If you want to go boating in a lot of different spots, or if you just want to have fun on the water in a different kind of vessel, take a look at the new Caracat electric catamaran that you also can tow behind your SUV and use as a camper.
The Caracat is 28’ 2” long and it has the basics for a day or a night on land or on the water. It transforms from a water vessel to a land-based camper via a patented design of two pontoons that swing out or retract at the push of a button. With the pontoons out, the boating version of the Caracat has a beam of 12’ 1”; when they’re retracted, the camping version of the Caracat has a beam of 8’2”. The company says it fits on a standard boat trailer
Power comes from an 8-hp Torqeedo electric motor and a 44.4-volt battery pack. The Caracat carries a 200-W solar panel and you can plug in to 32-A shore power. You can also order more electric – or diesel – power up to 100-hp.
Inside, the Powercat has more sleeping and lounging areas than you’ll find on a basic 28-foot boat. The cat has an open floor plan with a teak deck The forward lounge has two sofas that convert to beds.
There’s another lounge area aft with a sofa for two, a galley with a diesel cooktop, lots of counterspace and a small dishwasher, and a dinette with a high-low table. A pop-up top has sleeping space for two more. A basic head with a shower is in the middle.
Basic navigation equipment includes a Garmin chartplotter, Lawrence VHF and a Ritchie compass. For comfort, the cat has a Dometic heating and AC unit; for entertainment, a smart TV.
Caracat’s offices are in Germany; the boat/camper is made in Turkey. Read more:
