Custom Inflatable Catamaran Configurator: How to Design Your Own Boat in 2026

Buying an inflatable catamaran used to mean picking whatever colour and setup a dealer had in stock — and hoping it more or less suited how you actually use a boat. That's the wrong way round. The boat should be built around your water, your motor, your storage and the way your family uses it. Not the other way around.

That's why we built the Easy Inflatables online configurator — a live, guided builder that lets you spec every Aerowave catamaran from hull colour and wheel kit through to floor type, seating, Bimini top, pump and outboard, and see the landed price update as you go. No back-and-forth emails. No "let me get back to you on that." Just a clear, honest build sheet you can save, share, or send straight through to checkout.

This guide walks through how to use the configurator properly, what each option actually changes on the water, and the questions we get asked most often when buyers design their own boat.

Why a configurator matters (and why generic "packages" fall short)

Most inflatable catamaran brands sell three or four fixed packages. Fine if you fit neatly into one — a nightmare if you don't. A retiree fishing sheltered estuaries in Queensland does not need the same boat as a family towing three kids around a NSW lake, and neither of them needs the same setup as a diver working exposed water off the WA coast.

Fixed packages force compromises. A configurator removes them. You start with a proven hull and add exactly what you need — no more, no less.

The Aerowave Viper range is built on 1.2 mm VALMEX® Heavy Plus — 33% thicker than the 0.9 mm fabric published on comparable Takacat and True Kit models — Takacat publish a custom 0.9 mm, 1000 denier PVC, True Kit publish Mehler VALMEX® 0.9 mm / 1100 decitex. That thicker fabric is the foundation. Everything else — floor, seats, transom height, wheels, tow points — layers on top.

Step 1: Pick the hull that matches your water

Before you touch a single option, be honest about where and how you'll use the boat. That single answer drives 80% of the build.

• Sheltered water, family day-boat, tender duty → Viper 330 or AeroCat 330. Compact, easy to store, easy to tow with a small outboard.
• Mixed use — fishing, family, occasional bar crossings → Viper 365 or AeroCat 360. The sweet spot for most Australian and New Zealand buyers.
• Serious fishing, diving, or four-plus adults regularly → Viper 400 Open Bow, Viper 430, Viper 450 or AeroCat 380. More freeboard, more payload, more usable deck.

Every hull in the configurator lists its max HP, adult capacity, packed dimensions and dry weight up front. Don't skip past those numbers — they decide whether the boat fits your car, your garage and your motor.

Step 2: Floor type — Air Deck vs Aluminium

This is the option that changes the feel of the boat the most.

Air Deck (High-Pressure Inflatable Floor) — lightweight, packs down small, forgiving underfoot, quiet at rest. Ideal if you're solo-launching, storing the boat in an apartment or car boot, or using it as a tender.

Aluminium Floor Panels — stiffer platform, better for standing to fish or cast, adds around 15–20 kg. Ideal for dedicated fishing, diving, or anyone who spends long days on their feet.

The configurator shows the price delta live. On the Sovereign 400, aluminium floorboards are a +A$500 upgrade on top of the base Air Deck build. Both are stable, both are safe — pick the one that matches how you'll actually stand and move on the boat.

Step 3: Hull colour and live tint preview

Colour isn't just cosmetic. Dark hulls hide scuff marks and look sharp on the water but run hotter in tropical sun. Light hulls (Arctic Grey, White) stay cool and are easier to spot damage on early.

The configurator uses a live tint preview — click a colour swatch and the sketch recolours in real time using an SVG multiply-blend and luminance mask, so handles and transom stay dark and realistic. What you see is what turns up on your driveway.

Our four most-picked colours in 2026:

1. Arctic Grey — the "professional" look, cool in summer, easiest to inspect
2. Deep Navy — classic, hides scuffs, pairs well with grey Bimini
3. Matte Black — bold, hides absolutely everything, runs hot in the sun
4. Fire Red (Viper 330 only) — makes the boat impossible to lose on the water

Step 4: Seats, storage and Bimini

Every boat in the configurator includes two seats free. Catamarans get one under-seat bag free as well. The "What's included" panel mirrors the product page exactly, so there are no surprises at checkout.

Common add-ons:

• Extra seat — for anyone regularly boating with 3+ adults
• Under-seat bag (extra) — dry storage without adding hard cases
• Bimini sun top — non-negotiable if you're in Queensland, WA or the NT. Grey or black. Standard inclusion on the WaveRunner 380.
• Bait board — for anglers, mounts to the transom
• Rope ladder — for divers, snorkellers, or anyone with kids who swim off the boat
• Drink holders — because it's a boat, not a bus

Heavy-duty bow bags are not fitted to catamarans — the geometry doesn't suit them, and the added weight upsets the trim. They're a Viper monohull option only.

Step 5: Wheels — LockPro Plus

If you launch off a beach, a boat ramp, or anywhere you have to move the boat by hand, add the LockPro Plus wheel kit (A$350). Grey or red. Marine-grade stainless, spring-locked in the up or down position, and rated for the full loaded weight of every boat in the Aerowave range.

Buyers who skip the wheels and try to add them later almost always regret it — dragging a fully-loaded catamaran across sand is how you tear an air chamber.

Step 6: Pump and outboard bundle

The configurator lets you bundle a Hidea outboard and a rechargeable electric pump with the boat. Two reasons to do this at build time rather than sort it out yourself:

1. Freight — we ship the outboard on the same pallet as the boat, so you pay one freight bill, not two.
2. Matching — the configurator will only let you pair a legal, safe HP for the hull you've picked. You can't accidentally over-power the boat.

Every outboard order includes the correct oil add-on and shaft length for the transom. All Aerowave catamarans use a 380 mm transom — short shaft outboards, not long. The configurator warns you if you pick the wrong shaft.

Step 7: Hull fabric upgrade — Orca Hypalon

For A$1,900 you can upgrade any Viper hull (1.2 mm VALMEX® Heavy Plus) or AeroCat hull (0.9 mm VALMEX®) to Orca Hypalon. Worth it if:

• You store the boat inflated in strong UV year-round
• You operate in tropical / equatorial conditions
• You want the absolute longest fabric service life (15+ years with care)

For 95% of Australian buyers, 1.2 mm VALMEX Heavy Plus with a 10–12 year service life is more than enough. Hypalon is the option for buyers who want the ultimate.

Step 8: See the landed price and lock it in

As you configure, the price tile at the top of the screen updates live — boat, options, freight, GST. No hidden fees, no "call for landed price" nonsense. For international buyers, the widget switches to your local currency and shows DHL Express air freight or free sea freight as separate line items.

When you're happy, you have three options:

1. Buy now — straight to Stripe, card or WavePay Pay-in-4 (Australia), or SEPA / card (international).
2. 50% deposit — lock the build slot, pay the balance before dispatch.
3. Save & email me the quote — a PDF build sheet lands in your inbox in under a minute, valid for 48 hours at the locked-in price.

What we do not include in the configurator (on purpose)

Two things you'll notice are absent:

• Centre consoles, steering wheels, and enclosed helms — the Aerowave range is deliberately open-deck. It's what makes the boats light, stable, and easy to store. If you want a fixed helm, you want a different category of boat.
• Free bonus kits, "spin the wheel" discounts and stacking vouchers — there's one price, one honest discount at a time. No fake urgency, no bait-and-switch.

Ready to build yours?

Head to the Aerowave Range page, pick your hull, and the configurator opens with sensible defaults for the boat you clicked. Build it in five minutes. Save it. Sleep on it. Come back and buy it — or email Karen and talk it through first on +61 466 505 855.

Every boat is CE certified to ISO 6185-3 and EU Directive 2013/53/EU. Every boat ships worldwide via DHL Express air freight (7–14 days) or free sea freight (30–40 days).

Build it your way.

Explore the Aerowave range

• Aerowave Viper 400 Sovereign
• Inflatable boat accessories
• Inflatable catamarans