In February, Underwood surprised the industry when he revealed details of the company of which he is now Managing Director, Broadblue Catamarans of Oulton Broad, Norfolk, a subsidiary of the Broadblue Group - a diversified business that has inside and outside the marine industry.

In fact, the Broadblue Group includes businesses such as Broadblue IBTC (International Boatbuilding and Training College) and Broadblue Cabinet, a leading UK furniture company.

Discussing the new boatbuilding business, Underwood says that, in the medium term, the company hopes to establish itself in the market with a range of four cruising catamarans.

"We are looking at cats in the 11.6-14.6m (38-48ft) range", he explained, "all of which will be in-house designs". The first of these, the Broadblue 42, should be ready in time for the Southampton Boat Show in September, he hopes.

"We currently have 10 people working for Broadblue Catamarans, and expect to have about 30 employed by the company before too long", he explained.

He acknowledges that some people might think that starting a new boatbuilding business here in the UK at the moment is a risky business, but says he feels that he is very optimistic and feels that his experience in the industry gives the company a big advantage.

"We recognise that keeping control of costs has always been a big issue for British boatbuilders.

But what you have to bear in mind is that as a group, Broadblue is very experienced in cost control, and has manufacturing facilities that are second to none, and being based on the IBTC site we will have access to a steady stream of highly trained staff".

Striking design Underwood describes the new cats as "swift, stylish and luxurious", and says he believes that Broadblue "is set to emerge as a major and significant player in the boatbuilding business".

"The 42 is spacious with impressive good looks, a thoughtful ergonomic interior and will have outstanding quality of craftsmanship and finish", he claimed.

"We think the design is terrific, with an interior that is the most innovative and most practical of any catamaran on the water", said Mark Elliott, Chairman of the Broadblue group.

"Broadblue is a new name, but the company has an enviably unique and historic marine heritage, " he claimed, a claim with at least some justification, because although Broadblue Catamarans is a new company, the group will draw on the strengths of the world renowned Broadblue IBTC, and a highly successful GRP and composites workshop that, Elliott claims, has produced more wooden boats than any boatyard in Europe.

Broadblue Catamarans was born late last year when Mark invited Underwood to join him in creating a new manufacturing operation. "The market for catamarans is growing and Broadblue, with its impeccable boatbuilding and cabinet-making credentials, is offering a fleet of fast, family cruising catamarans that are visually stunning, beautifully constructed and luxuriously appointed, " said Underwood.

Rights to Prout 38 With its distinctive deep blue hulls and streamlined styling, the Broadblue 42 is certainly distinctive, and will be joined in the Broadblue 'stable' by the Prestige 38 - formerly the Prout 38 - now that Broadblue has acquired the rights to build it.

As Underwood explained to Boating Business , he had originally intended that Broadblue Catamarans would commence operations around May, but with the uncertainty surrounding the future Prout, and the rights to the 38 acquired from a former Director at Prout, production of both designs has been brought forward. Plugs and mould tools for the ex-Prout design were produced and the boat is now in full production.

Production of the 42 should start in April, said Underwood.

Based in Oulton Broad on the Suffolk coast, where the catamaran company shares a manufacturing site with a multimillion pound bespoke furniture manufacturing facility, the partners in the new venture hope that Broadblue Catamarans will be able to draw on the investment in modern factory plant and machinery within the Broadblue group. "Customers will benefit from a level of choice and service that is far in advance of what the market has traditionally offered", they claim.

Add to this the services of an extremely successful cabinetmaking and interior design division - which supplies prestige retail outlets such as Heals in London as well as its own chain of six showrooms in East Anglia - and it is clear why Broadblue is confident that it will be taking the boatbuilding market by storm.

Said Mark said: "We have a boatbuilding legacy that is difficult to match anywhere in the world. When the Broadblue 42 is launched in July, it will set new benchmarks for quality of finish, attention to detail, reliability and performance. It is a message that has already been taken on board by agents and customers in this country and overseas and this is reflected in the interest and orders that are now coming through".

"Broadblue is an undoubted manufacturing success story in a national economy where manufacturing is in decline, it is our intention to keep alive the fine tradition of great British boatbuilding, and equally importantly the tradition of great British innovation."

The company already has orders for two 38s, and two of the new 42s, and has only just started marketing the boats.