Parallel concepts - vehicle powered barges

[Mr Efficiency]

Have the wheels spinning on rollers like a dynamometer, the drive seizes for some reason, and the vehicle takes off through the front of the barge, taking anyone in it, or in front of it, into the drink ! You beauty ! I wonder why this idea has not caught on, NOT !

 

[rwatson]

Have the wheels spinning on rollers like a dynamometer, the drive seizes for some reason, and the vehicle takes off through the front of the barge, taking anyone in it, or in front of it, into the drink ! You beauty ! I wonder why this idea has not caught on, NOT !

Ummm - you would have the vehicle tied down with chain and tensioners I presume, just in case of of rough weather

 

[Mr Efficiency]

Ummm - you would have the vehicle tied down with chain and tensioners I presume, just in case of of rough weather

You would be prudent to do so, but many would omit that step, as too much bother. You have to make things convenient for people who are not "loadmasters". Convenient as slipping on a seat belt, or it won't be adhered to. Unless the tie-down police are on patrol !

 

[rwatson]

You would be prudent to do so, but many would omit that step, as too much bother. You have to make things convenient for people who are not "loadmasters". Convenient as slipping on a seat belt, or it won't be adhered to. Unless the tie-down police are on patrol !

You obviously have never put a $50 K vehicle on a 20 foot aluminium barge,

 

[Mr Efficiency]

I have no doubt for people who have specialist requirements, and the know-how to make it happen, the idea can be made to work, but not for cheap. As a mass market thing, I can't see it taking off. Too many hurdles to overcome, and not enough need for it.

 

[dinoa]

I think o/b motor(s) on a pontoon with a drawbridge ramp would be the best way. Maybe redundant, but coupling a car drive is a solution waiting for a problem.

Dino

 

[jeffb957]

The cooling issue is no issue at all really. Replace your cooling fan with one of the high flow electric fans popular with the drag racing crowd. this one cranks out 3300 CFM. That will keep any engine cool I'd say. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/flx-180

 

[SamSam]

.

I've looked at this photo many times, but I just noticed the car powered sternwheeler to the left of the barge thing.

I think this came from the same place, but I don't know anything about either photo. The person seems to have a lot of talent he has let loose.

The lower photo was labeled "Capt. Binkley". I searched that and found "Capt. Binkley's Discovery III", an Alaskan tour boat. I believe the photos are taken from that tour boat.

Here's some more from the boat.

http://didelottravels.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/06/

.

 

[Yobarnacle]

About 20 years ago, I was in Fernadina Beach Florida and I watched a restored govt surplus landing craft pull up to the boat launching ramp, dropped it's bow ramp, and a restored ex-army 6X (6 wheel drive) truck drove out of the boat and up the ramp and into town. Gone shopping.
According to locals, belonged to these folks. sorry, no pictures.

http://www.cumberlandisland.org/

 

[Yobarnacle]

Any design ideas for a "Face Lift" for this surplus equipment?

 

[ancient kayaker]

Surplus rocket launchers?denmark has some spare - Surplus from Denmark

 

[SamSam]

Any design ideas for a "Face Lift" for this surplus equipment?

Couldn't hardly go wrong with this stuff, for starters.

 

[Yobarnacle]

Painted circus colors is also decorative; like a Filipines jeepney

 

[ancient kayaker]

All those after-market gauges must provide important information to this enthusiastic driver. I suspect some provide data on the other gauges . . . it's probably crucial to know your gauges are working in a car of that vintage . . .

My first car had gauges; speed and gas. I learned not to trust the gas gauge after running dry on a trip so I refilled at the same mileage ever after. A British car, it had the special electrical systems that Brit cars came with back then to ensure they were never driven in wet weather.

That car was cheap, cheap, cheap! No carpet, no radio, not even a rubber mat in the trunk, but it was the "de-Luxe" model because it had a heater! It may have been the first car to have an immobilizer, this in 1965: I made it myself after a spate of thefts from the unsecured company parking lot and you needed more than the key to start it - my car-pool mates never figured out what I did to reset it. I left it unlocked so wood-be theives didn't have to break in; the immobilizer simulated a car with faulty ignition. I needn't have bothered, as the cheapest car in the lot it was quite safe.

 

[BMcF]

Four or five years ago, an inventor came to us with a concept for a vehicle-propelled bus/ferry that was actually a remarkably well thought out design (compared to many we are asked to look at). The bus was mostly conventional in appearance and was mated with a surface effect ship water platform. The drive wheels of the bus drove a roller that turned two waterjets. Power for operating the lift air fans, for providing AC and DC, and operating small maneuvering thrusters, etc was not provided by the bus; that power came from smallish gensets permanently a part of the SES platform. The bus drive wheels provided only the primary propulsion power.

It was not a "small" ferry; if I recall correctly it was going to carry around 100 passengers.


I don't know where the concept ended up going after we gave the SES part of it a cursory review. A major obstacle was going to be sorting out the operational aspects of such a hybrid when it comes to regulatory agencies...The USCG T boat regs would appear to have applied...but were totally at odds with how the inventor had intended the "craft" to operate.