The catamaran is a Woods Sagitta.
It has dagger boards rather than low aspect ratio keels for better upwind performance. I added shallow oak mini-keels to support the boat when it is grounded, to facilitate antifouling and other work.
It sails remarkably well! I have had 7-8 knots going to windward in a force 2. I haven't been in a gale in the boat yet, but I tried going to windward against a force 6, over the Skerries which shallows to 10 metres, with the wind against the tide. Waves weren't huge, but were very steep. With just one reef in the main and the working jib up, it powered through the waves pretty close to the wind - though to be honest, the motion was such that I couldn't gauge wind angles accurately. If those conditions persisted, I'd have definitely reduced sail. But it was interesting to see what the boat was capable of. Very little green water over the bows, no slamming of the bridgedeck (I'd expected some) - just a lot of spray flying off the net between the hulls at the bows. Downwind, I haven't used the spinnaker yet, but on a broad reach in a force three with the cruising chute up, the boat was steady at 8 knots. Going round a headland with the tide against the wide, the swell steepened just enough allow surfing up to 14 knots. A great speed in such little wind, and easy to control too.
The cockpit is very well sheltered by the bridgedeck, and the fish boxes I built into the cockpit provide easy access to the mast and boom without having to stand on the bridgedeck roof. This makes sail adjustment easy and safe.
Inside, the catamaran has far more room than a monohull of the same length.
Not quite standing headroom in the bridgedeck, but plenty of room to sit. The forward seat makes a very comfortable berth. When I get round to replacing the windows, some of which have become opaque with age, it will be possible to keep watch seated indoors.
Looking down from the bridgedeck into the galley. Notice the large oven/grill built into the forward bulkhead. No problem cooking at sea.
In the port hull, the same area is occupied by a toilet, sink and shower - though I removed the gas heater which had rusted. Cold showers only, or heat the water on the stove first.
In the sterns, there are two cabins, each with a double bed. Easy to get rest off watch.
Image courtesy of Richard Woods, designer.
The middle of the port hull is taken up by the shower, sink and a toilet with holding tank.
There are deep lockers forward accessible from the deck for the sails.
There are also deep stern lockers for fenders, ropes etc.
Modifications for fishing.
First the knackered old cockpit had to go:
Then the aft beam was strengthened and protected with a layer of glass and epoxy. Douglas fir beams were laminated to the base of the beam fore and aft to support the new cockpit floor and the fishing platform, aft of the beam. Notice the new beam right aft, three layers of laminated douglas fir, to support the aft edge of the fishing platform.
The beams as they join the bridgedeck:
And a view of the primary supports for the new fishing platform:
Here are the fish and ice box walls in place in the new cockpit. The cockpit floor and fish box walls are made of 1" thick Airex foam laminated with glass cloth. The fish box walls are bonded to the bridgedeck aft wall and the aft beam, which adds a great deal of stiffness to the structure. The lateral divisions of the boxes add to the stiffness, and prevent the fish and ice sliding fore and aft in rough weather. The interiors of the fish boxes were laminated using a food grade polyester resin from Scott Bader - normal resin would have imparted a polyester flavouring to the fish.
The lids of the fish boxes are also foam sandwich, and a tight fit, so the boxes provide good insulation. The longer the ice lasts, the longer we can keep on fishing.
The fishing platform has a 150 mm deep oak beam laminated to the douglas fir to stiffen it. The platform is a bit dirty, but the boat has been sitting on its mooring most of the winter. The stainless steel thing on the left is the support for the autopilot.
One other change I made, bearing in mind that though the boat is pretty much unsinkable - there is the remote chance that I might capsize it.
I changed the name from 'Pod' to 'pod'. If the rescue services have to come looking for a boat called 'pod' that is capsized, there is no danger of them confusing me for another boat. 'pod' reads the same upside down. I hope the RNLI appreciate my effort. 