WOODS DESIGN Power Catamaran Skoota 28

[leecallen]

I have been looking at & thinking about this boat a lot lately. It really seems to check a lot of my boxes.
Sailing Catamarans - Skoota 28 transportable minimum live aboard cruiser https://sailingcatamarans.com/index.php/designs-2/6-powercats/264-skoota-28

But this design was released in 2012/2013 and I have not been able to find any mentions of it in the past 10 years. According to the web page it gets a lot of views -- although maybe those were also 10+ years ago.

I would love to learn more about builders' experiences.

 

[gonzo]

You can contact Fallguy on this forum. He just built a 32

 

[leecallen]

You can contact Fallguy on this forum. He just built a 32

I am doing exactly that -- thank you!

 

[fallguy]

There is a fellow who recently got a 24 model in the water.

The issue with a folding 28 is that it is getting to be so much boat that you would really want twin engines. I think you could risk turning modern 4 strokes 90 degrees, but I’d not recommend it.

And if I were starting today, I’d have built the fixed version of the 32. I am really worried about crevice corrosion as the beam ends are sitting in a 30” trough that is going to get seawater in it. The complexities of the demountable build are also enormous and some loss of internal volume also occurs. I believe Woods pulled it from his offerings. I have lost track of my hours, but somewhere around 14-16,000 build time. Many men would have failed to finish.

The 28 uses wood for the beams. It is a lot of boat to fold.

I think the 24’ version is better. You have a bit less boat to turn on a single screw and a bit less boat for moving hulls.

I really wanted a large fishing platform and my boat has that.

I ran into trouble with the trim and was rescued by a contributor here and now have bow extensions. My boat really needed to have fuller forward sections.

The bdeck is a double bottom and it just got to be rather heavy with the beams and double bottom and then orienting the beams where they made the most build sense. Richard had the front beam back a bit from the first main bulkhead, but I got permission to put it on top to make the structure stronger without realizing the boat would be so adversely impacted. The bdeck is just too heavy; despite considerable effort to keep it light. Where we got into trouble was no bdeck weight study…

Anyhow, I think builders shy away from the 28 because it is an awful lot of boat to fold and the associated losses to do so.

I think the 24 is about as far as I’d go in a trailerable concept.

 

[leecallen]

Thank you Fallguy, this is extremely helpful. I will take a closer look at the 24. I will be boating on Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and a 24 foot boat just seems a bit small. But I hear what you are saying about the size and weight and manageability of the 28.

I don't intend to routinely demount and transport the boat, it's just nice to know it's possible if & when I need it.

I don't understand this statement:

The issue with a folding 28 is that it is getting to be so much boat that you would really want twin engines. I think you could risk turning modern 4 strokes 90 degrees, but I’d not recommend it.

The design is for two engines, that's kind of a given isn't it? Or do you mean something else?

 

[montero]

@fallguy do you have idea of your empty boat weight ?

 

[montero]

My first attempt to build folding motorised cat intended to inland waters circa 7-8m fades into background .After I realised that I need sea boat.Now it's much more challenging design folding 33 and narrow weight limits .

 

[fallguy]

Thank you Fallguy, this is extremely helpful. I will take a closer look at the 24. I will be boating on Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and a 24 foot boat just seems a bit small. But I hear what you are saying about the size and weight and manageability of the 28.

I don't intend to routinely demount and transport the boat, it's just nice to know it's possible if & when I need it.

I don't understand this statement:


The design is for two engines, that's kind of a given isn't it? Or do you mean something else?

sorry, I forgot the 28 has the fixed hulls

It is a great boat. I recommend extending the hulls 2’, do not make the hulls narrower than spec’d

 

[fallguy]

@fallguy do you have idea of your empty boat weight ?

I was about 9,600 pound no fuel, some water.

Then we added solid glass clown shoes and they are probably 500 pounds iirc, so I figure boat is 10,600-11,000 pounds.

I cqn probably do some work to lean her up a bit, but not sure if I can get 100 wine bottles extra.

I think where Richard and I fell apart on design is details. For example, my console is made from 3/4” ply. Could be 1/2” or perhaps even foam. 9 square feet or so.

lotsa little stuff

The coaming for the sliding top and top are not detailed. Quite heavy.

Ocean hatch, good egress for fire, heavy.

Front locker lid. Heavy. I built it fast.

Stanchions and posts for lifeline, not probably specified, but needed for a Cat B boat going offshore.

See the grabrail. Also needed for offshore, but a few more pounds. It all adds up.

I have a Webasto 17,000 btu boiler to heat water offshore and run defrosters. Solar panel, an extra mfd, etc.

 

[montero]

Thank you for the details. Defrosters ? You mean heated fans for windshield ?

 

[BlueBell]

Defrosters ? You mean heated fans for windshield ?

Doesn't even need to be heated, just a blower helps significantly.

 

[montero]

Doesn't even need to be heated, just a blower helps significantly.

Yes . I remember that Russian/CCCP choppers or planes always use kind of simple blower .
Despite the advanced technology, they used quite simple solutions in parallel. I really like simple solutions and I'm afraid of the towbar computer in the car.

 

[waterbear]

As far as I know there are only two 28ft Skootas. The one Richard built, which was later lost in a hurricane and the one in this photo, which was built in North Carolina. There is no feedback from the NC builder.

Skootas only work well if they are kept light, so stick exactly to the plan. That means using Okoume plywood as specified, not putting extra layers of glass on, not filling the boat with crap, etc.

 

[fallguy]

As far as I know there are only two 28ft Skootas. The one Richard built, which was later lost in a hurricane and the one in this photo, which was built in North Carolina. There is no feedback from the NC builder.

Skootas only work well if they are kept light, so stick exactly to the plan. That means using Okoume plywood as specified, not putting extra layers of glass on, not filling the boat with crap, etc.

View attachment 204403

My boat was built on a vac table and the hulls were very light, but the bdeck and outfitting; albeit modest by yacht standards is just too heavy. Dinky two burner propane stove, simple fixtures in bathroom, albeit porcelain toilet, it all adds up fast.

 

[montero]

"hulls were very light " what was the weight approximately?