Kvichak Marine Building Cummins-Powered Catamaran

"This project represents our commitment to the passenger vessel industry, including high speed catamarans," says Kvichak Marine's Art Parker. Well-known for their 30 to 40-ft. aluminum fishboats and oil response vessels, the Seattle-based boat builder is currently building a 64 x 28-ft. displacement hulled catamaran for Captain Andy's Sailing Adventures of Port Allen on the Island of Kauai, in Hawaii. The boat, to operate year round on the Na Pali Coast, will be rated for 100 passengers on scheduled snorkeling and whale watch day trips. In the evenings she will serve catered meals for up to 40 sit down diners. The main deck house is open to the aft with front and side windows providing shelter while the stern area is open. The top deck carries the pilot house and additional open seating. Ladders for diver access are being provided on the stern of each hull. The boat will be powered by a pair of Cummins' new N-14 engines each developing 525 hp at 2,100 rpm. The engines will drive through Twin Disc gears with a 1.92:1 ratio to turn 2.5-in. Aquamet-19 shafts with 26-in. stainless steel propellers. The main engine alternators are upgraded to 130 Amps to better supply the vessel's relatively light electrical needs through a 2.5 kW inverter negating the need for a separate gen set. The displacement-hulled catamaran is being built to a design from Crowther Multi-Hulls of Australia. The boat will cruise at 22 knots. The design features a high tunnel clearance for the often turbulent Hawaiian waters. "The Crowther-Kvichak "cat" with its speed and seakeeping ability will allow us to extend our season year-round," said Captain Andy Evans, general manager of Capt. Andy's Sailing Adventures Inc. "The Na Pali coast market has been a seasonal one for us due to high surf and the capabilities of our current vessels."