Smart Marine Service Working On Multi-Purpose 32-Foot Cat

Already busy with the massive renovation and modernization of Nicholas Dorcich’s 28-foot Risky Business Skater Powerboats catamaran (read the story), Chris Schoenbohm and Dustin Johnson of Smart Marine Service in Orlando, Fla., are tackling an even more formidable project in the form of their own 32-footer. Using a 32-foot Maelstrom cat designed by Michael Peters and built in 1988 as their foundation, Schoenbohm and Johnson plan to modify the running surface of the 32-footer, which boasts a 63-inch tunnel, before creating tooling for it in the next two weeks. The boat will be called the Phoenix 32 XCat.

A Michael Peter-designed 32-foot catmaran is the foundation for the project. Click image to view full frame.

Much of the design work for the hull and deck is happening using current engineering software, according to Johnson.

“I am using a software package called SOLIDWORKS, which includes computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis,” he. “The boat will have the same outer dimensions as the 32′ Maelstrom, but we are using the program to help with the changes to the running surface. Using this software, we can see how the boat runs ‘digitally,’ we can calculate center of gravity, we can see how deep it sits in the water.”

Said Schoenbohm, who won the Super Boat International Stock-class World Championship in 2014: “We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, but we are trying to make it roll a whole lot faster.”

Once the modifications are complete, Smart Marine will create a mold from the hull, as well as creating basic tooling from the reconfigured deck. The deck design has to remain somewhat flexible, as Schoenbohm said he plans to offer the 32-footer with three different deck configurations. The offshore racing version will incorporate a canopy originally designed for a Doug Wright cat. According to Schoenbohm, they also will offer a removable hardtop version and an open-cockpit ‘poker run’ model.

Lay-up materials will vary with the model. Raceboats will be built using epoxy, carbon fiber and Kevlar. Pleasure models will be constructed with S-glass and epoxy.

“The entire concept is something special,” Schoenbohm said. “We chose the name ‘Phoenix’ for the story of something new ‘rising from the ashes.’ Our goal right out of the box is 120 mph on twin 2.5L outboard engines. We think we can get there pretty easily.”

The catamaran will be offered in full-time canopy, open-cockpit and removable hardtop versions. Click image to view full frame.

Equally ambitious is the slated debut for the Phoenix 32 XCat. Schoenbohm and Johnson plan to have the first model on display during the 2015 SBI Key West Offshore World Championships in November.

Editor’s note: Speedonthewater.com will provide ongoing coverage of this project as it develops.

Smart Marine Service Working On Multi-Purpose 32-Foot Cat

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