We Are Considering Commissioning a John Shuttleworth Catamaran

[First Mate]

In our eternal search for the Holy Grail of a perfect boat, we have begun to lust after the Shuttleworth catamaran designs.

We just might commission one if we thought we could find the right boat builder close enough to us so we could monitor the construction.

We have finally become patient enough to wait for one to be built, since the perfect one we haven't found yet already built (yes even with compromises). If we have to make massive renovations and repairs to an older boat, we might as well build a new one ourselves and get the most modern hull design currently available. Took us forever to figure this out.

Questions:

Does anyone know of a boat builder in North America that would build a fiberglass and foam core Shuttleworth catamaran design and at a reasonable price with professional quality?

Does anyone who has already commissioned a boat have any tips for this adventure?

No matter what the builder says, how long does it actually take to build the boat - say 37 to 44 feet in length - and finish the interiors and mount the rigging?

Any advice on finishing out the interiors and mounting rigging perhaps with a different builder than the hulls and bridge deck?

And the final question!! Does anyone have any advice for using a boat builder in a country on the other side of the world - quality control verification, taxes, registration, real costs when all is said and done, etc.

Thanks very much for your advice.

Have a wonderful holiday season folks.

First Mate

[Jmolan]

I recall an article or two in Mutihulls magazine about a company that was builing Shulltleworth design in the Florida pan handle or Alabama. You could probably contact John Shuttleworth and he could tell you. I recall one guy sailed his to Cuba and wrote and article also.

Also Lombaridi in Virginia does first class work and has built a number of differnt designs.

Lombardi Yachts Website

[gosstyla]

First Mate

With a little searching you should be able to find web sites of a few people that have that have had custom boats built.

If interested email me at ted@gosstyla.com to discuss my experience of having a 47ft Crowther design sail cat built in Chile.

[Intentional Drifter]

Pedigree Cats in Raymond, Washington have done a number of Shuttleworths. I wouldn't say they're inexpensive, though, but that's a matter of perspective. Certainly a long way from you, though.

ID

[Evan]

Questions:

Does anyone know of a boat builder in North America that would build a fiberglass and foam core Shuttleworth catamaran design and at a reasonable price with professional quality?

Lots of builders on East Coast but most are concentrated in New England (Goetz, Hogdon, Morris, Lyman Morse). Lombardi is a good bet having built other multis

Does anyone who has already commissioned a boat have any tips for this adventure?

It will cost about 2x a production boat of similar size

No matter what the builder says, how long does it actually take to build the boat - say 37 to 44 feet in length - and finish the interiors and mount the rigging?

Over a year. A lot depends on level of interior finish. Thousands of manhours go into beautiful wood interiors. If you just want it painted, costs and time go way down.

Any advice on finishing out the interiors and mounting rigging perhaps with a different builder than the hulls and bridge deck?

You would be nuts to do this. Sole source responsibility is so important here. Otherwise when there are problems (and there will be) you will have fingers pointing at the other guy.

And the final question!! Does anyone have any advice for using a boat builder in a country on the other side of the world - quality control verification, taxes, registration, real costs when all is said and done, etc.

100% Bond for the purchase price with a reputable bonding agency.

A very well written out spec. Changing the goalposts during construction is always more favorable to the builder

Having a project manager that supervises construction is costly, but if you are not going to be there a lot of the time, is well worth the extra cost.

Budget 15% extra for contingency/extras

Taxes - depends on where you boat is registered

Get references from previous boats constructed.

[imagine2frolic]

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[Boracay]

I don't know if it is possible but if I were spending that sort of money on a custom boat I would make sure that I had title to everything from the very beginning.

That is, I would make sure the contract specified each stage, possibly paid in advance (there could be 20 stages) with the option of taking my boat and going somewhere else at any time so that any loss was limited to a fraction of a stage cost.

Sort of like being an owner builder and contracting out each task in sequence.

The hull(s) normally go(es) together fairly quickly so the option of going elsewhere can always exist.

[peter.bomberg]

I have to admit that I cant add any value to this thread as I don know any answers to your questions but I just wanted to say Congrats I am envious

John Shuttleworth has always been the holy grail for me of a high performance Cat, bu I have had to settle for the budget constraints so I am going for either a Spiritied 480 or a Waterline 1480 (maybe a Gforce-1400 as an option), but I am doing some major rework on the design and making the final decision in 2 years (after I charter a couple Cats and make sure I want to do this for several years)

[Nordic cat]

I was also a fan of the Shuttleworth designs for many years, primarily based on reading his website.

After seeing a couple of his boats, and talked to the builders etc. I must say my opinion has changed a bit.

I love the flares in the hulls and the look of the boats from the outside, but the internal design of the boats is not as good as the outside IMO.

I also feel his designs are now "stuck in a rut" and are primarily late 80's/early 90's when looking at layouts and how the boats are designed inside.

If you are looking at something in the 44 ft range, then the design is definately an early 90's design.....

I guess it all depends on what you want, and what you want to use it for... There are plenty of other nice designs out there with maybe better plans and more detailed drawings.

I saw a great build on a 47 ft Shuttleworth done in South Africa. PM me if you want more details on the boat or the builder.

Alan

[multihullsailor6]

Originally Posted by Nordic cat

I saw a great build on a 47 ft Shuttleworth done in South Africa. PM me if you want more details on the boat or the builder.

Alan

I guess Alan is talking about "Life's A Dream" which is now for sale, see yachtworld.com under a Shuttleworth search.

Roger

[peter.bomberg]

the comment about the designs being dates are very accurate, I was originally amazed and in love, but the more I research the more I realize that for a cruiser some of the performance enhancing features are not bonuses (the rounded hulls make tying up to another Cat harder) , etc...

[Nordic cat]

Originally Posted by multihullsailor6

I guess Alan is talking about "Life's A Dream" which is now for sale, see yachtworld.com under a Shuttleworth search.

Roger

That is correct Roger.

Peter B.:

You can have the flare as well as have flat sides above the flare...

A flare on the inside of the hulls offers advantages like minimising slamming as well as creating more space in the boat yet keeping a relative slim hull at the waterline, which is a requirement if you want to easily go faster than the nominal "hull speed". The speed hump at "hull speed" lessens with increasing hull "fineness". That's why so many charter style cats have difficulty in getting up to higher speeds. Higher being much more than around 130% of the nominal hull speed. For a 44 ft Lwl boat this is around 12 knots.

The 47 ft Shuttleworth did 18.4 knots at around 25 knots windspeed without a problem, with a jib and main only, not what is normally seen on most boats these days

Alan

[rustyjeff]

Originally Posted by First Mate

In our eternal search for the Holy Grail of a perfect boat, we have begun to lust after the Shuttleworth catamaran designs.

We just might commission one if we thought we could find the right boat builder close enough to us so we could monitor the construction.

We have finally become patient enough to wait for one to be built, since the perfect one we haven't found yet already built (yes even with compromises). If we have to make massive renovations and repairs to an older boat, we might as well build a new one ourselves and get the most modern hull design currently available. Took us forever to figure this out.

Questions:

Does anyone know of a boat builder in North America that would build a fiberglass and foam core Shuttleworth catamaran design and at a reasonable price with professional quality?

Does anyone who has already commissioned a boat have any tips for this adventure?

No matter what the builder says, how long does it actually take to build the boat - say 37 to 44 feet in length - and finish the interiors and mount the rigging?

Any advice on finishing out the interiors and mounting rigging perhaps with a different builder than the hulls and bridge deck?

And the final question!! Does anyone have any advice for using a boat builder in a country on the other side of the world - quality control verification, taxes, registration, real costs when all is said and done, etc.

Thanks very much for your advice.

Have a wonderful holiday season folks.

First Mate

Just as a secondary consideration.
you might want to keep an eye on the US $ this coming year.
From what i hear its expected to get stronger, especially against the weeker currencies like the Rand.
That means building in South Africa could become an option.
Just something to keep in the back of your mind.

[hotnot]

i also lost my haert on a shuttleworth yacht
i am thinking to get the shell and do the rest my self so been searching on the internet for it and found a company in South africa and with the £ louds stronger it may just pay off.

I just want to add on what rusty jeff said the us $ will give you on average 9-10 rands and there is a company in George South africa that makes the Ocean Cheetah 37 performance and a few others i think

they price for the shell only about $42000 and then there is a few good ship yards around there that can help to finish it of

Two oceans in cape town also work with shuttleworth yacts

if you need any contact details yust let me know
cheers

[First Mate]

thanks folks