Sitting Here Watching It Rain - Had A Stupid Idea

I keep coming back to the idea of building a boat like a Philip Thiel Escargot for use on inland rivers. I like the idea of it's roomy accommodations and its simple construction, and the possibility of using it as a camper on its trailer. But then I kind of get tripped up on the lack of side decks for hanging fenders, no room for cleats for tying up to docks, passing along the side without tunneling through the cabin or climbing on top, etc.

So, I was sitting here Googling through a bunch of home built boat pics, and this (maybe stupid) idea came to me to build removable narrow extensions to the hull about 18 - 24 inches wide, sort of like the torpedo blisters on old battleships. Think of a sort of trimaran, but with no space between the hulls. Could be of light construction - maybe foam with a fiberglass skin. Possibly hollow and free-flooding. Maybe made in multiple sections lengthwise for ease of handling. Maybe attach at the chine and sheer with brackets.

Haven't been cooking this up for more than about 15 minutes or so, but what do you-all think?

 

What happens when you hit something?

 

Why not just use foam filled tubes, like a Safeboat

 

I like the idea, but you have to plan failure mode.

 

It looks like you are looking for retractable side-decks. You could arrange them so they fold upwards when not needed or when trailering. They could have fold-out props under them. Or, if you want to be really cheap, the outer edges could be held up with stays, but then you would have to remember to step over them.

 

If you need more beam, build an asymmetrical hull with only a side deck and an extension that is flush with the deck.

 

I was thinking about that, but hadn't worked out the problem of tying up to a floating dock, and the pounding that would take place every time either a Cigarette Boat came blasting by, or the bow wave from one of those river push boats and it's fleet of barges that's about the footprint of an Essex Class aircraft carrier went past. Probably the best idea would be to build the Escargot pretty much as designed, and just plan on the up-and-over-the-top method for line handling.