Shipping Container "Shantyboat"?

[SamSam]

Originally Posted by Pavel

Yet, there are many short-sighted who would discourage KenH. Shall we people never learn?

If you'll look at Ken H's original post he lays out his idea and then says " OK guys- pick apart my idea". That's a very good move on Ken's part and that's what people are doing. He wants to know the possible downside to his idea. You say " Shall we people never learn? ". I have no problem with him building it, and if he does I sure would like for him to keep us posted on the project, as a great way to learn is from other peoples mistakes. I have never built a shantyboat from a shipping container, but I have made mistakes and have gained some knowledge that tells me there are good possibilities for problems with this idea. I've gained enough knowledge to know that, sure, it could absolutely be made to work, but I also ask "Why bother?". It seems the problems will outweight the advantages, not only right away but also in the long run. I can't quite place this idea as regards 'Form follows function versus function follows form', but I would still place it in the 'Butt ugly' column. Sam

[safewalrus]

What a fantastic idea, lets all live in containers - well there OK until someone opens the door!

Actually the idea is not bad, as long as the insulation is great and the container is stuck on to a dumb lighter or barge!

Why do I get a feeling of deja vu here?

[Deering]

I like George Allard's idea of adding pontoons on the sides. Pipe or watertight boxes. Forget the concrete ballasting. Gives you walk-around decks too.

Don't containers have corrugated walls? I'm just guessing here, but I suspect corrugations won't do much for propulsion efficiency.

[safewalrus]

Neither do open doors or square boxes!

Considering all the negatives it would appear that a lot of time is being wasted over nothing - good concept Ken but....

Now I have this idea that if I take my granny's washtub and put an outboard on the back.......drone......drone .........zzzzzz

[Pavel]

Originally Posted by safewalrus

Neither do open doors or square boxes!
... a lot of time is being wasted over nothing -

I agree ... lets think about skip

[SamSam]

Originally Posted by safewalrus

Now I have this idea that if I take my granny's washtub and put an outboard on the back.......drone......drone .........zzzzzz

Use her table.

[nevadamike]

interesting idea..... but probably not feasible. why not buy used, discarded pontoons (some website or another has lots of 'em), go it from there? much more stable.. blah... blah blah... . :-) . Mike.

[safewalrus]

Sam, I like it, one of the more sensible uses of a dining table (her indoors don't think so!)

[KenH]

NevadaMike. Part of my idea was to use what's readily available cheap. Every major and minor port has thousands of these boxes sitting there, near the water. I'd probably end up paying more for shipping and pontons than for a good container on the riverbank. I'm not convinced pontoons are that good of idea anyway. If I decide to build something else it would be more "boaty" than a pontoon raft.

I kinda like the idea of outriggers. it would certainly make the thing fit in more with local (Micronesian/Polynesian) ideas of what a boat should be like. I'd need to do the calcs as to how large then would need to be to be useful stabilizers. The ama platform would be useful "patio" and work space, perhaps for container or hydroponic gardening.

[KajWestergard]

Now there KenH,
"Hydrophonic gardening" ?

Naughty - naughty

The container seems like a fun idea.
Maybe you could ballast the container so it floats
lying on a corner.
More boatlike with a V-bottom.
You could still use the outriggers (=pontoons)
may I suggest a row of oildrums.

Keep us posted.

Kind regards
Kaj Westergard (from a vintery Stockholm)

[Moss]

Containers are widely used in South Africa's shantytowns as temporary (and sometimes not so temporary) offices, classrooms and even homes. Haven't seen any afloat yet, but then I haven't been been to Cape Town during the wet season for a while .....

[george allard]

There are several companies, in the US, renting portable jobsite offices, built from containers.

[safewalrus]

But are they seagoing offices?

[jerryniff]

In my limited experience, in regard to containers, they are either 20' or 40'.
You might consider building a plate steel barge and set the container or containers inside it. It shouldn't be difficult to calculate the cost of such a venture and it sure would be easy to manufacture. You would do far less cutting of the container. On the surface the barge seems to me like an easier and more sea worthy approach.
Gerald

[Wellydeckhand]

MMM........ Container office ....done that
MMM........ Barge...................done that
MMM........Container turn barge..........?

Messy and maybe killing time for someone who is bored to death. Unless this just a thoery type of project.........

Used container cost US$1000 in Indonesia.