Houseboat plans

Hi
I want to build something like Harbor Master Coastal Cruiser, boat I will be living on for the rest of my life. Closest plan is Glen-L "Bon Voyage 45" and i thought, that will serve the purpose with some changes to be made above hull.
Unfortunately, first look at the plans I purchased, are telling me this is mission impossible.
I found out that I have to ask someone to make me custom plans.
Question is, which designers are reliable, proven, and are willing to make such plans at affordable price.
Thank you, George

 

If you are planning on living on it for the rest of your life, it makes no sense to skimp on design cost. Remember, you will have to live with your decision for the rest of your life.

 

In order to focus the problem you have, trying to make you get better answers, let me ask you a question. Do you need:
a.- someone to help you understand the plans that you have purchased and, if necessary, complete this information with some additional detail?.
or
b.- someone to do for you some new plans tailored to your skills,your building system, the tools available to you?.

 

Welcome to the forum.

Will this do?



She's 50' (15.2 m) on deck and 16' (4.9 m) in beam. She's not light, nor easy to build, nor an inexpensive project to undertake. All completed have been professional built. This type of project is simply not something that hasn't built a boat before can do by themselves. This said, she has lots of room, good storage and twin engines.

 

What I need is a designer who can make me plans to build this. But, with displacement hull that doesn't need much power to reach hull speed.

 

Have you considered looking for a used boat and squirreling away the difference for gas money?

 

Many yards have stock plans for hulls. Since they already have patterns, etc. the cost can be relatively low. Do you need to build it next to where you live, or can you go to where labor is cheap?

 

I have a question about "doing both": since taxes are paid on the first commercial sale of boat if you buy one basically mechanically complete and do the expensive interior and final fitting out out locally (not necessarily yourself, you could say you were supporting the local boys) wouldn't that essentially slash the luxury taxes too?

 

If you mean sales tax, you pay them on every item you buy for the build. The sales tax is paid whenever the boat changes hands, regardless on whether the sale is done by a professional or not.

 

GDK, please describe you idea of not much power. Houseboats, by their nature aren't economical to operate. I've designed a series of them and some are much more efficient than what's typical for similar craft, but they're still what they are, monolithic beasts with lots of accommodations, windage and the associated penalties that come with this set of choices. The image you've provided is a 3 story home afloat, so pushing this puppy around the local puddle will take a fair bit of oomph (a technical term). As far as getting a design done, there are plenty of folks to choose from as well as some stock plans.

 

Par made me think of what possibly could be a truism (and has probably been coined by different NAs many times over by now).

For the same accommodations in a powerboat you can have a boat that is relatively long and narrow and shallow, that can be moved less expensively but which may be murder on dock fees or you can have one you can afford to dock but putting gas in her eats you alive.

 

I suppose you want to build that boat exactly and not another like it or another somebody already has designed. This would prevent many people insist on offering you plans for a boat that you do not want.
Here everyone will tell you how you should change various aspects of your boat, so it would be interesting to know the red lines of your project.
It would be necessary, first, make a list of plans that you already have and, if you please, to explain to us why no use those planes.
It would also be good to know if you want to personally build the ship or it would be an option to commission the construction of a workshop with means to do so.

 

Building a 50' (15 m) vessel in your backyard, simply is wishful thinking, particularly if it's one of your first attempts. It will need professional assistance at the very least.

Agreed TANSL, we'll need some idea of the design's goals, an SOR as we call it, so a fair look at what's available can be performed.

 

This discussion went far away from original question.
Let me explain few things. I am Serbian-American, and that is why I think bit different. One US Gallon is 3.8 Liters and average cost per gallon is just above $ 3.00 this days. At the same time cost per Gallon in Europe is around $6.65.
Harbor Master has Semi planing hull much closer to planing, twin fuel killer engines and yes it is fast. Barging is the best oposite answer to this. Barges are in the range of 14 meters up and with displacement of 20 Tons plus. Neither one has engine stronger than 100HP. They got easily their cruising speed of 8 Knots or so with under 2000RPM. I red on some web site that barge owner was getting fuel consumption of 3.5 Liters per hour with John Deere 85HP diesel, naturally aspirated. In displacement hull torque drive boat not HP.
There are a lot of examples on low fuel consumption with displacement hulls.
Second reason to do it this way is shallow draft. I will use boat primarily if not only on European inland waters.
As I wrote in my question I said I want to live on board for the rest of my life.
That why the space is very important, but on reliable stable boat. Storms can lift waves so hi that port authorities are closing traffic on rivers. I considered catamaran, typical houseboat with barge style hull and again find this one as the best compromise made. It has everything on the same level except cockpit, and I see that salon roof as the best part for partying in nice weather. Because this boat will be home I have to like it.
When it comes to skilled workers I have plenty of them in Serbia and their price is reasonable.
Back on the beginning, I know what I want, also know how and where to do it the only missing link are PLANS. I will go there next month and will visit college where ship building is studied to see if those guys can help me out.
I also send few mails to some New Zealand designers and waiting for their response.
Market for boat plans is pore. Most plans are old designs, heavy for no reason, which again require stronger engine and the best of all centrally located engine room that kills living space.
Talking about taxes, down there by the law fresh water boat is up to 15 meters long and 3.6 meters wide. If wider than that than displacement can't go over 15 Tons. Any dimension above those, puts boat in Yacht category and than you have to pay a lot. There is Uncle Sam there too, but is called different name.
So, do you know any designer I can approach with my request?

 

"I suppose you want to build that boat exactly and not another like it or another somebody already has designed. This would prevent many people insist on offering you plans for a boat that you do not want."

It is not exactly, shape is the same but hull is so different and put's project in different category.

I said I was watching cat's too

http://marinedynamix.com.au/s_plan.php?series=5