Unusual Houseboat Question

[ted655]

The thing to know about pontoons. They are load esnsitive. Balance is critical. For the same lb for lb bouyancy they require more material and time to build. Anything big enough to float the size of cabin you describe will cost big money.
They would be way down on MY list.
Actually though, there have been others who have safely welded propane tanks and created floating platform.
With proper care and preperation the gas can be displaced with noncombustables. That terrible oil they use as a "alert" smell is HARD to get past.
Your major problem will be stability. Those tanks are bouyamt enough BUT they are shorter than they should be for a floating platfoem. They are bad to "see-saw" OR "bobber" if only using 2. 3 or 4 are better with a long space between fore & aft.

[lewisboats]

The easiest way to cut something like that is to fill it with water, completely displacing any gas in the tank. Unlike a liquid fuel which might leave a trace sticking to the walls, ALL of the remaining gas will be purged. Then you can cut it with whatever.

Steve

[dondelmundo]

Thank you all for your comments and observations.

Safewalrus, thanks for your personal welcome. I feel like the others have also welcomed me by offering such great advice. And XXXXjarhead, I'm glad the guys all are "actually being helpful instead of making (me) feel like an idiot." They all seem like straight up types. I had the privilege of serving in the RVN with a bunch of you Marines (USN, 62-68, DaNang 66-67) and I have nothing but the greatest respect and admiration for all of you.

Poida, that healthy lifestyle is the major reason for my decision to head back to the water. 125 might be pushing it but with my medical and "adventuring" background I'll be happy for 80.

Steve, good tip on the water purging. Great (and safe) idea.

CDBarry, the barge idea is much appreciated. I looked at Eric's website to see the houses he builds on wooden barges. The one-story prototype interior layout is almost dead-on to what I've sketched out for my ideal liveabord. The exterior finish is exactly what I'm hoping to be able to replicate. Thanks, Eric, for the pictures and reinforcing my idea that I actually might be able to get exactly (or very close to) what I want.

The second of that motion about barges from Safewalrus reinforces the value of using the barge as a base. And thanks to Ted for the comment on the bouyancy problems inherent with pontoons.

And Messabout's comment about escaping from "demanding local women" indicates that he somehow tapped into my permanent record. Fortunately my current bride, even though we live apart most of the time (trust me, it works MUCH better this way) keeps me away from those misadventures so common to my earlier bouts of insanity. Those medically prescribed testosterone thinners may play a part too.

The barge platform solution should ease RAWRF's concerns about the gas cylinders being dangerous and heavy. Good points and whole-heartedly accepted. I think I got that idea from the photo SamSam posted. I saw it somewhere but wasn't sure what the pontoons were. Thanks for clearing that up for me. Looks like it'd be hell to steer.

And finally, Ted, I'm serious as a rash on your winkie. I'm a 3rd round cancer survivor with no desire to lash myself to a land based house. I want the comforts of one but the mobility to move if, as someone mentioned, I don't like the neighbors (or more likely, that they don't like ME) and a modification of Eric's great design is exactly what I want. I'll tack on motor mounts and be ready to ride.

Please contact me at dondelmundo@yahoo.com and I'll send my Louisiana cell phone number. My brother-in-law is a former Baton Rouge police officer so he can interpret for us if need be. I don't know where Boutte La Rose is but I gahrawntee he does. I hope to hear from you soon.

Again, thanks to all.
Don and Pirata

As for everyone else, I'm like MacArthur in one way---I shall return. Thanks to all of you.

[RAWRF]

Propane is a liquified gas, hence the LP on the cylinders, and I don't think you could cut it with "whatever" although certainly, yes, filling it with water would make it safer to cut, but not safe enough for me. LP is extremely flammable, a tiny amount will explode with more power than a good amount of gas. You would be well advised cutting a propane cylinder with something non-sparking like a bandsaw with a non-flammable cooling liquid running over the blade.

[dondelmundo]

I'm giving up on the propane tank idea. It's not as clever as I thought.

My plan now is to win the lottery and buy one of Eric's floating palaces. Those are truly cool.

Best, Don

[alaskamokaiman]

When they made the new bottles all the old ones were going to the dump, what a waste.
I removed the filler assembly filled them with water drained the water and cut them with a gas torch made faces like pumpkins, small yard fire pit and many other things look nice lined up at night. Don't let them run you off the tanks just research what you are doing and be safe.

[george allard]

Run a flexable pipe from your auto exhaust into the tank. Run the auto for 15 minutes. This will purge the oxygen from the tank. Leave it running and cut the tank with a torch. PS. drain all of the lp gas before you start this. We weld gas, diesel, and LP tanks in our shop. If you have no oxygen in the tank it will not explode. You should do this on any sealed container.

[mario4daisy]

Hi, I read some of the suggestions like the barge idea. i am also looking for help with information. Can anyone suggest a good simple easy to use design software program that I could get. Thanks.good luck with the propane tanks. Rust might be a problem. there is a company in hamilton, Ontario that started making making interlocking heavy gauge plastic tanks for use under floatin homes. They are about 4 cu ft each and anchor together to build to the size you want for under your house-boat.

[dondelmundo]

George and Alaska, thanks for the info about cutting the tanks. This is quite an experienced and inventive group.

Mario, look at my post on the "houseboat" thread. I offered several sources to find info on wooden barge hull construction.

My wife loves Eric's small house design so I may have to try to do something along those lines. I like the idea that many of your tanks can be built into the barge bilge compartment, out of the way. Might be fun to sink the bathtub into the deck.

I recently read an article about treating wood with ethylene glycol as a preservative and as a cure for rot. The guy says plain anti-freeze sprayed on in a heavy mist until the wood is soaked is the best treatment. He claims he's experimented with that for 15 years and it works. Any thoughts?

[dondelmundo]

Ted and I made contact so my "advisor" and I are going to trek over as soon as the ice clears here in North Texas and take a look.

I hope to be able to report that I've found my building platform.

[kapnD]

Check out Wilson Distribution, Inc. They make ingenious modular plastic pontoon sections in several sizes. This is my choice for a Missippi river raft, actually a travel trailer on pontoons and another idea that was loudly booed in these forums.

[danmarine]

sorry guys Im just jumping on this thread.

I have run into a nice design for a house boat for a achitect newsletter and would like to share with the forum. In the past I have seen a lot of threads related to buget house boats and this design shows that this doesnt have to be the case...

I will add quote and pictures.

Moderaters feel free to move to correct thread.

To make the house buoyant yet stable, Oshatz created a 34 by 80-foot float made up of Douglas fir logs. Steel I-beams were then placed crosswise, set 6.5 feet on center, because that was the spacing Oshatz decided on for the curved glulam beams. “To simplify the float I wanted the load of each curved glued laminated beam to come directly down on each I-beam,” says Oshatz. “Three-and-a-half by 5.5-inch pressure treated plates were placed across the I-beams at 4 feet on center, then floor joists run across the pressure-treated plates (11.2-inch TJI’s at 32 inches on center).” As Oshatz explains, insulation, plumbing, and ductwork were installed before the 1.125-inch plywood sub flooring was laid, and 4 by 4 foot cubes of rigid foam were placed under the logs to keep the float level and the I-beams about 6 inches above the water line. As more weight was added to the float during construction, more cubes were added. “It was really quite simple,” says Oshatz, “and now that I know how it’s done I’ll probably never have the chance to build such a house again!”

[dondelmundo]

Now that's what I call a house------boat.

[kapnD]

Danmarine, Like the design, something between a clamshell and a pop-up camper! Now if it could be made to close up in a blow or for the off season, it might be a marketabe idea.

[mario4daisy]

I like the design but would it be a builder's nightmare to make it close securely?