Westerberg teases 1700hp Wildcat offshore sportsfisher

The custom alloy boat-maker already builds a range of alloy plate boats – including the fishing-centric 6.6-metre and 7.2-metre Wildcat catamaran range available in centre console, runabout and hardtop runabout layouts – and boat trailers.

However, it has now opted to go even larger, casting its largest boat yet onto the market to see if it gets any bites.

According to Westerberg Aluminium Boats director Rhys Jones, the new model was released to test the Australian market’s appetite for an Australian-made catamaran with semi-liveaboard qualities.

“It’s all customisable,” Jones told boatsales.com.au. “You can have it with quad outboard engines – this one has quad 425s but you could also have it with Mercury’s new 400 – inboard, shaft drive jets, whatever you want.”

The four-seat flybridge was added to draw appeal, but the standard boat will include accommodations for up to four people including two singles down the back and a double berth up front, a galley space, shower and head.

The larger-sized concept has lobbed just weeks ahead of Westerberg launching another of its new models, an 8.0 metre by 2.7 metre catamaran that will sit at the top of the wildcat range until the first 10.0-metre hull – which will be built to survey – is finished.

As for pricing, Jones said a basic 10.0-metre Wildcat will start from around $700,000, with only the buyer’s budget setting a limit on how far the final cost will stretch north of that.

While details of how the 10.0-metre version will be built are still being locked in, Westerberg’s current twin-hull range is built using 5.0mm alloy plate for the hull, frames and stringers, and 4.0mm plate for the sides, making it lightweight but durable.

How light? According to Westerberg, the 6.6-metre version of the Wildcat weighs around 2700kg loaded and on the trailer, meaning owners don’t have to go out and buy an expensive tow tug to haul it around.