Kaimusailing

The recent discussion on the Wharram builders site seemed to concentrate on building time and cost and many different views were expressed. There is another aspect of DIY, the satisfaction of making something with your own hands. Each Wharram boat is a creation of the builder and from what I've seen, no two are alike, even though they may have originated from the same stock design plans.
Although it is unusual for a sailor to build a large boat, DIY dinghies and small boats are common. It's easy to compare building a small boat to building a book case or entertainment center. My neighbor is always working on his property doing masonry and other building projects. Most people would probably hire a mason, but my neighbor gets a lot of satisfaction planning and building his own cobblestone driveway, brick pillars, and landscape features.
Down at the docks, all the boats have had at least some work done by their captains. Now the rage seems to be solar panel installation. Other projects have been cabin stoves, electrical work, refinishing brightwork, and various repairs. Kaimu is the boat that did not come from a production builder, every step of the way, someone was designing and creating the boat from scratch.
Before running off and buying a set of plans, clearing an area for a building shed, and trucking piles of plywood, fiberglass, and epoxy resin to your backyard, the other option of buying a production built catamaran should be considered. The production yards usually work with a marine architect who has proper training, and usually, a track record and predictable style. Here the experience of the professionally built boat starts to make sense. The design is thoroughly reviewed and every aspect is carefully considered. The boatyard operates at high efficiency. The production run ensures that any bugs are worked out in the first few boats, and that the building process is refined. The workers are professionals and know what they are doing. The materials are bought in quantity at wholesale pricing. The finished product has a price tag, but it reflects all that went into the boat. Unfortunately many of the production boats are aimed at the charter fleet and have attractive features for charter that don't appeal to a yacht owner. Charters are usually a crowd of two or three couples and they are looking for separate staterooms including a private head with each berth. An owner would probably rather have only one or maybe two heads (to accommodate a guest berth), and have additional space.
Production models often have an option for an owner's version which usually is in more demand and usually can get a higher price. But production designs tend to follow the herd and deciding between them involves nit picking over details of designs that are often very similar. Then along comes the Wharram catamaran. It can be ordered from a licensed builder, just like any other production boat, and can be configured to a custom layout, and it has that DIY philosophy built in, it can be maintained without resorting to boatyards, a big plus when you're out voyaging.
If the prospective owner has a skill or a business that can perform a portion of the boatbuilding, then the boat can be ordered with that portion left for later completion. An electrician can do all the wiring, a plumber can put his crew to work on the plumbing. The sailing rigs are frequently customized to the owner's preferences.
To see what customization can do, go to the Wharram Builders and Friends ning site and look up two boats built from the same design, the Tiki 46. Compare "Peace IV" and "Grand Pha". Peace is very close to plan, in fact it is hull #1, and many of the Tiki 46 features were developed on this boat. Grand Pha has just been launched in France and is entirely different. A boat this size is usually about all that a self builder can manage in one lifetime. I am sure all the alterations will have been carefully thought out and the resulting boat will be a one of a kind treasure.
It doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes things go wrong and the builders/sailors end up with a bad experience. I would recommend that anyone contemplating such a huge project to seek out an existing boat, or perhaps build a smaller model of the same designer. Go for a sail with an existing boat, if you can, and take notice of what it's all about. If you build a smaller Wharram, you will experience the same as a larger model, but with less time, money, and energy invested. You will find out if these boats suit you.
I did read about a couple who built a Wharram and then set out on an epic voyage. They didn't do too well and ended up selling the boat soon after. Sometimes the dream is great, but the true life experience on a boat has realistic rough spots, just the same as real life anywhere else. Getting on a home built catamaran doesn't do away with the dark forces, they follow you wherever. Each person has their own way about things and their own karma.
The building process on our own karma craft is stagnating at the simple task of installing 3 dome lights near the vanity in the port hull. The LED festoon replacement bulbs caused an uproar of searching, and then organizing the mess in the boatshed. New festoon bulbs were ordered and the work continued. The switches on these old lights were found to be defective after years of storage. Rocker switches cannibalized from the old Harbor Freight solar charge controllers would work fine, just a little job of cutting a square hole in a round dome light. As I began rewiring the lights, I tested my first solder connection and found the continuity through the lamp socket was bad. I tested all of them and they were all bad. The same long term corrosion that killed the old switches also affected the lamp sockets. No problem, just order new lamp sockets and expedite them to arrive when the new bulbs arrive. But wait a minute, the fixtures are now just a stainless steel round ring and a glass lens. All the rest is replaced with new parts. The price of a new fixture is only about 15 to 20 dollars. We've been festooned.