Micro liveabord cruiser

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Silvertooth, Nov 8, 2016.

  1. Silvertooth
    Joined: Nov 2016
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    Silvertooth Senior Member

    I'm designing a micro cruiser out of marine ply and epoxy. It needs to be lightweight and easy to pull out of the water on a riverbank or up a beach.

    Looking at all the micro cruiser designs the ballast is either sand bags or steel, or lead drop keels. I would like to have the option of plywood drop keels for inshore and steel for offshore cruising.

    I was wondering about twin danger boards or even outside like lee boards like on warren cats.

    Here is my inspiration and the basic design I want to emulate...

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/27533969@N05/galleries/72157623790276430/
     
  2. Silvertooth
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    Silvertooth Senior Member

  3. Skyak
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    Skyak Senior Member

    Your "inspiration" is a Matt Layden design. That looks like "enigma" or smaller, but the most popular version is "Paradox" at ~14ft length. I don't know what you are looking to do but if it is just the same but in a different size, there are already several designs bigger and smaller.

    The earliest adventurers post at;

    http://www.microcruising.com/

    and there is an active builder support group on Yahoo groups.

    The real unique features on ML designs are the foils, or what passes for foils -with aspect ratios of 1 or less for both the sail and keel. It's about as close as you will get to two wrongs make a right.

    Lee boards are a good idea on any boat this small trying for human sized accommodations.

    A very small cruising scow does not impress me because they are less seaworthy with respect to waves.
     
  4. Silvertooth
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    Silvertooth Senior Member

    Thanks, good post.

    I'm more after a canal, river or coastal only in nice weather design. Going for comfort and practicality rather than seaworthiness.

    A bit of sailing but I know it will be very slow, I will be rowing most of the time.

    I want to keep it super super simple.
     
  5. jfraymond
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    jfraymond Junior Member

  6. Silvertooth
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    Silvertooth Senior Member

    Thank you so much, this is very helpful. Such an interesting read, I have learnt so much already. I will read through more times.

    This sums up what I have thought. Because I want to be able to launch and retrieve anywhere, even a river bank or side of a canal, what he sad here....

    I own a Paradox sailboat and it is the perfect cruiser in my opinion. Except you need a boat ramp to launch it. So to explore the hundreds of small rampless lakes around here, I decided to build a boat with the following characteristics:
    -sail it from inside like the Paradox
    -sleep in it comfortably
    -fits in a pick-up truck or standard trailer -under 200 lbs so it can be dragged into the water or
    onto shore
    -stable and seaworthy enough for protected waters
    -big enough to carry food and gear for a week long cruise
     
  7. Silvertooth
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    Silvertooth Senior Member

  8. Silvertooth
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    Silvertooth Senior Member

    Was also inspired by this design which is able to be towed by a bicycle and then I want to have the ability to carry the bicycle on the boat sometimes, to be able to get out and tow the boat again at your destination.

    http://www.homecrux.com/2015/11/17/...-nomadic-shelter-for-both-land-and-water.html

    I don't know how this boat can be propelled, there doesn't seem to be room for a small electric outboard, or even rowed. So I want to be able to row and sail.

    I also dont want permanant wheels, but to be able to remove and carry inside the boat. I think the pivot points for the lee boards would make perfect dual use for wheels when out of water.

    I know some say it's too small to live aboard but I want to prove them wrong.

    There have been a few advances in technology of late that makes a live aboard life easier.

    For example, these new atmospheric water generators. Far better than storing fresh water. https://youtu.be/_CAs9VzgLOE


    I love the little stoves that can charge a battery while you cook you freshly caught fish.
    http://gizmodo.com/adventure-tested-biolite-campstove-review-1601840438

    Then the micro wind generators http://www.treehugger.com/wind-technology/tiny-portable-vertical-wind-turbine.html

    and solar panels, and a good smart phone is all you need for local gps navigation. I won't be going offshore. A handheld vhf and now led small battery navigation lights.

    I will always have some line and feathers for small white fish, and at least one fold flat fish/shellfish trap to set every evening. I love fishing so a great little telescopic fishing rod and a good selection of artificial lures.

    I'm also interested in collecting seaweed and riverbank wild food, so I want to live as self reliant as possible. Even this little 8' boat can be a very exciting livaboad, be able to hang my washing and make it very homely and comfortable.
     
  9. jfraymond
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    jfraymond Junior Member

    the gorfnik guy also has a blog iirc and has taken several trips in it. They also iirc have several shantyboat variations of the pdr hull. check out duckworks if your interested in small boats that might meet your needs.

    Personally I'm in the process of building a disposable enigma inspired 14' sharpie for fishing use out of foam and poormans fiberglass as a experiment. have less than $200 in it and can pick it up with one hand. Will see if its durable enough for more than a few trips when im done.
     
  10. Silvertooth
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    Silvertooth Senior Member

    Can you please post a link to that blog?
     
  11. Silvertooth
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    Silvertooth Senior Member

    Sounds so interesting, what is poor mans fibreglass?
     
  12. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    Poor Man's Fiberglass

    The most cheap meaning of "poor man's fibreglass" is:

    Canvas impregnated with paint, though you could best use exterior paint for things that get wet, and epoxy would be the better option for boats I think, and of course the next better option is to use fiberglass, but by then you've lost the poor man's aspect.
     
  13. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

  14. Silvertooth
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    Silvertooth Senior Member

    Thanks for that, yes it would be cheap.

    I'm thinking as its so small, I will go for quarter inch marine ply, with Kevlar matting and instead of resin go for all epoxy.

    I know it's extravagant, but the strength to weight ratio is excellent. I want to keep it very light and very strong.
     

  15. jfraymond
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    jfraymond Junior Member

    like Angelique said.... you glue down canvas and saturate with exterior paint. just like ships from before real fiberglass used to protect the wood decks.

    saw a instructable of a foam kayak about it and was curious so I built a scaled up version of enigma real quick with 5 sheets of XPS, a 30x15 painters canvas and enamel paint. its surprisingly strong so far...Ive added some 3/4" corner mold around the sheer to further stiffen it up and 2x4 frame so to speak for the mast step. and even have a foam rigid wingsail built for it....lol

    need to update the thread but here is link to a few pics of it as ive piddled along
    http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/...t=236909&sid=394d3068c345a7be236075f9173a9cee
     
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