Beginning

Recently I was planning on buying a dinghy for fishing and attempting to build a camper trailer for camping. As the boat I was planning on buying was sold and every option for building a camper trailer seems either too intricate or too expensive, I thought I might look into combining them and building an overnighter boat.

I had a look on a few websites, looked into buying plans etc. but I don't see the point in paying a few thousand dollars to build a boat to somebody else's plan, when you could buy a boat to somebody else's plan for the same cost.

Basically I'm looking for the cheapest method, without too many tricky things, such as fiberglassing. I'd have absolutely no idea what to do with fiberglass.

I decided the easiest way would be to make a pontoon boat. Some kind of flotation method, military drop tanks, metal drums, pvc pipe etc. with a flat base, enclosed to make it a cabin to sleep in, another flat slab with a deck on top. That seems like the easiest and cheapest way for me to do what I want.

The boat will only be used on the river, so it wont be battered around or anything and wont need to go very fast. It wouldn't be any larger than 16' and would be powered by outboard.

Does it seem like a good plan from my vague description, or is there something very wrong with it? (I'm extremely new to this).

Any help or links to people that have done similar would be greatly appreciated.

 

A year or so ago was a trailerable houseboat on boat design. I will try to find it.

 

Check this one out; a 28' trailerable by PAR.

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/boat-building/building-houseboat-21773-2.html

There are others to be found here but this one is a beauty.

 

There is a smaller one that I liked a lot and I will keep looking for it, too.

 

Also check these out.

https://www.boatdesigns.com/Houseboats/departments/7/

 

It's a little larger than you are after at 23 feet, but you could always look at buying a Camper Craft and doing it up a bit...
The one in the link isn't mine, but I happen to have one the same sitting in my back yard that hasn't been out for a couple of years...

http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=10939852

 

Thanks for all the help. I've had a look around and can't decide between two methods.

Either build this, then build a cabin on top:

https://www.boatdesigns.com/12-28-Huck-Finn-trailerable-pontoons/products/169/

Or just build this:

http://www.bateau.com/proddetail.php?prod=HB16&cat=16

I've emailed Bateau asking if they can send me the bill of materials so I can get price estimates. Which method do you think would be the easiest/cheapest?

 

So does anyone know which method would be the best for me to do?

 

Really only you can make that decision, but since you asked, I'll tender my own mostly worthless opinion.

I vote for the Huck Finn.You are building two simple hulls and a connecting deck/platform. You can leave it at that and set up a tent for starters and build a cabin at leisure.

The Bateau boats have a more intricate interior to build and the hull isn't any easier than the HF.

Now I realize more experienced wood workers / boat builders can disagree with the more intricate interior comment, but for low skilled/ low experience builders, i think my comment is accurate.

 

The tent is good because not only can it be struck(lowered) to ease travelling, it makes the craft lighter with a lower center of gravity.

 

I bought the plans for the 28ft Bateau houseboat.

I think the Huck Finn would be far less versatile - wouldnt handle as much of a chop, nor perform as well as the Bateau under power ( I note the 12' pontoon boats doesnt have a recommended outboard size, ) as they are supposed to use a centrally mounted ( midships) motor. The removable sun shades are a pain in any kind of wind, and wont stop a bitter sea breeze, that you could get away form in the little Bateau cabin.

Also, a pontoon boat is twice the trouble to build - two hulls that have to match. The plywood Bateau would be an easier project.

Height is rarely a problem, but width is - they are both 8' wide ( just inside legal limits)

 

Pontoon boats are basically docks with the ability to be occasionally relocated IMHO. People who own them don't seem to use them a lot. Slow, heavy on gas and difficult to manoeuver in close quarters with the turning circle of a small freighter. I rented one for a day, never again; it was like banging my head against a wall -felt so good when it stopped. A pontoon boat is high in the water, will catch every wave and breeze and really makes sure you appreciate Nature's bad side! Also they can hit amazingly high bridges.

I built one of Par's boats and he was most helpful.

 

Which of PAR's boats did you build?

edit: 'helpful' is good. While I probably have enough general construction experience and plan reading skills to grimly slog through just about any project without help if need be, it's nice to know PAR gives his designs some support.

 

I built my mini pontoon out of aluminum, before I started the build my concerns for purpose where, light weight ( it weighs 300 lbs completed) minimal displacement, ( it displaces 4" of water withe me my wife and daughter aboard) and self contained land transport device ( it has retractable trailer wheels and hitch) the wheels retract with the flip of a switch, the hitch retracts completely out of the way up under the deck