Henley Boats in Manitowaning, on Manitoulin Island — the only boat manufacturer in the world that builds roll-form aluminum lapstrake hulls — will be constructing The North Channel CabinBoat Company’s new model, a 10- by 30-foot catamaran coastal cruiser called Thirty.
The North Channel Thirty was designed specifically for bareboat chartering (full or fractional ownership) in the North Channel of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, where it’s mostly sheltered but can get rough quickly, but will also be offered for sale to the general boating public on a semi-custom basis.
Equipped with a single Suzuki 115-hp outboard, the boat will be easy to dock with proportional bow and stern thrusters controlled by a joystick, plus it’s equipped with a safe and secure ladder system for swimmers boarding from the water.
The Thirty will be eco-friendly and energy-efficient, with up to 3,000 watts of solar power up on the roof, combined with Victron Lithium-Ion batteries, all designed by Jason Blier of FSA Solar and Graham Morfitt of Modern Outpost, and Michael Murray.
Onboard equipment will include a fridge with freezer, diesel-fired tankless on-demand water heater, a two-burner propane cooktop and a BBQ on the foredeck, a microwave-convection oven, plus lots of galley counter space. A spacious head has a bidet electric toilet and a stand-up shower stall. There will be sleeping accommodations for four.
