Catamaran Cruisers

What Catamaran Cruisers does

Catamaran Cruisers is a privately held houseboat manufacturer founded in 1981 and headquartered at 4166 Demastus Lane in Columbia, Tennessee. The company designs, builds, and ships custom catamaran-style houseboats and related watercraft to customers across all 50 U.S. states and internationally, with a cumulative production run of nearly 5,000 watercraft since founding. The core product line — sold under the Catamaran Cruisers, Aqua Lodge, Lil' Hobo, Launch & Live, and Pontoon Beast brands — ranges from trailerable 8x26 deck boats to the largest 14x58 cruising houseboats, plus specialty vessels such as the Floating Bathroom. Customers include individual family buyers seeking affordable waterfront recreation, marina owners purchasing Aqua Lodges for vacation rental income, hunting and fishing enthusiasts (Remote Retreat variant), and niche government users such as Miami Fire & Rescue.

The company's underlying technology centers on a proprietary multi-chambered fiberglass catamaran hull design with planing surfaces and hard chines, an exclusive three-deck construction method that seals the cabin like a shoebox lid, and a shallow 18-inch draft that enables access to waters conventional boats cannot navigate. Manufacturing uses hand-rolled fiberglass with composite materials that reduce wood content in walls by 30%, residential-sized plumbing and kitchen fixtures, and outboard motors mounted on separate pods to reduce noise and vibration. The factory operates on a 4-day, 10-hour work week (Monday–Thursday) and builds vessels to customer specification with no inventory or display models.

Commercially, Catamaran Cruisers runs a factory-direct, made-to-order sales model with no dealer intermediation — customers contact the factory via phone (1-800-365-1255) or email and receive sales-team follow-up within 24 hours. Pricing is opaque (quotes on request) but positioned as affordable: well-equipped Aqua Lodge models are priced under $80k, mid-size Catamaran Cruisers start in that range, and the largest 14x50/14x58 vessels are said to be comparably priced with competitors' smaller 10–12 foot models. Revenue comes almost entirely from one-time boat sales, supplemented by occasional pre-owned inventory, in-house-built trailers, and a financing referral arrangement with Trident Funding. Marketing leans on the company website, factory tours (with up to $1,000 in purchase savings), Houseboat Magazine features, a Tiny Yellow House TV appearance, and organic Facebook/Twitter presence. The company is bootstrapped, founder/family-controlled with no disclosed external investors, parent company, or institutional funding.

Name

Catamaran Cruisers

Legal name

Catamaran Cruisers

Website

https://catamarancruiser.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Catamaran Cruisers is a privately held Tennessee houseboat manufacturer, founded 1981, that designs and builds custom catamaran-style fiberglass houseboats sold factory-direct to individual family buyers, marina owners, and specialty commercial customers across all 50 U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Houseboat Manufacturing

NAICS

Boat Building (336612)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Houseboat & Leisure Barge Manufacturing (IMAJAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Catamaran & Multihull Leisure Craft Manufacturing (IMAJAEAC), Houseboats & Floating Stays (THAMADAG)

Keywords

• Houseboat manufacturing
• Catamaran hull design
• Fiberglass boat building
• Pontoon boat sales
• Floating home construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Houseboat Sales: One-time purchase revenue from custom-built catamaran houseboats. Customers order boats built to specification; no inventory or display models. Price ranges from trailerable 8x31 models to largest 14x58 vessels. Factory direct pricing model passes savings to customers.
2. Pre-Owned Boat Sales: Occasional sales of pre-owned boats received at the factory trade-in.
3. Houseboat Trailers: In-house manufactured gooseneck, dual axle, and tri-axle trailers for houseboat transport and relocation. Originally built for internal delivery needs, now offered to houseboat customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Catamaran Cruisers custom-builds catamaran-style fiberglass houseboats (mobile and stationary) and pontoon boats in its Columbia, Tennessee factory on a made-to-order basis, selling directly to consumers without dealer markup. The product range spans trailerable 8x26 models up to flagship 14x58 cruising houseboats, plus Aqua Lodge stationary cottage-style houseboats, the Launch & Live stationary series, Pontoon Beast pontoon boats, Floating Bathroom marina units, and in-house manufactured houseboat trailers. All vessels feature the company's proprietary multi-chambered catamaran hull for stability and shallow-water access.

Product overview

Catamaran Cruisers is a houseboat manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of catamaran-style houseboats and related watercraft. The product lineup centers on two main brands: Catamaran Cruiser (mobile houseboats in various sizes from 8x26 to 14x58) and Aqua Lodge (cottage-style stationary houseboats in 12x42 configurations). Supporting products include the Launch & Live Series (stationary variants), Pontoon Beast pontoon boats, specialty vessels like the Floating Bathroom and houseboat trailers. The portfolio ranges from compact trailerable models like the Lil' Hobo 8x31 to the largest 14x58 Catamaran Cruiser, with prices starting under $80k for Aqua Lodge models. The company operates on a made-to-order basis from its Tennessee factory since 1981.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aqua Lodge: Cottage-style houseboat brand featuring wood-beamed lofted ceilings, fully appointed galley, and full bath with residential-sized fixtures. Available in single and dual stateroom models.
• Lil' Hobo
• Launch & Live Series
• Pontoon Beast

Products and services

• 8x26 Catamaran Cruiser (Party Cat Deck Boat) Compact trailerable houseboat reintroduced in 2025 to celebrate 45 years of business, featuring classic multi-chambered fiberglass hulls with modern improvements for personal recreation and weekend cruising.
• Lil' Hobo 8x31 Trailerable Houseboat Trailerable 8x31 houseboat designed to tow as an RV to campsites and cruise as a houseboat at destinations. One of the most popular models for over 25 years.
• Catamaran Cruiser 10x35 Houseboat Mid-size houseboat with a 20-foot cabin and over 300 square feet of outside deck space, recognized at the Louisville Houseboat Expo for affordability. Features full-size kitchen galley and residential baths.
• Catamaran Cruiser 12x39 Houseboat Compact 12-foot wide houseboat designed to fit into 40-foot slips, offering all benefits of a 12-foot wide beam with shorter length for marina convenience.
• Catamaran Cruiser 12x42 Houseboat One stateroom model with abundant exterior deck space at nearly 500 square feet, positioned as a comfortable and economical alternative to 10-foot and 14-foot wide models.
• Catamaran Cruiser 12x45 Houseboat Two stateroom model with nearly 500 square feet of exterior deck space, featured in Houseboat Magazine, and available with optional flybridge.
• Catamaran Cruiser 14x50 / 14x58 Houseboat Flagship largest models offering ultimate cruising with spacious salon, full-size kitchen galley, residential baths, and full-size one-piece fiberglass deck. Priced comparably with competitors' smaller 10-12 foot models.
• Aqua Lodge 12x42 Stationary Houseboat Cottage-style stationary houseboat with wood-beamed lofted ceiling, fully appointed galley, full bath with residential fixtures, and master stateroom with panoramic water view and private deck. Priced under $80k for well-equipped models.
• Aqua Lodge Dual Stateroom Enhanced Aqua Lodge with center stateroom featuring full bed and pocket doors for complete privacy, designed for rental applications with additional sleeping capacity.
• Aqua Lodge Remote Retreat Hunting-focused variant of Aqua Lodge finished with camouflage, designed for backcountry hunting and fishing destinations with hard-to-reach capability and real comfort.
• Launch & Live Series Stationary houseboats identical to Catamaran Cruiser models but configured for fixed living without motors or helm, ideal for private ponds, lakes, guest houses, and liveaboard communities.
• Pontoon Beast 12x30 Pontoon Boat Large 12x30 pontoon boat designed for rental income or family use, featuring standard 60hp Yamaha 4 Stroke motor, all aluminum rails, changing room, and top sun deck with water slide.
• Scat Cat 8x22 Deck Boat Compact deck boat in the Catamaran Cruisers lineup, offered as one of the smaller trailerable models.
• Floating Bathroom Cost-effective marina facility consisting of four showers, four toilets, and two mechanical rooms, serving as an alternative for marinas unable to build land-based bathrooms.
• Houseboat Trailers (Gooseneck, Dual Axle, Tri-Axle) Custom-built trailers including Dual Axle for the 8x31 Lil' Hobo and Tri-Axle for 10x35 Catamaran Cruisers, originally developed for internal delivery needs and now offered to houseboat customers for transport and relocation.
• Pre-Owned Houseboats Occasional pre-owned boats available for sale directly from the factory, including trade-in units such as a 1998 14x60 Catamaran Cruiser with over 800 square feet of interior space.

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sumerset Houseboats: Sumerset Houseboats is one of the largest custom houseboat manufacturers in the U.S., producing pontoon-style houseboats in Kentucky. Direct competitor to Catamaran Cruisers in the custom-built houseboat segment with similar price points and end customers (families, marinas, liveaboards).
• Gibson Houseboats: Gibson Houseboats produces custom luxury and traditional houseboats. Comparable to Catamaran Cruisers in product category (custom houseboats) and end-customer base, though Gibson targets somewhat more premium positioning while Catamaran Cruisers emphasizes affordability.
• Stardust Cruisers: Stardust Cruisers is a U.S. houseboat manufacturer producing custom houseboats with similar residential-style features. Direct peer competing for the same family-recreation and liveaboard buyers in the custom houseboat category.
• Destination Yachts: Destination Yachts manufactures houseboat-style vessels in the U.S. market. Direct peer offering custom houseboats with similar residential features (kitchens, multiple staterooms) targeting family recreation and liveaboard segments.
• Thoroughbred Houseboats: Thoroughbred Houseboats manufactures custom-built houseboats in central Kentucky. Closely comparable to Catamaran Cruisers in custom-build-to-order model, mid-to-large size class houseboats, and target buyers seeking residential-sized amenities on the water.

Broad incumbents

• Manitou Pontoon Boats: Manitou manufactures pontoon boats sold through dealers for family recreation and rental fleets. Broader incumbent in leisure marine manufacturing with dealer-distributed model versus Catamaran Cruisers' factory-direct approach; comparable customer segments but different distribution model.
• Forest River Marine: Forest River Marine is a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary operating multiple boat brands including pontoons and deck boats across the U.S. leisure marine market. Broader incumbent with substantially larger scale and dealer network; comparable end customer base (recreational boaters, families) but serves a wider product portfolio rather than specializing in houseboats.
• Premier Marine: Premier Marine is a major U.S. pontoon boat manufacturer producing leisure watercraft for family recreation, marina rental fleets, and similar end markets. Broader incumbent in the leisure marine space; less direct overlap because Pontoon Beast is only one of Catamaran Cruisers' product lines, but comparable in customer base and distribution model.
• Bennington Marine: Bennington is one of the largest U.S. pontoon boat manufacturers with broad dealer distribution and premium positioning. Comparable to Catamaran Cruisers in target end customers (families, recreational boaters) and overall leisure marine category, but operates at substantially larger scale through dealer channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CatamaranCruzrs
• Facebookfacebook.com/catamaran.cruisers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Catamaran Cruisers