaran Overview

Making the Attachment

Rigging the Bungee

Selecting Lumber for the Catamaran Boards

Making the Catamaran Boards

Finishing the Catamaran Boards

Alternate Canoe Catamaran System (usually used on full size canoes)

Using Your Canoe

Care and Feeding of Your Skin on Frame Boat (universal document for kayaks and canoes)

how to build a canoe catamaran

About this course

This rocks, john passacantando.

So far, it's brilliant. This isn't just a step by step guide, follow the bouncing ball and boat comes out at the end. These plans are taking me through an ...

So far, it's brilliant. This isn't just a step by step guide, follow the bouncing ball and boat comes out at the end. These plans are taking me through an educational journey and the end product will simply reflect what I've learned along the way. This is a wonderful approach to teaching, I'm loving this.

Jeff Dahlquist

This is an excellent course that Brian has created. He explains step by step with both text and videos how to build a canoe. You can work at your own pace go...

This is an excellent course that Brian has created. He explains step by step with both text and videos how to build a canoe. You can work at your own pace go back and view the videos as many time as you want. His system and techniques to build a canoe are well thought out and work. The canoe I built is a lot of fun to paddle. I would highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to build their own canoe.

It doesn't get any better than this

Matthew harding.

I've spent a good deal of time and research preparing for a skin-on-frame canoe build. I've thoroughly looked at every site I could find, examined the build...

I've spent a good deal of time and research preparing for a skin-on-frame canoe build. I've thoroughly looked at every site I could find, examined the building methods, construction approach, and watched countless youtube videos on the subject (much to my wife's chagrin). Being an engineer for an aerospace engineering company, my expectations for attention to detail are quite high. Brian's content is far and away superior to anything on the market. His building methods are proven and sound, adaptable to many canoe sizes and shapes, the videos are outstanding and very professional, and his license agreement is as fair as they come. I purchased his course and am partway through the build and I can say he has easily surpassed my expectations and the build so far has been a pleasure because I know exactly what to do, what to expect, and what mistakes to avoid. If you are considering building a skin-on-frame canoe, you've come to the right place, for this price you are getting an amazing deal and an excellent product.

Great course!

Kevin pauba.

Although I don't plan on building a SOF canoe for another few years, this was too good of a deal to pass up. I don't think this construction method will bec...

Although I don't plan on building a SOF canoe for another few years, this was too good of a deal to pass up. I don't think this construction method will become obsolete anytime soon either. A very professional how-to course. Brian is an excellent presenter with the know-how to make the subject matter understandable and doable by anyone. I wished I had discovered this when my kids were younger as building a set of canoes together would have been a great shared experience.

Great nesting canoes

I built a pair of nesting canoes. The course provided all the info needed for someone who hasn't ever done woodworking. The canoes are well balanced and work...

I built a pair of nesting canoes. The course provided all the info needed for someone who hasn't ever done woodworking. The canoes are well balanced and worked great on a 15 mile river trip. I'm looking forward to taking it back out now that I have a greenland paddle.

Jane Stoykov

every single step was an adventure. Every single thing was new to me but I've done all the steps instructed and safe. A safe way to to get from nothing to fu...

every single step was an adventure. Every single thing was new to me but I've done all the steps instructed and safe. A safe way to to get from nothing to full satisfaction.

Excellent Course

Shawn calhoun.

I definitely feel much more confident after watching this course, a lot of great material and little bits of critical information. Will definitely be referri...

I definitely feel much more confident after watching this course, a lot of great material and little bits of critical information. Will definitely be referring back to it as the build progresses!

Excellent instruction.

Royce kessler.

Good pace, with sufficient information to learn the process without being too detailed.

William Glendinning

Good overview and sequence of steps to take to due build. Enjoy ablitity to review certain sections repeatable times to understand key points and values....

Good overview and sequence of steps to take to due build. Enjoy ablitity to review certain sections repeatable times to understand key points and values. Worth the $$$ spent to insure one's ablitity to build said canoe.

Building two pack canoes

Martin hill.

This has been a thoroughly enjoyable and absorbing project to do. The plans and videos are really detailed and well produced.. At every stage Brian shares hi...

This has been a thoroughly enjoyable and absorbing project to do. The plans and videos are really detailed and well produced.. At every stage Brian shares his wealth of experience, always clear, always helpful. On a couple of occasions I checked things out with Brian and he was very quick to email a response. I made two pack canoes and because of the pandemic restrictions in the UK have only given them a brief outing but they feel great. The course is excellent, the canoes look and feel great.

Because the accompanying video courses call out imperial measurements, and we are constantly making updates to both the plans and videos, we’ve found that metric plans leave a lot of room for potential confusion or error. For builders outside the US, we recommend purchasing a metric to imperial tape measure to make your build easier.

Because this is a building system not a plan for a specific boat, there are no standalone plans.

In addition to the cost of the course and plans, average materials cost for a canoe runs around $450. Materials costs vary based on the size boat you are building, local availability and shipping costs, so that could be as low as $300 for a small pack canoe or $700 for a tandem canoe.

You can login and view the course on any device. Enrolling in a course gives you lifetime access to the course material, including any updates or additions we make to the material in the future. In fact, that’s one of the main reasons we created these video courses instead of writing a book, because our designs and techniques are constantly evolving and we want you to always have access to the best and most up-to-date information.

You can download individual videos to your device, but be aware that file sizes can be quite large.

Add-Ons and Related Courses

how to build a canoe catamaran

Canoe Oars and Outrigger

how to build a canoe catamaran

Pedal Drive System for Skin on Frame Canoes

Building, restoration, and repair with epoxy

Epoxyworks

Foam Strip Plank Boatbuilding

BY JOHN LINDAHL  

A couple of years ago my son Ian asked me about building an A Class catamaran. Having built several of these in the past and knowing what was now on the market, I came up with a build method that would:

  • Allow us to build a competitive design.
  • Be at or under the class minimum weight of 165 lb.
  • Be as strong and stiff as anything on the market.
  • Be competitive in quality and price, but not get trapped in exotic equipment expense. This meant no vacuum bag, no pre-preg, no resin infusion, and no autoclave.

The basic hull build technique is the same as used in strip-plank canoe building. This method allowed us to use an inexpensive but accurate “mold.” We CNC cut a bunch of female building frames that allowed us to build a hull inside these super accurate frames. We cut a frame for every 6″ of hull. I felt this many frames were necessary to keep the hull shape as accurate as possible. Only seven sheets of ½” plywood were cut to create the building frames and frame tops. The strongback was simply two 20′ floor trusses. In the photos you can see I split the hull horizontally. On the next boat I will split it vertically and make the laminating process easier.

I cut the foam strips into three different widths, so hull shape would not be compromised by a too wide or too narrow strip. These strips were then bead and coved for uniform hull thickness and to ensure fairness. (We don’t like to sand). A 3/4″-thick foam strip was used as a centerline starter on both the deck top and hull bottom. Putting the strips in the hull frames was fun because we could see the hull take form and it only took a couple hours to “lay it up.”

how to build a canoe catamaran

1—Foam strips were cut into three different widths and were then bead and coved for uniform hull thickness and to ensure fairness.

The foam shell needed to be lighted sanded and sheathed in carbon. We sanded the inside first since our frames were female. The excess foam was trimmed flush to our building jig and a shiplap add-on was installed on the deck half building jig. This allowed the inner carbon skin to extend past the join line and form a doubler at the hull joint.

Laminating the inside of the hull was very difficult due to working inside a narrow space, and it was hard to see what I was doing. I complicated this step by laying the carbon on the bias (45-135), which was awkward to work with, but it added hoop strength to the hull. (The outside was done 0-90 for longitudinal strength.) The best method Ian and I came up for laminating the carbon was to lightly wet out the foam, lay in the 50″ wide carbon cloth and then squeegee unthickened WEST SYSTEM epoxy into the fabric.

how to build a canoe catamaran

2—Lindahl clamped the strips down tightly into the mold.

Once we felt it was wet through, we wet it out again to ensure the fabric was laminated to the skin. After cure we could trim the join line, add bulkheads, chain plate reinforcements, and buildup the rudder gudgeon area. The shiplap add-on was now removed to leave us an inside overlap of carbon. This overlap flap made joining the halves rather easy. All it took was some thickened epoxy and a few simple clamps. We were surprised how stiff each half was since we only had the inside skinned with carbon.

how to build a canoe catamaran

3—A shiplap add-on was installed on the deck half building jig to allow the inner carbon skin to extend past the join line.

how to build a canoe catamaran

4—After the carbon lay-up cured the join line was trimmed and bulkheads, chain plate reinforcements were added.

We filled the cloth weave with WEST SYSTEM epoxy thickened with 410 Microlight® filler, spreading this onto the hull with a squeegee and checking for fairness with a batten. After rolling four coats of an epoxy paint primer onto the hull, we did the final fairing. We didn’t prime the areas where beams were to be attached.After the hull halves were joined, we added the dagger board case and the transom. We embedded the tramp hooks into the ¾” thick foam strip on the centerline of the deck. Now the hull could be faired smooth on the outside. Because our foam strips had been cut in widths that corresponded to the hull curvature, the fairing process took only about eight hours per hull. Some fill was needed on a few strip joints and low spots. Carbon was then laminated to the outside of each hull. Again we paid a lot of attention to the amount of epoxy we applied, because excess is weight you don’t need.

All the boats I’d previously built had bolt-on beams, but this hull shape did not have much area for bolts. Instead we glued the beams on. That decision proved correct as it led to a very stiff platform. Torsional stiffness was only limited by the beams themselves, and they were more than adequate.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, we purchased carbon beams from Ben Hall and then added a carbon dolphin striker to the front beam and a traveler track attachment flat to the rear beam. Installing the beams started with a hull alignment jig that was nothing more than a couple sheets of ply-wood CNC cut to give the seven degree hull cant and to keep the hulls in line and at proper legal width.

With the hulls fixed in the alignment jig the beams could be locked in place. First we had to hollow out the hulls where the beams would sit. We then laid a wet piece of 5.8 oz carbon into the cutout and set the beam into it. Strips of bias cut cloth were then wrapped into the junction of hull and beam. After cure and minor fairing, unidirectional carbon was wrapped over each beam (in and out) and onto the hull. Carbon was laminated from the inside of the beam onto the hull as well.

Low-Density filler and epoxy were used to fair all four joints. A foam cap sealed the end of each beam. A final wrap of 5.8 oz then went over the whole joint.

With the beams attached, tramp hooks, gudgeons, and chain plates installed the platform could be finish-primed and sanded. The cost of mold frames and the alignment jig was under $500. We had a male pattern CNC’d for boards and rudders, and then made glass tools for building the actual parts. The foils are an excellent shape, and we kept the board weight under three pounds each. Beams and mast came from Ben Hall. We made the spreaders, mast base/rotator, standing rigging, boom. Local suppliers were used for hardware, rudder heads and paint.

Three boats have been built this way. The first two were 3–5 lb under when weighed at the Worlds. On boat Number 3 we sunk the front beam deeper into the hull and trimmed the beam ends flush with the hull. We also did a better job fairing and used less primer. Number 3 was 15 lb under weight at the Worlds. There have been no structural issues on any boat, so we feel we have a winner. Now it will take a little time to learn how to tune it and sail it faster.

One of the neat things about this building method is that it can be used for a lot more than boatbuilding. This method provides the ability to create whatever you want at a fraction of the cost of building fiberglass molds.

  John Lindahl has been building and racing A Class  Catamarans for thirty-five years. Formore info on  this building method, available boats, kits and components,  contact John (269-650-5900) or Ian  (858-688-5450) at Lindahl Composite Design, or  e-mail: [email protected] .

To see more of Lindahl’s work visit:  www.lindahlcompositedesign.weebly.com

Dead Bugs, Blow Guns, Sharp Knives, & Snakes: What More Could A Boy Want?

Old school scouting: what to do, and how to do it.

To Email me, replace "(at)" below with "@" Rick(at)Kudu.Net

If you have questions about one of my 2,000 pages here, you must send me the "URL" of the page! This "URL" is sometimes called the "Address" and it is usually found in a little box near the top of your screen.  Most URLs start with the letters "http://" The Kudu Net is a backup "mirror" of The Inquiry Net.  

�2003, 2011 The Inquiry Net, http://inquiry.net   In addition to any Copyright still held by the original authors, the Scans, Optical Character Recognition, extensive Editing,  and HTML Coding on this Website are the property of the Webmaster.   My work may be used by individuals for non-commercial, non-web-based activities , such as Scouting, research, teaching, and personal use so long as this copyright statement and a URL to my material is included in the text . 

The purpose of this website is to provide access  to hard to find, out-of-print documents.  much of the content has been edited to be of practical use in today's world and is not intended as historical preservation .   i will be happy to provide scans of specific short passages in the original documents for people involved in academic research.  .

Last modified: October 15, 2016.

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Canoe Catamaran

Discussion in ' Boat Design ' started by kmeastman , Dec 11, 2007 .

kmeastman

kmeastman Junior Member

I am a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. For my senior design semester project I would like to design a catamaran that is sail powered and uses two canoes as its two hulls. I have never designed a boat so I was hoping that more experienced people could help me out. The purpose of using canoes is mostly because the cargo/people capacity would be much greater than with most catamarans. I realize that this would make the boat slower than the average catamaran but I am ok with that. I was thinking along the lines of using 17' aluminum canoes, which usually come with two seats (each canoe), but a third would likely be added. It would likely be built to the maximum trailerable width of 8'6". I was thinking of having only one mainsail and probably adding a captain's seat between the two canoes toward the rear. I have done some preliminary research and here are the problems I forsee: 1. Since I am going to buy the canoes instead of building them, I can't get very good estimates of factors like wetted area and lateral plane area. I think I could figure them out if I had a canoe to take measurements on and then model it in a 3D CAD program. The problem is that I don't want to buy one and then find out that I need a larger or smaller one to make this work. 2. The major difference between a canoe hull and a catamaran hull is its width at the water level. Since the canoe is much flatter, it will have a large wetted area compared to its lateral plane area. I'm not sure how big of a problem this could be. I could increase the lateral plane area with the use of a center board but I would definitely have more overall wetted area and drag than an average catamaran. Again, I am not overly concerned about the speed I can get out of it, but it will hardly be worth putting a sail on it if its going to be too slow. 3. Catamarans that I have seen have similar L/B ratios to what I am talking about here. However, because a canoe is much wider than a catamaran hull, the center to center distance between the canoes would be much smaller than the center to center distance on a catamaran given the same L/B ratio. Is this a problem? 4. I was thinking that the boom of the sail would be mounted high enough that it would clear the head of the person in the middle seat (much lower than the other two seats) and the boom would not be long enough to reach the person in the back seat. In order for it not to hit the person in the front seat the rotation of the sail would have to be limited. Since the pivot of the sail and the front seat will likely be at about the longitudinal placement, this is about 180 degrees of rotation. From sailing books I have read, you should never need your sail to be rotated more than this but is there any reason why limiting its travel would be a problem? Any help is appriciated. If you have any advice on these problems or can think of any other possible problems I would love to hear what you think. Thanks Kevin  

masalai

masalai masalai

Research on polynesian ocean voyaging and Melanesian ocean voyaging and some of the catamaran threads.  

Pericles

Pericles Senior Member

I concur. http://pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu/ http://www.pbs.org/wayfinders/polynesian2.html http://www.janeresture.com/voyaging/main.htm http://www.moolelo.com/hokulea.html http://starbulletin.com/2007/03/18/news/story04.html Masalai, Two minds with but a single thought. Pericles  
Seasons greetings to you Pericles (God of ? remind me. I was endeavouring to maintain a "grumpy old *******" attitude and make him look for himself. Good exercise for the young wipper-snapper. eh eh eh  

Village_Idiot

Village_Idiot Senior Member

A coupla things I would consider: 1) Canoes generally aren't used for catamaran hulls because they can take on waves/water and list/sink/capsize. If you're going to sail this thing in anything with over foot-high waves, you need to make the hulls shed water. Maybe try the FRP solid (sit-on-top) kayaks that have no interior. However, you will lose your room/capacity that you are trying to gain with the open hulls. 2) You can get around the 8.5' beam limitation by making the hulls movable under their scaffolding - once the boat is launched, move the hulls outboard to gain your stability. Depending on how wide you want the scaffold (deck), you can even go narrower than 8.5' to make trailering easier. 3) For truly innovative engineering design, use flat-transom canoes (that you can put an outboard on if you wanted), then design a configuration where you can swing one of the 17-foot canoes around backward so you can join the two canoes at the transoms and make a nice 34-foot canoe (remember, longer displacement hulls are faster and more efficient). This would give you a l/b ratio of around 11:1-12:1. You can add an outrigger for stability. Properly designed, you can turn the sailing cat into a fast outrigger canoe for when the wind isn't blowing. Maybe you could even design the mast, and/or the deck, to do double-duty as an outrigger. Or maybe just have an efficient fast-sailing canoe with a proper outrigger and sail combination...  
Thanks for your suggestions, I have seen the polynesian sailing canoes that you are talking about, which is what convinced me that my idea would work. I have checked out some of the other threads on catamarans and have gotten some valuable info from them. I'll check out the specific websites that you reccomended. As for the canoes taking on water, I do not intend this to go on real rough water. It will probably always be used on inland lakes and probably not on water rougher than you would normally take a single manually powered canoe on. If the water became an issue, do you think you could put some kind of water deflector on the top edge of the canoe that would make splashing waves bounce away from the hull? As for the trailering, I have already thought about making the boat wider by sliding the hulls out after it gets trailered. I would like to avoid this but I haven't done enough calculations yet to make sure it would be stable without any extra width. I really like your idea idea about the 2 flat transom canoes. I had anticipated using the double ended ones but one of the whole purposes of this project is to have a very versatile boat. One of the design requirements is that it needs to be dissassembled to portage between two lakes. This way the canoes could still be used individually too. I like this idea of having an extra long canoe as another option. It could be used maunually powered or if I decided to add an outrigger could be sail powered. Also, I didn't really want it to have an outboard motor on it, but if I had the flat transom style canoe I would have that option in the future.  

rwatson

rwatson Senior Member

James Wharram designs sailing catamarans that are canoes - with a kyak like covered in seat in each hull  

Petros

Petros Senior Member

Sounds like a fun project. How about one really large cargo carrying canoe (better l/w ratio), with a kayak outrigger (or even two kayaks to make a trimaran). The kayaks can be attached to the outrigger booms with quick and simple bungee cord mounts. That way you do not have to unpack the canoe to take one of the kayaks out to scout ahead or find a campsite, etc. You would have more flexibility as to the use of the hulls together or apart too. Under sail the passengers and cargo are all together, where your single rudder is located on the center hull. The sea kayak outriggers could also store cargo was well, or an extra passenger. It would also be easy and light to attach the outriggers after trailering so you can go much wider which is much better. You can carry more sail this way too. There is less drag with a larger distance between the hulls, so not only can you carry more sail, but lower drag too due to interference effect from closely spaced hulls. the rotation molded sea kayaks (called "Tupperware" kayaks) are cheap, get them used from craigslist. Or better yet, build skin-on-frame kayaks, quick, light and inexpensive. I've built seven, they have cost me $30 to $50 each to build (using salvaged lumber), even buying all the materials new would still only cost about $100 or so each. Mine weight only about 20 lbs complete (attaching something this light after trailering would be an easy task). The canoe can be built skin-on-frame as well, a lot less expensive and lighter than aluminum. BTW it is common to use fabric splash covers on river canoes to keep the water out, no reason that could be done on your canoes as well. Good luck.  
Well, the project has been approved and is underway. My group was able to model the canoes and get some measurements like lateral plane area, Longintudinal center of buoyancy, LWL, and wetted area for different weights. I have done some estimates on D/L and SA/D ratios and they seem within reason for the kind of boat I would like to build. Most of the reccomendations for these ratios that I have seen are for monohulls. Would they be any different for a catamaran? Is there any books or websites that anyone can reccomend that give calculations or reccomendations that are specific to catamarans? What I would like some help with is how to determine if the lateral resistance area that I calculated is enough or if I need to add a centerboard. Also, what calculations can I make with the wetted area? Thanks for the help, Kevin  
"Also, what calculations can I make with the wetted area?" You can calculate how wet the wetted area is ? Years ago, an old yacht designer told us kids about how to determine the centre or resistance without any math. He cut out a profile of the underwater hull from a piece of cardboard, balanced the shape on the edge of a ruler, and where it balanced, marked it as the centre of lateral resistance. It seemed to work back then. I always wondered if the profile he cut should have been the profile of the heeled yacht (would have had a curved top edge and a shorter keel), but that would not apply to catamarans. Does anyone else still use this or a similar technique these days?  

FAST FRED

FAST FRED Senior Member

There are plastic pontoons made that can be put together to most any length to build your basic boat.. The shape of the weted surface would be better than the canoe , and might even be cheaper. FF  
The wetted area is used to calculate the drag. The less the wetted area the better, but in a canoe or monohull the smallest wetted area is a semi-circular cross section, which means no resistance to heeling moments. On a cat this matters little, so many cat hulls are semi-circular in cross section (for least drag) but if you use the hull as a canoe it will simply roll over. You need a flatter bottom so it has some inherent stablity,  
There are very few cat hull that are semi circular in cross section! They are either bell shaped or sharp edged. The sides are flattened to resist leeway, and avoid the necessity of big daggerboards. Certainly the forward part of the hulls are almost knife shaped, for easy entry to waves and wind. Examples, Hobie Cat, Tornado (which has a semi circle for a small section of the stern), Nacra etc These features to enhance sailing ability will be far bigger considerations than a bit of friction on a small 16ft hull. due to wetted area.  

Guest625101138

Guest625101138 Previous Member

Kevin Get hold of a hull surface rendering program called Delftship. You can get a free version of it. Look at the hulls you are thinking of buying and draw approximate models in Delftship. This should take all of 10 minutes if you are a slow learner. If you are having trouble then post a couple of photos and I will spend the 5 minutes to do them for you. Delftship will provide you all the hydrostatic information. It will give you crap hydrodynamic data. However you can export the hull into Michlet format and then use Michlet to get accurate drag information - within 5% for a canoe type hull. With a sailing cat you can design for many cases. The two extremes is where you have both hulls equaly loaded on say a beam reach. The other extreme is where the entire weight is carried on a single hull when you are pushing hard to windward. There are obviously a whole series of load cases in between but looking at resolving the forces under these two extremes will give you a good understanding. If you want help on the detail after you get started, just post specific questions that are giving you difficulty. Rick W.  
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rwatson said: ↑ There are very few cat hull that are semi circular in cross section! They are either bell shaped or sharp edged. The sides are flattened to resist leeway, and avoid the necessity of big daggerboards. Certainly the forward part of the hulls are almost knife shaped, for easy entry to waves and wind. Examples, Hobie Cat, Tornado (which has a semi circle for a small section of the stern), Nacra etc Click to expand...

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Boat Design Net

About John P.

One Man's Blog

Specialization is for Insects.

CatamaYak: How to Build a Kayak Catamaran

how to build a canoe catamaran

August 14, 2013 By John P.

We happen to own four identical kayaks, we bought the Equinox 10.4 kayaks at Costco, and we started working on ways to hack them to make them even better! First, I hacked a motor onto my kayak , and then I thought I’d give it a shot and see if we could build a catamaran out of a couple of em.

The CatamaYak Concept

When we go out on the water there is usually a group of us. Some are faster than others, and some just enjoy a leisurely time on the lake. We wanted to be able to turn a couple of kayaks into a floating relaxation station and give it a motor so that a couple of people could simply sit back and relax while still being able to tag along.

The CatamaYak needed to have a few important characteristics:

  • be light and easy to assemble at the lake
  • be extremely waterproof and not get slippery
  • be durable enough to take a pounding from the waves
  • be rigid enough to deal with the forces encountered

Given the design considerations I took a few measurements and drew up a quick sketch of the components and how I imagined they would fit together.

CatamaYak Design

If you are going to design your own there are a few important things to keep in mind.

  • The bow (nose) of the kayak is generally narrower than the stern (rear). So don’t just make the front and rear crossbeams the same length or it will look funny and not perform as well.
  • You could substitute wood 2x4s for PVC in my design, but its not going to last as long and its going to flex and expand as it takes on water. Its also going to be a LOT heavier.
  • If you intend to add a motor like I did you must make sure that the distance between the two kayaks in the center is sufficient for the motor to turn 360 degrees without the blades hitting the side of the watercraft.

The Kayak Catamaran Parts List

Everything I used for this experiment came from Lowe’s. I’m sure you could also find it at Home Depot or other home improvement stores.

  • 3 – 10′ sections of 2″ PVC pipe
  • 4 – 2″ PVC T sections
  • 4 – 2″ PVC end caps
  • PVC cleaner and cement
  • 1 – 18″ x 72″ wood board
  • 4 – 2″ stainless steel U bolts with lock nuts and washers
  • 4 – 5″ stainless steel eye bolts with lock nuts and washers
  • 1 – 8′ 2×4 (or a couple of 8″ scraps)
  • 2 – 8″ 5/8×16 bolts with lock nuts and washers
  • 4 – Ratcheting straps

I also needed a rubber mallet, wrenches, a drill, a set of drill bits, and a table saw. You could do without the table saw by having the store cut the wood for you.

Building the Kayak Catamaran

The first thing I did was set the two kayaks beside one another and lay the crossbeam PVC pipes on top of it. This allowed me to take measurements and make sure my design was roughly accurate.

Laying out the Parts (1)

It turns out that the exact finished dimensions worked perfectly for my kayaks and particular brand of trolling motor (Minn Kota 30 pound unit). See the design sketch above if you have Equinox 10.4 kayaks and want to exactly duplicate this build.

I then cut all the PVC pipes and dry fit the pieces. I used my table saw to cut the PVC, but you could use a hacksaw and do it by hand, or you could use a reciprocating saw or basically anthing with a blade long enough to go through 2″ of PVC. Its a very soft material so its easy to cut – but keep your cut very straight as you go. The pieces won’t fit properly if the cuts are all crooked.

Catamaran Kayak parts cut and ready to attach (1)

Then it was time to attach the pieces. First, you must start with the rectangular center frame, and you have to be VERY careful when assembling this piece to make sure you get it extremely straight!

I carefully cleaned and cemented each fitting and lightly attached a T union to one end of the support frame. I then VERY QUICKLY laid it on the flat piece of wood to make sure the T’s were pointing straight. After a little adjusting I took a rubber mallet and pounded the T’s on as far as they would go.

Catamaran Kayak end pieces assembled first (1)

You’ll know when the pieces are fully inserted because there is a little ridge in each connector or end cap that won’t let the pipe go any farther. So you don’t need to worry that you put it in too far. In fact, if you follow my design its extremely important that all PVC is assembled as tightly as possible for proper fit and structural integrity.

If done right you can look inside the T fitting and see there are no gaps and some of the cement is pretty much sealing all the way around the tube where they meet.

Inside the PVC fitting for the Catamaran Kayak (1)

First glue up both end pieces, then attach the two long PVC supports to one end, and follow up by attaching the other end piece – which will require you to glue up two pipes at the same time. Work quickly as the PVC cement drys fast! And remember – HAMMER EVERYTHING TOGETHER WITH A RUBBER MALLET!

After that you’re in the home stretch. Time to glue on the cross beam pieces. These are the most critical joints so make sure they are very clean and you have plenty of cement. You don’t want these to break on the water! Also, notice again that in my design the front and rear are different lengths. Here is a photo showing just one side glued up.

Front and Rear different lengths on Catamaran Kayak (1)

Once you’ve finished connecting all the PVC joints and adding end caps, you can lay the frame back down on your kayaks and begin attaching the connecting hardware. First up, the wooden platform needs to be connected on top. This serves two purposes. First, it provides a lot of torsional rigidity. And secondly, it gives you a spot where you can put stuff!

I used 4 long eye bolts pointing upwards to connect the wood to my PVC frame by drilling down through the wood and directly through the center of each of the 4 T-connectors in the corners. By using the eye bolts it gives connection points in each of the 4 corners that can be used for lashing things to the top, or could even be used for lifting / hanging the platform.

Eye Hooks for Catamaran Kayak (1)

You’re going to attach 4 eye bolts pointing downward from the end of each crossbeam. These are going to be used for connecting the ratcheting strap to hold the kayaks in place.

Eye bolts on Catamaran Kayak frame (1)

The other end of the strap mounting is a U bolt mounted directly on the platform. Make sure and leave enough room that the ratchet can be entirely on top when its mounted securely. This does a couple of things, but most importantly it allows you to ratchet it up a little while on the water if it loosens up, which it will do a bit when it gets wet. I’ve already proven out this point on the Lake, so don’t skip it.

Ratchet Hooks for Kayak Catamaran (1)

You’re about done at this point! Now if you intend to mount a motor on it you need to add a wood block that will fit it. I accomplished this by cutting two 2×4″s down to 8″ wide. These were attached with several stainless steel screws and an L bracket (found near the fencing stuff in the lumber department) for some added rigidity. I wanted to make sure there was NO flex with the motor so all of the power translated to forward momentum instead of any wiggle in the mount.

Motor Mount for Kayak Catamaran (1)

At this point you should be done and ready to simply slip a ratcheting strap under each mounting point, front and rear, on both Kayaks and secure them tightly.

We took the double Kayak Catamaran out on the lake for the day and it performed FAR better than I ever expected! The little 30 pound Minn Kota trolling motor was able to EASILY push the watercraft! By the way, you need to really watch the video I did about the single Kayak motor mount in order to see how to wire it up and which battery to use, etc. But even with the little trolling motor battery I used we were out on the lake messing around with the motor in use for over an hour and only used 20% of the battery life.

Cali and John lounging on the Catamaran Kayak (1)

Not only was this rig able to easily push and steer the CatamaYak, but we were able to even TOW both of the other Kayaks without any issue! Amazing.

Catamaran Kayak towing two kayaks rear (1)

A couple of last little things. You’ll see in all of the photos that the wood panel in the middle is exposed untreated wood. That’s because we bought some special textured extremely waterproof paint to cover it with, but I didn’t do it before the first trip out to the lake. We’ll be painting it for long term durability soon.

Olympic Rescue It Paint for Kayak Catamaran (1)

Finally, if you do this, you’re technically changing your kayak into a home built motor boat. And in Texas, and probably most states, you’re going to have to register it as a watercraft. It costs like $30 in Texas to do it, but be warned that if the lake police come by you could be ticketed for taking this on the water without registration. So make sure you’re covered so you don’t worry about it.

Oh, and be prepared for a LOT of attention on the water! Because no one has ever seen anything like this before so they’ll all want to be checking it out!

So, that’s it! I hope you guys enjoy the hack / build. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below and I’ll help as best I can. This is a project that you can build in just a couple of hours if you have the right tools, and the entire cost was around $100 including PVC, wood, bolts, paint, etc. So that’s a pretty good value!

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John P. is a former CEO, former TV Show Host, and the Founder and Wizard behind Texas Metal Works . You can find him on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn . Feel free to send shoutouts, insults, and praise. Or Money. Money is good.

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May 11, 2016 at 9:30 pm

This is awesome! I am with Robert on the straps..confused about the role of the U bolts. I thought the ratchet strap hooked back to the platform eye bolt. Please clarify. By the way John, why did you take yours apart?

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May 12, 2016 at 10:32 am

I used the u-bolts on the platform so that the base of the ratchets could lay flat against the wood once everything was tightened up. This way when you’re on the water you can use one hand to ratchet it tighter if need be.

You may be able to use the same I look somewhere and put both ends of the ratchet on it. You just want to make sure that you have enough room for the straps to Route Around everything and still be accessible when you’re on the water. It could be fairly disastrous to have anything separate with your stuff on that Central platform. It would pretty much just think…

I disassembled mine because I wasn’t going to register it as a watercraft, and it takes up too much room in the garage for something I’m not using constantly. If we had a lake house I would have definitely left it hooked up. It was great! :-)

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December 14, 2015 at 5:37 pm

This is something I have been wanting to do for a long time. Great instructions. One thing that isn’t clear to me is how the ratchet straps attach to the u-bolts. Could yo show a top view picture to make it easy to see? Thanks.

January 5, 2016 at 10:59 pm

Sorry Robert, I took it apart a while back so I can’t take a photo any more. But since the ratcheting straps have hooks on them, as long as you get them hooked into the eye bolt and just tighten them up, they’ll stay! :-)

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April 10, 2015 at 10:53 am

Great modification! I have 2 identical Perception Sport Pescador 120 kayaks and this has definitely inspired me to build a similar setup. I also own a Hobie Adventure island and love the extra space gained from the trapoline sides between the kayak and the amas (just like your wooden platform has done). You could also add additional cargo space to the void formed between the wooden platform and the front of the two kayaks from a lightweight water repellent material. Great work, thanks for sharing!

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July 14, 2014 at 9:27 am

I wanted to say thank you for posting this project. My son is handicapped and i had wanted to take him our on my kayaks and could not imagine how to make it safe for him to enjoy. This is perfect. We even got a thumbs up from the Vessel Assist Boat Crew on our Maiden Voyage. The stability is amazing even in Lake Washington with the chop and larger motorized vessels. Your measurements were spot on for our boats. High Five! Would love to share a pic. This has opened up a whole new world to a boy and his dog. Thank you!

July 23, 2014 at 11:30 pm

Yeah! I’m so happy to hear that this was helpful! :-)

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August 15, 2013 at 8:33 am

That definitely seems easier than I thought.

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August 14, 2013 at 2:40 pm

I was going to say if John built it a Catastrophe but it looks pretty good. Cali has large feet or John has small ones. :)

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August 14, 2013 at 1:10 pm

Home » LIST of WOODEN BOAT PLANS – By Michael Storer » Quick Canoe Plan build in two weekends is light and Pretty

Quick Canoe Plan build in two weekends is light and Pretty

Yes … a simple wooden canoe plan that builds from three sheets of plywood in two weekends – light with large capacity and paddles fine – not bad when people mistake it for a classic canoe continuously!.

It can also convert to a sailing canoe with or without outrigger hulls .

QUICK CANOE 155 – A simple wooden canoe plan – Specifications

Length – 4.7m (15ft 6ins) Beam – 0.83m (33ins) Hull Weight – 23kg (45lbs) Draft – 0.100m, (4″)

Three sheets of 6mm (1/4″) Plywood.

After reading this article below Browse all our articles on the Quick Canoe

Duct Tape or Cable Ties to put the hull together fast

Read how Rick built one in four and a half hours .

Temporary duct tape gives a clean interior for filleting or glassing.

The hull is duct taped together; the interior has no stitches or  cable ties protruding making getting the glass or fillets down much easier and faster.

A Classic looking canoe – a simple plywood  canoe plan

From a customer:

I built the QC (photo below) for this trip last year, and have used it extensively in lakes since that time. Definitely gets scuffed up with the rocky bottom of our local rivers, but things are better since I capped the keel with a strip of aluminum. .
I cannot pass a single other person on the river without great compliments about my “beautiful wooden canoe”!

Despite being so simple … it looks just right on the water as you can see from the photos.

See my page on choosing between the Quick Canoe and the Classic Eureka Canoe

Quick Build on Location for your Vacation – building two in France was cheaper than hiring canoes

The photo below shows two Quick Canoes a group of us built in France immediately before paddling and camping our way down the Loire River for a week .

It fills a gap that our classic Eureka Canoe doesn’t cover. The Eureka is a pretty wooden canoe that is easy to build and paddles very nicely.  It builds quickly over a couple of weeks if you can work full time, but with the Quick Canoe we were thinking of a wooden canoe plan that was possible to whack together in a weekend or two.

Originally called the “Disposable Canoe” it ended up being way better than that!

Original name was the “disposable” canoe. It has been renamed the more salubrious “Quick Canoe”.  I quite liked the name of “Disposable Canoe” but I agreed with the critique that it hinted at something that was poor quality rather than simple and Easy.

It could have been the EasyCanoe, but that name was already taken. We had trouble finding a name for a new wooden canoe plan :)

The Quick Canoe series was designed to be easy building as while keeping some of the qualities of a good paddling plywood canoe – in particular the ability to track.  It is not designed to be the BEST canoe, but the SIMPLEST plywood canoe that was FASTEST to build without being too bad on the water. A point of difference with the best paddling  canoe we could come up with as represented by the Eureka.

Several Canoes then you need a triple storage rack to build yourself

Video on how to build the Quick Canoe

Here is a six minute clip on the building method for this plywood canoe.

budowa Quick Canoe

The video method includes the standard paddling canoe and also the Quick Canoe Electric which is a cargo canoe designed to take an electric trolling motor .

Can sail with addition of a sailing rig. Or outriggers and a bigger sail for more performance

The Quick Canoes even work well with our Drop In Sailing Rig .

Or the drop in outriggers that convert it into a light trimaran.

Video of Quick Canoe in Hungary.
Perttu Builds a Plywood Quick Canoe in Finnish Snow

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How to Make a Catamaran Out of Two Kayaks? Here’s What You Need to Know

how to build a canoe catamaran

If you’re looking for an inexpensive and simple way to make your own catamaran out of two kayaks, then you’ve come to the right place.

In this guide, we’ll provide the necessary steps to create a stable and secure catamaran from two kayaks.

You’ll learn the benefits of making a catamaran out of two kayaks, the supplies you’ll need, a step-by-step guide to tying the kayaks together, constructing the platform, and more.

Plus, we’ll provide tips for ensuring a safe and fun day on the water.

So, let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Short Answer

Making a catamaran out of two kayaks is actually relatively simple and can be done in a few steps.

First, you’ll need to attach the two kayaks together using either rope or straps.

Make sure the kayaks are well secured together and evenly balanced.

Then, tie a cross beam between the two kayaks to make a platform for seating and storage.

Finally, add any additional gear, such as paddles and life jackets, that you may need for your journey.

With these steps, you’ll have your own DIY catamaran made out of two kayaks!

Benefits of Making a Catamaran Out of Two Kayaks

Making a catamaran out of two kayaks is a great way to enjoy the open waters with added stability and capacity compared to a single kayak.

Not only is it relatively easy and inexpensive to do, but it also allows you to explore further and carry more gear than you would with a single kayak.

One of the main benefits of making a catamaran out of two kayaks is that it provides added stability.

A catamaran is inherently more stable than a single kayak because the two hulls provide a wider base, which helps prevent tipping over.

This is especially beneficial for those who are new to kayaking, as it gives them additional confidence on the water.

Another benefit of making a catamaran out of two kayaks is that it gives you more capacity.

By combining two kayaks, you can carry more gear and supplies than you would with a single kayak.

This makes it perfect for overnight trips or long-distance paddles, as you can easily carry enough food, water, and other supplies to last the entire trip.

Finally, making a catamaran out of two kayaks is also relatively easy and inexpensive.

All that is needed are two kayaks, a few pieces of wood, and some basic tools.

With a few simple steps, you can have a great time on the water without breaking the bank.

In conclusion, making a catamaran out of two kayaks can be a great way to explore open waters with added stability and capacity.

So if youre looking for a fun and safe way to enjoy the water, making a catamaran out of two kayaks is definitely worth considering.

Necessary Supplies

how to build a canoe catamaran

When it comes to making a catamaran out of two kayaks, there are certain supplies that are necessary for the job.

The most important items needed are two kayaks, some pieces of wood, and basic tools.

Depending on the type of kayaks, rope or bungee cord may also be necessary.

The two kayaks should be tied together with rope or bungee cord.

This will provide the necessary stability and capacity that a catamaran needs.

The rope or bungee cord should be tied securely, but not too tightly, to ensure that the kayaks dont move apart when in use.

Using the pieces of wood, a platform should be constructed to attach the kayaks together.

This will provide the necessary support for the kayaks to be on the same level.

The platform should be made with durable wood that can withstand the elements and the weight of the kayaks.

Once the platform is in place, the kayaks should be secured together with more rope or bungee cord.

This will ensure that the kayaks stay together and remain secure.

With these supplies, youll be able to construct a catamaran out of two kayaks, providing a great way to explore open waters with added stability and capacity.

It is a relatively simple process to do, and with the right supplies, youll be able to enjoy a fun and safe day on the water.

Step-by-Step Guide for Tying the Kayaks Together

Tying two kayaks together to create a catamaran is a fairly straightforward process that can be completed with minimal supplies and basic tools.

To get started, select two kayaks that are similar in size and shape.

If the kayaks are not the same size, one may need to be secured higher than the other for balance.

Once the kayaks are selected, its time to start tying them together.

Begin by securing a rope or bungee cord around the kayaks, making sure to wrap the cord around both kayaks several times.

Its important to make sure the cord is tied tightly and securely; if the cord is too loose, the kayaks are likely to move while in the water, which could be dangerous.

After the rope or bungee cord is secured, a platform should be constructed out of wood and attached to the kayaks.

This platform should be large enough for the items being stored on the catamaran, such as coolers, fishing gear, and other supplies.

Once the platform is attached, its important to securely tie the kayaks together with additional rope or bungee cord.

This will help ensure that the kayaks stay together and dont move while in the water.

By following these simple steps, anyone can easily create a catamaran out of two kayaks.

With a little bit of planning and the right supplies, this project can be completed in just a few hours.

With the catamaran in place, its time to hit the open waters and enjoy a great day on the water.

Constructing the Platform

how to build a canoe catamaran

Constructing the platform for a catamaran out of two kayaks is the next step in the process.

The platform should be constructed out of wood, such as lumber or plywood.

The size of the platform will vary depending on the size of the kayaks and the desired capacity, but the general rule is that the platform should be at least twice the width of the kayaks.

The platform should also be long enough to span the distance between the two kayaks.

The platform should be constructed with two crossbeams for added stability.

These should be secured to the kayaks with bolts, screws, or rope.

The crossbeams should be evenly spaced along the length of the platform.

Once the platform is constructed, it should be secured to the kayaks with more rope or bungee cord.

It is important to make sure the platform is strong and secure.

Make sure that the crossbeams are securely attached to the kayaks and that the platform is securely attached to the crossbeams.

If the platform is not secure, it can cause an instability that could lead to an accident while out on the water.

Once the platform is secure, it’s time to enjoy your new catamaran!

Securing the Kayaks Together

Once the kayaks are tied together, it is time to secure them for a more stable and reliable ride.

This is done by looping additional rope or bungee cord around the kayaks and tying them together.

This creates a secure connection between the two kayaks and ensures that they will remain connected while out on the water.

Additionally, it is important to make sure that all knots are tightly tied and not loose.

This will help to ensure that the connection between the kayaks remains strong and secure.

Additionally, it is important to inspect the knots periodically throughout the day to ensure that they are still tight and secure.

This is especially important if the kayaks are being used in choppy or turbulent waters.

Tips for Ensuring a Safe and Fun Day on the Water

how to build a canoe catamaran

Making a catamaran out of two kayaks is a great way to explore open waters with added stability and capacity, and it can be done relatively easily and with minimal supplies.

However, its important to take the proper steps to ensure a safe and fun day on the water.

Before you begin, make sure you have all the necessary supplies.

This includes two kayaks, a few pieces of wood, rope or bungee cord, and basic tools.

Make sure you have enough of each material to complete the project.

Once you have all the supplies, its time to tie the kayaks together.

Make sure the rope or bungee cord is tied securely and tightly, as it will be responsible for keeping the kayaks together.

Its also important to make sure the kayaks are tied together in the correct way.

The best way to do this is to tie the sterns together and then tie the bows together.

Next, you will need to build a platform out of the wood.

Make sure the platform is the correct size and securely attached to the kayaks.

This will be the base for the catamaran.

Finally, to ensure the kayaks stay together, you should use additional rope or bungee cord to tie the kayaks together.

Once you have completed all these steps, youre ready to hit the open waters! Just remember to be safe and have fun.

And, if you ever have any doubts, seek out professional help to make sure your catamaran is constructed correctly.

Other Ways to Make a Catamaran Out of Two Kayaks

Making a catamaran out of two kayaks is a great way to explore open waters with added stability and capacity.

It can be done relatively easily and with minimal supplies, allowing you to save money and still have a great time.

In addition to the rope and wood mentioned above, there are a few other methods that can be used to make a catamaran out of two kayaks.

One option is to use a pair of inflatable air mattresses.

These mattresses can be used to create a platform between the two kayaks that will provide additional stability.

The mattresses should be connected with rope or bungee cord and then secured to the kayaks.

This is a great option for those who dont want to build a wooden platform or dont have the necessary tools.

Another option is to use two pieces of foam.

This method is similar to the inflatable mattress option, but instead of using air mattresses, two pieces of foam are used to form the platform.

The foam should be cut to shape and then connected to the kayaks with rope or bungee cord.

This is a great option if you dont have access to an air mattress, but it may not be as durable as a wooden platform.

Finally, another option is to use a piece of plywood.

This method is similar to the wooden platform option, but instead of using individual pieces of wood, a piece of plywood is used to form the platform.

The plywood should be cut to shape and then connected to the kayaks with rope or bungee cord.

This is a great option if you have the necessary tools and access to a sheet of plywood, but it may not be as strong as a wooden platform.

No matter which method you choose, making a catamaran out of two kayaks is a great way to explore open waters with added stability and capacity.

With the right supplies and tools, you can have a fun and safe day on the water.

Final Thoughts

With the right supplies and a bit of knowledge, you can easily construct your own catamaran.

So why not give it a try? You’ll be sure to have a great time out on the water with your new craft.

James Frami

At the age of 15, he and four other friends from his neighborhood constructed their first boat. He has been sailing for almost 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge that he wants to share with others.

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DIY Styrofoam Catamaran

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Introduction: DIY Styrofoam Catamaran

DIY Styrofoam Catamaran

This is a Styrofoam catamaran i built. I had been wanting to build this for a while, then in the last few days of summer i decided to build it. This only took 2 full days to build and one day to test. The catamaran costed me around 200 dollars (sail not included) and this is comparable to a store bought catamaran which would cost 2000 dollars

In this instructable i have included a few schematics (located on the last page) , a materials list, and various pictures and descriptions for all steps.

If you plan to build this project i suggest you check out the video and if you like this project be sure to check out my channel or my website for more projects like this.

Step 1: Materials

Materials

The materials i needed for this project were:

2"x4"x8' pieces of wood - 2

2"x3"x8' pieces of wood - 1

2"x2"x8'pieces of wood - 6

1”x2’x8’ Styrofoam sheet - 5

1.5”x14”x4’ Styrofoam sheet - 5

½’’x2’x4’ piece of plywood - 2

½’’x4’x6’ piece of plywood - 1

Sail and mast - 1

Epoxy (dollar store epoxy is cheapest and works well) - 7

Step 2: Assembling a Pontoon

Assembling a Pontoon

The catamaran will be composed of 2 pontoons. These pontoons will have a frame filled with the white, less durable Styrofoam in the center; then we will later add the pink Styrofoam to the outside.

To start off i lay out two 2x2 pieces of wood with the white Styrofoam pieces in the center. This will be the inside of the pontoon. Next i add a front triangle onto the pontoon. As you can see in the third picture i added 2 struts near either end of the pontoon. Once that is finished i fill the pontoon with white Styrofoam and cut it to fit in the gaps.

Step 3: Finishing the Pontoon

Finishing the Pontoon

to finish off the pontoons we must first cut 4 pieces of Styrofoam to size (2 for each pontoon). To cut them all at once i clam them together and use a reciprocating saw to cut the height from 2 feet to 17 inches (the height of the pontoon).

After that i use 1 - 1.5 tubes of epoxy as adhesive. I spread the epoxy on the wooden frame and then lay the Styrofoam down onto the wooden frame and add weight to it so the Styrofoam stays tight to the frame as the epoxy hardens. After that i use the saw to taper the bottom edge. I also add Styrofoam to the front triangle and taper that as well. Once complete you should go ahead and do that for both pontoons.

Note: The strut layout in the second pic is different then the layout of the of the struts in the previous page. The layout in the previous page showed the correct positioning of the struts.

Step 4: Completing the Pontoons

Completing the Pontoons

Now you can see both pontoons side by side. To complete them i add a wooden triangle positioned at the top, and lined up with each strut, this will be used for mounting the frame. To add some more buoyancy i also cut a full 2' x 8' piece of Styrofoam in half lengthwise (giving us two 1' x 8' pieces). I use epoxy to mount those onto the inside of the pontoons.

Now both pontoons combined give a buoyancy of 460 lbs when fully submerged. This seems like a lot but when you consider you wouldn't want more then 60 percent of the pontoon submerged (then you would be uncomfortably close to the water) and you might also have you weight towards one side of the pontoon then it seems this 460 lbs is just enough for one person to float comfortably. (i fit 2 full size people on but it sits very low). If you wish to be able to make this a 2 person boat you can add more Styrofoam sheets to the outside. Each 1"x 2' x 8' sheet once cut to a height of 17" provides 62 lbs of buoyancy when fully submerged.

These calculations are fairly simple to do on your own. First calculate the volume of the object (length in meters x width in meters x height in meters), this will give you volume in meters cubed. Then multiply the value you get by the density of water (1000 kg/m cubed) this will give you how many KG the object can float when fully submerged.

Step 5: Making the Frame

Making the Frame

To make the frame i cut my 2x4 s to 4.75 feet long and attached them to the pontoons using screws. I chose that width because it was just small enough that i would be able to fit the frame (when separated from pontoons) in the back of my van. Next i add the 2x3 piece down the middle of the boat. This is both for structure and to mount other parts off of.

Step 6: Adding the Keel

Adding the Keel

Now i cut out the keel out of a piece of plywood. Using the plywood, i also glue a slot so that the keel can be slid in and will be able to slide up and down within the slot.

The keel is an essential part of the sailboat and helps to turn the force provided by the wind into thrust in the forward direction. This is also the pivot point when you turn your boat

Step 7: Adding the Rudder

Adding the Rudder

The rudder will need to rotate so i decide to mount it off of a hinge. I add a hinge to the back of the boat and then cut the rudder out of the piece of plywood. The rudder should be fastened in place with 2 bolts and the bolts should have a washer in between the nut and the wood of the rudder. The bottom bolt will have to be taken while the boat is out of the water so that the rudder can pivot upwards when it is on dry land.

To finish off i add a handle made of plywood. The handle is to only have one bolt through it so that it can pivot up and down.

Step 8: Finishing Touches

Finishing Touches

To finish up i cut a piece of plywood to size and fit it on top of the catamaran to use as a seat.

After that we need to make somewhere to mount the mast of the sail. To do this i obtain a small piece of pvc pipe and heat the bottom of it so i can squeeze it down and make it thin. Once that is done i simply mount a few screws in it to attach it to the frame of the boat.

Step 9: Setting Up the Sail

Setting Up the Sail

Now i use a mast and sail that i had laying around and slide it into the pvc pipe. I secure the mast with metal cables that attach to various points on the boat. Once the mast is in place i rig up the main sail and the jib and it is now ready to sail

Step 10: Testing Out the Boat

Testing Out the Boat

Now that the boat is complete you can go ahead and take it out on the water and test it out. Be sure to wear a lifejacket and bring a paddle just in case you have a hard time getting it in using the wind.

To see the test you can also check out the video

Step 11: Schematics

Schematics

Here are a few schematics of the boat, they are not to scale. Beside the schematic picture i also attached a real picture of the boat

In order we have a top view of the boat, a front view, a side view, and a picture of the rudder and keel. All measurements of the schematics are done in meters.

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Platte River canoe livery wins its lawsuit against the National Park Service

  • Updated: Mar. 04, 2024, 2:58 p.m. |
  • Published: Mar. 04, 2024, 2:06 p.m.

Riverside Canoes

Riverside Canoes has operated on the Platte River in northern Michigan since the early 1970s.

The owners of a canoe livery that has operated on the Platte River in northern Michigan since the early 1970s have staved off an effort by the federal government to make them pay for the privilege.

In 2022, the National Park Service informed the owners of Riverside Canoes that, because launching customers into the Platte River inside Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was integral to their business, they would need something called a commercial use authorization to continue operating.

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IMAGES

  1. Best catamaran to build ~ Building your own canoe

    how to build a canoe catamaran

  2. how to build a kayak catamaran

    how to build a canoe catamaran

  3. How to build a kayak catamaran using 1.5mm plywood

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  4. Build a catamaran with two kayaks.

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  5. DIY Catamaran (Catamcanoe)

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  6. DIY Motor Kayak Catamaran with Outriggers

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VIDEO

  1. Canoe Catamaran

  2. Quick Canoe with 39 sq ft sail

  3. #CANOE#SHIP#

  4. Comparison of Double Canoe vs Sailboat [S1-E59]

  5. Canoe we built

  6. Pans Marine

COMMENTS

  1. DIY Cruising Catamaran: Complete Building Guide

    If you were to build a 40-foot (12.1-meter) catamaran, your cost of materials would range between 20-30% of the total cost. Therefore, for $300,000 total, the boat's materials would range between $60,000 and $90,000. The hull tends to range between 15-35% of the total build.

  2. Building a canoe catamarn

    If you want to make a canoe like catamaran then get another canoe to pair with the intact one that you have. Sorry to be so negative but the idea would almost surely lead to your disappointment. Actually such a boat would float but it would not be a fun or safe boat. messabout, Aug 4, 2012 #4.

  3. How To Rig a Canoe Catamaran

    March 2, 2024. Find the best whiskey, tequila, and more with the MEN'S JOURNAL Spirits Awards. NEWSLETTERS. Windbound with a big lake crossing ahead, the crew decide to rig a canoe catamaran.

  4. Our Catamaran Build Kits

    The first step to building your dream catamaran begins with a strongback - this is a square frame used to position the temporary frames that will be used to form the hull shape. This frame will be set up and must be square and accurate, a string or laser level can be used to achieve this.

  5. Catamaran Kit Process

    STEP 1. The first step to building your dream catamaran begins with a strongback - this is a square frame used to position the temporary frames that will be used to form the hull shape. This frame will be set up and must be square and accurate, a string or laser level can be used to achieve this.

  6. STRIP PLANKING GUIDE

    The planking is 20mm thick and the final planks at the keel line have been cut down to about 25mm wide. Biaxial Glass at ±45˚ has been laid across the hull over the finished planking. The joins in the glass do not need to be overlapped. The laminators are pulling excess resin from the laminate with squeegees.

  7. Designing A Catamaran That Can Be Built In A Day

    Winter's coming and I'd love to build a boat before it does. But is it possible to build one in a day? Only one way to find out - but first I need to decide ...

  8. Catamaran Plans: Design, Build and Sail your own Multi-Hull Boat

    The materials you will need will depend on the design of your catamaran and the type of construction you choose. Common materials used in catamaran construction include wood, fiberglass, composites, aluminum, and PVC. Each material has its own unique properties and benefits, so it's important to choose the right one for your project.

  9. Catamaran Construction with a DuFlex Kit

    Step 1. Kit Design. Work with us to finalise the details of the design you have chosen including any design options or additional modules to be included in the kit. We will determine the laminates, the number of panels required for each laminate, create the cutting files and prepare a quote for the kit if it is not already priced.

  10. How to build a boat: 40ft catamaran

    Fast forward through 3 year's work - in 3 minutes, the building of a 40ft catamaran.An overview — building a DIY homemade 40ft catamaran.

  11. James Wharram Designs

    Dream. Study our Self Build Boats to familiarise yourself with our range of designs and their unique qualities. Download and read the Wharram Design Book which reviews each design in detail and offers a detailed introduction to the world of self-build catamarans. Order and download Study Plans and immerse yourself into the boat builder's mindset; evaluate the costs; the amount of time required ...

  12. Skin-on-Frame Canoe Building Course

    The "66 canoe" is a comprehensive skin-on-frame canoe building system that lets you control all of the shaping variables to build a canoe that is customized to your paddling lifestyle. This 12 hour video course and downloadable 30-page PDF plan set puts you in the classroom with me, ensuring that your first skin-on-frame build is easy, fun, and ...

  13. Building a Plywood Catamaran

    The build process of a 13 foot modular plywood motor catamaranCheck out the boat build project introduction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nKThZ_bdws-----...

  14. Foam Strip Plank Boatbuilding

    After rolling four coats of an epoxy paint primer onto the hull, we did the final fairing. We didn't prime the areas where beams were to be attached.After the hull halves were joined, we added the dagger board case and the transom. We embedded the tramp hooks into the ¾" thick foam strip on the centerline of the deck.

  15. James Wharram's First Catamaran Build

    James Wharram. Jul 2, 2021. Ruth aboard Tangaroa shortly after the boat's initial launch. More than just a sailor and designer, James Wharram, originally of Manchester, England, is also both a free-thinker and an individual clearly dedicated to getting as much out of this life as possible. Although he made his mark as a multihull designer ...

  16. How to Make a Home-Made Catamaran, Raft Boat Plans

    Two old-fashioned dugout canoes make most excellent hulls for a catamaran, but unfortunately dugout canoes are now few and far between. In these modern days we must look for something more up-to-date, and probably the shortest way out of the difficulty is to build two long, narrow boats. This is not a difficult piece of work.

  17. Canoe Catamaran

    1) Canoes generally aren't used for catamaran hulls because they can take on waves/water and list/sink/capsize. If you're going to sail this thing in anything with over foot-high waves, you need to make the hulls shed water. Maybe try the FRP solid (sit-on-top) kayaks that have no interior.

  18. CatamaYak: How to Build a Kayak Catamaran

    4 - 2″ stainless steel U bolts with lock nuts and washers. 4 - 5″ stainless steel eye bolts with lock nuts and washers. 1 - 8′ 2×4 (or a couple of 8″ scraps) 2 - 8″ 5/8×16 bolts with lock nuts and washers. 4 - Ratcheting straps. I also needed a rubber mallet, wrenches, a drill, a set of drill bits, and a table saw.

  19. Quick Canoe Plan build in two weekends is light and Pretty

    Quick canoe is a 16ft wooden canoe plan in three panels that can be built very fast - It looks like a classic canoe. A plywood canoe good stability with excellent weight carrying. It also paddles pretty well for a box. The first one took 4.5 hours to build - but thats a Canadian woodworker. I took two weekends.

  20. How to make a DIY plywood canoe

    Weigh only 15 KG. You will be amazed to see how the canoe takes shape. See how well it goes on the water at the end. This mixed time-lapse video shows the b...

  21. How to Make a Catamaran Out of Two Kayaks? Here's What You Need to Know

    Short Answer. Making a catamaran out of two kayaks is actually relatively simple and can be done in a few steps. First, you'll need to attach the two kayaks together using either rope or straps. Make sure the kayaks are well secured together and evenly balanced.

  22. DIY Styrofoam Catamaran : 11 Steps (with Pictures)

    Step 2: Assembling a Pontoon. The catamaran will be composed of 2 pontoons. These pontoons will have a frame filled with the white, less durable Styrofoam in the center; then we will later add the pink Styrofoam to the outside. To start off i lay out two 2x2 pieces of wood with the white Styrofoam pieces in the center.

  23. Platte River canoe livery wins its lawsuit against the National Park

    The owners of a canoe livery that has operated on the Platte River in northern Michigan since the early 1970s have staved off an effort by the federal government to make them pay for the privilege.

  24. Turning a canoe into a trimaran

    This is a 16 foot Canadien design canoe rigged with a set of pontoons for fast stable sailing. The wide crossboard allows the canoeist the option of sitting ...