About to do something REALLY stupid! ;)

Discussion in 'Boatbuilding' started by DianneB, Jan 14, 2010.

  1. DianneB
    Joined: Jan 2010
    Posts: 88
    Likes: 6, Points: 8, Legacy Rep: 74
    Location: Manitoba

    DianneB Junior Member

    I grew up on the north shore of Lake Erie and too much of my misspent youth was on boats, the lakes, around water, marinas and mariners. I am also descended from many generations of sailors, but please don't hold that against me! My last boat was a 26' all-steel inboard cruiser based out of Long Point Bay (on Lake Erie). I sold it when I moved away to get married (both stupid moves!) in 1974.

    After a long career in engineering & design and looking forward to retirement (if I don't buy a boat? :rolleyes: ) and being settled on a rural property 1.5 hours from Lake of the Woods and 1 hour from Lake Manitoba, I have the bug to be back on the water again.

    Being of frugal inclination (<- read CHEAP) and wanting just the right boat for my needs I would like to end up with a rather utilitarian boats in the 22 to 30 foot range that would be suitable for a day cruise with a bunch of friends or an extended "camp aboard" vacation on the water.

    I don't do "fancy". A big enough cabin to sleep two (cozy) and house a porta-pottie (not at the same time!) and lockable to stow gear when away is all I need - the rest open deck to move around on and to have guests aboard. I am not in a hurry to get anywhere - I am a tourist on the water and enjoy the scenery.

    I am hunting for a steel or aluminium hull with either stern drive or inboard, stern drive is preferable for trailering (twice each year), but so far haven't found anything between 22 and 30 feet (though I was offered a 55' for a ridiculously low price today LOL!). The less it is outfitted (beyond power train) the better. Everything else I can do myself. (I have built just about everything imaginable in my shop over the years, from a 1 ton steam engine to an aeroplane so outfitting a boat doesn't scare me.)

    I know about haulage fees, mooring costs, lift costs, the price of fuel, the costs of marine parts, but what am I missing? What is going to come back to bite me in the ...... stern than I haven't anticipated?

    Anyway, good to meet you all and I look forward to a lively discussion on boat building, refurbishing, and the perils of ownership! ;)
     
  2. TollyWally
    Joined: Mar 2005
    Posts: 774
    Likes: 26, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 423
    Location: Fox Island

    TollyWally Senior Member

    "what am I missing?"

    LOL, I think you just about have it covered. You may have a little conflict with the frugal part of your personality but you already know that. Post pics of your potential boats!

    I'd like to see pics of some of your projects sometime. Maybe you could graft that steam engine onto the plane! JK :)
     
  3. Kaluvic
    Joined: Jan 2010
    Posts: 123
    Likes: 3, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 32
    Location: Yemen and Lebanon

    Kaluvic New guy

    I recently saw an old Popular Mechanics article about a steam plane that flew in the 30s...they said it was so quiet that they could say hello to the pilot as he flew by....now that’s cool.
    I still have the article some place if your really interested.
    Yeh...post us some pictures of your projects...and as Tolly said, your potential boats!
     
  4. mark775

    mark775 Guest

    I like it so far! Anyone willing to sacrifice amenities for deckspace uses the same playbook as I!
    Coastworker30.jpg
    You must step down into the cabin on the drawing you provided? Retired people don't like that...
     
  5. DianneB
    Joined: Jan 2010
    Posts: 88
    Likes: 6, Points: 8, Legacy Rep: 74
    Location: Manitoba

    DianneB Junior Member

    Yes, I believe it's a step-down cabin. I stole the picture from Bruce Roberts (Coastworker 25) but didn't buy the plans because I don't want to build from scratch.

    On the water I am a tourist - I want to sit in the open air and have a good view. A cabin is for sleeping or waiting out the rain or packing stuff in when you are away from the boat.

    The advantage of a step-down cabin is a body ought to roll to the lowest point (eventually) and you'd wake up in the cabin :D
     
  6. hoytedow
    Joined: Sep 2009
    Posts: 5,857
    Likes: 400, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 2489
    Location: Control Group

    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    interlocking exercise mat squares will make the roll less bruising.:p
     
  7. DianneB
    Joined: Jan 2010
    Posts: 88
    Likes: 6, Points: 8, Legacy Rep: 74
    Location: Manitoba

    DianneB Junior Member

    The steam engine is 1675 pounds dry - a might heavy for it's 2.5 HP ;)
     
  8. ancient kayaker
    Joined: Aug 2006
    Posts: 3,497
    Likes: 147, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 2291
    Location: Alliston, Ontario, Canada

    ancient kayaker aka Terry Haines

    -oh. I ws just thinking of one for my kayak ...
     
  9. DianneB
    Joined: Jan 2010
    Posts: 88
    Likes: 6, Points: 8, Legacy Rep: 74
    Location: Manitoba

    DianneB Junior Member

    After much discussion with a friend who is also keen about extended excursions and living on the water and the amount of space to be comfortable, I decided to change my approach and pick up a smaller 'project boat' for now, for day cruising and as a runabout. If I still want to do a houseboat later, I will build something on pontoons and use the smaller boat as my shuttle. In the mean time, with something easily trailerable, I can explore the various waterways within a day's drive without an extended building period.

    I picked up a 21 foot Sylvan, aluminium hull, stern drive that is seaworthy and runable but in poor shape cosmetically. That will give me something to putter with for now and let me play as well.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. apex1

    apex1 Guest

    William Beslers steam engine, which was used in his aeroplane in 1933 was a 80kg / 150hp engine! That is 10% of the weight you describe here, but 60 times the power!

    Just to get that straight.

    Regards
    Richard
     
  11. Kaluvic
    Joined: Jan 2010
    Posts: 123
    Likes: 3, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 32
    Location: Yemen and Lebanon

    Kaluvic New guy

    That was an amazing engine...even by todays standards...AND increadibly quiet.
    And that coil of tappered condencing tube...don't make craftsmen like that any more!
     
  12. apex1

    apex1 Guest

    All steam engines are quiet, even a 100 tonnes, triple expansion you cannot hear when only a few meters away.

    These condensers are still made today to replace the outworn in our running museum- ships.

    Regards
    Richard
     

  13. Boston

    Boston Previous Member

    there is a company called the reliable steam engine company that produces a whole array of modern steam engines

    B
     
Loading...
Forum posts represent the experience, opinion, and view of individual users. Boat Design Net does not necessarily endorse nor share the view of each individual post.
When making potentially dangerous or financial decisions, always employ and consult appropriate professionals. Your circumstances or experience may be different.