KINGSTON — In a boating community where yachts are the norm, resident Scott Karren is trying to introduce a type of vessel that is very different and much more cost effective than typical water craft.

Through Karren’s new business, North Sound Cruising Center, customers can order a Polish-made Catamaran cruiser called an MC 30. Karren’s company then brings in specialists to install customized navigation and power equipment, engine, steering, radios — anything to the customer’s liking.

“The standard boat is pretty fancy already,” Karren said about the MC 30. “All these things take a lot of time for a boat owner to line up when they’d rather be out cruising.”

There are several factors of the business that he is proud of, including the efficiency of the boat’s design and the different ways it is being marketed.

The vessel is very much like a cabin cruiser, but it has an efficient European design. The MC 30 uses a mere three gallons of fuel an hour, whereas most yachts use 15 to 20 gallons an hour.

The boat is also beachable as it has Kevlar Beach shoes on the front 10 feet of the bow. Karren, who got his own MC 30 in August, tested his boat on the beaches of Everett and West Seattle and said it worked very well.

Because the vessel has a very shallow draft and draws only 18 inches, it can also go into areas that most power boats can’t.

“It’s great for exploring all the little nooks and coves in Puget Sound and San Juan islands,” he said.

The vessel is also easily hauled and Karren said he often removes it from the water to avoid a buildup of moss and barnacles on the bottom. It won’t sink, either, because of the physics of the displacement of the boat in the water.

“It’s a great lake boat — you can water ski behind it,” he added.

As for his marketing techniques, Karren has three tools he is using.

The first is a referral program he developed, in which people join the program and if someone they referred purchases a boat, the person who gave the referral is paid a $2,500 fee.

Karren has also set up an agent program. He has the exclusive distribution rights in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Arizona. He plans to recruit agents who are already involved in the marine industry and looking to build a business or who want to compliment their already-established business.

The third way is participating in local boat shows. Karren will be at the Seattle Boat show Jan. 14-23 and the Everett Boat show March 2-6. He is offering discounts and free tickets to the Seattle show.

While Karren does not have an office, interested parties can make an appointment to discuss the vessels and view his boat. While work orders are completed at other locations within Kitsap, he expects to have a warehouse constructed off State Route 104.

“Insanity” is his first reason why he is bringing such a unique business to Kingston. When he first saw the boat a few years ago, he said, “It was one of those ideas that never went away.”

Seattle is also the largest boating market in the United States, he said.

“If you don’t have access to a boat, you are losing access to 50 percent of the people living here,” he said. “It’s a great boat for the Northwest.”