Course How To

Building a Catamaran Houseboat - plans for a 80'x32' Salt Water Cat

by Warren Wagner
(Covington, La. USA)

Catamaran Houseboat - constructing frame & mold

Catamaran Houseboat - constructing frame & mold

I have decided to build a catamaran houseboat since I have been looking for years to find just the right boat having come close a few times, however, the price has alway's been out of reach. Therefore, I decided to build what I could not afford to buy.


I started by building a plywood mold. I have had some experience in building fiberglass boats in the past but nothing of this scale, however the only real difference is that's its larger. One of my major concerns in planning its design was making certain that if caught in bad weather that its hull design would be very seaworthy.

Now that lamination is completed I am considering to either sell or rent the mold in order to help reduce some of the invested cost. The next step is to start joining the two hulls together and then build the superstructure on top of the 32x80 ft flat deck.

The boat will be powered with twin 405hp Cummins engines, interior layout will be pretty much a cross between a home and a typical motor yacht. Which I guess pretty much duplicates what most luxury houseboats look like.

Construction is thus far on budget, hoping to complete it for $300,000.00 with an anticipated launch date sometime this coming May.

This is one of the most fun projects I have ever attempted.

Yours truly, Warren Wagner



Advertise Houseboat Business Advertising
You can advertise here for pennies a day!
Are you a boating related business and want to
increase sales and profits with targeted traffic?
Act now to get our 1/2 price sale, limited offer




Reply - Answer


Warren, what a wonderful project and a major undertaking. I can see that you have planned the whole thing out well and the twin Cummings should push this baby just great.

Do keep us updated with the progress as there are many folks here that are considering building a boat, or that are actually currently involved in building a boat.


Lastly, hopefully some of our readers and visitors will share and post comments about their catamaran houseboat building experiences and tips.

Feel free to use the "Click here to post comments." link found near the bottom of this page.

Thanks again for sharing, IAN from all-about-houseboats

More Information



Free Bonus Offer

To show our deep appreciation to all of our readers and visitors, here is the link to our free houseboat magazine, the INSIDER. Go ahead click the book and sign-up, it's free and filled with great articles, tips, information and website updates.

free Houseboat Magazine - The Houseboat Insider


Comments for Building a Catamaran Houseboat - plans for a 80'x32' Salt Water Cat

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Rating
starstarstarstarstar
`"To the Boat Building Ten's!"
by: Anonymous

Hi, I am a writer with my first work for the public market out there at #39 on Amazon Kindles Hottest New Releases. I am hoping to build a gentle houseboat sometime this summer. Thank you for the comment in your article about renting out the mold for the fiberglass. I am entirely impressed with the thought that a Fiberglass Mold is rentable. Is that with the corrections that were noted when the Pros went through it for legal requirements for insurance? While my houseboat will not be as grand I hope I can find someone with a mold for rent. I am hoping "Dedrialyn and the Family Bots" does well enough this year to let me build one about half the size of yours. At 62, I am hoping I can find a marina that likes comical writers since I can no longer drive eighteen-wheelers. rofl Great build!

Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Molded fiberglass cat, the final size 33' x 76'
by: Warren Wagner

The construction time has taken years longer than originally anticipated. The boat is now almost completely finished.

We did start-up and sea trials with the Cummings engine people in August, spent September making necessary corrections that turned up during the sea trial.

We retained a marine surveyor to survey the boat both prior to launching and after launching to document that the vessel met all required ABYC compliance in order to obtain the necessary insurance.

The entire boat is fully air-conditioned and heated including the engine rooms. We installed a Mitsubishi mini split system which has been operational now for two years throughout the interior build out.

All interior wood trim is complete along with all appliances carpeting throughout the entire boat including all eight bedrooms en suite bathrooms and showers.

Bedding and furniture going in next hope to be fully finished by the end of October.

Hope to be able to furnish photos when I know how to.

Warren Wagner

Rating
starstarstarstarstar
SOUNDS GREAT
by: tn46

Looking forward to seeing you project come to fruition.

Fyi, I'm planning a 3BR, 2B HOUSE-boat, if you know what I mean, to be built in 2017 in Central America.

Essentially, MV MAYAN PRINCESS will be a townhouse (that was originally designed for a narrow city lot) on a big/flat deck (26x60 foot), supported by a herd of 55gal plastic barrels & powered by a Cummins 4BT diesel, driving a BIG prop.

BEST WISHES on your houseboat.

yours, tex

Rating
starstarstarstarstar
I would love to see the progress!
by: Anonymous

Warren what a wonderful project you are undertaken. I sure would love to see the progress. Please keep us informed. Is there a link anywhere?

Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Well Wishes
by: Capt. Zack

I have nothing but well wishes for you, and I am glad to hear that you are taking the bull by the horns and building your Catamaran Houseboat and not caving in and paying those high costs that the boat building industry are charging..!

Not only that you will be getting exactly what you want and not someone elses dreams...

Good luck, and keep us informed with your progress ...

Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Cat Power
by: Capt.Ritz

Have you considered diesel electric?

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Plans for Building a Houseboat..


Continue Reading Our Popular Pages

Our collection of houseboat ebooks

Ebook Boats Collection on Houseboat Books

We just love houseboats, do you?
Join our monthly HB Insider for free



Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.