self propelled barge

Hello All,

I would like to build a self propelled barge in the 30' range to lift and repair moorings here on the coast of Maine. The moorings will range from 500 to 5000 pounds. I have experience with both fiberglass and steel construction. I am looking for a design and or plans to work from. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kevin

 

Maybe you can adapt this. Go to Miscellaneous Designs then GIANT-30' derrick barge. Sam
http://www.atkinboatplans.com

 

Thanks Sam! I'll check it out.

 

Use a scow hull (if only for use in light weather) with a pilothouse in the rear and a crane up in the middle. MY 2 cents.

 

Thanks for the reply. That is what I had in mind. I thought there might be a set of plans for such craft out there somewhere that would take some of the guesswork out of the construction process.

Kevin

 

Make sure you have a real naval architect (probably with a P.E.) do the stability calculations. This can be a tricky area and stability accidents tend to be sudden and severe.

 

Thanks. I know that a barge is just a simple box shape but I think there is a lot going on inside that box. It has to be strong enough to lift heavy loads,yet if self propelled be light enough to move at hopefully 6-8 knots and stay upright during lifting operations. Most of the barges in this area have been built from scratch with no plans but with the price of steel these days I would feel more comfortable with a proven design or at least some ideas from an existing barge. They don't seem to be the kind of sexy glory boats that are found on the internet but I am sure there are plenty of them out there. I have spent a lot of time searching the internet but have had very little luck finding information about this kind of workboat. Any links and or leads will be greatly appreciated.

Kevin

 

Speaking of stability accidents and 6-8 knots, those scow configurations look dog slow. Is there any reason they can't be a little wider and have some space down the centerline, i.e. be more of a catamaran? Would that really be too wide or have too much draft or even lose too much structural strength?

 

Skippy I think that is some fuel for thought. I currntly own a 24' pontoon barge that I built from scratch over ten years ago from fiberglass. I built it for recreational use but have always been very impressed with its performance. Most of the designs I have seen for this kind of hull are meant to be built with aluminum which is out of my budget. These hulls are also twin engine designs again putting the project in the big dollars. I also question if a cat hull would work as intended if constructed heavy enough to do the job with a deck load of machinery. The performance of my 24' is very sensitive to weight. I think I could make this type of design work if a put a lower weight limit on the size of moorings handled which might not be such a sacrifice. Thanks for the input!!

Kevin

 

Kevin, I have designed several work barges in the size range you are looking for, complete with deck crane, for the aquaculture industry in eastern Canada and western Norway. One of them is a catamaran hull, one is designed for outboard(s). All are aluminum, but it would not be a large exercise to modify the designs for steel. If interested, contact me at the address in my profile.

Michael

 

Thanks Michael! I just sent you an email.

Kevin