Unusual Houseboat Question

[dondelmundo]

I found a unique pontoon set-up on another forum. It's a series of plastic pontoon sections --- 3' long on the small ones and 5' long on the humongos--with molded and pre-drilled holes so you can bolt them together with 2" dimensional lumber or galvanized steel I-beams or whatever. They even have a tapered nose section available in the smaller ---26" x 36" and 17" x 36"---styles. The 26" has a 680 lb. maximum capacity per section and each one weighs 55 lbs and is filled with high-density urethane.

Look on www.rotonics.com. They have production and sales facilities in several states, including my home, Texas. A guy in Galveston has a houseboat built on these but I haven't been able to get the pictures to open yet. When I do I'll post his website info.

Looks like you could build almost anything within reason on these things.

[dondelmundo]

Something just occured to me. There's a sawmill about 25 miles from my house where they mill telephone poles into dimension lumber and fence posts.

As far as prices---the longest piece I can get is 28' and a 2" x 6" x 28' board is about $30.00. A 2" x 8" X 28' is about $40.00. A 2" X 8" x 18' board to allow a 40' lenth is about $25.00. 14 footers to build crosspieces are around $17.00.

Then there's the question of weight. I'll need to work that out. But the 26 pontoon sections I'll need will, in theory, hold 17,680 pounds maximum so I should come in far below that figure. Nearly nine tons is a lot of wood on a 40' x 14' platform.

You do need to know that in the Dark Ages when I earned my degree the only math course I had to take was "The History of Mathematics", better known around campus as "Idiot Math". My mileage always varies so I could be way off on this plan.

Any ideas out there?

If I use the pontoons mentioned in my previous post do you think I could use the creosoted cut lumber as the framework to which I could attach epoxy coated marine plywood to form the deck/foundation on which I'll build my floating house?

Would the epoxy add any real water protection to the bottom (exposed to fresh water) side?

[djwkd]

I would reccomend building more of a raft-it saves having to buy bulk heads. go on this link here. Raft down the Mississippi (obviously you can make bigger than those there). also ssearch 'floatation' for use of flotation ideas on a possible raft.

[joefaber]

a raft type of houseboat is thoroughly discussed in "Handmade Houseboats: Independent Living Afloat" by Russell Conder (ISBN 0071580220).
it's 240 Pages cover the basics of houseboat history and design.
a large portion of the book covers starting point ideas on planning the various aspects of the 'house' building. it's worth the $20.

[ted655]

Much of your math revolves around water content of the timber & species. If a raft is chosen for the platform, then you'll need to know the board feet in each log. Every species has a different weight per board foot.
Coming from a sawmill background, I've seen SOME logs float for years, while their sister logs became "sinkers". ME? I trust displacement of area rather than displacement of wood fiber. If you study the construction of the log raft homes in the Northwest, they are either massive diameter logs or multi layered. I would worry about the freeboard of the size you have access to. Also, if I know my sawmill operations, the timber will be green & heavy with NO reserve bouyancy. If cut in the spring or summer, the sap will be at it's maximum, further adding weight (perminent mostly). Then there's rot.
Think it thru carefully. If you have to have 4 or 5 layers (with fasteners, etc.) the price has now risen, construction effort increased & mobility reduced.

[FAST FRED]

Forget logs they rot.

Think 6 inch plastic pipe , bundled/strapped into any size or shape .

Low coat if surplus, or scrap.

FF

[wellmer]

i strongly recommend concrete floats or hulls for water living concepts. Especially because you can avoid taking the structure out of the water during decades. See a couple of water living concepts at:
http://imulead.com/tolimared/concret...ne/anuncios/ak
A concrete hull or a concrete float as in the concepts from holland and germany may be best joice...

Cheers Wil

[Morganic]

http://www.scottcomarine.com/float_tanks.html

They make some nice plastic floats as well.

Does anyone know how much money large 1000gal propane tanks would be?

[riverliver2b]

gas and oil tanks can be safely cut and welded if you first take the precaution of displacing any lingering fumes by filling them completely with water, then of course draining before proceeding....personally, I have had zero success finding a suitable barge for reasonable money anywhere near south Alabama

[welder_vince]

I too am building a pontoon boat from old propane tanks. The old style tanks are available because they do not have the new safety valve in them. I measured the displacement and the weight,(18.5 Lbs) and figure they will support about 25 Lbs each. I plan to use 8 tanks linked together on each side with light gauge channel iron welded topside. The perfume used to give the gas it's smell I think is called Methyl-Methylene, people in the business seem to call it "mercadum" or something. I have started by draining the tanks of residual gas, then turning them upside down to drain remaining chemical from the tank. This stuff is a gummy tar-like compound whose viscosity seems to lower when warm. I am trying different solutions to remove the residual stuyff from in the tanks. I plan on powering this vehicle with battery power but will have a generator on board to recharge them and also for high power when needed. Any info on dissolving the mercatum would be helpful.

thanks
vince

[brian eiland]

Originally Posted by dondelmundo

As a first time poster I'll try to be as quiet and unobtrusive as possible, but I do need advice/opinions from those in the know. I'm a 61 y.o. who needs to return to the saltwater. Pirata doesn't care where we live as long as he gets fed.

I plan to build a 14' X 30' "studio apartment" retirement home on a 14' X 44' floating platform built using propane tanks welded together end to end with sheet steel shaped and welded to form pointed bows.

I'll live aboard, tied to a floating dock on the South Texas Gulf Coast. Cruising will be minimal. Six years in the Navy and five years roaming Mexico have pretty well cured this country boy of long distance wanderlust.

What ever became of your desire to get living on the water??