24ft houseboat hull design needs a little help.

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Mr Bud, Jun 15, 2008.

  1. Mr Bud
    Joined: Jun 2008
    Posts: 2
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Georgia

    Mr Bud New Member

    Hi all,
    I'm new here and unsure where to ask my questions.....
    I have just finished building a 24ft pontoon boat with a gutted 17ft Avion campershell mounted on it. It is really nice and not crude. I tried just the two 24ft ..."D" shaped pontoons and they were fine until I added a little too much weight inside. So I added one thrid 20ft round pontoon in the center...this pontoon mounted about 4.5 inches lower in the water. It did pretty well but the back of the rig was a bit too low for my taste. So I built a set of tracks and slid both 20ft round pontoons under it....now it's a fourtoon....I have all the floatation I need and then some...now the center pontoons are taking most of the weight....lifting the outer ones up higher than normal....makes it a little tippy, but not unsafe....but there is too much water wake problems between the hulls...they are too close together...but it works...I kinda plans off with a 60hp Yamaha 2 stroke...apx 15+mph. I like the faster speed "when/if needed" .
    I think the only way I'm going to be happy..is to build my own hulls or hull....I would like to keep it a two hull design....Because I originally had a trap-door in the rear floor with pull out swim ladder or used for a fishing hole. I would really like to build a planning hull design with a slight "V" and go as wide as possible and go high enough to give me some freeboard for wakes hitting me. I have pull out walk boards on each side with hand rails...so the tops of the pontoons need to be flat. I weld alum awnings for a living and have a really nice BIG Miller Mig..I think I can buy most materials for around $2500...but not sure what thickness to get 1/8th or 1/16th? I guess the thinner I go the more bracing I will need.
    Anyway I am not a boat building pro and need a little help with this design...I have photos of the Rig but no weights so far... My guess is around 3000lbs Max. The flotation I have now is way more than needed but all were in the wrong configureations... that make the most design sence
    Should I go with full size barge type hull?
    I'm sure there are factors I left out ...so ask.Anyone willing to get involved with some advice?
    Bud
     
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