The Islander Catamaran is a long term project being worked on during the other much quicker boat projects. It is very nice to have something to work over a longer term since most others can be completed in just a couple of months.
It is a 20+ foot Cruiser, 8.5 wide in order to be road legal. It will have everything needed for a couple to go on short trips including a head/shower, galley and bunk. It will have stand up headroom in the hulls and sitting headroom in the bridgedeck. It will be a standard sloop rig with screecher for improved pointing. Top speed is not a concern but I do want it to be reasonability fast so that trips to the Bahamas’ will be possible. I will put a biplane rig on it using Hobie TI mast and sails when entered into EC. Also with this setup it will be easy to cook and eat while underway and to keep the boat moving at night, not to mention not having to stop to go potty. Yes it will be a cruiser with comfort but it is designed from the ground up for watertribe challenges.
It is being built to go into the Class 6 which allows electric motors. I have been working on the Electric motor package for aprox the last two years and after much testing and expense have a good system to go on it. It is a 50 lb thrust salt water motor, twin battery packs and twin 60 watt solar chargers. Weight is 110 lbs total for all. I have been able to get 14 miles at 3 mph out of one pack and then start the recharging which takes aprox. 8 hours for one pack. This should be plenty to get up passes and into checkpoints.
The main reason that I have been building this boat is so that my wife will want to join me on some adventure sailing and watertribe events. She is very spirited and loves adventure but likes to be comfortable as well. We also hope to use it to visit the Bahamas while using a small 4 stroke outboard kicker to make the 50 plus mile crossing safer.
Roger
