James,

If you've read 'Voyaging on a small income', you'll know how Pete and Annie made a circuit of the N Atlantic in (or rather on, as there was little room inside) a 28ft Wharram cat - and then came back and set to work to establish what kind of boat they really needed to live on and cruise.The result was Badger, which was a success both as a home and as a sailing vessel.

Sure, the modern bridgedeck cats have more space and volume, but do they have more carrying capacity, which is related to displacement? Badger, at 10,400lbs in cruising trim, has about the least displacement I'd want to see in a boat that is to be a long-term home for a couple.

I've sketched up a design for a 31ft version of SibLim, as a minimalist "Small is Beautiful" boat for a couple to live on, and the result was 10,400lbs/4.7 tonnes displacement again.

Unless you really know what you are doing when it comes to designing and building a boat I think you will find the purchase of professionally drawn plans to be a very good investment. Having owned and sailed multihulls both coastal and offshore I think I can say that I would never consider putting a junk rig on a trimaran but I would certainly do so on a catamaran. I considered building the Woods Gypsy myself at one time but instead built a Wharram Tiki 30 and then continuously wished I had built the Gypsy. A Gypsy would be comparatively easy to build and has the advantage of the central pod. They should also be good offshore boats in the right latitudes. I think you would need to be very careful about the weight of the masts, those hulls are very slender and not designed to carry a lot of weight forward. There have been a number of catamarans built with a mast in each hull rig, by various designers, and they all seem to work quite well. With the Gypsy you could probably get away with quite small sails and light mast per hull. I think the Gypsy is not a 'v' shaped hull but has flat bottoms to the hulls? Maybe I have got that wrong.

After lots of research, more practical sailing experience, and the rapidly approaching 6 month mark of living aboard, I think I need a new boat. The things I want to accomplish, do not seem to align with what my boat was designed for. Oh how I yearn for at least  1 counter to prep food and use for cooking! Also, my boat is sort of a touchy girl. If I was a single hander, I think it would be fine, but it is a bit cramped for 2 adults and a large dog.

I need a bigger boat, or we will most likely fail at our goals.

Since we are a young couple, money is in an ever short supply, so buying a bigger boat that meets my criteria is far beyond our grasp. This leaves the option to build open.

I have been lucky enough to be taken up as a cabinet makers apprentice and have been learning much about wood working very quickly. I feel if I pick a simple enough design I will succeed.

At first, I was caught up on a big 34ft Seaclipper tri, but I think I will be better off with a 28ft cat. 28ft is the magic number because I may be able to rent a 30ft x 30 ft enclosed work shop near the water for the project.

I have really come down to two ways to go.

1) the Richard Woods Gypsy 28.

http://www.sailingcatamarans.com/index.php/designs/3-25ft-to-30ft-catamarans-designs/176-gypsy

This seem pretty much ideal. The only issue I have is paying close to $800 usd for plans. Yikes, but it may be worth it. At the same time, this boat just has V-hulls and seems quite simple..... which leads to....

2) PLANS! hahahahah! I follow no ones plans!!! I strike out like a bold maverick and follow the many lessons laid out by the great multi-hullers of yesteryear. this would include:

http://www.thecoastalpassage.com/cheapcat.html

Looks almost identical to me, and issue 75, which is a free issue, holds the "plans." The only thing that worries me about this is it is said to be a coastal cruiser in the article, and I want an ocean crosser.

The only thing I can see is to sheathe the whole boat with fiber glass, or cut ceder strips (or ripped 1/4 in ply strips) and add a second layer.

What do you experienced boat builders think? Are the plans worth all of the money in frustration saved and mistakes avoided? Or is building an economy cruising cat with V- hulls a simple operation that someone with extensive building experience should be able to work out armed with many of the AYRS books ( I found a collector who sold me all of the books up to 1992, should be here soon) a few study plans, and The coastal passage issue 75?

I was interested in the K860, but from some of the reports I have read about how she sails, I don't think it is worth the plans. It may be a good design with keels instead of the vortex panels. I may still get the study plans at least.

Hopefully some one with experience with this stuff will chime in. I like what the  junk rig offers, and think a single junk sail, and maybe a drifter if necessary, would be a winning combination with a small catamaran. 

The only multi-hull experience I have is messing about on a hobby cat 16 and gazing at all of the beautiful ships I see in pictures. I love the idea of being able to make passages quicker, dry out easily, beach easily, and have a ridiculously low draft. 

I never dreamed in my wildest of dreams that I would build a boat, but it seems like all of the elements are there and are coming together. I may just clean up my current boat and sell her after I finish building our dream escape pod. I figure it should take a year, maybe two if life gets in the way.

Thanks for your input!