Sea Mule

Hey all,
Just found this site...looks very helpful.
I'm in the process of purchasing an old 1944 Chrystler Sea Mule. 40 x 13 x 8 high, powered by 2 Chrstler straight 8 engines and 54" props. Ugly as all get out (reminds me of a thread I saw about the guy who is thinking about making a boat out of sea cargo containers).
BUT, perfect for my needs--purchased for 4 thou and then I can make a house boat.

I'll be having lots of questions, but here's my first (and I didn't know where to stick this thread)...anybody out there no anything about thee old WWII pusher tugs? Operated one, owned one, etc., I'd sure appreciate any info
Thanks,
~martin

 

Hey, Martin,

Are you buying the one from Versatile Supply? From their photos ... no other way to put it ... it sure is ugly!

I don't know much about them, but here's a link to a place where there might be some help: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1455206

You might get more response by posting this in the Powerboat section.

 

Charlie,
Yep. that's the one I'm thinking about and, yep, extremely ugly. But meets my needs perfectly as I'm looking for a cheap hull to build a houseboat on.
Thanks for the link...interesting history info there.

BTW, VSI also has an anchor sitting nest to the mule for sale. A 1500 lb navy anchor. Does this seem too heavy for the mule (which weighs in at 30,0000)?
~martin

 

Martin,

No way!! A 1500 lb Navy anchor is designed to hold a small ship, probably 200' and 300,000 lbs displacement or more.

For your purposes you'll want one of the engineered designs: Danforth, Fortress, Delta, CQR, etc. Those are recognized brands with well documented holding power. Even an 80' boat requires an anchor of one of these types that would be 3 -5 ' long and weigh less than 150 lbs. That's for a storm anchor. For anchoring out for a few hours, you can get by with even smaller ("lunch hook").

There is a lot to choosing an anchor. Since you'll be building a houseboat on your hull, you'll want to go up a size or two from whatever is recommended just on hull size. Windage is one of the key factors in anchor force. Search the websites of all of the manufacturers I named. They all have information on how their anchors work, selection guides, and good advice on anchoring in general. Whichever you select, be sure to use the recommended size and length of chain between the anchor and the rope thimble; it will add tremendously to the anchor's holding power and save wear on the rope portion of the anchor rode.

 

That's what I thought, but thought I'd run it by you folks who know oh so much moreabout this than I.

I am familiar with those other anchor designs. Unfortunately, the single place where this boat would live is on a deep lake with a rock bottom--no weeds, no muck, no sand--with nothing really to hook into. SO that leaves good old-fashioned weight as my stay-put strategy. So, I'm thinking like a 500 lb or so, but I'm having a hard time finding someone who either knows, or is willing (in this liability-scared world) to say. Basically the question is how much weight (with limited hooking ability) is needed to anchor a 15 ton barge?
Any advice would be helpful.
~martin
BTW, I have a date with the VSI Sea Mule on Tues. We'll see....

 

martinf
First welcome to the forum, hope you get as much fun from it as most of us here do - tends to be addictive tho'

To your problem - in the first instance I believe that what we call a 'houseboat' on this side of the 'pond' is slightly different to what you people ove there call a 'houseboat' so please excuse me if I get it wrong (a bit). in anchoring it's not so much the anchor that keeps you in one place more the weight of the chain or whatever your using! The anchor keeps that in place! Secondly even a rocky bottom has crevices and bumpy bits to 'grab' into so your first choice is not so much weight but type! The old style ships anchor (sometime known as a fishermans or admiralty pattern over here) is probablly one of the best 'rock anchors' you'll find. Then get a couple of heavy ones (but not that heavy that you can't lift the bloody things, you got to lay em somehow). Then some goodly lengths of chain (half inch diameter at least with that size) and I do mean l-o-n-g lengths, again as much as you can stow / handle. Then find your 'parking spot' and run at least one anchor from each end out as far as you can by small boat (one from each corner is better) - the more the merrier - remembering that all this stuff cost money! Tie the one end of the boat to the shore if you want, or however suits. Failing that get an old car run a large chain (inch diameter links?) through the windows shackle it together with a big shackle and fill it with concrete! When its all set take it out (in the dark theres some who wouldn't appreciate what your about to do!) Shackle your mooring chain to the length of chain, remove the wheels and shove it over the side (make sure you have enough slack in the mooring chain to reach the bottom and then some)! run out to the end of the mooring chain and fasten off! That'll keep 'ee stuck (just don't tell everyone or you could have some official people charging up your gangway) - the engine alone can make a good hefty anchor in the right places! Probably drag across rock though!

Best of luck with the project

the 'Walrus