Ekolo'kat 40

Presenting the Ekolo'kat 40 - a sportier alternative to current production catamarans.

The ideas behind the project were efficiency and pleasure under sail without needing heavy duty gear. This, combined with lots of living space, enable offshore family cruising in security. Finally all these features for a reasonable budget thanks to her light weight hence modest needs in sail handling equipment.

Pleasure under sail:

• Fine racer like hulls with an empty boat weight of 4.5 metric tons, hull volumes well balanced along the full length and maximal waterline length. The hull form above the water line designed for internal volume and excellent spray deflection on deck.
• light, rigid glass/epoxy and foam core sandwich construction, reinforced locally by carbon fibre inserts,
• rotating mast with simple rigging and reasonable sail area of 76 m² that can be increased in light winds with a code 0 foresail attached to the spinnaker pole/compression beam and an asymmetrical spinnaker for sailing off the wind
• self tacking jib to maintain boat speed when tacking to windward
• raised steering position with a great view over the sails and navigation instruments, comfortable bucket seats (removable when at anchor), all running lines looped and accessible from both sides, tiller steering and elliptical thin profile rudders for excellent helm feel
• all "heavy" items centered combined with adequate hull overhang to prevent pitching
• flush navigation deck

Comfort

• an owners hull with 170x200 cm berth, settee/spare berth of 200x75 opposite the desk/chart table, lockers and head forward
• bridge deck cabin with U shaped galley next to the saloon, access to the two hulls from the cabin, 360° vision, lots of natural ventilation and built in sun protection
• a hull for children/guests with 2x 170x200 cm berths and plenty of locker space
• two large doors from the bridge deck cabin to the rear deck ease internal and external traffic
• the rear deck has direct access to the skirt at the rear of the hulls and is protected by a hard top with space for solar panels and access to the main sail
• all around the cabin the sun shields also act as a step up to the cabin roof
• rear skirts open to the sea on the inside of the hull act as a perfect dock for the dinghy and swim platform
• trampolines, fun for young and old alike...

Security

• the "heavy" weights (motors, fuel and water tanks) are far enough from the centreline to give high stability despite overall light boat weight
• light weight
• the weight is central in the hulls and the bow has sufficient volume to prevent burying
very low center of sail area
• watertight compartments front and rear
• unsinkable

The plans are still being finished but in the meanwhile two boats have already been ordered.

Nicolas Gruet
Tahiti, June 2007
http://ng.archinav.free.fr