Building & operational regulations for a barge

I'm a newbie. Yes I admit it.

I would like to build a floating stage for concerts / party barge with a FLEXIBLE hull made out of plastic. It would be pulled by a boat and would NOT have propulsion of it's own. (Basically its a floating raft.) I would not be making this to sell it, just to live on it and throw concerts.

Is this thing considered a vessel?

Do I need to follow certain building codes even though it is so radically different?

Does it need to be documented with the US Coast Guard, registered with the state, or neither?

If the concerts are free and I don't charge for anything (non-commercial use) does that change anything?

Will I be able to get insurance?

What else do I need to know?

 

You need to hire a NA, because you have quite a few hoops to hop through in route to your floating stage/houseboat/barge. What's with the flexible plastic thing?

To answer your questions;

Yep, it's vessel.

Sure, you'll have several codes and requirements to meet. Hell, you're in California, you KNOW you're going to have some crap to swim through. Because it's so "radically different", you'll have more crap lined hoops.

No, it doesn't have to be documented by the USCG, but it does have to have state registration and an issued HIN.

No, free concerts are just going to make all your neighbor love you, probably sue you too.

You can insure anything for any thing.

You don't need to know much, except what the payment schedule will be. Hire an NA and figure out what you need to do.

 

What if I just bought one of these modular floating docks instead? This could probably be used as a barge minus the dock leading up to it.

Would the coast guard approve that as a vessel? I noticed that the manufacture of this floating dock sells motor mounts, so it would be really easy to turn it into a barge!

 

Hey, I have an unsinkable concrete, steel and foam barge 80x40. You want it, almost free? You pay transport....

 

Gosh, its tempting, but i don't know. Where would I dock it/anchor it in San Diego?

I think it would have to come though the Panama Canal to get her because its too wide for the road.

I'll think about it, but it might be too much trouble unless you can tell me otherwise.

 

Well, where are you going to dock or anchor the barge you're talking about to begin with?

The one in Florida you could cut up, transport it over the road and stick it back together when you get to where you're going.

 

I don't have a place in mind yet. Where do you keep it in FL? It seems like mooring it would be the way to go. Are there marinas for big things like that?