Seafaring Baby Wooden Barge?

Hey all. I'm new here; joined because I've never built a boat in my life but I am moving to coastal Maine next week - if ever there were a reason to learn right.

I'm going to start by building small boats, punts and scows I suppose, until I am familiar and comfortable with the materials and techniques. But in the long run I'm all about the seafaring house barge. Most of my mental designs are long, wide and low profile, so the basic, mostly square and flat bottom barge is the best choice as I see it. It will most probably be either 40x20 or 60x30 as I can afford, with downward swept fore and aft and bowed sides. Very basic with allot of potential for cool.

This boat will probably spend most of it's time moored in salt water, or just floating around in those calm little ocean inlets on a nice day. But I would also like it to be sufficiently tough to pull out to the deep sea for the occasional get away. I'll be building those punts and scows with this in mind.

What 4000 things do I need to know? I'm not asking for direct answers to that; just saying that's why I'm here. So when I jump up and ask stupid questions questions at least you'll know where they were born.

Grey~​

 

Buy a set of plans and all will be revealed or spend the next few years learning about structural engineering and hydrodynamic concerns.

 

Thanks Par, I would rather learn than just duplicate. But after some learning of course I'll grab some plans. Silly really.

Anyone tell me the difference between deck barges and spud barges?

 

40x20 wont work , for same size take the triloboat form and make it 70'x11-8"x7' hull height, if you prefer add rocker like superbrick.

 

The idea that you want a seafairing barge suggests a limited amount of understanding in regard to ocean going design considerations, which places emphasis the need for a set of plans. You don't want to learn hard lessons farther from shore than you can swim back to.

 

He seems to want something like a triloboat, to sneak out into open ocean during good weather for short spurts and then cruise the coves and inlets. Dave Zieger does that with his trilo, he also mentioned using a better bow shape for extended open ocean work.

Bolger said it could work and be safe with a bone in the tooth during rough weather. A longer boat always wins on comfort and minimizes pounding especially that style.

Like to read triloboatblog, they stopped writing Apr 18 so assume they are out on an extensive cruise, if so their idea seems to be working an hope all is going well for them.

 

You're right Par I don't know the ocean from a puddle; but hey that's why I'm talking to you guys. Goodwill I just went and googled triloboat; yes, 40' to 60' of that would be very nice. That's pretty much what I have in mind - with less deck traded more interior space though. I can hang out on the roof if I want sun.

Well. I imagine sometime in the next month of two I'll bang together my first small hull. I already found allot of designs and sketches to work from (incl that trilo you just mentioned) so this will just be a simple 'toss a couple hundred at it and throw it in the water to see what happens' type experience. If it behaves itself well I'll be happy.

Thanks guys.

 

Gp you have the right idea..learn on something small and cheap.
Unfortuneatly with my personality type I can't/won't build stuff. I'd like to but I know it wouldn't get finished.

If I was starting over again with not a ton to spend I'd seriously look into a power scow.
I never go out when it's rough,and have thousands of hidey holes nearby,so this
http://www.mooseislanddesign.com/scowboat.htm

would do the trick for me.

 

I found this right here in these forums just a min ago. Like this but much bigger and with cleaner, more modern lines; done deal. That was a spot on suggestion Goodwill. Ty.​