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Leave The Dock… In a Power Catamaran

Compromise Not Required^TM.

We purchased a power catamaran in 2004. After sea-trialing every hull design we could bum a ride on we decided to find a boat that would be well suited to the often choppy, and sometimes downright ugly Chesapeake Bay. We wanted a boat that two people could comfortably stay overnight on. A boat that was stable and would not pound in rough seas. What we ended up with was a boat with a cruise speed of around 17 knots (20mph/31kph); a boat that does not pound; a boat that sips fuel (that was an added bonus!); a boat that we’ve lived on for a month at a time; and a boat that has allowed us to venture as far as the Bahamas. We got a Power Catamaran. But this site isn’t about our boat, it’s about Power Catamarans in the US market, which I feel is slow to embrace this wonderful design. So if you’re in the market for a new power boat and you’re tired of burning huge quantities of fuel while having your teeth jarred out, read on. I’m going to list the power cats I’m aware of and what I know about them. Please remember, a catamaran will have up to 35% more livable space below decks than a comparable-sized mono-hull (especially express cruiser models).

Motorcat MC30:

First up, of course, the Motorcat MC30

(this is our actual boat, Deuce). We’ve

been very pleased with her. The base

price is around $110,000, minus power.

Add something like Honda 60hp outboards

and you’re looking at $130,000 give or take. These boats are rated as Category B

Offshore. Meaning they’ll get you there

and back safely. We have older Honda

50hp outboards which give us a 17knot

cruise with a fuel burn of 3.5 gallons per

hour under normal conditions. And I’ve

seen us burn closer to 5gph in very rough

conditions.

There are two blogs dedicated to this model:

Deuce

Cat’s Away

Motorcat MC29

This model doesn’t have much of a “traditional” catamaran look. But enjoys all the benefits of being a true cat. Available with a single inboard diesel or twin outboards, this boat is easily trailerable with a 8’6” beam.

To my knowledge, there are only a handful of these in the US, which is a shame with a starting price of $99k ($120k with twin outboards). A great value for a great design.

Aspen

Unique to this model is Aspen’s Proa Hull design. The starboard hull is wider than the port hull as this boat is powered by a single inboard diesel. The results are quite impressive: great handling; great fuel economy; a soft, smooth ride. Designed by Larry Graf. Starting price $185k.

PDQ34

Acquired by Pearson Composites in 2008 PDQ models are back in production This is the PDQ34, their most popular model. I’ve always wanted to sea-trial one of these. At a starting price of $420k though, they’re quite a bit more than the previous models I’ve mentioned. However at 34’x16’, there’s also a lot more boat here to love.

Stay tuned. More to come shortly…