Update:  February 08, 2004 0200 EST
All the amenities aboard SEDATION 4 weigh more than the Yanmar D36 diesel outboard motors could reasonably propel, so they were scrapped in favor of 4-stroke gasoline outboards last fall.   Power-to-weight ratios of outboards are unbeatable but safety, fuel consumption and long-term reliability are compromised with gasoline engines.  A joint venture between Cummins engines and Mercruiser has made this 120 HP diesel inboard-outboard (I/O) a viable alternative.  Significant re-design of the transom hull structure was required.  Read more at the diesels page.
Without the outboard motorwells, the aft deck becomes much more spacious.  Stairways leading up to the side decks were re-designed to add stiffness at the transom.  This entailed modifications to the railings as well.  Ergonomic considerations have precedence and the new stairs are elegant.
My fancy new rudders are no longer needed with the diesel I/O lower units now available for steering under sail.  Designs for the boom of the free-standing balanced rig have been analyzed, tweaked and modeled extensively, but I'm still not satisfied with the configuration.  More to follow ...
Revised stairways, railings, the new boom and optimized deck hardware placement are all reflected in the latest 3D solid model and the photorealistic renderings.
The Miami International Boat Show starts this week and numerous meetings are planned during my visits.  It literally takes several days to tour all the exhibits (I spent 8 days last year and still missed a lot) at the world's largest boat show.  A quick review of the latest sailing catamaran offerings, at the Strictly Sail show, is mandatory, but my focus will be on systems and accessories this year. I've prepared some promotional material, for the boatbuilder's exhibit, to showcase the SEDATION 4 project.  See ya' at Miami :)