an unsinkable tub??

[hearthstone]

I am looking for a design of a thing that could be floated across the Pacific. It would not have to look like a boat necessarily, but would have to be unsinkable, comfortable, and safe, ofcourse.
Where do I find any designs for such similar?
Thanks, Hearthstone.

[SailDesign]

hearthstone, this sounds very familiar, but I'm not sure why.....
It sticks in my mind that a question very like this was asked on the rec.boats.building group a couple of years ago, and also IIRC, no answer was given for what this thing had to do.
Can you shed more light on the use of this floating thing? Does it carry a person? Does it carry electronics? If so, who are we spying on? (Sorry, trick question)
If nothing else, that kind of info would allow one to guesstimate length, possible construction techniques and therefore weights, etc.
Steve

[gonzo]

A bubble would be unsinkable. It may roll too much for a comfortable five o'clock tea though. How about a bubble that is completely underwater with a snorkel for ventilation?

[hearthstone]

To be as specific as I can: I (and perhaps 2-3 persons more)want to be able to travel across the Pacific as safely, and as comfortably as possible. Speed is not of importance, but safety and comfort are, in that order. I would use sail, photovoltaics, or current powered sail (?, underwater parachute) for propulsion.
Any ideas anyone?
Thanks, Hearthstone.

[SailDesign]

hearthstone, how big a food barge are you going to need to tow?
Steve

[ted655]

I've heard of a fellow who made such a craft. His approach was a pointed box that floated nearly level in the water. This presunk design had a deck for exercise but offered no superstructure to the waves or wind.
Sorry I don't know the who, or where of this or even the outcome of the venture. It does give another idea to ponder. I have always wondered HOW he propelled the thing. ???.

[duluthboats]

I’m thinking a leather lazy boy recliner, satellite TV, a pallet of MRI’s, and a shipping container. I understand there are many already floating around the Pacific.

Gary

[yipster]

few years ago i had a close look at a wood epoxy rowing boat with small sleep cabins at bow and stern mading it selfrighting. and dont forget the epirb! it did cross the atlantic, but rowing an ocean is not my idea of "comfort"
i've never used it but heard that 1 gram of "halamid" in a 100 litre odor and tastelesly disinfects drinking water.

[duluthboats]

hearthstone,

So a customer comes in and asks for something a little different. I give him a sarcastic answer and he leaves. Not the best way to run a design service. If you’re still there, let’s try this again.

The criteria you have is very subjective, we need more information before we can continue.

First, what is your budget?

Second, nothing is unsinkable. How much risk are you willing to assume?

Third, what do you need to be comfortable?

Fourth, what part of the Pacific do you want to cross?

If you answer these, there will be more.

Gary

[gonzo]

On the fourth question: I think you need to specify which part of the ocean in in which direction. The ocean currents can be ridden. There would be no need of propulsion.

Aw, lets' be nice to the newby. You need a sailboat to do this.

See http://cruisenews.net/voyagelogs.html

Tim Dunn

[icetreader]

You can build an unsikable boat:
All you'd need is to use enough buoyant material (e.g. Stryrofoam).
As for balance, what comes to my mind is a large size Zodiac-style boat with a sunken middle part in which passengers and gear serve as ballast.

[hearthstone]

Maybe if I explain how I got interested in wanting to have a stable, uncapsizable (or - if capsizable, then self-righting) boat.
I don't like flying, but want to get to NZ, Hawai'i, etc., - therefore - ...
... Keel boats are nice, but one mustn't mind to be almost constantly at an angle to the plane, and the draft is always quite a bit. So I started thinking a catamaran. Not so much off the plane (almost level) at most times, draft negligible. Seems nice! But then I hear that once a catamaran goes turtle, it is impossible to turn it the right side up in the middle of the ocean. So I started thinking trimaran (any used ones for 5K?), and laterly I dont care what it would be, as long as it does go (propulsion any, but one not using petrochemicals, in fact, dirigible kites sound OK - one can tack with those?), price ca $5,000.00? Someone said "whale boats" (Navy Surplus?) should be nice - cabins, unsinkable, always turn right side up, - but couldn't find any data on them on the Internet.
I wouldn't want to build the thing myself, if there are some such available used, secondhand, etc.
By comfort I mean I can have some solar panels for runing a computer, and when I batten up in an inclement weather, I can stay dry, and when the odd typhoon (cyclon, what not) upsets me, I don't even have to stick my nose out there, because my can is self-rightening, right?
I want to be able to go back and forth throughout most of the Pacific, in fact, - I want to be so comfortable that I could live aboard indefinitely.
Now - I would bet that many people were thinking about the lines of unsinkability, uncupsizability, comfort, etc. - what it looks like doesn't matter, as long as it gets me there, to where I want to go, in one piece. So I was hoping that there would be somewhere someone more knowledgeable (as there, usually always, some like that are).
Thanx, Hearthstone.

[hearthstone]

Tim - thnx for the http://cruisenews.net/ link. Hearthstone.

[duluthboats]

I don’t think you could safely cross the Pacific with a 5K budget. To do what you want to do I would look here
. That is my honest opinion.

Gary