Drive On Boat

[SHAKEY JAKEY]

Polite Request Too Pick Your Brains, I Know Nothing About Ships.
Can Someone Tell Me, Is There A Boat, Sea-worthy, Will Open Up And Swallow A Forty Foot Container And Still Be Able Too Go Too Sea ?

[marshmat]

What size range? Single 40-foot container like a motorhome or something? How big a boat? What sea conditions? How long a voyage?

Details needed.... (and please type in grammatically correct English, it really helps... caps bad)

[SHAKEY JAKEY]

Thanks Marshmat, for the lesson.
Forty foot, carrying forty ton, (similar too a motor home), able to go deep sea and be as small and cheap as pos.

[marshmat]

I'm not aware of any production craft that fit this description, although some other members here may have seen some. I've seen some concepts and I've done a few sketches myself but it's not a common design. The problem is often that the CG is too high on a roll-on craft that small, or the weight of the drive-on part is too high a fraction of the total weight for the hull to be stable without it.

[SHAKEY JAKEY]

The centre of gravity will be in force at sea while loaded. The boat will be in- operable once berthed, D-Day landing craft carried tanks across the channel, as I understand it, that was in fine weather. Are there any of these craft still in circulation and how ship shape would they be if a roof was put on top ?

[SHAKEY JAKEY]

Landing craft must be sea worthy and have approximately forty by ten foot of space. Can any body help me do a Sherlock Holmes and find one.

\--/HAPPINESS.

[mackid068]

Custom build guys. D-Day was not fine weather, guys. it was put off and they decidded to go through with it anyway.

[marshmat]

Probably going to have to go custom.

Landing craft like those in WW2 have not been built for a while. You wouldn't be able to find a used one; the few that remain are museum pieces.

There are aluminum and steel workboats from dozens of companies that could conceivably be adapted to what you're thinking of; whatever you do, though, it's going to be custom.

[FAST FRED]

Find a Copy of "Boats and Hartbors ",

you will find many size and styles , surpluss from the US Navy for sale.

Nicest is the all GRP ones as they have the least maint.

AN off the shelf solution!!

FAST FRED

[mackid068]

Navy surplus stuff is nice to look at but, I think it will generally need a little makeover. Still, i've only seen, not landing craft per se, but ship to shore tenders for large vessels. Custom aluminum for the landing craft may be best

[mackid068]

http://www.calequipment.com/detailpages/LCM8.html seems to have something nice. I still say custom, but search google (commercial landing craft).

[ABoatGuy]

http://www.boatquest.com/Commercial/Landing-Craft/Category/Length/Feet/USD/1/boat_search.aspx

[marshmat]

Hmm... all interesting designs, for sure. Most of the photos at those links look like the kind of thing you'd use for inshore work and lakes, though... too blocky and barge-like for ocean-going vessels, at least if you want a comfortable ride (probably safe though, a lot are military types...). Shakey, from your earlier posts I gather you want something that can handle open-ocean passage-making? Something with a reasonably efficient hull that's stable in ocean swells?

A stock cargo-landing craft could probably be adapted to your use; however, if you want to go offshore, I'd still say find a commercial hull you like and customize it. You might find a used Coast Guard or Navy craft that could be refitted to suit, but keep in mind that conventional landing craft usually have flat, square bottoms that don't do too well in ocean weather.

[mackid068]

Big and uncomfortable can be safe, very true. Even if you are losing your lunch, you can still be safe. What about getting a custom multihull and setting it up with capablility to hold 40 tons (make it long, wide and out of steel, I would think)

[webbwash]

Then again you might try and locate an LCM 8 -- which is bigger than the LCM 6.

These are available yet in many a scrapeyard and with a bunch of $$ or whatever could be made serviceable.

How far do you want to go with it and rebuilding -- would new be better and purpose built, or how about a real sea-going boat for long distances.

[mackid068]

I saw an LCM 8 on http://www.calequipment.com/detailpages/LCM8.html

[webbwash]

Yes that is the one -- notice you can build a house in the capacious cargo hold -- and a roof over it as well --

[mackid068]

Yup, an LCM8 with 120,000 lbs. of cargo capacity...

[SHAKEY JAKEY]

I wanna thank all you guys, you have done me a good service, I hope when I get my sea legs and knowledge, I will be able to return the favour.
Thank God for operation Overlord.
HAPPINESS\--/

ps

NOW FOR THE BIGGY
I wanna send an E-Mail too shipping throughout the world, not as a spam, but as a man with a plan can it be done and how?

[mackid068]

Good luck, and they were in development pre-Overlord. Thank god, not for overlord, but for the MARINES!!!! SEMPER FIDELIS!

[cyclops]

I am in Clayton, N Y. I watch several commerical work boats that have water tight bow drop down ramps and carry loaded concrete trucks to all the islands. All sizes and shapes. None look like WW II LC's. Ugly but tough.

[cyclops]

To answer your original request. Yes. They are a class of bulk carrying river barges. Usually unpowered. They have watertight loading hatches. Your vehicle or whatever is carried low in the water inside. No standard one will probably fit your requirements of unbalanced load, drive on. Any good Great Lakes bulk ore carrier designer could do the proposal on a cocktail napkin in 4 drinks time.

[mackid068]

Tough works better than looks.

[Skippy]

Just saw this:
Maritech's 28 ft. Landing Craft Style Workboat (http://www.maritechcorp.com/Designs.html)
Smaller than what you mentioned, but maybe there are bigger models.

[mackid068]

Or, you could use the 28 footer design and increase all specs by however many times you wish.

[SHAKEY JAKEY]

these boats your giving up seem very expensive, viewing seems too far is there nothing in europe or am i asking too much

[mackid068]

Too costly. Hm. The British Navy must have some old landing craft up for sale. Perhaps the Russians do as well. You know how desperate their military is these days.

[marshmat]

It's hard to ascertain exactly what's needed here, really. In the way of roll-on/roll-off craft, you essentially have: Landing craft; barges; ferries; RoRo freighters.
Landing craft are generally flat bottomed, heavy, square-ish and slow steel things designed for carrying heavy equipment through lousy weather.
Barges are probably not what you're thinking of, even the powered ones (we have some on Huron that have Harbourmaster drives on them; can do 360s in their own length at hull speed, but not for bad weather).
RoRo freighters are a larger class than you're probably looking at.
Have you thought about hunting down an old car ferry? Something in the 5-15 car class might suit you, like the Toronto Islands ferries? The operators usually run them until the route demands a bigger one, so you might be able to find a deal on one that needs some mechanical work.....

[webbwash]

Time to go back to the original thread and figure out WHAT he really wants to do with this craft --
Start the Design Spiral on the next cycle -- and give the WHERE he wants to go, WHEN he wants to be there, WHAT he really is carrying (defines what sea motion tolerance is required), HOW much $$ or Euros or what ever he has to spend, and most of all WHY would you really want to transport a 40 ft container as a single unit -
There are of course Crew Boats and OSV's which will do the dirty when it comes to the weather and speed requirements, and meet MOT requirements, which is in the next ring of the Design Spiral -
Get on the carousel---

[mackid068]

Terrorism or transporting illegal immigrants, maybe? :D

[webbwash]

Surely on foreign shores, maybe he is importing American know-how?? or picking up dropped containers from the sea - whatever it is he is definitely not forthcoming in his desire and purpose -

[mackid068]

Let's hear it! What's the plan?

[safewalrus]

Lots of landing craft of everyshape and size throughout the world - marines of everynation use 'em for amphibious warfare, am looking out of the window earlier at several of them -small Landing Craft Utility, medium Landing Craft Tank, Large Landing Sip Logistic - in the main they all have one very important statistic Flat Bottoms to land on beaches; its what they do!

I think in the first instance you should ask WHY? do you want a caravan on a boat? boats are very good caravans without the wheels, the roads are normally less crowded too!

the Walrus

[safewalrus]

I take it the marines that mackid068 are talking about are the noisy lot from Paris Island who tend to operate in very large noisy groups! Not the super efficient small but lethel units of what was once known as "the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Foot Soldiers'

:confused: :mad: :!:

the Walrus

[mackid068]

United States Marines: Boisterous marines (amphibious assault soldiers) who are efficient killing machines.

Again, WHAT IS THE GOAL OF THIS BOAT?

[cyclops]

Perfection.

[safewalrus]

And good cannon fodder, but they are the BEST [if that's the best Lord help the rest!], Total irreverance from a guy who knows were you can get BETTER Marines - not many, but better! ROYAL ONES (that'll stir up the melting pot a bit, why did this guy want a damn LC anyway?

the Walrus

:rolleyes: :p

[mackid068]

Perfection of a drive on vessel? They've already done that! LCAC (Landing Craft Air Cushioned ie HUGE MILITARY HOVERCRAFT!)

[safewalrus]

Yes!

But damn noisy (OK it's how you "Leathernecks" operate, bit like our "airborne" just can't help being boistrous, that's how you take large casualities!) damned expensive too! Something else the Brits invented (and ditched, primarily for the above reasons) you just can't do a 'sneaky beaky ' from one of these

the Walrus

[mackid068]

I'm not a Marine, but I do like the LCAC. Well, this LCAC would be perfect for this drive on boat. It goes at high speeds (certainly well over 30 kts.) and can carry a 70 ton Abrams M1A1 main battle tank along with dozens of soldiers.

[JonathanCole]

Did anybody post this website to this discussion?
http://www.billmunsonboats.com/

Small containers definitely do-able!

[marshmat]

Very cool, Jonathan. I like those boats.

So Shakey, a few questions:
-What exactly is the payload? A Winnebago? A bus? A shipping crate?
-Where would you be running the thing? Ocean crossings? Lake hopping? How much weather does it have to take? What kind of range?
-What kind of speed, stability, strength, ability to get pounded to bits?
-Will you be beaching to unload? Crane off a pier? Roll-on from the stern?
--
So from what I gather with all this silent fast hovercraft talk, we're looking for something along the lines of a 60-foot verson of Captain Picard's dunebuggy-carrying shuttlecraft? ;)

[mackid068]

Hey, another Trekkie, or so I hope :D

[Brasstom]

A couple of places to look

http://www.billmunsonboats.com/3240packcatphotos.html <--perfect

http://www.smd.com.au/Projects/Types/Landing%20Craft/LC.htm <--good designs, you could make it work

http://www.marineimaging.com/Resources/newlook2004/HTM/Landing%20Craft.html

http://www.lifetimer.bc.ca/Landing%20Craft.htm

This design sounds very doable. Any of these designs can be modified to add a "garage" per se that would secure and protect a car or truck from weather and spray. The problems you're going to face, I think, are Cost, fuel efficiency (if you really want to make it ocean-going for long treks), and stability. Still I think there's nothing impossible about this...but anyone who reads my posts knows the undoable is my forte!

This last link is EXACTLY what you want, I think. You just have to be prepared to pay...thats always the trick in our world though, isn't it?
http://www.commercial-boats-for-sale.com/commercial_boat_type_Landing+Craft_page1.aspx


Good luck!

-Tom
Brasstom

[sal's Dad]

Not exactly what you asked for, but I've always liked these - http://www.winninghoff.com/phoiv.htm - maybe you could scale one up for your container!

[mackid068]

Cyclops, would you mind restating what you require in a boat along with what budget you intend to stick with?