First past post for efficiency

Fuel efficiency is a fashionable topic these days and it's often easier to achieve on the water than on the road - you can't radically reduce the weight of your 4x4 and get away with a pair of 60hp, petrol-powered Yamaha outboards on the back to achieve your speed goal.

But, for Outpost, the new 10m powercat designed by Roger Hill, the owner's requirement was for fuel efficiency and a comfortable ride for cruising the Hauraki Gulf.

The boat is so efficient they've called it an eco-cruiser.

Designed for family cruising, the boat's wide cockpit provides plenty of opportunity for socialising and easy access to the water for swimming, diving and fishing.

One of Outpost's most unusual features are the Yamaha outboards.

What makes them unusual is that they are on the back of a 10m displacement powercat, rather than the usual high-speed planing hull.

They have a deeper gearbox reduction than is usual for 60hp outboards, and they are fitted with bigger propellers for improved thrust and efficiency.

Although the outboard choice saved money and space, the risk was that the propellers would lift clear in a following sea, so Hill designed hulls that give a smooth motion through the waves and has kept weight out of the bows and sterns to prevent pitching in a seaway.

The builder, Peter Brooking of Windblades in Pakuranga, and the designer monitored weight so closely throughout the boat's construction that it went in the water on launching day at 3007kg, which was 300kg less than the design weight.

Construction is in composites using computer-cut panels, easily supplied in kitset form for future production runs.

The light-filled saloon is generous because of the 4.5m beam, and relatively simple. A C-shaped settee on the starboard side with a demountable table faces a simple galley to port.

A sliding door opens on to the cockpit and a sliding window in the aft bulkhead gives the saloon to plenty of air and light - great for summer boating.

Outpost's galley has a fridge, two-burner gas hob, califont and stainless-steel sink and drainer and there is plenty of stowage under the benches.

Steps lead into the hulls where sleeping accommodation is surprisingly generous, as is the easy-clean toilet/shower in the starboard hull.

To port there's a single berth aft and a slide-in, open fronted double berth forward. To starboard there's another toilet aft and an enclosed, transverse double berth forward.

To keep costs down, the electronics package is relatively simple: a Lowrance LCD chartplotter-GPS-sounder, VHF radio, stereo, BEP switch panels and standard Yamaha gauges.

These are all on the dashboard at the central helm station.

An opening front window and overhead hatch make for comfortable hot-weather boating.

Top speed is close to 20 knots but Outpost will do 15 knots on one engine.

In a test where the port engine was tilted clear of the water, the boat reached 15 knots quickly and manoeuvrability was only slightly compromised.

That exercise also proved that twin 30hp engines should still give 15 knots boat speed, but cost much less.

A cruise speed of between 13 and 15 knots proved comfortable and economical.

At a shade under 14 knots, with the engines spinning at 4500rpm, total fuel consumption was only 8.8 litres an hour, giving a range of 560 nautical miles.

Outpost is an unusual boat but fits the trend to simpler, more economical, affordable cruising launches, especially with fuel prices continuing to rise.

At $400,000, the catamaran will deliver reasonably fast, comfortable family boating in an easy-to-operate, fuel-efficient package.

It will be at the Auckland International Boat Show at the Viaduct Harbour from March 8 to 12 and is featured in the March issue of Boating New Zealand.