Sailboat hull around a steel shipping container

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by exp30002, Nov 23, 2015.

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  1. exp30002

    exp30002 Previous Member

    May be an idea that gets responses:

    How about building a hull around a 40' steel shipping container?
     
  2. Rurudyne
    Joined: Mar 2014
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    Rurudyne Senior Member

    Using these has been discussed on these forums before.

    Sailing barges (which is what you're basically asking about) don't necessarily sail well but they do sail, though you'd probably want some fuss fore and aft to have finer ends.

    There are for example long shipping containers that I've suggested (with the addition of a aforementioned bow/stern extensions) could be used for a catamaran houseboat.

    For a monohull you might set one on its side, have it be a bit wider and not as tall, to improve stability and get a somewhat shallower draft. Not sure how that would affect things structurally.

    One worry I would have is if you had a shell to fair the hull (or get some rocker) that it would provide a place for moisture to collect and rust to set in.
     
  3. exp30002

    exp30002 Previous Member

    Thank you.
     
  4. rwatson
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    rwatson Senior Member

    Most containers these days have a compressed wood bottom, so is not waterproof for a start.

    There are bigger yachts designed to fit into a 40 foot container
    http://www.containeryachts.com/

    but they have to have a bolt on keel to stay upright.

    Bear in mind, that the steel for a yacht is the cheapest part of the whole project, so having to work around the corrugated sides will save very little in time or material costs
     
  5. exp30002

    exp30002 Previous Member

    Thank you Mr. Watson.
    And what is the good news?
     
  6. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    Hey, I'm a bit dumb possibly, but is this about designing a boat to fit inside a 40' container ?
     
  7. rwatson
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    rwatson Senior Member

    No. I just mentioned one that could to illustrate the buoyancy issues.
     
  8. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    OK, so it is about a 40' container being the 'core' element, and a boat hull is built around it, somehow ? Sounds more like a double-hull really.
     
  9. rwatson
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    rwatson Senior Member

    Who can say . the vague concept could be anything. Container boats have been discussed for years in these forums and no benefit for using containers in any way has been found for serious boats. Maybe as emergency flotation with a bit of work but little else.
     
  10. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    Must be a case of people seeing a cheap "box" and trying to figure out what use to put it to, but making a boat around one is a bit of a stretch. Not as crazy as the train sub, though ! Perhaps "son of train sub".
     
  11. exp30002

    exp30002 Previous Member

    The idea would be to build a hull around a 40' steel container.
     
  12. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    What advantage(s) do you see, in this ?
     
  13. whitepointer23

    whitepointer23 Previous Member

    Better to build a boat beside the container and use it for storage. I can't see what you could achieve trying to make a boat out of one. If you bought a good container here it cost about 2500 plus delivery. That would buy a lot of ply and epoxy.
     
  14. exp30002

    exp30002 Previous Member

    Advantage: (maybe)
    availability of container
    foam filling between hull and container
    structural strength

    there might be more

    disadvantage: (I learned here) corrosion between foam and steel by saltwater
     

  15. exp30002

    exp30002 Previous Member

    Difficult to find a place to build anything.
     
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