IT’S A GIVEN

The Katoa project began 15 years ago in a 18m x 10m shed on the couple’s Dairy Flat property. Most catamarans are built as separate components – two hulls and a bridgedeck – which are later joined together. However, Huntington opted to build Katoa as one integrated structure, a far stronger method.

CONSTRUCTION

The foam-sandwich hulls were built upside down on top of the ply/foam/ply sandwich bridgedeck. Once the structure had been faired externally, it was pulled out of the shed, craned over, then put back inside upright for the internal glassing. Most of the decks and cabin were built as flat foam/glass panels on a table, then assembled onto the hull and bridgedeck with generous coves to soften the angles.

Read quickly, this all sounds easy, but the reality was very different. It took Huntington 10 years part-time and three years full-time work to get from drawings to launching. Even at a cursory glance from the dockside the vessel is impressive enough, however the’s Category One Inspection, was equally impressed with Huntington’s workmanship and attention to detail.