Boarding is Easy with the PRJ Shadow Catamaran 40
Published: Monday, August 16, 2021
The family is ready for a day on the boat, but there are challenges to get them onboard: the kids have paddleboards, Auntie is in a wheelchair, Dad's cooler is heavy, and the dog is barking to join. Such boarding and offloading issues have long plagued Captain Pedro Camargo and it was during his decades as captain of large yachts, ferrying charter guests, crew, and supplies, that he honed his formula for the answer: the PRJ Shadow Cat 40.
“That’s the reason I came up with the idea for the ramp,” said Capt. Camargo during a river cruise on the PRJ Shadow Cat 40 this spring. “I can land with the bow only, push the ramp out, and the crew can bring all the toys, set up tents, offload chairs, coolers, and the dog. It’s for all ages and the ramp is wide enough for a wheelchair. It’s accessible for all.”
Safer and more efficient, PRJ Boats’ design is a culmination of Camargo’s decades of experience on the water, beginning in childhood on family boats in Brazil and continuing into boat delivery jobs at age 15. He worked as a professional sailboat racer, has circumnavigated on a 55-foot catamaran, and has been captain on large yachts, including a 150-foot motor yacht. This experience keeps Capt. Camargo at the helm of PRJ Boats, building these 40-foot catamaran powerboats in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Perfect for diverse tasks, the Shadow Cat 40 can house a variety of personal watercraft, scuba diving gear, fishing equipment, paddleboards, and beach toys.
“The boats are perfect as a day boat in the lakes, the Florida Keys, the Caribbean, the Bahamas, or just on a sandbar,” Capt. Camargo said.
The Shadow Catamaran 40 design offers more onboard space, shallow draft, stability, and performance, and the boat’s lighter construction allows for smaller, more economical engines that require less fuel. However, the first thing many mariners notice is the electric extending bow ramp. With a button, the 33-inch wide platform can be used in the water at anchor and underway, or it can extend to the dock and beach for loading.
The customizable cockpit modular design allows for removable tables and seats, found under a 130 square-foot carbon-fiber hardtop for protection from the elements. Passengers can also enjoy an air-conditioned head and cabin.
Twelve guests can sit in comfort in the 215 square-feet of deck and cockpit. The lightweight boat uses about a gallon per mile at cruising speed of 32 to 35 miles per hour with two 400hp Mercury Verado motors. Two aluminum tanks hold 300 gallons of fuel for a range of about 280 miles. The PRJ Shadow Cat 40 is trailerable at 9,500 pounds before fueling.
Look for the PRJ Boats Shadow Cat 40 cruising the U.S. Eastern coast, lakes and rivers, as well as the Bahamas this year.
Contact PRJ Boats at (954) 999-9890 | www.PRJBoats.com | [email protected]
A version of this article appeared in the Summer Issue (July/August) 2021 of Great Lakes Scuttlebutt magazine.
tags: Catamaran, New Boat Models
