FAQ

Apart from being designed and built to specifically suit the type of water we experience off our coast and in the Southern Ocean of WA, the LeisureCat boasts some intrinsic features that make it a vessel of choice for those who know Power Cats.

The LeisureCat turns hard safely, at speeds up to 25 knots, not a lot of Power Cats can boast that ability.

The LeisureCat planes quickly with minimum fuss and minimum horsepower for its size. The full length wave-breaker turns water down, adding to plane speed and holding it there.  It gives a soft ride and ensures minimal sneezing or compression of water from the tunnel.

The LeisureCat will not broach or pull away in a following sea. During sea trials we release the wheel to show just how well the boat will hold its line and not bury its bow in a following sea.

LeisureCat works one-on-one with its customers to achieve the result they want in their boat. Many others will only build production line boats and send you back after it’s finished to be modified...we do it as we go. It’s all part of the service.

2C Survey is the commercial survey certificate for vessels operating up to 30 nautical miles offshore in a commercial or customer-paying capacity.

To achieve this certificate, the boat has to be built to certain standards. During construction, it is checked by authorised authorities to see that it conforms to those standards and, once completed, is again checked before a certificate is issued.

Conformity is measured in the following areas:

1. Each layer of glass and resin in the hull is checked for application quality and temperature for curing and finished quality.
2. Installation of correct number of bulkheads and frames to meet survey standards (minimum of 1 frame per 3½ feet [1.06 m]).
3. Installation of crash bulkheads at forward end of each hull. These are airtight and separate to bulkheads behind. All frames and bulkheads are completely covered in glass and resin and glassed into the hull shape.
4. Fuel tank thickness and pressure tested.
5. Rear cockpit coamings to be 2.55 ft (750 mm).
6. Provision, where possible, for the installation of foam flotation in the hull of the amount necessary to ensure flotation of the boat when full of fuel and correct number of passengers if capsized or holed.
7. 2C Survey is an Australian adaption of the USL code of manufacture used in association with building commercial or charter boats.

Since they were first launched in the 1970's power catamarans have proved invaluable in offshore sea search and rescue work in the extreme conditions often found around Australia. Their unique design enables them to be driven hard in almost any conditions, providing a smoother, more efficient ride than a monohull.
With their acceptance within the market place, many builders of power catamarans have kept with original designs, making only slight modifications. Consequently, very little advance had been made which opened the market for Marine and Leisure Industries (now LeisureCat Australia) to introduce the LeisureCat range that was immediately accepted into the market because of its superior performance. The LeisureCat range is the most up-to-date power catamaran on the market, incorporating design changes and features that further enhance their safety and performance.

The three major design features peculiar to a LeisureCat include:

1. A full-length wavebreaker that provides a comfortable, stable ride at any speed and enables the LeisureCat to remain on a plane longer than any other catamaran in the market place. The wavebreaker increases the cushioning effect experienced in the catamaran configuration, eliminating jarring and thumping when under way in a sea.
2. The high-speed planing hull achieved by directional reverse planing strakes enables a LeisureCat to rise out of the water onto the plane with maximum efficiency. This is so successful that a LeisureCat will go from a standing start, fully loaded and with both engines down, and pull onto a plane with only one engine operational. This efficiency reduces the power requirement, therefore reducing fuel consumption and overall buoyancy weight.
3. The in-hull engine wells provide exceptional displacement that enable the LeisureCat to carry increased load in the stern at rest, whilst affording spray protection for the engines. This keeps engines and passengers dry in the worst of conditions.

Couple all these features with the standard safety features delivered only by LeisureCat and you can see why they have gained a reputation as one of the leading catamarans in the market.

Standard safety features include:

• Multiple hull subdivision
• Positive foam flotation in 6-8 metre models
• Fully self-draining deck
• Forward crash bulkheads