Starting from scratch. Houseboat

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by vuoladodo, Jun 10, 2014.

  1. rwatson
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    rwatson Senior Member

    making the cylinders is probably a little easier, but joining them to make a twin hulled craft is not.

    You have the extra material (steel, aluminium, wood etc) , the engineering to ensure rigidity, even just having to build two hulls is a pain.

    Also, although space under the deck may seem wasteful, you still have to have fuel, water, battery and septic holding tanks, all of which are way better down low.

    Also, you wont get 12 mph cruising with a 20hp outboard , 20 mph with a 50 hp, using tube shaped pontoons,

    Also, you will not be able to carry a lot of 'stuff' in a multihull. If the OP is planning to live on the thing, cargo capacity will be important.
     
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2014
  2. vuoladodo
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    vuoladodo Junior Member

    He RW, is the number of boards the amount you would need for the plan above?
     
  3. vuoladodo
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    vuoladodo Junior Member

  4. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    You can build the hull upside down, and sheath it with epoxy and fabric, turn it over and complete the upper parts. All doable, but a lot of work nevertheless.
     
  5. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    Go for something simple and of manageable size, or it will become a regret rather than a pleasure.
     
  6. CBD Boat Design
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    CBD Boat Design Junior Member

    Not is the same one floating home than one boat, in this floating home you not need a speed, with one small outboard you have enought becose you no need speed and no need maneuvrability. You only move the floating home in a few times.

    In this case the floating home navigates only in a quiet inland waters ( no need a big structure for fixing the hulls, the up plattform is enought.

    Only needs small compartment for the waste tank. This is all.

    With two hulls you have more estability than one monohull ant this is really important for the comfort of floating home.
     
  7. vuoladodo
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    vuoladodo Junior Member

    CBD do you have any links that i can see?
     
  8. vuoladodo
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    vuoladodo Junior Member

    Is there anyone in favor of tubes (GRP, PVC, Alu, oil) 200 L, etc?
     
  9. TANSL
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    TANSL Senior Member

    Maybe you do not need speed to move but you may need to overcome the force of the current which sometimes can be great.
    A houseboat can have lots of windage area. The force exerted by the wind must overcome the force of the motor.
    You do not need a big structure for fixing the hulls but the structure that connects the two hulls must be considered and can not be neglected the needing for robustness of it.
    In passenger ships is considered that the amount of gray water generated by a person is 100 liters / day. Therefore, the need for storage tanks for wastewater can be very important. Especially if the wastewater can not be discharged into the sea.
    A multihull vessel can be so "stable" that it is extremely uncomfortable to stay aboard.
    It is dangerous to despise the things necessary for a boat. Everything must be adequately studied, imo, even in a simple pontoon.
     
  10. CBD Boat Design
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    CBD Boat Design Junior Member

    I'm not agree with TANSL when he say that one "multihull vessel can be so "stable" that it is extremely uncomfortable to stay aboard" It's true that at the open sea with waves the multihull have strong reactions with lateral waves but in this case we are speaking about inland waters with small waves, in this case is more comfortable one multihull.


    This is an exemple of Ponton with tubes of aluminium:
    http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/at...ons-conceptual-design-2011-11-09_20.42.43.jpg
     
  11. TANSL
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    TANSL Senior Member

    CBD, I did not say a multihull is more or less comfortablel. Read carefully to what I have written. I say that a multihull can be extremely stable, to the point of being very uncomfortable. And you don´t need great waves for a too sharp response of the boat. That does not mean a big swing but a very rapid oscillation, although of small amplitude.
    By the way, nice link.
     
  12. vuoladodo
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    vuoladodo Junior Member

    The link looks great CBD but that is way beyong my skill set and I would like to work with wood, I think. What I want to build is 30sqM. That is somewhere around 323 sq ft.
     
  13. rustybarge
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    rustybarge Cheetah 25' Powercat.

    Have you considered building in ferro cement?

    Materials are cheap as chips, some rusty old rebar and a few sacks of cement, get some plasterers on a weekend to plaster the the hull for you ' for cash'.....

    ...or buy an old ferro cement hull, you can get them nearly free to take away.:D
     
  14. Petros
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    Petros Senior Member

    Many people live on the water and love it, some have not found it so good. What you should do first is spend some time looking for people in your area that currently live on a houseboat or barge. Go look at the different sizes and arrangments, from the outside if nothing else. If you can hail the owners and start up a friendly conversation with a current owner you will learn a lot more than surfing the internet. Once you get a chance to look inside of what is currently popular you will than have a better idea of what size and interior arrangements you will want. Right now you are just guessing and imagining what is it like, you need to talk to those that are doing it, and see what it is actually like. Also, see what you can find used, often renovating or remodeling an existing one is far less costly than building from zero. Be cautious however, if the main structure is not sound than building from scratch could be cheaper. you also might find someone selling all their materials and a partially completed hull that they gave up on, usually a great buy.

    I suggest you take things in order: first determine if this lifestyle is something you would like. Next go look at as many as you can find in person, and talk to those currently living on houseboats in your area. Than you can develop the size and type of houseboat you want, and can more intelligently work up a list of requirements. I would also see what is available for sale, and what available plans you can buy, as compared to your personal requirements. If necessary than you can hire a competent designer to work up hull plans, as a minimum. Than look for a place to build it, and start building.

    Good luck. Keep us posted on your progress.
     

  15. Westfield 11
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    Westfield 11 Senior Member

    An outdoor build in a city also has to deal with security issues too. It can be disheartening to arrive in the morning and find that all your sellable tools and supplies are gone......
     
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