Retirement Houseboat or Floating Home

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Greenseas2, Aug 25, 2008.

  1. brian eiland
    Joined: Jun 2002
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    Location: St Augustine Fl, Thailand

    brian eiland Senior Member

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  2. Peter SChulz
    Joined: Mar 2012
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    Location: Australia

    Peter SChulz New Member

    Hi Brian,

    A 'modern' take on the traditional Dutch/English liveaboard barge -

    Living-Office-Kitchen.jpg

    Backview Bangawalbyn.jpg

    Housebarge.jpg

    Currently for sale in Australia
     
  3. FAST FRED
    Joined: Oct 2002
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    Location: Conn in summers , Ortona FL in winter , with big d

    FAST FRED Senior Member

    what are the rules about mooring in the river? Say anywhere along the Mississippi + tributaries

    HAVE great anchors ,the spring runoff can reach 3-4K in places.

    FF
     
  4. Eric Sponberg
    Joined: Dec 2001
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    Location: On board Corroboree

    Eric Sponberg Senior Member

    Hi Fred,

    As far as I am aware, you would have to ask the various states, counties, and communities what their laws and ordinances are. At the very least, many of our rivers are under the control of the US Army Corps of Engineers, and they have a number of rules that govern operations on the rivers, which I presume would include mooring a houseboat. Check with them first.

    Eric
     
  5. EscapeArtist
    Joined: Aug 2010
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    Location: Massachusetts

    EscapeArtist Junior Member

    Instead of building the house on a pontoon boat or a raft, I've been thinking about putting a tiny house on a catamaran to make it more maneuverable. It wouldn't have to be fast, but it seems like it would be more stable and better able to take a little rough weather even close to shore. Does anyone know if there are companies that build the hulls and deck that could accommodate something like this? Does it even make sense? I'd feel better if someone who knew what they were doing built the hulls, and then I could add a house on top.
     
  6. Pericles
    Joined: Sep 2006
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    Location: Heights of High Wycombe, not far from River Thames

    Pericles Senior Member

  7. FAST FRED
    Joined: Oct 2002
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    Location: Conn in summers , Ortona FL in winter , with big d

    FAST FRED Senior Member

    "At the very least, many of our rivers are under the control of the US Army Corps of Engineers, and they have a number of rules that govern operations on the rivers, which I presume would include mooring a houseboat. Check with them first.:"

    A non moving house boats might be a problem , but a properly registered boat , with even minor power is simply Navigating (which includes anchoring) so no permission from the endless waves of buro rats would be required.

    Far easier to just DO than beg in advance for "permission".

    FF
     
  8. masalai
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: cruising, Australia

    masalai masalai

    Well lots of different and interesting ideas, each to their own, so here is mine, sits nicely on its own bottom, and looks neat (a bit like a lagoon 41?) when floating (needs 3ft of water) and can travel nicely and safely island hopping at 10Knots @6 litres/hour (6L = 2.32 imperial gallons)... I only need shore facilities for fruit and vegetables if I catch some fish as I have PV panels space for 2275W, fuel capacity for more than 1200 litres can easily add RO watermaker @70L / hour, and have a 24V mascerating toilet and stern rail for the gents :D :eek:
     

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  9. EscapeArtist
    Joined: Aug 2010
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    Location: Massachusetts

    EscapeArtist Junior Member

    Masalai that's a lot closer to what I was imagining as a cross between a catamaran and a houseboat. Can you tell me a little more about where you got it? Pericles, thanks for the link. I'd seen that, but my thought was that while those boats would be river-worthy,they might not be as seaworthy as what Masalai just posted. This boat has a decent amount of freeboard and plenty of clearance between the hulls.
     
  10. masalai
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: cruising, Australia

    masalai masalai

    Hi EscapeArtist,
    I built it from a Bob Oram design. I understand Bob has retired and is no longer selling plans. Most of my build is here http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/boat-building/my-little-piece-peace-25962.html CNO is a bit over 40ft loa and about 21.5ft beam. It is designed to carry a hitch-hiker-dual-genoa-masthead rig - some info here http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/multihulls/look-ma-no-rocker-42608.html on the rig.

    My mast step is there (where the radar is at the moment) and will hold 4500kg of compressive load and the 4 chainplates are inbuilt and each will take 3500 static pull - all are tied back to the bottom of the hulls...
     
  11. brian eiland
    Joined: Jun 2002
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    Location: St Augustine Fl, Thailand

    brian eiland Senior Member

    If that link I added above still worked as it should have you would have found Aqua Lodge
    http://www.catamarancruiser.com/id16.html

    http://shantyboatliving.com/2011/commercially-built-aqua-lodge

    Images for Aqua Lodge
     
  12. CadArt
    Joined: Mar 2012
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    Location: Gouda, the Netherlands

    CadArt New Member

    new design to fit french canals

    Hi all,

    Last year I made this design.
    It´s a self propelled houseboat that fits the slots and bridges in the french canals, so in europe you can go almost everywhere you´dd like.
    It meets the CE-requirements class C(sheltered waters) and is fully self supporting by means of powersupply, potable and wastewater etc.
    Let me know waht you think.


    regards, Frank
     

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  13. brian eiland
    Joined: Jun 2002
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    Location: St Augustine Fl, Thailand

    brian eiland Senior Member

    Here is one of my favorite canal boat designs, Roi Soleil
    http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/boat-design/dutch-barge-long-distance-cruisers-11316-20.html#post455644

    I particularly like the roof treatment and its ability to get this dbl level barge under the low bridges.

    CadArt, you might consider posting your design over on this 'canal barge' subject thread. Meantime I'll take a closer look at your design once I get a few pressing projects out of the way. Thanks for posting, welcome to the forums.
    Brian
     
  14. brian eiland
    Joined: Jun 2002
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    Location: St Augustine Fl, Thailand

    brian eiland Senior Member


  15. IslandGirl941
    Joined: Jan 2013
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    Location: SWFL

    IslandGirl941 New Member

    Great thread! I have learned a lot and discovered many helpful links here for more research. I love the idea of a floating barge type home. I haven't gotten much further than that, but I feel inspired now!

    To the person that posted about the Thai style homes, I've had my eye on this kit for years. Maybe it could be adapted to be something workable?
    http://www.tomahouse.com

    Another favorite is this:
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...-age-floating-pod-St-Tropezs-coolest-pad.html

    If anyone knows of new floating home communities, particularly in New England or Florida, I'd be very interested.
     
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