VESSEL REVIEW | Eco Way – Aluminium catamaran houseboat for liveaboard use

Australian/Thai shipbuilder SeaCat Ships has introduced Eco Way, the first vessel in a new series of catamaran vessels intended for private liveaboard use, houseboat hire and floating accommodation.

The vessel was launched at Ocean Marina Jomtien and has since been undergoing commissioning and sea trials at the marina.

Eco Way was designed by SeaCat affiliate SeaSpeed Designs and built in 2026. Paul Birgan, principal designer at SeaSpeed Designs and a Director of SeaCat Ships, said that the brief was to build a houseboat the team, "would be happy to live aboard ourselves."

It had to feel more like a small waterfront home than a conventional boat while still being stable, easy to manoeuvre, economical to run and fitted with systems that are straightforward to maintain.

Modern look and feel combined with ease of operation

The marine-grade aluminium catamaran has an LOA of 12 metres (39 feet), a beam of 4.75 metres (15.6 feet), and a draught of only around 0.5 metres (1.6 feet). She can accommodate up to six people overnight and 12 passengers during the day, and the builder listed her certification as Australian hire and drive.

"We wanted to get away from the traditional idea of a houseboat being basically a box built on pontoons," Birgan told Baird Maritime. “The [vessel] has a more contemporary appearance, large windows, plenty of natural light and a modern interior, while still being simple to operate and economical to own.”

The single-level interior includes living and entertaining areas, a galley, a bathroom and accommodation for family and friends, and the vessel is fully air-conditioned.

Birgan said the catamaran configuration provides a wide, stable base and considerably more usable floor area compared to a 12-metre monohull.

In Birgan’s view, the main design challenge was balancing the house against the boat.

"With a houseboat, it is very easy to keep adding things. Everyone wants more accommodation, more storage, bigger appliances and more equipment, but everything you add also adds weight. We had to keep reminding ourselves that regardless of how comfortable we wanted it to be, it was still a 12-metre boat."

The batteries, 800 litres (180 gallons) of freshwater, 800 litres of sullage, air-conditioning plant, furniture and appliances all had to be positioned with weight distribution in mind. The designers also sought to maximise interior volume without making the vessel appear too high or box-like.

SeaCat Ships, which has been diversifying into liveaboard and hybrid expedition vessels, normally builds aluminium passenger ferries, workboats and larger catamarans. Birgan said the aluminium construction was routine for the yard; the harder task was achieving the finish and comfort of a modern home in a marine environment, with closer attention to cabinetry, furniture, appliances, lighting and air-conditioning. All fittings had to be installed for a vessel that moves, even one that may spend much of its time at a marina or at anchor.

The deck arrangement was deliberately kept as simple as possible, with easy movement around the vessel. Birgan said that, because the catamaran's full beam can be used, "the outside deck isn't just somewhere to walk around the boat [and instead] becomes another living and entertaining area.”

Propulsion arrangement selected to maximise deck space for occupants

Propulsion is provided by twin Suzuki 90hp (70kW) four-stroke outboards fed from two 200-litre (40-gallon) petrol tanks and that deliver a maximum speed of around 10 knots.

Birgan said the outboards were chosen because they are compact, proven and easy to service, and they keep machinery out of the accommodation.

"We were never trying to make it a fast boat," he told Baird Maritime.

Solar generation and battery storage reduce dependence on shore power. Together with the AC and DC systems, they support the domestic loads of refrigeration, lighting, pumps, appliances and full air-conditioning as well as the marine equipment.

The catamaran can also be configured with twin electric outboards. Birgan said the large roof area leaves space for solar panels, which, combined with a suitable battery bank and inverter and charging system, can take the boat much further towards off-grid operation.

"A lot of the time the boat will be stationary, with the solar system continuing to put energy back into the batteries," he said, adding that electric propulsion also gives the quiet operation suited to slow cruising on rivers, lakes and anchorages.

The helm has a Simrad multi-function navigation display, a VHF radio, a magnetic compass, Suzuki engine instrumentation and controls, and the AC and DC distribution panels.

Built for domestic and overseas distribution

"We wanted the boat to be easy to drive without the operator having to understand a complicated integrated bridge system," Birgan said, noting that this suits both private owners and hire and drive operators.

The catamaran is primarily an export product, with Australia, the United States and Europe seen as the main markets and Thailand as a potential holiday and tourism market. The design was therefore built around two shipping options. The complete houseboat can also fit on a flat rack.

"This was an important design consideration because if the completed vessel becomes any larger, it generally moves into the much more expensive deck cargo category," Birgan said.

Alternatively, the vessel can be supplied as a prefabricated kit for assembly at its destination, with the aluminium hull pontoons sized to fit a standard 40-foot shipping container and the remaining components shipped separately. The choice depends on the destination, local labour costs, and customer requirements. Birgan said these constraints added to the design work but opened up a much larger international market, and that transport needs to be considered from the start of the design process.

The vessel is intended for protected coastal waters, rivers, lakes and established houseboat areas, where her shallow draught allows access to locations that many conventional vessels would struggle to reach.

Once at anchor, the catamaran, "basically becomes a floating waterfront apartment," Birgan said.

The catamaran is being positioned between traditional houseboats, conventional residential accommodation and far more expensive motor yachts, for buyers who do not need a 25- or 30-knot boat.

"We are not suggesting that houseboats are going to solve the housing crisis, but I do think boats like [the new catamaran] can be part of a wider range of alternative accommodation, particularly where marina and waterfront infrastructure already exists," Birgan told Baird Maritime.

Commercial applications include houseboat hire, marina accommodation, tourism, and BNB-style floating accommodation.

"If you want a different waterfront view, you can move the house," Birgan said.

Eco Way is continuing to undergo sea trials at Ocean Marina.

SeaCat is also working on a sister vessel for fully off-grid use, incorporating battery storage, solar power and electric outboards. Birgan said lessons from the first boat will allow different interior layouts without redesigning the basic hull and platform.