PowerPlay Completing 67ft Powercat

PowerPlay Catamarans is preparing to launch its latest PP67 at its base in the Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Pattaya, with the model available for inspection from mid-December and sea trials scheduled for later in the month.

Designed by Australian James Dewing, who founded the company in Townsville in North Queensland in 2000, the 67ft 6in powercat with an enclosed flybridge has been custom-built for international clients looking for big surf in the Mentawai Islands west of Sumatra and to explore areas from Bali to Langkawi.

The PP67 has a large, open-plan saloon and aft galley

With a top speed of 25-plus knots, like her 2019 sistership Seamaster, the new Class A offshore catamaran is fitted with twin 600hp Cummins engines and four fuel tanks totalling 14,000 litres for a range of about 2,500nm at 13-14 knots.

“The owners are big-wave surfers who want a high-performance, long-range cruiser to take them where they want to go – and quickly when needed. They’ll be monitoring the best waves and then going to catch them with the onboard RIB and WaveRunner,” says Mr Dewing, who has been designing and building boats for over four decades.

“PowerPlay cats are built to go faster and further, then play for a while. The PP67 will easily be able to go from Singapore to the Mentawai Islands, hang out and return without refuelling. I sometimes describe our catamarans as Pacific cruisers, as our previous model is in French Polynesia and all our yachts are suitable for extensive cruising in terms of duration and distance.”

The PP65 Seamaster was delivered to Tahiti in January 2020

With a draft of 4ft 6in and a navy-blue hull, the PP67 is an evolution of Seamaster, the ocean-blue PP65 launched in December 2019 and based in Bora Bora, having been delivered to Tahiti in January. However, the PP67 has a completely new interior design and longer hull, with PowerPlay able to adapt its moulds for models from 58-72ft.

The PP67’s hull is over 2ft longer than the PP65’s and the model’s centre of gravity has moved aft compared to Seamaster, which has a forward crane and a solid foredeck where it carries its RIB. On the PP67, the foredeck will feature nets, while the tender and jetski will be carried on the fixed aft platform, which occupies the stern area where Seamaster has a self-contained fishing deck.

Like Seamaster (pictured), the PP67 will have twin helm chairs in the air-conditioned flybridge

Like Seamaster, the PP67 will have twin luxury helm chairs in the enclosed, air-conditioned flybridge. However, instead of four lower-deck cabins and a master suite forward on the main deck, the new model has a four-cabin layout, with two bedrooms in each hull, allowing for a large, open-plan saloon with dining aft.

Mr Dewing says the new yacht will be able to accommodate up to 12 people when required, but will usually have four guests, a cameraman and crew.

“The PP67 has a huge saloon with sofas about 1m deep, perfect for lounging while waiting for the big waves,” he says. “Compared to more famous brands, PowerPlay’s catamarans are faster and have better performance and longer range – those are our greatest strengths.

The “super-high-performance” PP70 is among PowerPlay’s recent designs

“Our cats are built for long distances and cruising remote islands. Our lower-deck cabins are not as big because our hulls are a little thinner, as we focus on better performance. Being built in Southeast Asia, we’re also more affordable and can basically build to the owner’s exact requirements.”

PowerPlay’s range includes a new design for a “super-high-performance” PP70 and the yard is taking orders for 2021.

www.powerplaycatamarans.com