Where to build?

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by adt2, Feb 22, 2011.

  1. adt2
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    Location: Magnolia, Texas

    adt2 Senior Member

    I recently commissioned a design for a 55' displacement cruiser that I plan to build as a future retirement home. The design phase is well under way, although I'm several months from being able to start swinging a hammer (or an epoxy-filled brush. Whatever.).

    My current dilemma regards where to build this thing. I live on 5 acres, and I have a spot that's large enough to build in, shielded from the road (so no issues with the homeowners' association Nazis), close to all of my tools, and convenient to get to (i.e. walk across the driveway). If possible, I'd like to build it here.

    BUT...I'm not sure how I'd get the thing off my property. I don't think a tractor-trailer could be backed down my driveway; my drive dead-ends into a cross street, with ditches on both sides (i.e. my drive crosses a ditch, and directly across the street is another ditch running alongside the road). I don't think the tractor-trailer could negotiate the turn into my drive without cutting the corner and falling off the pavement into the ditch. I also think a crane would be necessary to move the boat from it's construction site over to the driveway, as there are some formidable trees alongside the drive that I'd rather not cut down.

    I could temporarily fill in the ditch on one side of my drive with stabilized sand and let the tractor-trailer cut the corner, I suppose. Or I could rent a crane to move the boat from its construction site to a smaller-than-an-18-wheeler trailer on the driveway, then use a truck/big forklift to move that to the road, then use the crane again to move it onto the 18-wheeler trailer, and off we go...

    My other, far-less-attractive options are to rent space somewhere nearby, or to buy a small, unzoned piece of property nearby to build on. Both of these have obvious drawbacks and are way, way, WAY down on my list of preferred options.
     
  2. Frosty

    Frosty Previous Member

    Give us you google earth co-ordinates --lets have a look.
     
  3. adt2
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    Location: Magnolia, Texas

    adt2 Senior Member

    Hang on while I effort that....I've no idea how to get coordinates out of GE.
     
  4. adt2
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    Location: Magnolia, Texas

    adt2 Senior Member

    30.167974,-95.720951. That what you're looking for?

    This is an old image; the small rectangular slab to the northwest of the house is now a completed building (1,200sf workshop downstairs, 1,200sf crap storage area upstairs). The area I'm considering building in is just west of the north end of the driveway. If you look closely you can see kind of a clearing there, pointing roughly toward the street. It's hidden from both the street and the neighbors on that side of the property.
     
    Last edited: Feb 22, 2011
  5. Frosty

    Frosty Previous Member

    Get your house on google E and read off the coordinates on the bottom of the page. Don't forget to wave!!!
     
  6. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    Call a local moving company. They have the expertise to build temporary bridges. It will cost you. but they you'll be able to build in your land. The other thing to consider are overhead cables. You may have to pay the power, phone and cable companies to connect/disconnect some of them. That is assuming there are no low overpasses. Also check with local and state police for regulations and possible need of an escort. If you are overweight, which you will be, there is usually a fee for the damage to the roadways.
     
  7. adt2
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    Location: Magnolia, Texas

    adt2 Senior Member

    Within my neighborhood there are no overhead lines, so that's one less issue to deal with (at least until we get out of my neighborhood). I plan on having a boat moving outfit transport the thing, and they'll take care of all the escorts, permits, etc.

    My main problem is getting it out of my yard and onto the moving company's trailer.
     
  8. gonzo
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    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    Let them do it.
     
  9. adt2
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    Location: Magnolia, Texas

    adt2 Senior Member

    That's my intention - but I don't want to find out the day they show up that I have to either cut down 20 trees, pour a new driveway, or rent a Blackhawk helicopter to get the hull out. Unfortunately, these folks aren't keen on coming out to visit with me before I've signed a contract with them - much less before I've so much as cleared a blade of grass from the potential building site.

    My hope was to get some expert opinion here about whether building in the site I've shown is feasible, or whether it's a futile project and I should be concentrating my efforts elsewhere. I've really no idea what the boat moving companies are capable of, as far as getting into and out of tight spaces.
     
  10. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    I don't think an expert opinion would really be relevant. Everyone has an opinion, which doesn't mean the moving company will find it acceptable the day they show up for your boat. My advice is to find a company that will inspect the site and tell you what the cost and time will be. They may want to charge for the time; that's just fair. Their advice is invaluable. It will allow you to position the boat in the best way to load it later.
     
  11. michael pierzga
    Joined: Dec 2008
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    Location: spain

    michael pierzga Senior Member

    Big cranes can move any boat. Must be plenty of big boys in your part of the world. Call them in now, before you lay your keel, to make sure that there is no city ordinance or detail the prohibits crane use.


    As for transport Ive had 50 foot deep draft sailing yachts trucked down the east coast of the US. Best to contact a specialized yacht transport company for advice.
     

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  12. adt2
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    Location: Magnolia, Texas

    adt2 Senior Member

    Man, that is a big mother. My plan right now is to move the hull before the deck house is built, so she should be lower-profile than what you're showing in those photos. She'll still be ~17' wide, though.
     
  13. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    You could also leave the keel off to keep the hull lower.
     
  14. Fanie
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: Colonial "Sick Africa"

    Fanie Fanie

    Hows your mother LOL.

    Guy about 15km from us built a beeeg boat, during this time they changed roads, bridges (and never consulted this person LOL). Ended up no way he could get the boat to water.

    Damn boats are always too big on land.

    It's usually not a consideration, but if you could take the boat down in parts perhaps ?
    Compass today, rudder tomorrow, head on Friday... :D
     

  15. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    You are in a state or national forest, aren't you? There is a river East and North. Is there where you will launch or do you need to go all the way to Bay City?
     
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