Island Spirit Catamarans Rayong - Multihull Boatbuilders

Island Spirit Catamarans builds ocean-going sailing and commercial catamarans at its dedicated shipyard in Rayong, producing composite multihulls to European CE Category A standards. Nominated for Cruising World Boat of the Year 2026 for its 52-foot electric model, the yard combines vacuum-infused composite construction with direct factory pricing and an established yacht ownership network in Thailand.

Trading as Group Island Spirit Manufacturing Co., Ltd., the boatyard in Huay Pong is one of the few facilities in Southeast Asia delivering series-production multihulls compliant with international CE recreational craft directives. Following the acquisition of commercial builder Austhai Marine in August 2020, output at the site covers bluewater sailing catamarans, solar-assisted electric multihulls, passenger ferries, and custom scuba diving craft. The yard supplies private yacht buyers, commercial passenger fleets, and charter investors seeking turnkey management programmes. Backed by sailing schools and charter bases in Pattaya and Phuket, the operation connects bespoke naval manufacture directly to yacht training and fleet operations.

Catamaran Manufacturing Yard and Facility Infrastructure

The Huay Pong manufacturing yard serves as the engineering nucleus for Group Island Spirit's global boatbuilding operations.

Occupying an expansive industrial plot along Chakklang-Mitpracha Road in Mueang Rayong, the facility encompasses heavy-lamination halls, dedicated joinery workshops, metal fabrication stations, and clean assembly bays. Hull construction relies on closed-mould vacuum resin infusion and structural foam sandwich cores rather than heavy solid fibreglass. This technique maximises strength-to-weight ratios while eliminating void pockets in high-load areas. The facility operates structured assembly lines capable of staging multiple 40-foot to 52-foot multihulls in simultaneous production stages.

Every hull section cures under regulated atmospheric controls to ensure consistent resin polymerisation. Joinery technicians build cabinetry and interior bulkheads on site, cutting modular marine ply and synthetic veneer panels using computerised templates. The yard installs components from tier-one international marine brands, standardising on Yanmar diesel propulsion, Selden masts and standing rigging, Simrad or B&G electronics, and Vetus plumbing systems. This mechanical consistency ensures UK and overseas buyers can source replacement parts in any global cruising ground. Before factory dispatch, each hull undergoes structural load assessments, hydrostatic testing, and complete systems pressure tests.

Touring the Huay Pong shipyard allows prospective owners to inspect composite layups, bulkheads, and wiring runs before interior trim conceals the hull structure.

Production Catamaran Models and Technical Specifications

The yard's recreational multihull range centres on offshore performance, ergonomic short-handed sailing systems, and custom interior architecture.

Island Spirit's core sailing model is the Island Spirit 410 (IS410), an ocean-rated catamaran measuring 12.6 metres (41.4 feet) with a 7.2-metre beam and CE Category A certification. Built with an open-concept bridgedeck salon, the vessel features dual raised helm stations with hydraulically linked steering, providing unobstructed sightlines across both bows. Buyers can configure the IS410 in a three-cabin owner layout featuring a dedicated owner hull, a four-cabin charter format, or a high-capacity day-charter setup.

The flagship Island Spirit 525e represents the yard's push into zero-emission offshore voyaging. Measuring 15.77 metres (51.7 feet), this catamaran features an advanced electric motor drive powered by a substantial lithium battery bank and an extensive coachroof solar array. A backup 55 kW commercial diesel generator provides long-range security during extended ocean passages. Five and six-cabin accommodation plans provide private ensuite heads, complete air conditioning, domestic-sized galleys, and hydraulic aft swim platforms. Construction cycles average eight to nine months for an IS410 and approximately twelve to fourteen months for the larger IS525e.

Selecting the right hull specification at order confirmation allows the Rayong engineering team to position wiring conduits, solar mounts, and battery banks for your exact cruising needs.

Commercial Vessel Production and Custom Marine Engineering

Integrating Austhai Marine into the Huay Pong shipyard established series-production commercial power catamarans alongside the luxury sailing multihulls.

The commercial division constructs purpose-built catamarans engineered specifically for the intense usage cycles of marine tourism, dive operations, and resort passenger transfers. The flagship commercial vessel is the Austhai AT40 Dive, a 12.99-metre power multihull developed as an integrated diving platform from the keel up. Unlike modified leisure hulls, the AT40 Dive incorporates built-in scuba cylinder racks, wide non-slip side walkways, heavy-duty stainless boarding ladders, and dedicated compressor staging areas. The hull's tunnel clearance and fine bows slice through coastal chop, reducing passenger fatigue and fuel consumption compared to traditional monohull craft.

The facility also manufactures the AT40 Ferry and Resort Transfer craft, capable of carrying over 30 seated passengers between mainland piers and offshore islands. The yard produces smaller multi-purpose commercial hulls ranging from the 8-metre AT800 runabout to large 18-metre AT1800 passenger vessels. Over 100 commercial catamarans built by the team now operate across 11 countries, serving dive centres, national parks, and luxury island resorts. Because commercial craft operate under harsh daily conditions, the Rayong team uses repeatable production moulds and maintains an exhaustive spare parts inventory for quick regional delivery.

For commercial operators, commissioning a custom catamaran from the Rayong yard provides vessels built to precise regulatory passenger and dive-safety codes.

Charter Fleet Integration, Sailing School, and Ownership Management

Group Island Spirit connects its manufacturing facility directly to an established ecosystem of charter bases, sailing academies, and fleet management programmes.

Buyers looking to offset capital expenditure can enter the company's Smart Financing and Yacht Management programmes. Under this framework, an owner provides a minimum 70% capital down payment, placing the catamaran into Island Spirit's commercial charter fleet under a multi-year management contract. Group Island Spirit maintains the vessel, markets charter bookings, and handles maintenance, turnaround cleaning, insurance, and mooring fees. Charter earnings directly pay down the financed balance, while the owner enjoys designated annual usage periods in Thailand without standard vessel upkeep chores.

The group manages active charter operations out of Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Pattaya, Yacht Haven Marina and Boat Lagoon in Phuket, and Salak Phet in Koh Chang. These same bases host Island Spirit Sailing School, the largest sailing academy network in Thailand. Accredited under the International Sailing Schools Association (ISSA), the academy conducts courses ranging from novice Competent Crew practicals up to professional Yachtmaster Offshore certifications. Buyers can complete hands-on sail training aboard Island Spirit multihulls, learning vessel systems before taking final delivery of their newly built boat.

Enrolling your vessel in the group's charter management network allows your catamaran to generate commercial revenue while remaining under professional shipyard-backed technical maintenance.

Location and Getting There

Island Spirit Catamarans builds its multihulls at a dedicated 5.5-acre shipyard at 16/37 Chakklang-Mitpracha Road in the Huay Pong subdistrict of Mueang Rayong (postcode 21150). The boatyard sits within Rayong's primary manufacturing corridor just off Route 3191, connecting directly south to Sukhumvit Road (Route 3) and north to Highway 36.

For air travel, U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport (UTP) sits roughly 28 kilometres west of the yard. A pre-arranged taxi or private transfer takes around 30 minutes, currently costing between 700 THB and 900 THB (£16 to £21), though commercial flights here remain primarily domestic. Overseas buyers generally arrive via Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) in Bangkok, approximately 145 kilometres northwest. Private road transfers from Suvarnabhumi take around one hour and 45 minutes via Motorway 7, costing from 1,800 THB to 2,400 THB (£42 to £56).

Vessel sea trials, handover inspections, and final commissioning take place off-site on the Gulf of Thailand. Group Island Spirit maintains its marine operations, brokerage office, and sailing academy at Ocean Marina in Sattahip, located 48 kilometres west of the Huay Pong yard and reachable via Highway 36 in roughly 45 minutes.

Costs and Booking

Acquiring a newly built vessel directly from Island Spirit’s Rayong boatyard bypasses third-party dealership markups, securing factory-direct purchase contracts. Base pricing for the Island Spirit 410 sailing catamaran starts at approximately 15,700,000 THB (£355,000 / $449,000 USD), with total project budgets determined by cabin configuration, air-conditioning specifications, generator capacity, and offshore electronics. The flagship electric Island Spirit 525e multihull starts from roughly 43,800,000 THB (£985,000 / $1,250,000 USD), reflecting its 210 kWh lithium battery storage bank, dual electric propulsion motors, and high-output coachroof solar array.

Commercial catamarans built under the yard's Austhai division serve tourism, diving, and ferry operators. Pricing spans from around 3,500,000 THB (£79,000 / $100,000 USD) for an AT800 utility workboat to roughly 24,500,000 THB (£550,000 / $700,000 USD) for an AT1800 passenger ferry. Securing an active production slot requires a signed construction agreement accompanied by staged milestone deposits linked to key fabrication phases: vacuum resin infusion, deck-to-hull bonding, propulsion installation, and final sea trials out of Ocean Marina Yacht Club.

Buyers planning commercial fleet placement can offset holding outlays through Island Spirit’s Smart Financing programme. This arrangement typically requires a minimum 70% capital deposit, placing the vessel into the company’s charter fleet on a multi-year contract where commercial earnings offset operational balances. Clients preparing to skipper their own builds can also complete International Yacht Training (IYT) courses through the operator's sailing school, with six-day bareboat skipper practicals starting at 43,500 THB (around £980).

Who It Suits Best

The Rayong manufacturing yard caters to private buyers seeking a blue-water cruising catamaran built to CE standards, providing factory-direct pricing without European brokerage markups. It also supplies commercial operators—including dive centres, island resorts, and ferry businesses—requiring purpose-built power multihulls engineered for heavy daily service under the AusThai Marine brand. Charter investors seeking asset-backed returns through managed fleet placement find structured options through the company's Smart Financing and turnkey charter management schemes in Thailand.

The facility does not suit casual sightseers expecting a walk-in tourist attraction, nor purchasers browsing for budget second-hand monohulls on the spur of the moment.

What to Know Before You Book

The Huay Pong facility operates as an industrial boatyard rather than a retail showroom, so walk-in visits without advance booking are not permitted. Arranging an appointment through Group Island Spirit ensures technical staff can guide you through active composite infusion halls and lamination bays.

Prospective buyers must settle on their intended sailing profile before hull construction begins. Models such as the Island Spirit 410 carry CE Category A certification for open-ocean passage-making, but long-distance blue-water configurations demand substantial battery storage, such as upgraded 800Ah lithium banks, augmented solar arrays, and watermakers that must be factored into structural and electrical layouts early. Charter specifications, by contrast, prioritise cabin density and streamlined systems.

Manufacturing lead times typically start at eight to nine months for an IS410 from order confirmation, extending up to fourteen months or longer for complex builds like the hybrid-electric IS525e. Paying a deposit locks in your allocated production slot and initiates procurement of engines, electronics, and rigging hardware.

Because the Rayong manufacturing plant sits inland, final vessel commissioning and sea trials do not take place on site. Completed catamarans travel by road transport to Ocean Marina in Sattahip, where hulls are craned into the water for mast stepping, rigging tuning, electronics calibration, and comprehensive deep-water sea trials prior to formal handover.

Practical Tips

Arrange your factory walkthrough well in advance rather than turning up unannounced. Early coordination allows the production team to schedule your visit around active vacuum-infusion cycles, noisy timber joinery, and heavy composite grinding.

Dress appropriately for an active industrial boatyard. Closed-toe leather footwear or work boots are sensible choices, alongside durable, breathable cotton clothing. The manufacturing halls in Huay Pong run overhead hoists and hand tooling throughout the working day, and airborne fibreglass dust settles across active construction bays.

Pair a morning shipyard inspection with an afternoon sea trial at Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Sattahip, roughly 45 minutes away by road. This allows you to evaluate structural bulkhead layups and internal plumbing at the factory before testing helm response and deck ergonomics on water. If flying in from regional hubs, routing into U-Tapao Rayong–Pattaya International Airport cuts your transfer to roughly 25 to 30 minutes, avoiding the lengthy motorway traffic out of Bangkok.

Review the vessel's component manifest during early specification meetings. Island Spirit fits equipment from established international marine brands such as Yanmar, Selden, Vetus, and B&G or Simrad, making it straightforward to verify local technician networks and spare parts availability across your intended cruising grounds.

Prospective owners who plan seasonal sailing should consult the charter management team during the build phase. Enrolling your vessel in fleet programmes across regional charter bases such as Phuket, Koh Samui, or Koh Chang helps offset annual berthing, maintenance, and insurance outlays when you are not aboard. Arranging your shipyard inspection and trial run well before arriving in Thailand ensures your dates align with active factory build schedules.

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