Build Location

[cruiserbill]

Looking for a location to build a 40' catamaran in the Pensacola/Gulf Shores area. I am not from there so I really don't know where to start.

[Lepke]

As someone that has built many big boats, find a place close to where you live. Most solo boat builders never finish.

[cruiserbill]

Originally Posted by Lepke

As someone that has built many big boats, find a place close to where you live. Most solo boat builders never finish.

The plan is to move to that area for the build. What have you built?

[skipmac]

Are you looking for a boat yard, professional boatbuilder or similar or just a place where you can do it yourself in the backyard kind of setup?

[cruiserbill]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Are you looking for a boat yard, professional boatbuilder or similar or just a place where you can do it yourself in the backyard kind of setup?

Backyard sort of set up; a place I can do it my self without paying $500 a month for 4 years if you know what I mean.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by cruiserbill

Backyard sort of set up; a place I can do it my self without paying $500 a month for 4 years if you know what I mean.

Then you need to find a house or piece of land to buy or rent that has the following:

- Not restricted by zoning. That will mean you can't do it in a large lot in a neighborhood, not in most city limits unless in an area zoned commercial or manufacturing. Something without a lot of close neighbors that would complain about the noise, sawdust, paint and resin smells.

- On a large enough road that there will be room for the boat to be trucked to a boat yard or dock to launch. Due to the wide beam of a cat you will need not only a large enough road but also access that is not wide load permit restricted.

- The closer to a launching place the cheaper it will be.

- Access to a crane to lift the finished boat onto a trailer.

The beam of a cat could be a problem. I would check with truckers in the area before committing. You could end up being restricted to something adjacent to a launch point because of this. In that case, a back lot at an out of the way boat yard might be a not too expensive option. Another alternative. Since cat draft is shallow a place on a shallow backwater where you could build a ramp or slide to launch it yourself might work.

[cruiserbill]

I have been looking for places like those where I currently live, but no luck so far. I am right by the Ohio river and think that without a mast, I can navigate to the gulf with the shallow draft which is less than 3'. The beam is under 20', but that still posses a problem, especially trucking it on narrow back roads and navigating rivers. There is no haul out locations to speak of for cats around here either, so I would have to launch from a ramp (they are available). Boat haulers for that size around here are nonexistent.

[skipmac]

A beam anywhere closer to 20' will severely restrict your location. That wide will make it impossible to negotiate any tight turns.

I think you are coming down to two options. Find a boat yard that can launch a cat that has a back lot you can use for not too much money or buy/rent waterfront property where you can build the boat next to the water and slide it in when you're ready.