Addicted To My Motorcycle, it has to go!

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Wavewacker, Aug 21, 2010.

  1. Wavewacker
    Joined: Aug 2010
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    Wavewacker Senior Member

    Thanks much, I will look into that and yes 8' beam is fine, the only reason I was thinking smaller was for efficiency, but guess that's really not an issue in itself as a practicle matter.
     
  2. Wavewacker
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    Wavewacker Senior Member

    LOL, he has it made, except for the bike.....I thought of getting a side car frame and take my kayak. That might work with my Transalp, but I was thinking of doing that with my 1600 Vulcan. In two weeks, I have a little camping tour to do, less than a thousand miles...should be fun.

    Don't know if I ever mentioned this, I originally thought of a catamaran inflatable, like 20' 18" or 20" tubes (max) straped to a tubular frame. The tubes would be deflated and rolled up. The frame would fold down and make a trailer, attach the wheels and tounge. Put the tubes and a small outboard and gas can on the trailer, hook up to the bike and take off. You could run rivers and never need anyone to chase you to a pick up point! Gave up on that due to weight, but if the tubes could be smaller and carry about 1500 pounds that could be an option....I have mentioned this to several off road bikers and they were interested, as in commercially interested, if a handy little craft could be had.

    My preference is a larger, camp aboard described above, but plans change!
     
  3. 3dig
    Joined: May 2004
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    3dig Junior Member

    I am confident one of our 24'-26' shallow draft aluminum cats would satisfy your offloading and outfitting requirements. Every boat on our shop floor is custom!.
    Dont hesitate to call for more information. DL1000 owner.
    www.munsonboats.com
     
  4. seamac
    Joined: Oct 2010
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    seamac Junior Member

    Wavemaker,
    Simple is best ( short of an LCP ). Rent a bike when you get there-or-rent a boat for the few times you'll use it ( leaving bike on your dock ).
    MM
     
  5. Wavewacker
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    Wavewacker Senior Member

    Well, hi again...

    Bump...it goes with the car in a box boat thread in the Design forum....but as you see, we didn't get far about a catamaran as a bike hauler under 60 some feet!

    So, no, let me ask again about a cat with a small outboard, 10 to 25 hp, that has a livable cabin. The bike can be lifted by a small crane or a ramp, could use both.

    As to loading to docks, not necessary since the cat usually has a shallow draft and could pull along shore, the bike could be set in a foot of water, it will run through it. Boat ramps are another possibility.

    As to renting a bike, there is no bike rental south of St. Louis along the Mississippi...probably until you get to New Orleans, 300+ miles without a fuel stop.
     
  6. Squidly-Diddly
    Joined: Sep 2007
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    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

    Very interesting rig, WickedGood.

    I'm I to assume the sidecar detaches to be two person inline mini boat?

    With a little re-design I could see the trailer being a floating barge(maybe torsion bar suspension that can also rotate the wheels up clear of water) and the bike(minus boat) loaded into the camper(Japanese home style transforming interior space) and then the little boat pulling the barge/camper!

    Thus you could be a 'transforming amphib' and go from land, to water, to other land, to other water, etc without leaving anything behind.

    Click my gallery for my trailer-able modular cat, that should be able to also load and haul a large tow vehicle like large pickup or van, for similar capability.
     
  7. Wavewacker
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    Wavewacker Senior Member

    Hmmm? Where did the side car and floating a truck come from? There is another thread about turning a bike into a jet shi thingy and another about putting a car on abox boat....that's not me, thanks.

    Just for some background to get on track.

    The Great Loop is the goal, not crossing the Atlantic. In the event someone is not familiar with the Graet Loop, it consists of the inland riverways, inclusing the Mississippi down to the Gulf, around Florida and up the ICW.

    It is not as cool as sailing off into the sunset on a circumnavigation seeing the world from the water, but it is about the same milage. Everywhere you go people speak english, you can get medical care, you can vist all kinds of attractions and enjoy sunsets on the water. So while circumnavigations are not for everyone, the Great Loop is a safe adventure and it can be done for alot less money too.

    Now, most who do the Great Loop use Trawlers, some sailboats and some have converted sailboats to motor only, it's an economical way to get and stay on the water. The boat draft for such a trip can be no more 5". Before someone says the did it with a 6' draft, for my boat, it will not be more than five and actually, more like three feet.

    Because you have to go under a fixed bridge to accomplish this trip, mast height over water can not exceed 19' or it must be taken down. Since I don't like working hard by myself, if there were a sail, it would either be easily removed, lowered or there will be not mast, strickly motoring.

    It has to be livable for at least 6 months, probably a year because I'm in no hurry.

    There is a section of the lower Mississippi that is a little more than 400 miles without any fuel being available, so with a reserve, range should be 500 miles.

    Now, for a little bit of the motorcycle crap;

    The Blue Ridge Mountains are great to tour through by motorcycle, just a few days, there are areas on New England that are great for sight seeing as well as across the south. I'd also like to ride over to some areas that I was stationed while in the army, through LA, AL, SC, and GA. So, this is some significant touring.

    Yes, in some places I could rent a motorcycle, bikes generally rent for more than cars, since I own a bike that is made to tour on and off road. I could also rent a car, but it would not be the same thing at all.

    Don't know how many bike rentals there are along the Teen Tom, The Ohio, The ICW or Mississippi, but I can tell you not many and there is nothing on that lower end on the Ole' Muddy, where I would be taking off throgh LA and AR along the Buffalo River.

    So, all the off shot suggestions of doing something else is pretty much wasting your time punching your keyboard, thanks anyway.

    Asking for suggestions for a boat that would carry 325 pounds of bike secured on deck or below is not asking for the impossibile.

    Someone just asked about putting a car on a box boat and sailing to Europe and got a couple pages of reasonable posts with serious posts for pete's sake. I ask for something more sensible and you can read what I get. :(

    Richard Wood has been very good about discussing the issue and his Skoota 28 seems be be doable, if I can build one. What I was asking was what boat could accomodate the bike, not if it was a good idea, not if it would work or for any alternative.

    Thanks, if you know of a good cruising boat that can haul 325 pounds bolted down and meets the SOR.
     
  8. Wavewacker
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    Wavewacker Senior Member

    My fault, I didn't say anything about a budget.

    Kinda implied that if I would spending 200K I wouldn'y be asking as most any trawler in that price range comes close. I like your boats, but I'm not going to sell one of my houses to buy a boat, since they make money. So, the budget is cheap, under 10K, less is better since it will need some work to rig the bike stuff, lifts, ramps, bracing, etc. You have some great boats, but I bet you would want more that what I'm putting out for this....there is the part of touring expenses as well, so the less I spend initially, the more in my pocket. Thanks.
     
  9. Richard Woods
    Joined: Jun 2006
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    Richard Woods Woods Designs

    There are several threads here all talking about much the same thing, and with contributions by many of the same people.

    I had been ignoring this thread because I thought you meant "I need to get rid of my bike" not "The bike must come as well"

    For what its worth.

    I just bought all the plywood (best quality BS1088) and lumber for my Skoota 28 powercat for USD5500 from Edensaw wood. The glue, glass and fastenings came to USD1000 from Duckworks. (2000 stainless screws were USD90 BTW)

    I'm still trying to decide about engines.I'm looking at twin 20hps or twin 25hp. Yamaha, E-tec or maybe the new Suzuki are at the top of the list right now

    But looks like the total on the water cruising the Great Loop ready will be around USD15000 ex labour. And we hope that will be around 1500 hours.

    Richard Woods of Woods Designs

    www.sailingcatamarans.com
     
  10. Wavewacker
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    Wavewacker Senior Member

    Thanks again Richard, but ywere you saying $55,000 for wood...that can't be right.....

    What about exterior plywood, taped seams and paint? 1500 hours, that would be on the high side for me (which means ad 25% for inexperience, lol) or about a year and a half two years. I think I could buzz through a cabin, it's the hulls that would slow me down. And, incorporating some extra along the beams at the stern and behind the cabin to mount a boom sufficient to pick up heavier loads.

    BTW, what I am thinking as far as a bike rack is a custom built rack in a H so that the weight is supported by a rack where the tires fit in the center in the cross hash of the H and at eithe end of the H (top or bottom of the letter) would be an A frame that clould fold over and have a boom attached to a bottom plate, the A frame for additional support of the vertical post of the boom. A hand winch or small battery bumper winch would take care of lifting and lowering. The tires would be in a channel and bolts with a protective plate would bolt the wheels down. Lines would be attached to the seat and bars, or a rod could be attached at the top side of the bike to keep it steady, I'm sure it would not move.

    I would not just sit a bike on a deck as all the weight would be pressing down on the deck in just a few square inches and the bouncing and slamming would probably be too much for most small boat decks.

    I was also hoping for a single outboard, placed further back between the hulls, I think you have tried that...I'm sure twins would be much better. While I like Mercury I have heard alot of praise for the Yamaha and Honda too.
     
  11. Richard Woods
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    Richard Woods Woods Designs

    You're right, sorry USD5500 is better (I corrected my post)

    I was sailing my 28ft Gypsy catamaran in 1100 hours, but it needed more hours to finish it. So I am hoping 1500 hours is a high end estimate as the Gypsy is a similar boat to the Skoota 28

    A single engine will work and will be cheaper and lighter than two engines. But unlike most motorboaters I don't like the idea of relying on only one engine. So I'd have to carry a kicker, which adds to weight and cost. Just about cancels out any cost saving

    Twin engines are so maneuverable, you can literally turn on the spot, not in your own length and that has appeal

    Remember it's only money..... better to spend the money on a boat that outlasts you, so you don't need to haul it to paint it regularly. And by using the lightest woods you save fuel, or can use a smaller engine. So hull material cost is not the whole story

    If you want to have a "man to man" discussion on your specific requirements its better to do it via email rather than in a public forum (which for one thing is probably boring for everyone else)

    Richard Woods of Woods Designs

    www.sailingcatamarans.com
     
  12. Wavewacker
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    Wavewacker Senior Member

    Thanks, agreed as to specifics.

    I have been stranded with one engine, the fuel pump went out, the diaphram was toast. Luckily I used a sandwich bag and aluminum foil and fabricated one inside the mechanical pump and got back.
     
  13. Richard Woods
    Joined: Jun 2006
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    Richard Woods Woods Designs

    Just how big is your motorbike when broken down? The "deck hold" on the Skoota 28 has a max space of 6ft long, 4ft6in high and 2ft wide. (I'm working on the deck drawings right now and needed a break)

    You could easily get it up the transom steps and into the hold if you had a single central outboard. Seems like your bike weighs the same as a Yamaha 75hp 4 st so isn't excessive or even hard to manhandle with a small crane/purchase

    Richard Woods of Woods Designs

    www.sailingcatamarans.com
     
  14. cor
    Joined: May 2008
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    cor Senior Member

    What kind of accomodations do you want on your boat?

    My wife and I did 1200 miles of the Mississippi in about 30 days on an old aluiminum pontoon boat. We took a tent with us and camped out on sandy beaches most nights. When we were in more populated areas we used campgrounds or hotels. It was a great trip, I'd love to do it again.

    It seemed like every town along the way had a public boat ramp. Just get a big plank to use as a ramp and drive the bike up on deck.

    This would be a cheap, simple way to take the trip. A good condition used pontoon boat can be found for a couple thousand dollars.

    C.O.
    http://whatsintheshop.blogspot.com/
     

  15. cavalier mk2
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    cavalier mk2 Senior Member

    Those Eden Saw people are pirates. I'd love to see those folks in PT get more options. Check out Crosscut in Seattle - they are nicer people too. I have had some hilarious experiences with Eden Saw however that made it almost worth while. When I first went into the big East side warehouse (not even sure it's still there) and saw all the huge exotic wood planks going to the rafters I asked if they'd missed any of the rainforests on the planet. The worker I was with smiled and scratched and said, "Nope, we got em all."
     
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