Chris Schoenbohm, president of Smart Marine in Orlando, Fla., said that his crew is putting the finishing touches on the plug for the bottom of the Phoenix 32 catamaran and that they are about a week away from starting the mold. “A perfect plug makes a perfect mold and a perfect mold makes a perfect boat,” said Schoenbohm, who is one of the most positive people in the performance-boat game. “Every angle and every corner is being fine-tuned.”

Schoenbohm said he’s still waiting on the patents for the Smart Marine 11-10 Variable Speed Running Surface, so he’s reluctant to give too many details. But he did explain the most unique aspect of his new design.

Said Schoenbohm: “A perfect plug makes a perfect mold.”

“The biggest difference is the traditional pad that most people put on a boat is a flat pad,” he said. “Ours has some engineering where it goes into a concave curve and works hand in hand with two large steps.”

Looking at the back of the boat you would see the running surface on each sponson on the Phoenix 32 curves up into the bottom. “We ram air into the sides of the boat and it traps air under the running surface,” said Schoenbohm. “You now have the ability to drive the boat. You have a very manageable catamaran to drive in the turns.”

The concaved pad isn’t necessarily new. I’ve seen it used on Triton bass boats, but combining it with the two steps on the Phoenix 32 should result in an efficient, fast design. It actually rides on the cushion of air created by the concave shape. In addition to being fast, Schoenbohm said the boat is much easier to drive.

The first Phoenix 32 to be built will be a Super Boat International Stock-class raceboat that will be an infused epoxy carbon laminate. The second and third boats Schoenbohm has taken orders for are five-seat pleasureboats. Regardless of whether a boat is sold for race or pleasure use, it will have Smart Marine’s Diamond Safety Barrier safety cell. (Schoenbohm also reported that he sold his old Smart Marine/Patriot Vapor raceboat and it’s being converted to a pleasure/poker run boat.)

Dash pod rendering for the 32 Phoenix.

Editor’s Note: Speedonthewater.com contributor Eric Colby will continue to follow this story as it develops.

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