Small Tug and Barge (Houseboat)

Those are very good points. Maybe it's "machismo"

 

I am well experienced at navigating Barnegat Bay, the Manasquan River Inlet and the Barnegat Inlet.

These waters had numerous shoals, large open areas and many small bays and estuaries.

Most of my experience was in small fishing/ski boats, with some experience in 10m sized cruisers.

Your houseboat sounds very similar to the design that I am looking at.

My idea is to move the houseboat in fair weather, and leaving it anchored in protected waters.

I would enjoy my cruising in the other-more capable vessel.

 

I'd like to see this scow idea, do you have any pics?

Thanks

Greyhat

 

Hose boat and tug usage

Generally, those that live on unpowered houseboats tend to stay in the same area for prolonged periods. If the area is somewhat remote, another boat is needed for reprovisioning as well as exploring local waters and fishing. In that the powered vessel would also be used to relocate the houseboat, a small general purpose tug would be suitable. If built along commercial lines, it could also be used for towing other vessels and generate income.

 

House boat and tug usage

Generally, those that live on unpowered houseboats tend to stay in the same area for prolonged periods. If the area is somewhat remote, another boat is needed for reprovisioning as well as exploring local waaters and fishing. In that the powered vessel would also be used to relocate the houseboat, a small general purpose tug would be suitable. If built along commercial lines, it could also be used for towing other vessels and generate income.

 

Now we're talking! You understand my intent perfectly. In my retirement "world", I am not pushed by a "vacation" schedule. I would anchor my houseboat for longer periods of time and really see the area. Generating income is a spectacular idea.

Tugboat rides, commercial work, dinner cruises.... who knows?

 

Here's a tug, Judge Hooker:



here's a deck barge, Giant:



here's a "real" tug, one of the prettiest around, Henry Johnson James:



and here's an accomodation barge, can be scaled to any size, Retreat:



That should keep you awake for a few nights.

Here's the index to the designs:

http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/index.html

Regards,

Grizz

 

My idea is to move the houseboat in fair weather, and leaving it anchored in protected waters.

I would enjoy my cruising in the other-more capable vessel.
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Why build when you can buy?

A smaller travel trailer is COMPLETE and I have seen many older Airstreams for $1000 or so.

Build a barge to plop on a trailer , If you find a better trailer , swap.

The biggest hassle would be the rig would be hard to control in narrow waters like a canal, so watch the weather on seasonal moves.

Since the "tug" would only require high thrust at limited times a second prop for better speed could normally be used for exploring.

FF

 

Trailers on barges

Fred, Even with a nice Airstream on a barge, you still need sewerage and generator power/fuel supply plus fresh water tankage somewhere in/on the barge plus inspection and access hatches. We've seen some interesting trailer-on barge setups along the waterways in the US. Think I'd opt for a purpose built boat first though, especially if it's going to be for living on during retirement years.

 

Camp Trailer On Barge

I thought all of you might want to take a look at this builders line of boats...........not cheap, but the 35-40 footers with built on cabins, carrying jeeps, ATV's or motorcycles, and used to fish/hunt Alaska................go the next step, and redesign like the original landing craft, for slow speeds and small, economical power.

http://www.billmunsonboats.com/

Many of you are extremely capable thinkers and my question is this: would a fairly slender scow type hull be more economical to operate at slow speeds with a (looking at the hull's side) constant arc bottom from front to back, like some of Phil Bolgers designs, or a conventional run, like present day LCM-8's or working sharpies from the turn of the last century, with the deepest draft aft of center?

 

Good input RiverRat

I noticed on Yachtworld.com, commercial vessels, that there is a fiberglass LCM-6 up north for a fairly low price that would make an ideal conversion. The engine has been taken out so she isn't coming with a lot of broken down baggage. There are probably severl small barges and landing craft around if one looks for them; however, a good survey will be needed for any older generation steel hulls.

 

Tom Macnaughton has designed 3 small tugs ( 18, 22 or 30 foot) and 2 live aboard barges of 25 and 32 foot. These sound like they may work for you.
There are probably better ways to do what you want but, very few would be as cool.

 

You Will All Like This...

Hello....

See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RaFApVP0zU - you have to watch the whole thing...

I once and awhile get to thinking about house boats - named MISS STRESS - for obvious reasons...

See http://www.boatdesign.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/8632/ppuser/3673 ...

Also http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgu...=benford+coasters&as_st=y&hl=en&safe=off&sa=G ...

Lastly see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEyepQDWvk8 - FBC is no longer building - apparently - so Benford can offer up the plans again...

Cheers...

SH.

 

Another idea

I travled extensily all over Florida's ICW and Okeeechobee Canals in a 24ft houseboat, which was self propelled by a 15hp long shaft Evinrude. I always towed 1 or 2 boats with me to "play" with once we arrived somewhere. Usually a 16ft fishing boat and a electric canoe were towed at the same time. I found this worked well, and the whole setup still would make 4 knots in most conditions. The fuel economy was good, I could cross the state on 15-20 gallons of gas. I found this to be much easier than trying to tow the houseboat, especially in rough conditions. It does not take alot of power to move a scow type hull, just alot of readily available thrust in the right direction, to control it. A pair of 9.9 Yamaha high thrust's would be fine for anything up to 40 ft or so. I always used the same motor on the fishing boat, and the houseboat, so I only had to sock one set of spare parts for both. Also, you could swap engines in the event of a major failure. I towed my houseboat a couple of times, and found it to be much more difficult to handle then using its own proplusion. Also, I could have a faster tender than you would require if it also had to double as a towboat. A good well designed houseboat is a great thing, especially when designed to suit your lifestyle and location. We spent over 10 years poking around Florida in ours, and would not have changed a thing on the boat. Simple, cheap and fun, thats what it is all about!

 

Great idea, I've been thinking along the same lines. My situation is a bit different, though. I've got a 10 X 28' aluminum pilothouse style powercat of a New Zealand design. It occurs to me that I've got this fully found boat, ready to go with new engines, being a NZ design it has very full bows, high foredeck, very capable. It seems it would be real easy to use this for an articulated barge setup. Since I built the boat myself I can do whatever fab and mods as necessary.

I'm thinking a small push barge with elevated wheelhouse would be the way to go. I'd most likely build a steel or alum hull and deck with plywood construction above. Would need to rig remotes for the controls but see many options for this ranging from buying electronic controls to building them to extending cables and hydraulic lines. A remote for autopilot might play into there also.

My Honda 150's idle at less than .5 gal/hour, pushing the boat at 5-6 knots. Would most likely reprop to the lowest pitch props available, possibly with nozzles. Up front in the barge I'd have a well with the biggest MacDaddy of a trolling motor I can find in it mounted on a jack plate, controls to wheelhouse. Bow thruster.

I've had the pleasure of cruising on a much larger, luxurious setup. The RV River Explorer, a 600' two section barge pushed by a 1200 hp towboat navigates the inland waterways of east and southern US. I spent two weeks on it from New Orleans to Port Isabel and brothers, let me tell you life is good on the barge. Fantastic photo platform for wildlife photog. On this rig the tow boat is slaved to barge mounted wheelhouse also.

I'd appreciate your thoughts, Chuck