Manufacturing Excellence

You start with the best design. You give it shape and form using the best materials. And you employ the best craftsmen in the business to transform those raw materials into a boat that doesn’t just endure, but excels, in the toughest of conditions.

Here is just a brief overview of how the smoothest riding boats in the world are built, a process that typically takes 9-12 months from idea to water.

Design

The key to a World Cat catamaran’s uniquely superior performance is the hull design, which needs to take into account not only the hydrodynamics of hull shape, but also the friction-reducing VectorFlo® tunnel shape, and the precise shape and size of the planing surfaces – all while balancing weight and strength for optimal performance in a wide array of conditions.
For optimal performance, structural integrity and precise fit, all World Cat hulls and decks are designed using the industry’s most sophisticated CAD/CAM 3D modeling software (which is also used for aeronautic design and was used to develop the Mars Rover). Dozens of iterations of deck layout and dimensions are developed for each boat as our designers seek the solution that best meets our customers’ needs.
Once a design is near completion, a full-scale mock-up is built so that user ergonomics can be evaluated and final adjustments made. These adjustments are incorporated into the final computer design, which now includes critical unseen elements such as wiring, plumbing and drainage.
When the design is finalized and signed off, every part is computer modeled; plugs and then molds can then be precision tooled. Once these plugs and molds are complete, the boat is ready to be built.

Materials

A great design is fully brought to life by construction with the highest quality materials, which need to balance weight, strength and durability. World Cat’s extensive building experience directs us to use only the best materials for the purpose.
The first step in building a boat with a beautiful, smooth, durable hull exterior is using the highest quality gel coat and applying a 100% vinylester barrier coat to the mold. The gel coat provides a beautiful surface that will last for years, and the barrier coat protects against blistering and enhances the cosmetic finish of the gel.
To create a powerful barrier between the gel coat surface and heavier glass material, a fine mat fiberglass “skin coat” is laminated into the hull before the build begins.
Bi-directional and tri-directional knitted fiberglass cloth, pre-cut by hand into shapes precisely engineered for each boat model, is applied onto the mold by hand to assure a stronger, more durable laminate.
To add greater strength to hull bottoms, layers are overlapped in water shock areas and a thick layer of 36-ounce woven roving cloth is laminated from chine to chine.
To bring you years of unmatched endurance, World Cat fabricates its structural bulkheads and stringers from high density composite materials that are impervious to water absorption and rot.
For enhanced flotation and sound and thermal insulation, strategic cavities are filled with foam after the stringers and bulkheads are glassed into the hull
To create a rugged transom, high-density composite is bonded to the transom and reinforced with durable aluminum plates in engine mount areas
Only the finest materials are used, so our stainless steel hardware is fabricated from 316 grade stainless steel to better withstand the saltwater environment .

Process

Veteran craftsmen, many with more than two decades of experience, begin the complex work of combining and transforming ideas and materials into the smoothest riding boats on water.
Since the key to a great finish is the mold, we hand-polish each mold to a high gloss before applying the exterior gel coat.
A specially calibrated mix of fiberglass and resin is strategically laid into the molds in layers, interspersed with careful hand-rolling of the surfaces to expel any excess air and to ensure a solid bond.
Fiberglass knitted mats are applied with precision and careful hand-rolling of the surfaces is done to expel air and to ensure a solid bond.
The hull is then removed from its mold, fiberglass parts are carefully trimmed and cut from templates, and the assembly process begins.
Our craftsmen then begin installing through-hulls, rod holders, seats, heads, windshields, all the elements of a World Cat boat.
Once the polyethylene fuel cells, bilge pumps, plumbing, electrical and other key components and systems are tested and installed, the hull and deck can be bonded together.
To create the most secure bond possible, the deck is carefully lowered into the hull where it bonds to the tops of the stringer system forming a structural grid like an airplane wing.
Heavy-duty and oversized welded aluminum frames secure fiberglass hardtops and t-tops as the World Cat catamaran takes its final shape.
Canvas enclosures and curtains are custom fit and sewn for each boat using the highest quality polished and coated vinyls. Plasticizers are utilized creating a long lasting clear, scratch-resistant enclosure.
Engines and connections are then installed and tested at the factory – so that your World Cat is ready for electronics, optional equipment and launching when it arrives at your World Cat dealer.
Finally, before leaving the factory, each boat is given a detailed, thorough inspection, making sure that not only are all components properly installed and operational, but that the fit and finish are flawless.

Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

This complex process – only briefly described above – is a combination of the latest technology matched to the experience and skill of some of the best boating engineers and craftsmen in the industry. While our boats reflect only the highest quality, we are constantly seeking out and finding new ways to drive our quality ever higher.

ALL WORLD CAT BOATS FEATURE A TEN-YEAR STRUCTURAL HULL WARRANTY*
*excludes Livingston skiffs

400CC-X

325CC

295CC

280CC-X

260CC-X

235TE

235CC

400DC-X Island

400DC-X

325DC

296DC

280DC-X

260DC-X

230DC

230SD

Manufacturing Excellence