The vessel pairs residential fitout, solar power and 800 litres each of freshwater and sullage with a 0.50-metre draught. Her hull pontoons are sized to ship in a 40-foot container.

The catamaran is being positioned between traditional houseboats, conventional residential accommodation and far more expensive motor yachts, for buyers who do not need a 25- or 30-knot boat.

“We are not suggesting that houseboats are going to solve the housing crisis, but I do think boats like [the new catamaran] can be part of a wider range of alternative accommodation, particularly where marina and waterfront infrastructure already exists,” Birgan told Baird Maritime.

Commercial applications include houseboat hire, marina accommodation, tourism, and BNB-style floating accommodation.

    • Overzeetop@beehaw.org
      2·
      3 hours ago

      If you have to ask… ;-)

      The Saratoga, a 12m x 5m aluminum single-level catamaran also built by SeaCat, sells for between $750k and 1.5m according to Google. Since I’m in the US, I’m assuming those are USD. The power plant if the Saratoga is larger, but the accommodations are likely far more spartan. The cost, along with marina fees, definitely puts this outside of “solving the housing crisis” or even being a realistic fraction of the solution.