The Zenone 45 is designed as a fuel efficient open cockpit layout power catamaran with a top speed of 17 knots whilst being most efficient in the 12 – 15 knot cruising speed range.
The first Zenone 45 has been built by Serenity Shipyards in Pattaya, Thailand. Originally the owner wanted a boat similar to the 11 metre open cockpit Whitehaven sailing catamaran Seekronghuk, with the same general layout but without the rig. The end result is the Zenone 45 which has a very large open cockpit living area under a solid bimini, ideal for the tropical waters as the boat will be based is Pattaya just south of Bangkok.
General Layout and Accommodation
There are 2 large double cabins forward of the main bulkhead with berths that are 1.6 m wide (5’ 4”). The flair on the outer side of the hulls allows for a seat on the outer side, shelf and or hanging locker. Forward in the hulls can be a single berth or a bathroom. The large galley is located in the central part of the port hull with the central part of the starboard hull as a dedicated navigation, chart table area with a narrow berth or seat on the outer side of the hull. Aft in the starboard hull is a large bathroom with a double berth aft in the port hull.
On deck the large covered open cockpit area is the main living area on the boat. This area can also be closed in with clearview fronts and sides in bad weather. Across the back of the cockpit area is a large comfortable seat. The helm station is positioned centrally and will be augmented by the chart plotter, radar screen and other instruments.
Engines and Hull Shape
Early on in the design process it was decided that an important criteria of the design would be fuel efficiency at a comfortable cruising speed of 12 – 14 knots. Twin 75 hp Yanmar Saildrives were chosen for the engines with the hull shape being more of a modified sailing catamaran shape rather than a brutish power catamaran shape. The resultant hull shape has low wetted surface area with a high prismatic coefficient and is expected to use less than a litre a mile at 10 knots. With this configuration the engines are aft in their own engine compartment with large swim steps behind the engine compartment. There is a skeg forward of the propellers to provide protection for the propellers and the rudders.
Construction
Construction of the hulls, foredecks and decks outboard of the hull centerline are of strip plank Western Red Cedar and Biaxial and Unidirectional f/glass. The remaining deck areas, underwing and cockpit surfaces are all composite foam sandwich construction. Main full width bulkheads are strip plank WRC composite construction. Unidirectional Carbon Fibre is used strategically in the underwing, main bulkheads and deck laminate to provide strength and stiffness where required. Epoxy resins are used through-out.
Plans
Plans are fully comprehensive and include full size patterns for the hull and deck station frames, minikeel sections and rudder profile and sections. A detailed materials list is also included.
Specifications
| LOA | 13.65 m (44’ 9”) | Draft | ||
| LWL | 13.3 m (43’ 8”) | Hull | 460 mm (1’ 6”) | |
| BOA | 6.5 m (21’ 4”) | Keel | 700 mm (2’ 4”) | |
| BCL | 5.0 m (16’ 4”) | Rudders |
750 mm (2’ 6”) | |
| Hull BWL | 825 mm | |||
| Hull LWL : Hull BWL |
16.1 : 1 | Headroom | ||
| Hulls | 2.0 m |
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| Displacement | On deck | 2.1 m | ||
| DWL | 5950 kg | |||
| Empty | 4950 kg | Underwing Clearance | 730 mm – 900 mm | |
| Cruising | 6950 kg |