How to Choose an Inflatable Catamaran in Australia (2026 Guide)

Most buying guides read like a spec sheet. This one is written for the weekend you actually want — launching off a beach, fishing a estuary, running out to a mooring — and working backwards to the boat that survives that weekend for the next decade.

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1. Size honestly, not aspirationally

A 3.3m catamaran fits two adults and a dog. A 3.8m fits four. A 4.0m Open Bow takes five plus gear and can still be car-topped by two people. Round up if you fish; round down if it lives on a yacht davit.

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2. Fabric is the whole story

The number that matters is thickness plus weight. Premium 1.2mm / 1500 GSM German VALMEX® carries a 10–12 year service life. Budget hulls at 0.9mm / 1100 GSM sit at 3–7 years in the sun. If you plan to keep the boat past the first summer, pay for the fabric.

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3. Transom height — the cavitation killer

A short transom lifts the prop out of chop and you get ventilation, cavitation, and a slow ride. Aerowave hulls run a 380mm transom for exactly this reason. Ask any brand for the number in millimetres.

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4. Wheels or no wheels

If you launch off a beach, wheels turn a two-person carry into a one-person walk. LockPro Plus wheels lock in the up position for planing and drop for the ramp — worth every dollar.

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5. Certification

CE certified to ISO 6185-3 and EU Directive 2013/53/EU is the international standard. It's not the same as an Australian state Boat Code Certification — that's a separate owner step — but CE means the hull itself passed independent load and construction testing.

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6. How it arrives

Australian delivery: flat A$600 anywhere in the country, 7–14 day air freight. Free 30–40 day sea freight is available if you're not in a hurry. Boats ship boxed with pump, seats, and manual — twenty minutes from box to water.

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7. What to ignore

• Center consoles and steering wheels on this size boat (weight for nothing on a hull that punches above its weight already).
• Any brand that won't give you fabric thickness in millimetres.
• Discount stacking games — one honest price beats a hundred coupons.

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The Aerowave range in one paragraph

Viper series (330 / 365 / 400 / 430 / 450) — open-bow monohulls, 1.2mm VALMEX®, 40hp max on the bigger hulls. AeroCat series (330 / 360 / 380) — twin-hull catamarans, drier ride and flat deck. WaveRunner 380 — catamaran with grey/black Bimini included. All ship in 7–14 days by air, all CE certified, all covered by the Easy Inflatables warranty.

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Questions on which hull fits your weekend? Karen or Adam picks up: sales@easyinflatables.com.au.