'sea serpent'

[djwkd]

hey,im building a 17' SHANTYBOAT based on coolwater,but with space under the hull for storage or extra berth,and the top deck modified for a temporary tent thing (a few poles with sheeting over the top and down the sides so as to make a .........tent thing i guess!)8' wide and (not sure what it is in feet)
2.5 metres high (i did everything in metres-5.5-6 m long,2.7 mtres in width and 2.5 metres high)MINUS the tent thing.any tips would be appreciated.

[SamSam]

Do a google 'image' search for 'rafts'. You could get a lot of ideas from the pictures. Sam

[djwkd]

i havent found any ideas yet,probably because shanty boats and houserafts or simmillar,but also have quite a few differences,ive made a plan but i keep thinking of ways i can make the boat better; using space in the hull,using rainwater as the bathroom water supply etc (it would have been good if she was built now,thers a tonne of rain outside at the moment, dont know what its like in cornwall :-) )and i just thought up of this........the water tank could be used as ballast, though ill take extra containers for this and put them in the storage room on the 'lower sea' floor LOL.

[SamSam]

Do a google 'image' search for 'shantyboats'. You could also try this site for ideas. Sam
http://euler.sfasu.edu/Shantyboats/

[djwkd]

not much their either,ill try yahoo.

[djwkd]

hey again another safety issue,how safe would it be to have a sail post (complete with crows nest,no joking)that can be winched up and down and get locked in to place,i have drawn some designs but they are really bad.i would scan them in but the scaners broke.also,at the boattom of the crows nest and on the deck beneath were it goes down ill put some steel discs (or other strong material to protect the deck if the locks all brake.cheers

oh and can someone vote on the above poll?

[Figgy]

Dude, you gotta stop. Your missing the whole point of a "Shantyboat". Your creating a very complicated, expensive cheap boat. A crows nest on a house boat? I want to help you but come on, if its a shanty boat, its a shantyboat.

[Figgy]

And with the poll, "how safe" depends on how it's attached. There is nothing to base a judgement on.

[ernie]

A shanty boat is not designed for open water anyway, so the removable cabin wont have to stand up to big seas. MHO

[djwkd]

hmm........its based on a shantyboat

[djwkd]

Originally Posted by ernie

A shanty boat is not designed for open water anyway, so the removable cabin wont have to stand up to big seas. MHO

like i said,its based on a shantyboat,fir the reason i can easily build on to it,but i need to ask,is there anyway to help it go on open waters?also the idea on how its attached was orriginally some bracket type things,but i think i should screw them down then i can easilly unscrew them!

[djwkd]

the crows nest is aslo for a reason,so that you dont have to hang in mid air after mast climbing,as i realise this is an emergency procerdure (what do they do in it though?)

[Figgy]

Originally Posted by djwkd

is there anyway to help it go on open waters?

No, I would never take a craft like that on the open water. Why would you want to? What possible reason do you have to take a boat like that on the ocean?

Originally Posted by djwkd

also the idea on how its attached was orriginally some bracket type things,but i think i should screw them down then i can easilly unscrew them!

And then the wave motion can easily rip the screws out. If anything, bolts. Large bolts.
Why would you need to climb the mast? They have slings, or rope ladders for that. You dont need to spend all day up there. How tall of a mast are you thinking??

[djwkd]

not to tall,just its easier if your not on rope ladders,say if the rope to the sails to bring them down got broken,and the water was just slightly too deep to use oars,what happens?you go up the rope ladders and cant unleash the sails without falling..........a rising on just so that if the rope ladders brake or if the winds are lower/higher than usual,also, i have to get everything through a gate about 1.5-2m tall!thats the point in a rising thing,also,i can get quite a bit of wood for either free or cheap.

[djwkd]

also,bolts cant come out (cant they?)and as you say.....imagination is more important than knowledge