Renowned New Zealand multihull designer Roger Hill has shared details of his latest Australian launch, the Noosa 8m, a compact, trailerable power catamaran inspired by one of his larger designs.
The new 8m was commissioned by an Airlie Beach client who admired Hill’s 13.5m power catamaran Tank, owned by a friend, but wanted something smaller that could be easily trailered and stored at home.
Essentially a scaled-down version of Tank, the Noosa 8m packs impressive cruising amenities into its compact dimensions. A small cabin beneath the console accommodates a generous double berth and toilet, while a compact galley behind the helm seats and comfortable cockpit seating provide everything needed for weekend adventures.
Powered by a single Yamaha 350hp outboard, the Noosa 8m achieves a top speed of 40 knots. Keeping the towing weight, including trailer, below 3.5 tonnes was a key design consideration. Another challenge was ensuring the overall height on the trailer remained under 3.1m to fit the owner’s boatshed.
View the Noosa 8m General Arrangement drawing (PDF)
Built by Julian Griffiths in Noosa, the vessel uses an ATL Composites DuFLEX composite panel kit, featuring PVC foam cores with E-glass skins. The bimini incorporates carbon fibre skins and reinforcements for lightweight strength.
