DIY Aluminum Houseboat to fit inside shipping container

One here for under $100,000

http://www.stpeteyachtsales.com/yachtsalesdetail.php?id=122

 

I would suggest you select steel as the building material, it will work out as a fraction of the cost of alloy, and anybody can learn to weld steel in a couple of weeks. [shortest alloy welding course is 18 months]

Start with a shipping container. Strip off the thin wavy side panels and top and bottom, and you are left with a bare 40' frame with the turnbuckle hoisting connection at each corner.

Weld on flat steel sheeting on the bottom, and half way up the sides up to form the topsides, stern, and pull in the sides to form the bow.

Weld on a rebate piece of angle to form edge of deck and walkway, and then design superstructure to fit inside the dimensions of the frame to give you a 40' by 8' by 8' high boat.

Now the clever bit: cut the container frame off at the bow section just forward of the wheel house windscreen; make a strong sliding joint so that the frame can be bolted back into place to return it into a conventional container 'shape' for shipping........

The rear of the container frame will be the railings on top of the aft cabin,so no need to cut these.

 

How much are they new? I cannot get the containeryacht page to load on my iPad..... I like the used one for sale, but wonder if there was a lot of depreciation for a 2010 build. Not being a sailor, I would like to see something on these lines as a pure powerboat. Perhaps with an outboard that can be removed and secured in the cabin for transportation thus lowering OAL.

 

Just be sure to remove all of the wood flooring from the container since it is impregnated with a highly toxic pesticide. At very least encapsulate it with epoxy, this is a well known issue in Container home circles.

 

I saw a new price $250,000

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/200...67201/Annapolis/MD/United-States#.Uzshk6JTSPM

thats a huge drop in 4 years

 

Reminds me a lot of this vessel....39 foot outboard powered Sharpie houseboat
http://markvdesigns.tripod.com/boatbuilding/id12.html

 

I agree Eric, we need to look even more closely at some of the solutions that some liveaboard boaters are arriving at. What do they say,.. 'necessity is the mother of invention' I've seen a few interesting vessels in Thailand during this last visit. I'll get around to posting some soon.
Brian

Interesting Fred, I also think a little more effort should be put into 'the systems' we might utilize on these liveaboard vessels/homes/cottages to make them compliant with land based rules. Over the past few years there have emerged a lot of good possibilities. Certainly the sewage problems are a number one item that needs to addressed.

A couple, particularly an older couple, that practices modern recycling, generate less trash, and in a more orderly manner that can be well managed

We all need to be paying more attention to gathering some of our own 'personal' water from our roofs, etc, much as the islanders find necessary. And of course a plan to use our water in a conservative manner. The future will demand this of both water and land based residents.

Is that true?? I'll have to look at that again. I had always discounted propane refrig as it doesn't work on heeling sailboats, and can be problematic in a 'motion' situation.

Agreed. And battery storage options and inverters are getting ever better.

Aren't there some good marine toilet systems on the market right now that offer totally clean overboard discharge?
How about these?
http://www.microphor.com/html/sanitation-marine.html
http://www.microphor.com/pdf/MSD-HowSystemWorks.pdf

http://www.raritaneng.com/products/waste_treatment/holdntreat.html

http://www.raritaneng.com/products/waste_treatment/electroscan.htm

http://www.boatus.com/boattech/articles/msd.asp