Addicted To My Motorcycle, it has to go!

COR, a pontoon would do it, like the party hut, but a pontoon won't make it, at least safely enough, in the gulf or in areas of the ICW. The Great Lakes may also be an issue, while you can always wait for great weather and calms, sometimes you need to move on. I thought of a 28 footer, but it would still be scary loaded.

The Mississippi is a big float trip most of the time, so are most of the other rivers, but you need a bow to take the waves and pontoons are usually not attached to take big water.

Most tubes are not that efficient, and a PT usually takes a larger motor to get it to a respectable speed for what it is. I won't be skiing, but to get away from some currents I'd want at least a 50 hp, where a cat hull will move well with half that.

We want a small galley, rather have a fridge which means a gen set, a queen bed, enclosed head and standup shower with a couple seats in a dinette, it will take about 12/13 X 8' to squeeze that in. More room would be nicer.

A mono would be about 28/32 feet to cathch all that but having a flat area or strong enough stern area to build on is hard to find...unless someone has any ideas.

Thanks for your comment, I know people do the rivers on such boats and you can have a great time on a pontoon.

 

Richard, I doubt if the hulls are fat enough. 4' high, 8' long and about 28" wide with the fairing except the bars are about 32". Guess I could take the bars off each time and hang them along side the bike.

I guess I could take it apart, rather not, that might get it down to 6 feet long.

There are small moped types, but they won't do highway speeds to explore anywhere, but having the capability to go get groceries might interest others.
Thanks again...

 

wavewacker

That's bigger than I was expecting, I'm used to European bikes

Having said that, I still think the Skoota 28 might suit you, so I attach a basic, rough pdf

I'm still working on the final drawings and when those are finished I will redraw the study plan, but for now this is close enough.

The cabin, cockpit, anchor lockers and each hull are all separate components. And as with my Skoota 20 there are no curves so it's easy to build. And the modules mean you could have hulls made professionally and just make the cabin yourself

Cavalier

I'm new to the area, I guess you are talking about the Edensaw Seattle branch. The PT guys seem friendly. They did give an over the top quote first off, but agreed to match the lowest price I could get elsewhere in the US

And it's very hard not to buy local, as you know. Edensaw is only a mile from me as I write this.

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com

 

I thought as much Richard but the PT guys did send me a load of the wrong wood once. Crosscut Hardwoods is the name of the company I was thinking of but if without a truck to fetch sometimes the lumber yard at hand is the best place. I'm thinking they would be extra careful with you. I hope you're enjoying your stay, the PT area is fun.

 

Wavewacker, maybe you should talk Richard into the optional scow version. I used to ride bikes, even worked salvaging them for awhile, but for a boat always thought the enduro approach would be easier to haul and cover more terrain when cruising. I like the on or off road possibilities. There are some interesting electric versions now that open other possibilities.

 

Edensaw don't know who I am, to them I'm just another guy off the street with a funny accent

I have a friend who bought a Chinese 125 bike in Equador for USD500 and rode it with his girlfriend as pillion down to southern Chile and back

and yes, we really like PT, especially the last couple of days!

Richard Woods

 

Ha, I think you might be underestimating the PT boat builder grapevine I needed a reminder to always check the wood for myself anyway. Glad you are having fun!

 

I'm looking forward to seeing just what happens with this idea. I'm a bike guy too, but mostly doing offroad stuff though my bike is a street legal enduro, WR250F. I say just take that bike of yours and do your road trip and go see everything that way, then for the great loop have a much smaller two wheeled vehicle to get you around. I too have plans on doing the great loop but will have a bicycle to get around with to shop for supplies and such. Last year a few of did the Longest Beach Ride in the USA (and maybe the world?). Link

 

Whats wrong with laying the bike down on the tramp?

A few extra tarps to keep water splashing from below, and catch any oil/fuel leaks(mostly to show Water Quality type inspectors) and traps over it to keep the fore-sail and lines from snagging(and keep any rain off AND keep it out of sight).

A few extra planks, customized to allow for on-off loading from dock or beached.

A pulley system for safe and sane lowering and raising from laid down to upright.

Few beefed up scantings here and there.

Sure, it is gonna be pushing an extra 400lbs somewhat close to the bow for the cruise, but then the rest of the boat construction is "a go" and boat won't be some Frankenstein thing that isn't worth anything.

And you would a "Cargo Cat" for other adventures and have scantings for overloading the front tramp.

 

yeah, I kinda like that idea ...... I like the cat idea ..... but then I always do.
but keep the bike upright and the floor drops down and you can ride the bike out from under the boat. It would have to be a boat ramp, beach, shore type landing but there's plenty of that around. A dp bike would give you better offroad abilities.

 

Bicycles are what we take cruising. I like the skoota study plans for a powercat, it has definite appeal. The scow isn't a bad idea for an exterior ply load carrier though the power requirements start to increase. For the traditional approach a nicer looking one was the gulf coast scow sloop out of Chappelle's American Small Sailing Craft. Flat bottomed amidship it has a v pram forward section and stern and looks like a large gaff sloop el toro with a couple cabins on. They were seaworthy, inexpensive, good load carriers and look much better than a barge. 29' 4.5" L with 10' B with the rocker forward lifting the bow transome well above the water. This would make beach or launch ramp unloading easy.

 

dang, I know i got just the pic around here somewhere ...... but basically what you want is a ferry boat! something like a Higgens Boat with a fold down bow but this was already mentioned, but I got a pic of just the thing , somewhere.
anyway, attached is a ferry boat, just scale it down, a lot!

 

this is getting closer, but tooo scaled down

 

ok, i got the term I was looking for "Landing Craft" and goggled it.
http://www.aluminumlandingcraft.com/
Now scale this up a bit ......

 

http://www.specmar.com/products1.html