Project: American Offshore Catamaran Gets New Life

With its paintwork completed, this 1993-built American Offshore catamaran is ready for interior installation and rigging.

What began as a simple restoration project took a left turn toward disaster, but has a happy ending thanks to BRP Marine Custom, the painting and restoration side of Boat Repairs Plus in Denver, N.C. Several months ago, a South Carolina-based owner of a 1993 American Offshore 2600 sport catamaran decided it was time to bring the boat back to life. According to Chris Uzzolina, who works at Boat Repairs, Plus, the owner also decided to let an acquaintance he believed was qualified handle the paint job.

The owner was less than pleased with the finished product.

“From the word ‘go’ the owner said he had a bad feeling,” said Uzzolina. “He called me a few times and said he didn’t like the way boat looked. I thought he might have been being too picky, but when he brought the boat to the shop it was as bad as he described. We could peel the paint off it.”

Watch BRP Marine Customs’ transformation of the American Offshore 2600 sport catamaran in the slideshow above.

The crew at BRP Marine kept on “peeling”—they completely stripped the catamaran of its new paint. Once they were down to a bare hull, they began the painting process. Chad Shutter, the son of the company’s owner Bob Shutter, designed original graphics for the cat. In-house painter Eddie Murray handled much of the application process.

Everyone involved reportedly is delighted with the results.

“The paint is done and the interior is almost done,” said Uzzolina. “We are going to hand him the interior to install. He is doing that installation and the final rigging himself—he has a 496 stroker motor with a 10-71 blower. He wants to have the boat on the water this summer.”

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