The running plug for the new 32 Phoenix catamaran is almost complete.

Smart Marine president Chris Schoenbohm’s plans to make a bold statement in the outboard-powered performance catamaran world just took a huge step forward when Hull No. 1 went into the mold earlier this week. The running plug is also nearly finished at his Orlando, Fla.-based company and he’s planning to test a couple of prototype designs for the wing at the leading edge of the tunnel in the near future.

Schoenbohm said that all the windshield molds have been made and all the parts to finish the boats are ready to go in. The company builds its own dash panels as well as 10-pound structural carbon fiber seats. Instead of gel coat, which is porous, Smart Marine will use a more durable paint finish coat that the manufacturer hopes will stand up better over time. Schoenbohm said Smart Marine uses a special tie coat to improve paint adhesion to the hull and deck.

The first boat is a Super Stock class raceboat that Schoenbohm plans to race with eventual owner Kevin Pruitt of Cocoa Beach, Fla., who has been pivotal in promoting the annual Space Coast Super Boat Grand Prix in his hometown. The second boat is a five-seat pleasure model being built for Canadian performance boater Brian Lundy who has owned a number of go-fast boats including other catamarans. It will be powered by twin Mercury Racing Verado 400R outboards and will feature a cockpit with three-person seating in the rear and the driver and a companion up front. (In addition to his catamaran, Lundy is having a matching Statement center console being built.)

For a closer look at the current state of the 32 Phoenix catamaran project, check out the slideshow above.

“We are doing everything we can to get that boat finished,” said Schoenbohm. “It takes precedence right now.”

JJ Turk, the owner of the No Vacancy racing team that currently runs a 30’ Phantom, has ordered Hull No. 4 from Smart Marine and will be racing in the Super Stock class in the future. The third boat on the racecourse will be the running plug and the fourth will be the converted one-of-a kind Phoenix 30-footer that used to be the Skater 28, Risky Business. That’s a minimum of three boats that Smart Marine will be putting into the Super Stock fleet by the end of the 2016 season. That’s a pretty bold plan.

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