A SELF-TAUGHT boatbuilder has ploughed his life savings – and six months of blood, sweat and tears – into building his dream £180,000 catamaran.

Andrew Leake, 38, has just finished the 36-foot-long craft, which he designed himself and has named after his boyhood cartoon hero.

Andrew has christened the boat TC3 after the TV cartoon character, Top Cat, from his favourite kids’ TV show.

The father-of-two has even painted a picture of the feisty feline with an answer to everything on the bows of the twin-hull craft.

Andrew, who lives on Canvey, said: “I’m just thrilled to have finally finished it.

“It’s taken me six months, working 90 hours a week on my own to build it.

“I orginally designed the boat about five years ago, but it wasn’t until recently I had the money to go for it and actually build it.

“It’s been tough, but now it’s finished, it looks great. I’m hoping to sell it for about £180,000.”

Andrew started his own company, Topcat Boat Repairs, based at the Dauntless Boat Yard, off Canvey Road, Canvey, last year.

He has had no formal boatbuilding training, but says having taught himself the necessary skills over the years, he has earned a reputation as a master boatbuilder. He’s now hoping the sleek, fibreglass-hulled TC3 prototype will be snapped up by a sailor with an eye for a nifty design.

He said: “Despite the economic climate, business isn’t too bad. There are still people out there who can afford to buy sailing boats.”

On Monday, another of Andrew’s designs, a six-man rowboat called the Spirit of Dunkirk was officially blessed on Leigh beach by Father David Coster, curate at St Clement’s Church, Leigh.

The six seater gig has been bought by Leigh Rowing Club, to add to its fleet.

Andrew, who is father to daughters Nicole, 17 and Sophie, 13, says he has been mad about sailing as long as he can remember.

Last December, he spent six-and-a-half weeks sailing from Canvey to the Carribbean and back in another boat which he built.

He and a crew of pals sailed to St Lucia, then home via Barbados.

He said: “It was pretty plain sailing all the way. I can think of worse ways to spend Christmas.”