Barge design/plans?

Hello all, new to the site.

I live in the San Juan Islands of Washington State. I live on a non-ferry served island and the only way to get vehicles on/off is to hire a transporter. I am tired of having to deal with him.

Here are the parameters of my potential build project:

-8000# cargo capacity (full-sized truck plus load)
-non-powered, it will be pushed by my 19' Alumaweld.
-20 to 24 feet long
-10 to 12 feet wide
-this will be loaded/unloaded at boat ramps
-relatively low cost....
-will not be left in the water, I've thought about mounting wheels to it so it is its own trailer (no cops here or DOT to worry about oversized on the roads )
-I've also thought about two sections that can be hooked together for ease of transport and storage

The travel distances will be six miles at the most, likely not to be used in more than 3 foot seas, and probably in less than 2.

I have substantial woodworking skills and have done some fiberglass repair work. I have a welder, but have not yet taken it out of its box.

I have thought about a pontoon type boat with three pontoons, but the deck would add an estimated 6-10,000 pounds and I would need a minimum of 3' diameter pontoons. There are several plywood covered styrofoam barges around, but I think I want to try to do something a bit nicer.

I am considering these http://www.plasticpontoon.com/web/downloads/36-inch_cut_sheet.pdf but have not heard back on price or shipping. Has anyone used culvert for pontoons like HDPE?

Thanks for your time and constructive thoughts on this.

 

You don't really need a deck if you build square section pontoons spaced the same as the wheels. Make a couple of hinged ramps and that should be enough. If you have woodworking skills, plywood is the fast and easy way of building.

 

FYI - this might be an interesting read

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/boat-design/trailerable-unfolding-houseboat-51979.html

 

Thanks, I missed that one. I had seen the Mylark trailers which look like it would be perfect for me, but I think too expensive in the end.

Now, if I knew how to weld aluminum and had the appropriate welder....