Plans and Kits for Catamarans and Proas and other Multihulls
Check out my page on Advantages and disadvantages of multihulls
If you're planning a boatbuilding project you might like to check my boatbuilding resources. These are articles from my website and some outside links and build diaries.
Multihull plans in no particular order
Email me if a link is broken or if I've missed a boat. I try to keep my links good but things change quickly on the web.
I try to include most plans that I run across. I only exclude the ones that seem to be dubious, some are plagiarized or some just seem to be of terrible quality, or a website that includes pop-ups or other nasty things, that I don't dare include them. I have not personally checked all plans. Before building, do your homework.
- Bruce Roberts has aluminium and fiberglass boat plans for large Catamarans
- Schionning Designs has plans and kits for Cats, Trimarans and a keelboat.
- From Wooden Boat Magazine plans for a 20 ft Trimaran.Also a Sailing Outrigger Canoe
- Kurt Hughes has both large and small Catamarans and Trimaran plans.
- Sailing Catamarans has beach cats.
- Woods Designs has small and large boat plans
- K-Designs has Little Tri sailing trimeran dinghy and others.
- Dudley Dix Yacht Design has a large cruising catamaran
- Svenson's Free Boat PLans has an old Mechanix Illustrated Hobby Kat plans along with many other boat plans
- Duckworks Magazine has a whole section of small sailing multihulls.
- James Wharram Designs offers plans and will build also.
- Tornado Building Plans free from The Beachcats.com
- Hartley Boats has a few designs for sailing cats.
- Applegate Boatworks has plans for Blue Joseph, a proa
- Glen L Offers plans for La Chatte, sailing Cat.
- Scarab Folding Trimaran Dinghy.
- Selway Fisher has a design for simple Catamarans.
- Slider CatRay Aldridge design from Duckworks
- Gary Dierking is well known in the Proa community.
- Chesapeake Light Craft has many designs, well thought out plans and kits. This is Junior outrigger.
- Also from CLC 2 large proas Madness, and Mbuli
- Novacat 17 Plans and build photo IN German, get mr. Google to translate.
- From Svenson's popular mechanix plans Cats Paw free plans
- Fyne Boat Kits has several multihull designs. He also offers add-on outrigger for canoes and kayaks.
- Instructable for a Polytarp Crab Claw sail for a proa
- A one day proa project Maybe not quite perfect but worth looking at. Here's another instructable sailing outrigger canoe
- Angus Rowboats has a sailing conversion plan with outriggers.
- Building Outrigger Sailing Canoes: Modern Construction Methods for Three Fast, Beautiful BoatsDierkins book is a must read if you are interested in proas and outriggers
Too Much Choice
There are a great number of large cruising catamaran and other multihull plans out there. I think one of the reason is that building a large catamaran is easier than building a cruising size keelboat. Many designers feel confident that the home builder has a good chance of success in putting together quite a competent multihull.
I have not included all the large multihull plans and kits I have found, nor have I included many of the home made single effort catamarans that are out there.
I try to be accurate and check my information, but mistakes happen. ALSO keep in mind that not all boat plans are well designed. Old Banks Dories are particularly tricky because they were notoriously unsteady until they had some weight in them. Check the boat forums, many people have built dories. I have not built these boats and I can't recommend or proscribe any.
email me if you find mistakes, I'll fix them and we'll all benefit: ChristineArchives of the Proa File forum has lots of interesting threads. Forum now closed but interesting resource.
Multihulls for Cruising and Racing
Tourelo Sailing Gloves Gen 2 (Lava Red, Medium)
Project Cheers
Boat plans for many different types of boats
Wood Strip boat plans
Stitch and glue boat plans Many Designers offer plans for just about every kind of boat in Stitch and Glue form.
Free stitch and glue boatplans
Free Canoe and Kayak Boat Plans
Take apart and folding boat page has several boatbuilding plan links.
Free Oar Plans
Free Paddles and Oar Plans
Free Punt Plans
Boatbuilding Articles
Teach Yourself to Sail
Ten Essential Knots
Marine Plywood Article.
How to decide what kind of boat to build
Polyurethane can be use in many boatbuilding applications. In particular it can set in very damp conditions
Small Print
This information is for general knowledge and entertainment. If you plan to build a boat be careful. If you don't know how to use powertools get help.