A Houseboat that Sails?

[goodwilltoall]

Greetings,

Been at your site and find it gives good things to contemplate at times (like last article bout dealing with livingaboard in colder climates).

Wondering why you find the OB mounted in a well rather than simply hung on transom as Bolger did with his AS designs more preferable?

Any articles you wrote about that?

 

[NolensVolens]

A Yamaha T50 seems like the right engine for this boat.

 

[Tad]

The sailing barge looks like a good effort, I'm envious of the shallow draft.

We've been living aboard full time for many years, in a much more benign climate, and have found our interior and layout needs are very different than your solution. Our boat is 50' x 14' with 7' draft, a traditional plank-on-sawn frame ketch with flush deck and great cabin aft.

We have no insulation except wood and air space, heat is from a household style woodstove midships, ducts and computer fans (running continuous) move heat fore and aft.

We have only 3 full time berths, as that's the number of people that sleep aboard every night. There's benches and floor space for overflow. We have a 3' square workbench/tool storage area at the foot of the main companionway that's vital, and another big toolbox on deck, plus a portable bench with vice.

Besides tool storage on deck we have a big battery box (500 AH at 12V), room for a 1/2 cord or so of firewood under cover. And two 250W solar panels that can be tilted up to 70 degrees port or starboard (we live at anchor).

Below we have shelves for 100's of books and magazines, dry lumber storage (for projects), a huge woodbox(firewood), and the aft cabin is office, work area, and drawing board for me.

The head is composting with vent running 24/7 and the cat box stays on deck. The most important thing for life below deck is big skylights, ports don't do it.

 

[Angélique]

-
Finally I've found some time to finish post #15, and to look at below graph, also I'm still reading the design blog as English isn't the fastest language for me . . :idea:

Nice project

- - - Please go ahead . . . ​

 

[Angélique]

Here is the output from Orca 3D software we used. The 10t case is closest to normal ballast and loading.

This graph doesn't say anything about the engine, it only shows the power consumption of the boat at certain speeds and loads, and it doesn't show if the engine is able to produce the required Power and Torque associated with the low revs in the low speed range for motoring at ease. So I guess this still has to be figured out, right ?

 

[NolensVolens]

The plan is to drop in a Yamaha t50 high-thrust with a low-pitch prop. There is nothing that would be an improvement on that. The graph shows overall horsepower needs to move the boat at close to hull speed. The t50 is 20% more powerful than needed.

 

[NolensVolens]

Wondering why you find the OB mounted in a well rather than simply hung on transom as Bolger did with his AS designs more preferable?

Any articles you wrote about that?

Here's the write-up on the engine: http://quidnon.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-engine.html

I've used a transom-mounted outboard, and it was a terrible experience. The engine, mounted in such a vulnerable spot, was constantly getting hit. The load on the mounting hardware was extreme. I broke one engine clamp and one transom bracket, and almost lost the engine both times. Eventually a tow boat captain wrapped the towing rode around it and tore it off. The engine was useless in rough conditions because of cavitation. It either cavitated or was mounted so low that it generated lots of drag and ran the risk of drowning.

The replacement engine went into an inboard outboard well. After that everything worked perfectly. I mounted it slanted, so that the stream from the prop missed the rudder. This gained me an extra half a knot of speed.

 

[Angélique]

-
I guess besides the already named advantages, to be freed from the burden of the Diesel engine plus its transmission plus prop shaft etc. in her tail must have been a big relief for the boat, enhancing her sailing abilities, and adding some storage room . .

 

[Angélique]

-

A Yamaha T50 seems like the right engine for this boat.

When Quidnon is ready, why not test the T25 in severe adverse wind and current conditions with asitence nearby, maybe the performance will satisfy you as being enough for what you want / need . . . . :idea:

Here's a Dufour T7 for her outboard sledge in a well, just for info, the website is in Dutch, check the links at the left, click ‘‘de motor’’ to see the outboard sledge . .

Good luck !

 

[goodwilltoall]

Had many of the same thoughts re: transom OB' s but tend to forget so seeing it written really entrenches it in the mind.
I'll go over the design a lil more later, however some quick thoughts:

- An over abundance of lounging areas which would seem to be more useful used as work/washing/storage areas.
- Vaguely remember a 130 avs number which is comparatively good so would think the completely flat deck would really destroy that value. That is if its really a factor you are concerned about.
- Have you thought about rain water collection from large deck area. If so an aluminum coating would I think be detrimental to health.

Peace

 

[goodwilltoall]

Also surprised to read your views toward washing machine. Such a great invention and which you do have room for.

I guess re: storage, there would be plenty.

How do you secure copper to bottom? Like the idea of just tar but would that alone work? Penetrating hull sheathing with fasteners I think would be asking for trouble.

 

[NolensVolens]

- An over abundance of lounging areas which would seem to be more useful used as work/washing/storage areas.

- Vaguely remember a 130 avs number which is comparatively good so would think the completely flat deck would really destroy that value. That is if its really a factor you are concerned about.
- Have you thought about rain water collection from large deck area. If so an aluminum coating would I think be detrimental to health.

Peace

It is very hard to design the interior layout in a way that would be completely general and please people who are bringing up a family on board as well as those who want to throw dinner parties or operate a floating clinic. One idea is to make the settees fold away and the salon table removable. Also, most of the furnishings in this boat are structural and add rigidity to the hull, with every component doing double or triple-duty to save on cost.

Not sure what you mean by avs. The hull has 130º primary stability and isn't particularly stable when floating upside-down. Is that the number you are referring to? The deck is perfectly flat and surfaced with aluminum diamond plate so that people can throw dance parties on deck, use it to store stuff, put up tents for workshops, etc.

The rainwater collection system consists of a rectangular tarp of about 200 sq. ft. stretched between the two deck arches with a tap and a hose mounted in its center. 1 inch of rain = 600 gallons of water. The tarp doubles as an awning and does not interfere with motoring or sailing.

 

[NolensVolens]

Also surprised to read your views toward washing machine. Such a great invention and which you do have room for.

I guess re: storage, there would be plenty.

How do you secure copper to bottom? Like the idea of just tar but would that alone work? Penetrating hull sheathing with fasteners I think would be asking for trouble.

The good washers and driers are all commercial; consumer-grade stuff is short-lived and generally not worth the money. I expect most people will live at a marina, and have access to the marina laundry. At least that's been my experience. Otherwise, a periodic trip to a laundromat would generally suffice.

Yes, there is a tremendous amount of storage. Square hulls are very roomy inside, with big, square lockers. On deck, the lazarettes inside the cockpit seats are big, and many people will choose to add deck boxes, tucked in behind the bulwarks in the bow and the transom.

For securing copper to the bottom, we worked out a system where the copper sheets and the 1/2" outer layer of plywood are pre-drilled with a hole pattern. The holes in the plywood are filled with System 3 filleting compound, which can take a self-tapping screw. Then the sheets are attached using countersunk self-tapping screws.

 

[NolensVolens]

The sailing barge looks like a good effort, I'm envious of the shallow draft.

We've been living aboard full time for many years, in a much more benign climate, and have found our interior and layout needs are very different than your solution. Our boat is 50' x 14' with 7' draft, a traditional plank-on-sawn frame ketch with flush deck and great cabin aft.

We have no insulation except wood and air space, heat is from a household style woodstove midships, ducts and computer fans (running continuous) move heat fore and aft.

We have only 3 full time berths, as that's the number of people that sleep aboard every night. There's benches and floor space for overflow. We have a 3' square workbench/tool storage area at the foot of the main companionway that's vital, and another big toolbox on deck, plus a portable bench with vice.

Besides tool storage on deck we have a big battery box (500 AH at 12V), room for a 1/2 cord or so of firewood under cover. And two 250W solar panels that can be tilted up to 70 degrees port or starboard (we live at anchor).

Below we have shelves for 100's of books and magazines, dry lumber storage (for projects), a huge woodbox(firewood), and the aft cabin is office, work area, and drawing board for me.

The head is composting with vent running 24/7 and the cat box stays on deck. The most important thing for life below deck is big skylights, ports don't do it.

That seems like a reasonable living arrangement. The design for QUIDNON has lots of additional requirements, though:
• Ease of insulating for cold climate
• Lots of sleeping spaces for families with relatives and kids
• Marinas that forbid the use of solid fuel (like Constitution in Boston, which is a favorite overwintering spot for close to a hundred people)
• Shallow draft and easily removable ballast, so that the boat can be beached and used as a beach house
• A cheap, simple and forgiving rig for people who don't sail much
• Plywood structure for rapid DIY assembly covered in fiberglass for durability and to protect against boatworm in tropical waters.

 

[goodwilltoall]

What gauge copper would you use?

Copper is very acidic and epoxy alkaline. When cement (alkaline) and copper come together, copper always fails (maybe it's rapid electrolysis?) especially when wet, I have seen this often.

It appears that copper has a strong electrical field around it and not many things are able to be in contact with it, even a variety caulks thats why sometimes soldering copper roofs is only acceptable installation . Just saying.

Have you used that technique before?