A Pilot House Added and Progress on a Tender

 A Pilot House and Progress on a Tender

Greetings,

Happy New Year…and it should be a great year when Nomadicat hits the water!  It’s been just over a year since we signed up for the A-47…and we’re a little behind schedule, but not by much.

Photos from about a week ago, show the Nomadicat with a pilot house

albeit without windows.  The port holes have been completed on both sides. You can also see with this photo the “wet locker” cut out

on the aft deck.  This picture,

taken from the stern doors are facing the pilot/nav area.  With the addition of the pilot house, it’s starting to look like a real boat.

I may have made some real progress on the tender.  I was exploring things with my good friend ChatGPT, and after some back and forth it recommended a Highfield 330 (that I am already familiar with), and of all things, a NZ-built blow up catamaran tender.  I reviewed the catamaran a bit but landed on the side of the Highfield 330.  Then, as I was poking around on the web, this video popped up from an American company with another blow-up catamaran...the Laguna 330 from Further Customs. 

It answered all of my objections and reinforced my “plus list” for this kind of tender.  Probably one of the biggest pluses over a traditional tender is that with an open bow, the storage area for groceries, electric bikes, trash runs, and people exceeds any other traditional tender.  On top of that, because of its light weight, Steven (A-47 builder) is pleased as the hydraulic lift for the tender has already added a fair amount of unanticipated weight. The light weight is also an advantage for an electric outboard.  On longer voyages or a long lay-up, it can be folded up and stored out of the weather. The video is a bit long, but it’s an independent review and it pretty well sold me.  

On the video the tender is being demonstrated with both a gas and electric motor.  I’m avoiding gas on Nomadicat, and gong all-electric (and diesel).  The light weight of the tender makes it quite fast and maneuverable with a smaller electric motor.  On the video it is being demo’d with a current version of an ePropulsion Spirit 1, but a new version, ePropulsion Spirit 2 is forthcoming for 2026 and it looks perfect for this catamaran tender.

Read more ...

Continuing to Take Shape

 Continuing to Take Shape

Here’s the latest update, along with a few scattered photos.

The hull is really coming together now.
Most of the lower internal welds are finished, and the portholes on the starboard side have been cut out.

The “glazer” (UK window maker) has provided wooden templates for the welders to ensure a proper fit for all the windows.

Up in the bow, you can see where the batteries will lie flat, straddling the anchor winch.

The team has also begun crafting portions of the interior—specifically the early framework of the galley.

Next up will be the cabin structure… and once that goes on, it will really start looking like an Archipelago 47.

The bow thrusters have arrived (mainly to check fit), and the hydraulic tender-lift is already in the shed waiting for its moment. Several other “bits and bobs” have shown up as well, including bilge pumps and other essentials.

I continue to be stumped on what to do about a tender.  I want an electric outboard to avoid petrol on board and take advantage of our solar/batteries.  My charter guy (and my son) want it fast enough to pull grandkids on toys.

Before long, the A-40 will be joining our Nomadicat in the boat shed. The e-motors will be ordered soon and installed on both boats in the early part of 2026. Speaking of the A-40, here’s a video

of it being moved—after first knocking a hole in the boat shed in France to get it out—before being trucked to Southampton. It’s too large for the Isle of Wight ferry, so it will be floated over on its own hulls.

But first, a bit more welding is required. As Steven’s UK welder joked, “I didn’t know French welders were blind too.” A little friendly international competition.

Read more ...

Welding, Welding, More Non-glamorous Welding...

Welding…Lots of Welding

Just a quick update on the boat. It’s not the most glamorous phase—just lots of welding. All good, important progress, but miles and miles of welding.

The hull and structural work are taking shape, and we’re now seeing more definition around the fresh, gray, and black water tanks, battery-bank locations, the hybrid-motor space in the engine room, and more. The electricians from France were on site last week mapping out all the connections from propulsion to the living areas.

How We Plan to Use Nomadicat

While all that’s happening, Marilyn and I have been thinking about how the boat will actually be used once launched. Our assumption—still highly speculative until we’re living aboard—is about 100–120 days a year on the boat. That still leaves roughly 245 days in the boat’s “annual lifecycle.”

We’ve been imagining a mix of co-ownership/fractional ownership and chartering. In general, boats do better when they’re used—if managed properly—so we think there could be another 100 days of navigable time in the Med alone. That gets us to about 200 active days.

Most Mediterranean boats “lay up” between November and April—another ~150 days. These lay-up costs vary enormously depending on the marina and the services provided. One of the advantages of either chartering or co-ownership is offsetting some (or all) of these inevitable maintenance and storage expenses.

To qualify for charter status, Nomadicat will need to be registered and insured accordingly. That means additional rescue and safety equipment—honestly, a good idea anyway. We’ll also need professional crew for navigation, service, housekeeping, and maintenance…again, helpful whether or not they’re full-time. Learning how to access that help will be essential.

Then there’s the choice of joining a charter organization or generating business ourselves. I suspect it will be more the former. Nomadicat’s unique combination—hybrid propulsion, expedition style, aluminum build—seems to appeal to a different audience than the typical “booze-cruise” market found throughout the Med.

The Canary Islands as a Winter Base?

From the research we’ve done and conversations we’ve had with people who’ve been there, the Canary Islands (Spanish territory off the coast of Africa) seem like an appealing winter lay-up location. They’re far enough south to stay warm, and the charter business continues there through the winter.

Getting there and back can be an adventure in itself. Depending on where we end the Mediterranean season, we could route toward Gibraltar and cross to Morocco, stopping in places like Tangier or Casablanca.

The Canary Islands are also the starting point for the annual ARC, the trans-Atlantic rally to the Caribbean. That means plenty of marinas, chandleries, excellent provisioning, and—reportedly—lively nightlife (always appealing). We may have to remind ourselves to head back to Mexico.  And some day way in the future, we could even consider crossing the Atlantic ourselves given our range.

EU Visa Constraints

The EU appears ready to enforce the 90-days-in-180 rule in 2026.  If Marilyn and I want to spend more time aboard in Europe, we’ll need to manage our days carefully.

Two main options:

1. Spend time in non-EU countries—there are many around the Med, including Croatia, Albania, Tunisia, Morocco, Gibraltar, and others.
2. Obtain a Seafarer’s Visa as crew of a charter vessel. Another reason chartering could be appealing: we could declare ourselves captain and first mate of our own vessel.

 What Nomadicat Will Look Like

One other thing on my mind is Nomadicat’s exterior look. Our plan is to keep the aluminum mostly exposed but incorporate an acrylic vinyl wrap (similar to a sister ship from the same naval architects)

for a touch of color. This keeps maintenance easy and reduces heat—after being talked out of the deep blue hull I originally loved, which would have been scorching in the Med.

I thought I had an artist lined up to create the Nomadicat imagery for the wrap, but that seems to have fallen through. So I’m exploring new options. Here are a few visual ideas to start the creative process. If you know an artist or designer who might enjoy working on this, please let me know.

Read more ...

We're Moving Along -- and Looking for a Partner

 

Moving Ahead… and Looking for a Partner

The aluminum work on Nomadicat is moving along at an exciting pace! These latest photos show her really starting to take shape

— she’s looking more and more like a proper boat every day. The hydraulic lift for the tender is on its way, and we’re making the final payments for the e-Motion hybrid engines. Progress feels very real now.

We’ve also been puzzling over the rooftop solar array — part of Nomadicat’s hybrid power system. 

The current plan features two walkable solar arrays with a total of 18 panels, capable of generating about 4.7 kW/day. Right now, the system is spec’d for a single solar control box that feeds the batteries. However, the aft section of the roof will also hold the nav/comm mast, two rescue life rafts, and possibly a Thule roof box or kayaks — all of which could create about a 20% reduction in solar output due to shading.

Adding a second control box would mean only one of the two arrays is affected by shade, keeping the other at full efficiency. So our options are:

1. Stick with one control box and accept a 20% overall reduction,

2. Install one now but leave room to add another later, or

3. Go for two control boxes now — for about £8,000 more — and limit the loss to just 10%.

Given that “hotel” services (lights, galley fridge, nav instruments, pumps, etc.) will likely use about 2 kW/day, and that the e-Motion engines can fully recharge the batteries in just 20–30 minutes, we’re fine-tuning the balance between efficiency, cost, and convenience.

On the financial front, my house still hasn’t sold — and with today’s slower market, it may take a while. In hindsight, waiting for the sale before starting this build would have been the “smart” move. But at 77, Marilyn and I decided life’s too short to wait around. We wanted to get on with it — and Nomadicat is too exciting a project to put on hold.

That said, I’m now considering finding a co-owner or partner — someone who shares the same love of exploration, the sea, and sustainable cruising. We’d planned to spend about 100–120 days a year aboard, which leaves plenty of time for another owner to enjoy the Mediterranean season.

If you know someone who might be interested in sharing ownership (and the adventure), please let me know.

---

Read more ...

We've got a name!

We’ve decided on "Nomadicat" :   Nomads living on a hybrid expedition catamaran.

We’re also going to be doing a vinyl wrap on the boat.  Here’s a picture of a similar boat (designed by the same naval architects as the Nomadicat) that ferries workers to the North Sea wind farms. 

It primarily leverages it’s aluminum hull but with a splash of color leveraging a vinyl wrap.

Here are the latest pictures of the A-47 Nomadicat as of last week.  It’s really moving along.

Unfortunately Archipelago had some problems with their sub-contractor in Lyon, France, so Nomadicat’s sister ship, the A4001 a 40ft live-aboard will be heading to the same shed as the Nomadicat in Newport, Isle of Wight to be finished there.  Here’s a pic of the A4001.

Fortunately the engines had not been installed yet making a tough transport job a little easier from France to the UK.

Read more ...

It's starting to take shape!

 

Greetings,

It’s been a while since our last update from the Isle of Wight, when the framing was just beginning. As you can see from the photos, progress has been steady: much of the shell plating is now tacked on,

the tanks are complete,

and the E/R (engine room) bulkhead is fully welded. From the stern shot,

you really get a sense of her size.

We’ve also added a great new piece of gear—two Brompton folding e-bikes.

At just 25 lbs. each, they’re easy for Marilyn and me to store, lift into the tender, and take ashore. We’re looking forward to using them for exploring the local sites and provisioning once we’ve anchored.

On the legal and registration front, we’ve decided to form a holding company in Gibraltar and register the boat in Great Britain as a "Small Vessel in Commercial Use" under the British flag. This will mean that we'll have to comply with the Brirish safety standards for a charter vessel - but if we meet those standards - they will suffice for any other country.

Since she’ll be in charter part-time, this structure lets us take delivery in the UK (rather than in Internationl waters - Guernsey) without VAT until there’s charter income, and Gibraltar’s zero VAT keeps costs down.

We’ve also invested in an Orca navigation system (getorca.com).

It won’t replace our Raymarine setup but will integrate with it for a) better accuracy in route planning, b) combines instrument data (like depth, weather, etc.) on the chart plotter,

c) a mobile autopilot is accessible from their designated display or smartphone, computer, or even smart watch, and d) a rich, automatic logbook. It has some other functionality for sailboats that will be lost on me. I’m especially excited about the mobile

autopilot—it means I can step away from the helm station inside the salon area when I need to, and remain in control. Reviews of the Orca system have been excellent.

Well, until next blog...and pictures.  Enjoy the rest of your summer!!

Mike & Marilyn

Read more ...

The Latest Stills of the A4702

 Greetings,

Thomas has provided a complete set of "stills" A4702 still images that are a combination of the videos he has created as well as the schematics of the levels within the A4702.  I thought you might enjoy seeing this compilation as they set the stage for the construction which as already begun.

We've been thinking about the exterior covering of the A4702.  It could be painted, left "polished" aluminum or have a vinyl skin (not unlike how they wrap truck bodies - can be quite colorful).  We've been thinking of a deep blue vinyl wrap (not unlike the videos and pics to date), but there's a concern about heat in the Med and that area of the world in the summer.  Recently at the boat show, BoatWork, in Southampton we saw some aluminum boats that were left aluminum and others with aluminum and a partial colorful wrap.  It was intriguing and we all seemed to like that direction.

We're also starting to think about a name.  Any ideas?  Brent (my son) did an AI search that ended up with Sol Mate.  I did another search and came up with a host of other possibilities...one of which was Sol Odyssey [or Sol Odyssea- perhaps too clever].  I liked 'Tortuga' given the hybrid nature of the boat as well as the solar panels on the roof looking similar to the shell of a turtle -- but consensus was that it sounded "slow."  Regardless, we would love to hear some name ideas if you've got any.

Best, 

Mike and Marilyn

Read more ...