A seacraft made for best of both worlds

Mercer-based Charles Bree, who produces rotationally moulded boats under the name Breezecraft, took a serious punt last year with Fatcat, designed as both a recreational vessel and a ferry.

The 13m (42ft) polyethylene craft is built in hexagonal modules bolted together and welded.

It is tough and fittings can be fixed directly to the hulls. This aspect of construction was a definite plus on the prototype's first long voyage once it was sold to Feilding earthmoving contractor Owen Rush and wife Jill.

Below are some edited extracts from the log of Fatcat's first voyage, from Auckland to Wanganui, where the boat will be based. Rush was at the helm.

The skipper says it proved the shallow-draft (50cm) outboard-powered catamaran could do everything its builder claimed.

August 1: Left Auckland at 7.15am, intending to berth at Whangamata. Made such good time we headed straight for Tauranga. Encountered 1-2m swells, and at 16-18 knots the boat handled conditions well. The two 250hp four-stroke Suzuki outboards, running at 4800rpm, used 88 litres of fuel an hour.

August 3: On to Whakatane and, with guidance from the harbourmaster, berthed and refuelled ready for a 7am departure for Gisborne. A fishing break on the journey meant a challenge entering port in the dark. No petrol available on the wharf so we had to transport fuel from a service station.

On the run from Tauranga we reduced rpms to 4400, which still gave 16-17 knots and reduced fuel consumption to 77 litres an hour.

August 5: Flat ride to Napier, poor visibility but made good time using GPS. Pods of following dolphin encountered.

Bad weather forecast meant a decision to leave the boat until the weather improved, as the next leg was always going to be the most difficult, with the only possible fuel stop at Castlepoint.

August 12: Left Napier after advice from shore party at Castlepoint. Good conditions and flat sea until we rounded Cape Kidnappers. Swell of 1-5m with a bad chop and 15knot NW wind. This picked up and we were running in 3-5m swells, with waves breaking over the stern and reduced visibility.

Conditions deteriorated. We entered the bay in the dark with no problem (thanks to GPS) and were guided in by the shore party.

We had always intended to beach the boat to refuel, made possible by Fatcat's tough construction and shallow draft. Lifted by crane and turned to face the sea, an operation made much easier by the lifting eyes moulded into the boat.

Bad weather meant three nights at Castlepoint.

August 16: Departed Castlepoint 7.15am for Mana, arriving at 4.15pm. Sunny weather. The boat handled a range of different conditions perfectly.

August 17: Cruisy trip to Wanganui after refuelling and moored at what will be our home port for weekend trips and longer adventures to the Marlborough Sounds.

Rush (he's sticking with the name Fatcat) says: "It created huge attention wherever we went and we invited heaps of people aboard to check out the vast interior. It is so rugged and easy to handle it will be the perfect boat."