Aspen Power Cats Working on Two New Cruisers with Outboard Power, but Same Proa Hulls
By Peter A. Janssen
Aspen Power Catamarans is working on two new outboard-powered cruising boats, a first for the company, but they still will have Larry Graf’s innovative asymmetrical proa hulls. They also will be Aspen’s first twin-engine cruisers, and they join a growing trend to outboard power for cruising boats up to the 50-foot range.
The new Aspens will start with a 3070 and a 3480 (pictured above). The 3070 will have a 200-hp outboard on the cat’s larger starboard hull providing the main power. The port hull will hold a 25-hp outboard on a vertical jack plate so it can be lifted out of the water when it’s not in use. The boat will cruise on the main engine, with an estimated top speed of 28 knots. Aspen expects it to reach maximum fuel efficiency at about 23 knots. At lower speeds, the main engine will combine with the smaller one for maneuvering around docks or close quarters. Or you can run the boat on just the 25-hp engine for trolling or fishing.
Aspen is considering a similar outboard package for its current C90 (28 feet) and C100 (32 feet) models, after testing the 3070 and 3480. Many other cruising boat builders, including Back Cove, Hinckley, Hunt, MJM, Ranger Tugs and Cutwater, have already moved to outboard power for some models or are building new models for outboards.
The new Aspen outboards will still employ Graf’s signature proa hulls, built for single-diesel engines and based on South Sea Islands designs. The two hulls look alike, but the port hull is 35 percent thinner than the starboard hull, and it does not have any machinery or underwater appendages. The engine, shaft, prop and all the machinery are in the starboard hull, and the two hulls are shaped to compensate for torque underway. The design saves weight, reduces drag, is fuel-efficient and gives a comfortable ride in many sea conditions.
Graf is the chief designer and “lead adventurer” of Aspen, which he founded in Burlington, Washington, in 2008. He had previously been founder and head of Glacier Bay from 1987 to 2007. His pro design is patent-pending. Meanwhile, Knot Wafflen’, the 40-foot Aspen with a single 435-hp diesel, is more than halfway through its 10,000 Mile Tour around the U.S.; it’s now in Destin, Florida, and is scheduled to arrive in Annapolis in time for the big powerboat show in October. For more:
http://aspenpowercatamarans.com
