Sustainable boats

[bad dog]

Nope! That didn't work!

I'm ok with just copying & pasting the odd sentence - I don't quote whole slabs.

[bad dog]

Anyway, I went to my local FGI outlet (Brookvale, Sydney) to discuss foam cores and glassing options, nothing new on their horizon yet.

I also tried that link to the Alibi Catamarans site, but the page on renewable materials didn't load - will try again tomorrow.

[CT 249]

There's a lot of sustainable material that you can use in some boats, isn't there?

Lots of keen racing classes have second-hand sails and gear that are in very good condition and go for a song. Re-using like that is surely very good for the environment.

And there are yards for recycled timber that sell things like kauri floorboards, or Australian cedar that you just can't get any more. One wonders whether a boat built from 100-year seasoned kauri floorboards would not be tougher, more attractive and more eco-sensitive than any newly-grown timber.

But surely the best way to keep boating eco-conscious is to stop disrespecting existing craft, as we so often do, and cherish the old as well as the new?

Originally Posted by L'eau.Life

Have recently planted 2 of these - currently around 2.5m each - not intended for any future materials but I'm told they are extremely fast growing. I'll be watching them mature with interest now though as I scheme up things to build with when I retire!

Given the right conditions, you can cut them after 6 - 7 years (and they grow again 6 times), but 9-10 years gives the better timber.

If you do´nt cut them you have a nice plant anyway.

[Barba 22]

I believe bamboo has very good mechanical properties and is highly renewable /sustainable. Only, I have no clue on how to make it sail to windward... ;-)

[pacificproa]

Hi All I designed and built gaiasdream.
She is mostly built from plantation pine, and her engine runs on recycled veggie oil.
I have followed the thread, but who in their lives lives almost fossil fuel free like I do? I don't have a house and a boat, in which case one of them is a total waste of energy and materials.
The aim of the project is to show that its possible to have a small foot print, engine runs on veggie oil after a start up on diesel, cooking is on alcohol, and electricity from the sun.
I'm aware that veggie oil is not the final answer, but any thing is better than just burning fosilfuel.
This might up set some people, but live as we no it is coming to an end.
I see my project only as a stepping stone in the right direction.
As for fiber glass boats, eventually the sun gets to it and breaks down the material, they don't live for ever, you can only refurbish a yacht so many times, apart from the fact that its design is not trendy any more and people won't touch it let alone spend money on it.
I think we still have a long way to go.
Despite we have run out of time.
Gaia will wait for no one.

Ini

[Admiral Onassis]

Anyone ever made a multihull from multiple hulls they found for free on Craigslist? I intend on refurbishing the hull of a 27 foot Reinell cabin cruiser i bought for $724, and pick up tomorrow for my feature length documentary. The hull is sound, the interior is shocking, but I have a Scottish master carpenter and an infinite supply of reclaimed luxury timber at my disposal.. Not that I'm disposing of anything. Quite the opposite in fact. This is the craigslist link.. http://ventura.craigslist.org/boa/1528304260.html
Please help me, I have gone insane.

[bad dog]

I think you have goner insane! ;-) Are you intending to use that for the main hull of a sailing trimaran?

[Admiral Onassis]

I wasn't until you said that! Seriously, no.. This one will be quick and dirty.. She'll be left relatively stock. I don't have the budget to build a sailing vessel yet, but i believe it to be very possible given a big pile of professionals, money and software. I'm going to give her a complete refit, I intend on faux planking the deck with reclaimed mahogany offcuts from a local sawmill.. Epoxy, through hardware, then a zillion coats of a yet to be determined topcoat.. All new custom hardwood cabinetry from available reclaimed and repurposed stock.. My rule is that all materials used in the vessel have to be either from the trash, or on at least their second incarnation.. But it's for a film, so i'm keeping it as simple as I can to begin with.. She will be a show piece, a learning tool, and a babe magnet..

As far as the running gear, electrics, navigation etc, i am relying on my partners who are mechanical geniuses.. I can handle the pretty stuff, but I'm no engineer.. I intend on incorporating as many photovoltaic cells into her as I can.. There is a company making lightweight solar roofing shingles which look good.. She has a 351 in her, which I would love to switch to a more efficient system. I'm researching electric/jet drives.. Lithium ion tech, hybrid diesel, I'm open to anything so long as it fits my criteria.. She doesn't have to be fast.. In terms of powering her, I will defer to the geniuses on this forum and leading industry professionals. I plan on interviewing those in the marine business who are currently sailing this course of sustainability and incorporating an amalgam of their knowledge/expertise into this vessel.

I can't believe I bought a power boat. I am enamored with sailing, and had intended on a sailing vessel being the subject of the build, but many factors contributed to this being the choice.. My current business partners are gearheads, who between them have completely restored over a hundred classic American muscle cars, and having them interested/curious/motivated about the project is infinitely valuable to seeing her completed on time.

I believe these large fibreglass hulls which are basically being thrown away all over the world right now are invaluable building blocks to larger vessels. They will outlive us all.. With the right space, capital, time, motivation and expert guidance, a luxury sailing trimaran CAN be built using powerboat hulls as a starting point.. This beautiful, forgotten bargain of a boat of mine holds secrets which can only be unlocked with many, many hours of hard work, which begins in about two hours when i hitch her to a truck for the first time and tow her into my yard.. It's a beautiful day to become a yacht designer..

Do they breed them in millions per day now?...................

[G8R]

I believe biotech combined with chemengineering will take the place of many of the products made from oil. But I’m an optimistic old turd.

[PAR]

I'd like a few doses of whatever Admiral Onassis is taking, to make him beleave there is anything reasonable about his proposals.

Not for nothing Skippy, but there are considerable differences between a powerboat mono hull and a power tri, so do yourself a big favor and hire an NA before you invest too much money. Your plan thus far sounds like a ridiculously heavy monolith, which is just what you can't have for a successful tri. Your enthusiasm is nice, but talk to a NA before you get to excited.

As an example of how your idea is being received, picture another discussion forum, say about airplane design and a guy shows up, having just purchased two piper Cubs with the thought that he and his engineer buddies can develop an airliner on the cheap by tying the wings together.

Yes, Richard, it seems cabin fever has arrived early this year and they're coming out of the wood work.

[Admiral Onassis]

Hey guys. Nice of you to talk about me to each other while i'm here.. As an example of how you are being received, how's about me and my engineering buddies find you and shove two piper cubs up your ass? How about that "Skippy"? And.. It isn't my money.. Did I say I was going to build a giant Trimaran tomorrow? No, I did not.

[PAR]

I should apologize Admiral, there's been a rash of really interesting "ideas" lately, so many of us are burned out a bit. Not that this isn't all that unusual, we get an annual share of folks that want to raft down the Mississippi (for free of course) on a home made contraption of 55 gallon drums duck taped together (no kidding). There seems to be a surge in late winter, but as I mentioned, this year, things seemed to come early. I just posted on another fellow's thread about his idea to make a "amphibihouse" (my term). He is likening to the possibility of a houseboat that can drive on the road, then down the ramp and off into the sunset. I told him it can be done with the usual sort of issues you can expect from this type of contrivance.

Back to your tri from a mono. It would be possible to do this, but you'd have to be quite selective with the mono design. This is because the stability of a tri works quite differently then a mono and as a result the shapes of the hulls used on each type of boat are very different. My jumping on you about this initially was too harsh, but tempered with an unusual rash of these types of "ideas".

My point with the two airplanes was a simple one, people don't go out and design elevators for 10 story buildings for a reason, without an architect. We're pretty much the same, so a naval architect will be necessary for the selection process and the scantling specifications.

For example you could use a sharpie type hull in your tri with little difficulty, though these aren't as common as the monstrosities we call powerboat currently. The real problem lies in finding the right hulls. Typical powerboat hull forms have beam/length ratios that may not be desirable for your tri. Not to mention they really don't need the extra weight and drag of two additional hulls and their attachments to drag along with it.

To answer you initial question. Yes, there have been may cats and tri's made from multiple hulls. I know a guy that has a pretty cool tri from a couple small kayaks and a sharpie and another buddy with a couple canoes made into a cat. Bigger versions of this are possible, but finding suitable hull shapes (narrow) for the main hull will be more difficult. This of course assumes you have a designer or NA work out the scantlings and attachments.

Again accept my apologies for jumping on you. According to the other half (the one that must be obeyed) I'm a butthead quite often and deserve swat in the back of the head daily, except she's learned that I like it.

[sabahcat]

Originally Posted by PAR

Back to your tri from a mono. It would be possible to do this, but you'd have to be quite selective with the mono design. .

From a YW Diamond hull

Tri-ing? Yes very!