Large capacity small boat for ICW

I'm putting together my "bucket list" and trying to be realistic. Hoping you all can give direction here. After reading for moneths (years really), I am convinced that what I need is the smallest possible boat without getting wet. I'm proficient with power boats under 30' and have never sailed anything bigger than 25' for more than a day (better with an old sunfish, lol) I'm not into trying to buying fuel by the ton or learning to sail a double masted vessel with mizzens and jibs. I'm really looking for the cheapsets way to power a craft. Speed is not a priority, if I have a need for speed I'll ride my 1600 Vulcan cruiser (motorcycle).

Sorry, already too long, I'd like to do the Great Loop, Mississippi, large rivers and the Gulf, not so much off shore, but I'd like to have the option of heading south if possible.

I need to be able to trailer the boat. I have had a 24' cuddy and it got to be such a hassel to haul, it just sat most seasons and it used too much gas to blast around. I have a 14' Searaider jet boat, fun on Tablerock Lake, but jars my teeth.

Yes, I'm the guy that wants to take my Transalp dual sport motorcycle with me. If that is possible, it would be off loaded by a manual crane contraption off the side, it weighs 420 pounds, I don't see this as an impossible task as the weitght is like having two beer drinkers aboard. If it's not possible, I'll sell it and get something smaller, a moped thing, but I'm not walking a half mile to shower or carry groceries!

Speaking of shower, I'd like to have a full head, may I think I'm going to have to settle on a portapotti and a bag of water, don't know.

Something small, I have looked at Chili Pepper, Miss Cindy and a Slider thinking a small cabin would fit. I like the idea of a small cat, small outboard and simple rigging. All of these are under 20' and adding a bit to stern might work for the bike. Larger capacity for a small boat considering the length. But not opposed to any design. I'm somewhat aware of the risks of a 20' er or less for these travels, but it is a bucket list and I'm still a very strong swimmer and in pretty good shape, just lazy now as I bump 60 (that hurt to type that!)

Having been an Army guy, I can rough it so to speak, cooking with sterno, an ice chest is a luxury, but if I don't need to, that would be much better.

Well that's about it, sorry it's so long but thought I had to put it all out there, if your advice is based on insufficient data, the advice will be as well. Priority is cheap to operate and maintain, initial cost can't be more that my second home either...lol. Thanks to all who make suggestions to design of what will work.

Thanks, Bill

 

You might find some ideas of use in this thread.

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/boat-design/box-keel-16066.html

 

And you should leave the bike out! A trailerable boat does hardly accommodate a bicycle. (a foldable one)

Regards
Richard

 

yeah - I am all for bikes but if its just put around get bicycle, moped or ct90 honda.

 

Thanks, I asked before and seems I didn't post enough information to bring the thread to a conclusion. I asked about a freighter canoe, maybe with amas, but no replies yet. Seems the motorcycle was an isue that really complicated matters. I had a 24' cuddy I/O, I could have stuck a ramp off the back of that thing with a tubular structure, ramp and swing it to one side, it was a 5000+ boat and the trim tabs would have probably solved any problem hauling it. I'm no engineer, GTO, lots of them here it seems. Just read one thread about a semi-planning hull and I didn't understand the first post.

I have been around boats for about 50 years I guess. I can run the small ones, that's all I have been exposed to on our lakes and rivers. As a teenager, I was about 1/2 mile out in the Gulf (Galveston) and that was on an air matterss.

I'm not interest in circumnavigating in a ten foot boat, which some have done, so all of this I'm reading about seaworthyness seems to me to be an opportunity for some to drain batteries on thier calculators. I'm a real estate financial guy and I contribute to real estate forms and I have an extensive background in various areas of more than 35 years. I help newbies everyday and have to fend off many who give bad advice as if they were experts. Lots of arguments sometijmes as those with 5, 7 and even 10 years in that game lack a sufficient legal background to advise. I find the same thing here as well. So, I need to chose my mentors carefully just as I advise others in my area of expertise.

I'm not interested in having the best boat on the ICW, nor the fastest. I do want something safe and sufficient and mostly inexpensive to operate, that's the only reason I considered sails, but I'm learning that sialing is not cheap either. Whatever is necessary, I can do for the desired outcome.

I can go buy a Gemini or another 30 some footer cat, but anyone can do that. I can go buy a 45' liveaboard as well, that's not the goal. In my mind, smaller is not only cheap, but available to more people to do the same, requires more thought, skill and just plain guts to get someting accomplished. I'm not confined to a walker yet, no need to go out as if I am. I also don't need to take my Tux for a dinner party. I'd rather gunkhole and go for some crawfish at the banks. It's to be as much a challenge, maybe with a few thrills as a cruise. Besides the samll, micro cats mentioned, I also mentioned here a freighter style canoe that could be modified. With a dual sport bike, it's to be an adventure in the outback of our country, if I wanted to sip cocktails to Belize, I'd go to a travel agency....probably fly! This is all about my second childhood.

By the way, I realize it's better to buy than build, but I do have some skills and would not hesitate to build something (which adds a great deal to the experience) but as many here, I think FFred, save a couple years of work and go today! I agree. So, that's why I posted here in the design forum, which design would meet these expectations?

As I mentioned, I'm not an engineer, but very creative. In my business, thinking outside the box was an everyday strategy.

 

Thanks Kerosene, that's certainly a good thouth, maybe the bike is such a limiting factor that if I would go for a small 50cc thing, I could just carry the thing under one arm! I use to race bicycles, endurance road racing, you must have missed me saying bumping 60 and lazy! LOL

 

Apex 1, I appreciate your input, as I have read your posts and value your advice. You two posted while I was ranting, so missed that part.

Before we disount the bike thing entirely, what do you think: An oversized swim platform that have a ramp that rolls off to one side, that would be 8', and folds down like those in the back of a U-Hual truck. The upper mounts could wrap over the stern and bolt to the floor and stern. Another way is a heavly built, radar arch off the back, with a block and tackle and a roll out train theat extens about three feet, just to clear the boat. Lots of fishing and work boats have contraptions that will lift 500 lbs and swing a load, I don't see this as rocket science, but is it?

 

Sure it can be done, but one has to sacrifice at another end.

Fishing boats are designed to carry the catch, nothing else. Most of them are not the best choice for a cruiser.

If the bike is so far on top of your list of requirements, that you are willing to give up some otherwise valuable feature, well, it can be done.
Though I fear the entire setup will come out as a floating garage with a helm and a porta potty, and nothing else. The trailer requirement restricts us in a severe manner!
How wide can you go?

Can something like these probably be the sort of vessel to suit your needs?
http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/Cruisers/CalistoVCanelli.html
http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/Cruisers/GreatBear.html

Regards
Richard

 

8' maybe 8 1/2' in my neck of the woods. I understand what you are saying, but seems to me that a small cat with a 10' deck to stern would allow a bike 8' long set in the center, the weight of the bike is only about 20 to 24 inches high, CG near the engine. It's bulky due to the bars and a fairing/short windshield, but not alot of weight there. I see it being lashed down, maybe set in small wheel wells say 6 inches deep. If I changed the bars, Seems it would almost fit in one hull on a cat if it had a lid, but probably too much weight to one side. If the cabin were 8' long, that's 18 and a couplke of feet forward is 20' overall. I know the beam is usually half the length, wouldn't the engines keep me headed up in modest chop? Does 4' more to the stern cause it to be unmanageable under a small sail plan, like a Hobbie 16? Maybe two 9.9 Hondas or a Merc 25 outboard? I'm thinking the berth forward would be on deck, skmall table and gear, portipotti in one hull and galley in the other, not walk through hulls, maybe just standing headroom, that's sufficient.....Thanks much guys!

 

Seems like a pontoon boat with a simple cabin would be the simple answer for the inland half of the journey. Easy to load the bike too.

 

Srimes, thank you, yes it does. A Cari-craft also works, it's a discontinued cat house boat that has gone from NY to the Panama Canal, 45' to 60' at very reasonable prices and a 45' that is very nice. Past owners of these vessels ahve been Burt Reynolds and the Governor of Missouri. But none of these sail very well.

You have a simple solution that meets most all of my requirements!

The real goal, that has gone unmentioned, was to enjoy some sailing and cruise camping while taking the bike for extended bike touring in areas that I would not ride the bike to. Pretty simple concept I thought. I could also toss the bike in the back of my truck and rent the appropriate boat when the urge hit me.

Srimes, your suggestion might well be the best, forget the sailing! In my business, mostly finance, if you didn't think outside the box, you sank. It seemed to me that a boat could be out there, or designed, that could support the weight and CG of two 5' fat guys standing on a small boat (less than 26' in length) in a 24 sq. ft. area with two other people on board and that it could be sailed and motored. The only other requirement was having "camping" facilities on board leaving the two fat guys out in the weather! Obviously, I was wrong! I should have never mentioned a motorcycle, perhaps I should have described the cargo as something more nautical, like two top heavy mermaids.

A custom pontoon it may be