Hull suggestions for easily driven electric boat/bus/liveaboard

Hi,

I've been trawling this forum for a while and whilst there are many topics on easily driven boat hulls, I wonder if people could make a few suggestions for me to look into for my specific requirements. I know little about boat design, but have been looking at tri, cat, swatch, delta, hydrofoil and proa type designs. It's beyond my expertise and I think I am limited due to desired hull length. Monohull is out I think due to the requirements.

Requirements
Ideal length around 20-25 feet
Stable ride without slamming in choppy seas or at anchor
Ability to dry out on good ground
Very easily driven (will be electric powered)
Quiet, low impact, low wake.
Max speed of 10-12 knots, though happy with 7 for cruise
Lots of internal space

The idea is to create a kind of mini van for the sea which I can do a large amount of live aboard coastal and inland cruising for next to nothing in fuel. Maybe 100 mile+ hops, some across open sea which would get me from here a very long way really. Economy over performance. I'm not interested in doing 20 knots. Happy to set an autopilot, sit up front and take in the view.

Don't laugh, but I'm taking inspiration from this



Loads of internal space for the size
Easy shape to build (excluding hulls)
Big slab sides and flat roof mean lots of integrated solar panels
Large easy access rear and side
Large window (larger than the pic) gives massive viewing up front for piloting, which is what I want.

If the hulls were not so close to the pod, I'd say it was almost a swath design ahead of it's time.

A few years ago I actually saw a much larger French home built a bit like this in our harbour briefly. I was built on the amas of some cut up racing yacht. Very similar idea.

Any suggestions? Anyone else seen anything similar?

Thanks.

 

You face an uphill task to get anything other than dawdling performance from an electric boat, however, if you paint extra GT stripes on the side, it may give the impression that it can go faster !

 

Great I'm only after dawdling performance really. As long as I can sustain it, I don't mind. I'm not intending to run soley of solar btw, so there will be far in excess of the panel juice.

 

Dawdling performance means 3 knots max speed in flat water. Hull speed will be 4.5-5.5 knots at that size. With a beamy hull as you want, the power requirement at even those speed will be high. If you install enough batteries for a 100 mile trip, there will be no load carrying capacity for anything else. An easily driven hull is narrow and has minimal interior space. Also, the photo you posted is of a movie prop; it has absolutely no relation to a real boat.

 

OK, thanks. I fully realise it's a movie prop, not a boat hull btw - Just thought it was the perfect shape for what I wanted. A caravan on floats, as it were.

Never mind.

Even the little Tiki 24 in the marina next to me probably does these speeds on a tiny little outboard. I already have more powerful motors. Perhaps I'll stick 'em in the colvic instead.

 

When has that ever stopped anyone?

Besides, taking the basic boxy top and replacing the warp nacelles with a suitable pair of amas -- or one could make pontoons that look like warp nacelles, they would have to be much larger -- is not much of a stretch.

Of course, the Vulcan shuttle ( http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/VULCAN WARP SHUTTLE PAGE.htm ) would make for a nice wave piercing design....

 

I like your idea. One place to look for some inspiration is:
http://www.goldcoastyachts.com/Commercial-Power/CP-transport/GC65WP/GC65WP-gallery.pdf
all their stuff is bigger than what you after, but shows you can get what your after with long slender hulls.

 

The concept is done here

It will do 38 mph if you want





http://boatahome.com.au/

 

OP, you just have to get over your fear of gas outboards. Ether a boat that meets your specs with about 40hp outboard, or, an electric 24' canoe that could carry quite a bit- like over a ton - but it's just a canoe. You do need a monohull, by the way. The other configurations won't carry the weight on that length.

You could build a 50' sharpie, though. About 14000 pounds, low power, elbow room.

or try one of these - http://www.dvice.com/2013-10-23/go-aquatic-away-missions-star-trek-inspired-boat