The Spirited 7000 is a lightweight power cat for family cruising and DIY builders.
For Craig Schionning, Director of Spirited Designs, the Spirited 7000 represents a practical approach to compact power cat cruising: lightweight, economical, versatile and achievable for home builders.Based in Medowie, in the Port Stephens region of New South Wales, Spirited Designs has been operating since 2005 and specialises purely in innovative catamaran design.
Craig’s background in boatbuilding stretches much further back.“I started my boatbuilding apprenticeship straight out of school and finished my trade in 1992,” he recalls. “I was a director of Schionning Boats, where as a family business we developed the Wilderness catamaran designs and were one of the first to use DuFLEX panel.“After test sailing almost every boat we built, including some racing models, I started designing my own range of catamarans.”Today, Spirited Designs operates with a team of four and has built a portfolio of sailing and power catamarans, including the Spirited 380, Spirited 480, power cat models and tender designs.
“In 2007, we introduced the Spirited 380 at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show and had Stallion Marine’s Spirited 380 next to our boat,” Craig explains. “Since then, we have sold almost 30 of this design. The Spirited 480 was introduced in 2015. We also have a range of power cat and tender designs.”
Their latest model, the Spirited 7000, is a half-cabin configuration set up primarily for day trips, with enough accommodation and onboard amenity for short overnight stays. With a beam of 3-metres, the design offers substantial internal volume than its compact length might suggest, with a spacious cockpit, protected helm and practical forward accommodation.
"The Spirited 7000 power cat offers a surprising amount of internal space within the cockpit and the forward accommodation,” he states.“Being a half-cabin design, it is ideal for day trips, with comfortable, spacious seating in the cockpit. With the large full-length hardtop roof, the cockpit is protected from the weather, and with the canvas sides rolled down this area can be fully enclosed.”
The layout includes a small galley, drawer fridge, ice box and accommodation forward, giving the boat genuine weekender capability. A private double cabin is located to port, with a toilet and shower to starboard.“There is also the ability to spend extended overnight stays aboard this design in total comfort.”
One of the defining features of the Spirited 7000 is its construction. The boat uses lightweight DuFLEX foam panels from ATL Composites, creating a seaworthy, stable and lightweight vessel that can achieve good cruising speeds with medium power. The prototype is fitted with twin 60hp Tohatsu four-stroke outboards, integrated into the aft section of the design to allow for a full-width swim platform across the transom.
The versatility of the DuFLEX panels also enabled more complex shaping in the aft area, including the engine covers and surrounding sections.“DuFLEX foam panel was chosen for its low weight and excellent structural properties,” he asserts. “It has been used not only for the hull and cabin structures, but also for the internal furniture and fit-out.”According to Craig, the material plays a key role in keeping the Spirited 7000 light, efficient and supremely manageable.“Another feature of this design is the DuFLEX foam structure, which keeps the boat lightweight and easily handled, as well as allowing for relatively small engines to propel it,” he says.
The design shares some DNA with the Spirited 230, particularly below the waterline.“The underwater hull shape is almost identical, however, the Spirited 230 is designed with a lock-up wheelhouse and a separate outside cockpit.”For Craig, the broader appeal of catamarans is their combination of stability, space and efficiency.“Catamarans are inherently stable compared to monohulls,” he asserts. “The wider beam provides so much more space internally, and generally catamarans travel faster through the water for good passage speeds.
”That stability and volume also make the Spirited 7000 well suited to Australian recreational boating. Craig describes the boat as ideal for sheltered-water day trips, while still capable of handling rougher conditions.“This design is well suited to day-tripping recreational use in mainly sheltered and coastal waters,” he says. “However, it will handle rougher conditions with ease.”
The Spirited 7000 has also been developed with home builders in mind. Its flat-panel construction, compact footprint and lightweight components make it a practical DIY project without the need for heavy lifting equipment.
“The Spirited 7000 is ideal for the owner-builder. The DuFLEX panels are light and easy to manage. Also, the size of this design is compact enough to fit into smaller work spaces to undertake the build.”
Builders can choose between two options: The plan-only option, with building plans purchased directly from Spirited Designs. This approach suits home builders who want greater control over the build timeline, delivery volumes and material choices. The second is a full or partial kit package, giving builders access to pre-cut components, including DuFLEX foam panels, to help accelerate construction.
“Having everything cut to size, and once the panels are joined, makes this a quick and easy process. This also keeps the DIY builder’s motivation going!”The DuFLEX panel system is enjoyable to work with because of the precision and flexibility it affords designs, Craig explains.
“It is a very strong and versatile product, allowing for the creation of some unique and interesting structures,” he says.He also uses various ATL Composites products, including WEST SYSTEM epoxy, fibreglass reinforcement and tapes, all of them high quality, reliable and with the support of technical experts at ATL whenever required.
He also uses various ATL Composites products, including WEST SYSTEM epoxy, fibreglass reinforcement and tapes, all of them high quality, reliable and with the support of technical experts at ATL whenever required.
While the primary market for the Spirited 7000 is likely to be DIY amateur builders, Craig believes there may also be potential for finished production models if the right builder or production partner comes along.As a family cruiser, the Spirited 7000 is intended to be flexible. It can also be reconfigured for fishing or other applications.Interest in the prototype has already been strong, particularly around the aft arrangement and discrete engine installation within the duckboard, with many people mistaking it for an inboard powered boat.Craig observes the rising popularity of compact designs and /DIY projects, a trend that other shipwright/craftspeople such as Tasmanian-based Denman Marine and ATL Composites, supplier of the DuFLEX panel system.“We’ve observed a decline in large DIY projects,” Craig shares.
“I feel that the raw material cost together with a different mindset towards self-building is seeing less people opting for a DIY boat build project. With this in mind I believe that smaller designs may be more accessible for someone who is time poor in this busy modern world.“
As well as being lower in cost with less time required for the build, a smaller boat is more manageable in terms of use, storage and maintenance. Along with our range of tender designs, we also have trailerable designs and also sizes similar to the Spirited 7000 with some accommodation for overnight trips.Regardless of which project you choose, the pre-cut kit package is a must to reduce the build hours and streamline at least the assembly. Finishing is always time-consuming and the fussier you are the longer it takes however this is an unavoidable process involving lots of sanding! Starting with a kit can often help with the fairing and finishing due to the accuracy of the assembly.”
In the case of the Spirited 7000, it attracts a lot of attention on the water, especially the set-up of the engines mounted below the engine covers.At 3 metres wide, the Spirited 7000 can be towed on a trailer, subject to restrictions during daylight hours. For those wanting a more straightforward trailering option, the design is also available in a 2.5-metre beam version.With lightweight DuFLEX construction, modest horsepower requirements, practical accommodation and a build-friendly design, Spirited Designs offer a range of capable and efficient compact power cats, ideal for boaties wanting the satisfaction of hands-on, customised boat building.
More here spiriteddesigns.com.au
