The C450 is the smallest boat in the Sherwood Marine kit range, and the least expensive. A 4.5 metre aluminium catamaran available as the C450T tiller steer at $12,890 excluding GST or the C450CC centre console at $13,780. The C450 runs a single engine, which keeps the purchase price, the running cost and the rigging complexity of the finished boat down.

The hulls are 4.50 m long, 4.75 m overall, on a 2.15 m beam, built from 4 mm plate throughout the bottom and sides with 3 mm decks and cabin. Deadrise at the centre of gravity is 17 degrees. The deck is flat (no tunnel) self-draining AND level flotation - a big safety feature in a small boat - and cockpit depth is 0.62m. Fuel is carried in one or two portable 45 litre tanks, person capacity is four, and maximum power is 100 hp with 70 to 90 hp recommended.

Single engine cats have something of a reputation for being tricky to setup, but that’s all been done here already. With the owner we were prepared for a few modifications on hull #1, which ended up being fairly minor, and hull #2 ran beautifully straight out of the box.

With huge deck area and the usual brick-like catamaran stability, it’s a great platform for crabbing, netting, diving, photography and fishing with kids aboard. So much more than a creek boat though, it has rough water performance to belie its small stature, capable of putting much larger monohulls to shame. Impecably balanced all round, and well mannered in following seas, the lifting sections in the bow design keep the nose up, and out of trouble.