Houseboat

Discussion in 'Metal Boat Building' started by MISSBOATBUILDER, Jun 4, 2013.

  1. MISSBOATBUILDER
    Joined: Jun 2013
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    Location: TORONTO ONTARIO

    MISSBOATBUILDER Junior Member

    Hello

    I am new to this forum. I am starting an ambitious project with my sister in law. We are in the early process of planning and building a houseboat. One that we can trailer. The size is 8.5 x 32 feet. It needs to be light weight, under 8500 pounds and it requires a galley with a full sized fridge, generator, flybridge, head with separate stand up shower and can sleep 4 adults or 2 adults and 3 children and of course a slide for the children! We agreed to pontoon houseboat. The pontoon custom manufacturer we choose are made in Canada and coast guard approved on both sides of the border. The cost is 2 percent of our budget. My question is we need a naval boat designer who will design the boat for us - who can comply with Canadian marine standards and bylaws. The house boat will have a single engine outboard. We cant find any house boat designs we like or will suit our needs on line. Can someone recommend a naval boat designer.
     
  2. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Welcome to the forum.

    You're better off just working from a set of "stock" plans, instead of a custom design, from a cost point of view. Glen-L has several houseboat designs, though typically these have you make the pontoons as well. Certainly, you could modify the plans (or have them modified) to accept the manufactured tubes. Lastly, reconsider your length requirement on a 8' 6" pontoon boat. A typical houseboat of that length, will be generally be considerably wider (30% plus). This isn't to say you couldn't do it, but it would require a custom design, to insure conformity and stability, particularly in a pontoon design, which isn't cheap.
     
  3. MISSBOATBUILDER
    Joined: Jun 2013
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    MISSBOATBUILDER Junior Member

    Modifications to standard

    please see below
     
  4. MISSBOATBUILDER
    Joined: Jun 2013
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    MISSBOATBUILDER Junior Member

    Modification of stock plans

    I found stock plans that suit my needs and the proper dimensions, I need them modified for the prefab pontoons. What do your recommendation? I tried calling some naval/boat designers but the only do commercial applications. I am stuck, as safety is my first issue and I don't to have any issues with weight displacement. I also want to change the layout to incorporate a full stand up shower.
     
  5. MISSBOATBUILDER
    Joined: Jun 2013
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    Location: TORONTO ONTARIO

    MISSBOATBUILDER Junior Member

    Kitchen Cabinets

    Hi I also have a question on galley cabinets. What would be the lightest material I can use to make them? I have the drawings and dimensions but I don't know what material should be used to construct them.
     
  6. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
    Posts: 19,126
    Likes: 498, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3967
    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    I'd recommend you try to contact one of the schools, that offer correspondence yacht design courses and see if one of their students will take on your project. Maybe an NA program with a starving undergrad. Most NA's and designers don't like to take on projects like this, as they're taking on liability, partly based on someone else's work.

    As to changes to the design, these are best discussed with the actual designer. Material choices should be covered in the plans, if not again a call to the designer is appropriate.
     
  7. yipster
    Joined: Oct 2002
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    Location: netherlands

    yipster designer


  8. MISSBOATBUILDER
    Joined: Jun 2013
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    Location: TORONTO ONTARIO

    MISSBOATBUILDER Junior Member

    Thank you Par for the information. I will take that approach and see what I come up with.
     
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