Catamarans are lovely vessels that may be owned for a lot of fun, but even a secondhand one can cost up to $800,000. That’s why plenty of people are thinking about building their own, but how much should you budget?
A catamaran may be constructed for from $30,000 to $300,000. The size and level of finishing on the boat are two major elements that affect the final price. The final cost will depend on the specific products selected and on whether or not a kit is employed.
The total cost of constructing a catamaran from a kit is discussed in this article’s detail. Let’s start with the positives of designing and constructing your own catamaran.
Price of a Prefabricated Catamaran
Using prefabricated kits is a popular method for DIY catamaran construction. The overall cost of building might reach $300,000, yet the resulting craft is as reliable as any mass-produced boat.
Putting Together the Toolkit
- Once you get your kits together, you may build your ship right up to the point where you need to add wiring, plumbing, and other such finishing touches. Nowadays, Schionning, Grainger, Wharram, and Oram are the four most popular catamaran kit distributors.
- Schionning’s kits will run you around $60,000 (not including shipping or taxes), whereas Oram’s kits are unavailable without a special request and are often priced similarly to Schionning’s. No one bundles building blueprints into their prices, so be prepared to shell out extra cash if you want to build something.
- The price of a kit from Grainger is roughly $130,000. This is a whopping 100% increase over the nearest rival. Even if you can purchase plans from Oram for roughly $6,500, the fact that they’re already included in the kit prices isn’t a good enough reason to pay that much more.
- Wharram’s Mana-kit, for example, is a one-of-a-kind Polynesian-style set that can be purchased for as little as $16,400.
- Since none of these catamaran kit manufacturers are based in the United States, you may expect to pay a hefty fee for transport. In most cases, shipping will add another $5,000 to your bill, and customs duties will cost an additional $1,000.
Construction Begins
- To begin construction, you must first cover the cost of renting or buying a suitable location. Catamaran building may take anywhere from one to three years, so you’ll need to make sure you have somewhere to keep the boat while it’s being built.
- Site preparation is also essential. If you’re on a tight budget, you can make do with a dirt floor by flattening it down and covering it with a tarp, but ideally you’d have a concrete or asphalt surface.
- Even if you don’t do any significant surface preparation, you’ll still need to budget for things like ventilation, water, lighting on site, and builder’s insurance, all of which add up to less than $15,000. A hoop tent of at least 30 by 60 feet (6.1 by 18.3 metres) is required.
- For working with fibreglass, you’ll need a router, circular saw, sanders, and similar instruments. Plenty of screws and sandpaper will also be required. You can get all the equipment you need, including rental fees, for less than $3,000. For the strongback and forebeam, you’ll need wood and aluminium pipes. They’ll set you back about $1,100.
- Cleaning supplies and other consumables, as well as any extraneous charges, will add another $2,500 to the total. The cost of paint and other supplies is not included.
Phase of Painting the Outside
- After you’ve finished constructing your boat, it’s time to go paint shopping. Technically, painting will begin during hull building, but you won’t require dozens of gallons until you’ve completed the process. About ten gallons of Awlgrip marine paint will be needed for the topside. Your approximate outlay for this is $2,500.
- The high-build paint, which requires a converter and reducer, will set you back around $2,500 for 20 gallons (75.71 litres). Five gallons of Rustoleum semi-gloss paint should be plenty to cover the inside enamel, and it should set you back about $500.
- Costs for the paint job on the bottom will be around the same. Consumables such as sandpapers of varying grits, thinners, rollers, brushes, mixing cups, and so on will cost you about $2,000.
- Catamarans in the Engines Stage are usually lightweight, allowing them to be propelled by a pair of 25hp motors. It’s common to see Yamaha engines, although Penta engines may also do the job.
- The cost of the engines does not include the fuel system, which includes the dual control and wires, and the gasoline (including the gauge, filler, tank, etc.). The price tag for the motors and other necessary components comes in at roughly $12,000.
Directional Controls
You’ll need to spend around $1000 on rudder shafts or rods, $300 on a steering quadrant, and another $300 on steering wheels to create the steering for your catamaran. You can create your own steering wheels, but it probably isn’t worth the effort.