Smallest practical size for a steel boat?

[alanrockwood]

What is the smallest practical size for a steel boat?

[Angélique]

Originally Posted by alanrockwood

What is the smallest practical size for a steel boat?

You might find some answers to that in the replies in this and this thread.

Cheers!
Angel

[MikeJohns]

I've seen Dutch boats around 10 feet in length in steel that were very nice but heavy, you would need a trailer and ramp to get them in and out of the water.

[Tanton]

Originally Posted by alanrockwood

What is the smallest practical size for a steel boat?

24'? Bigger the better.

[Angélique]

Originally Posted by MikeJohns

I've seen Dutch boats around 10 feet in length in steel that were very nice but heavy, you would need a trailer and ramp to get them in and out of the water.

Yes, for example, a little bigger, steel 'Gieterse punter' which is traditionally build in oak.







Gieterse Punter 580 build from 4mm steel sheet (2-4 hp auxiliary). More info and models here.

Giethoorn Holland (Gieterse Punters)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqk2gVSFY84

Good luck!

Angel

[Wynand N]

I assume you are referring to a cruising sailboat and I would say 24 ft LOA.

Open boat / dinghy about 6ft.

[alanrockwood]

I was thinking of something along the lines of what Angel was showing a couple of posts previous to this one.

My dream would be to build a replica Dutch barge and use it to cruise the canals of France.

This dream of building a Dutch barge is not a realistic dream. However, it would be realistic to consider building a small boat, and then if that went well to consider building a second somewhat bigger boat, i.e. some kind of motor cruiser.

[froudedude]

I would think that size would not as much as a consideration as working the metal. shipyards have sizable equipement to bend or curve the steel and/or jiggs to torture it into shape. Really as long as you displace more than it weighs and can push it ...

[Landlubber]

Yep, the 24 feet seems to be about it too here in Australia, certainly they can be built any size, but the 24 feet length seems to be about it. Plate thickness, weldability and weight are the factors that determine this.