Phoenix 42 XPR

The Phoenix Hull Design: An Extraordinary Driving Experience

Every Phoenix catamaran, from the race-ready 32XR to the versatile 42XPR, shares the same design elements, developed and refined by owner Chris Schoenbohm over decades of modifying, building, rigging and racing outboard catamarans. In combination, they add up to an unparalleled combination of acceleration, speed, efficiency and, most importantly, handling.

The truth is that all high-end, wide-body outboard cats are fast and efficient. What distinguishes the on-water performance of Phoenix cats from the rest is an extraordinary driving experience. From the beginning, Schoenbohm has focused on improving turning, handling and driver feedback. The result of his work is a lineup of catamarans that handle predictably, responsively and safely — that are at once thrillingly fast but also easier to drive than anything else in their class.

Asymmetrical Hull Design — Catamarans with symmetrical sponsons — where the “inside” and “outside” of each sponson has the same shape — are essentially two long, narrow boats bridged by the deck. They ride comfortably at lower speeds but are sluggish and inefficient, requiring a pile of horsepower to run on plane. High-performance catamarans, like the Phoenix lineup, use asymmetrical sponsons, where the “inside surface” of each sponson is nearly vertical. Well-designed asymmetrical catamarans are far more efficient than symmetrical, packing air between the sponsons to lift the hull out of the water and reduce wetted surface. They also handle better, especially in high-speed turns.

Dual High-Flow Ventilated Steps — Hull-bottom steps pull air onto the running surface, reducing drag to improve speed and efficiency. They also yield a flatter running attitude on plane and effectively separate the boat’s bottom into three distinct sections. This offers the opportunity to design each of the three running surface sections differently. The twin steps found on the Phoenix bottom have been refined over more than a decade to maximize air flow for superior efficiency and to yield the ideal running angle at any speed.

Variable Speed Running Surface — The signature design feature of the Phoenix lineup, the patented Variable Speed Running Surface consists of three distinct surfaces — one forward of the forward step, one between the steps, and a third aft of the aft step. Each has been exhaustively refined to provide optimum performance and any speed from sub-planing, where the entire running surface is submerged, to wide-open throttle, where only the last foot or less of the hull contacts the water. It is because of this running that Phoenix cats lean into turns, handle more predictably, and are easier to drive than any other outboard cat.

High-Compression Tunnel Wing — At speed, a high-performance catamaran behaves much like an aircraft in ground effect, riding on a pillow of air compressed between the wings and the ground. On a catamaran, the “wing” is the deck between the sponsons, so its shape is critical. The “roof” of the Phoenix tunnel utilizes a convex tie-in forward of the tunnel wing, transitioning to flat aft for maximum compression. The tunnel wing is also slightly downturned at the leading edge to help keep the bow down at high speeds for improved control and efficiency. 

Manually Adjustable Bracket — All Phoenix catamarans are rigged with our patented manually adjustable bracket, manufactured for Smart Performance Marine by Latham Marine. Engines are hung slightly outboard of the centerline of each sponson as well as canted to help the boat lean into turns.