Super simple, stackable boats for floating festival

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by geekeasy, Mar 23, 2012.

  1. geekeasy
    Joined: Mar 2012
    Posts: 2
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: California

    geekeasy New Member

    I'm looking at designing a craft for a floating festival. These boats would primarily be used to move between groups of houseboats and other boats.

    The design needs to meet the following criteria:

    1) People with little to no knowledge of construction can build it in less than a day (excluding painting)

    2) It can comfortably hold two people.

    3) The boats need to be stackable. For storage and transport, it's critical that these can stack such that they won't take up too much space.

    I was looking at this super-basic design for a one sheet boat:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY2YuO_BD1c&feature=related

    I was considering adjusting it, doubling it to make a two sheet boat, and sloping the side edges out such that the boats would stack.

    Unfortunately, sloping any of the edges will make the build process quite a bit more complex for novice builders. But we may have to live with that.

    Does anyone have any feedback on this design? Does anyone have any other designs you'd suggest?

    Thanks!
     
  2. DCockey
    Joined: Oct 2009
    Posts: 5,229
    Likes: 634, Points: 113, Legacy Rep: 1485
    Location: Midcoast Maine

    DCockey Senior Member

    How large will the heaviest pair of users be?

    Will the users all be experienced in small boats?

    Size constraints?

    Do they need to look like somebody's idea of a "boat"?
     
  3. nimblemotors
    Joined: Jun 2009
    Posts: 244
    Likes: 3, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 4
    Location: Sacramento

    nimblemotors Senior Member

    http://www.rebelcat.com/

    no sail use paddles, how stackable is stackable?
    You can't beat inflatables for off-water storage.
    A couple air mattresses instead of PVC pipe, just rope them around the plywood sheet.
    pool noodle boats are quite cool.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqIOeFRpuA4&feature=related


    Are you making the building of it part of the charm of the event?
    Can one get wet on it?

    How about some zip lines between boats? :)
     
  4. Jeremy Harris
    Joined: Jun 2009
    Posts: 978
    Likes: 60, Points: 28, Legacy Rep: 711
    Location: Salisbury, UK

    Jeremy Harris Senior Member

    Dory's are stackable and dead simple to build. They look like a "proper" boat, too.

    Persuade a sponsor to get the ply parts CNC cut (not expensive) and then just stitch and glue the boats. This would make the build a doddle, easily less than a day, with little in the way of skill needed by the builders, just a bucket load of zip ties, some epoxy and some glass tape.
     
  5. geekeasy
    Joined: Mar 2012
    Posts: 2
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: California

    geekeasy New Member

    Dory may be the way to go

    Jeremy, thanks. A dory might be exactly what I'm looking for. The first photo on the wikipedia page shows a bunch of them stacked.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dory

    I'm looking through design plans now.
     
  6. Petros
    Joined: Oct 2007
    Posts: 2,934
    Likes: 148, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 1593
    Location: Arlington, WA-USA

    Petros Senior Member

    You might also consider a simple pram or scow design, less severe angles and simple to build.
     
  7. hoytedow
    Joined: Sep 2009
    Posts: 5,857
    Likes: 400, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 2489
    Location: Control Group

    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    Make enlarged mortar tubs. They are stackable and have all straight edges, nothing fancy but they float well.
     
  8. hoytedow
    Joined: Sep 2009
    Posts: 5,857
    Likes: 400, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 2489
    Location: Control Group

    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

  9. Petros
    Joined: Oct 2007
    Posts: 2,934
    Likes: 148, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 1593
    Location: Arlington, WA-USA

    Petros Senior Member


  10. Submarine Tom

    Submarine Tom Previous Member

    Geekeasy,

    Any used little life boats kicking around your neck of the woods?

    -Tom
     
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.