Houseboat

[Psi Phi]

Was wandering through some boat designs on the internet, as I sometimes do, and my wife see's one she likes. "Why can't you build something like that," she says, pointing to the Budget Houseboat from Mechanix Illustrated circa 1973 (http://www.svensons.com/boat/?p=Mech...udgetHouseBoat).

I wondered if anyone knew of anyone who ever built one of these?

I also wondered if the build could be updated to take advantage of more modern materials and methods? It looks pretty heavily built, but maybe it would still have to be?

I found that Bateau's HB20 is basically a new take on that design, but the missus didn't like that, thought it looked like a lego block!! - guess she'll never be a fan of Phil Bolger's work.

Simon

[PAR]

The plans you've linked have produced a few boats, I'm sure, but likely hundreds of started projects that never got finished. These old plans tend to use materials that aren't available any more and techniques not as easy, as more modern approaches. Also this is a houseboat and should be treated as such. It would be best served parked at a dock and used as a stationary party barge. It's not well suite to motoring along with any level of efficiency or comfort. It's literally a barge hull with a little house on top. For some, this is fine.

On the other hand, if you're really intrested in a riverboat, which is something designed to travel, with some level of efficency and style, you have some options. In the 20' range, I don't have a thing, personally thinking you're just better off with a little cabin cruiser, but a meter or two to this and suddenly you can have a real boat, that looks like a boat, motors well, with minimum fuss and fuel use, can handle a chop without pounding out your dental fillings, plus can sleep you and some guests for a weekend fishing outing.



This is the smallest Riverboat I offer. I've tried to make them smaller, but they just look like a floating box. This has standing headroom throughout and it doesn't look like a Winnebago has parked on a barge, nor handle like one either. It has multiple cabin arrangements, sheer treatments, propulsion options, etc. One currently under construction is going to be a full up electric propulsion setup, with a roof full of PV panels and a 3,500 watt generator.

So and again, it depends on what you want, an RV looking thing parked onto a set of pontoons or a barge, that can't really handle much of anything underway or a real boat that can, maybe with a little style too. You're call. I have to qualify all this self promotion thing with, there are plenty of other designs that treat this requirement with clever and unique design, engineering and efficiency, so look around and don't let a set of free plans, from a long ago dead designer fool you. When you have a question (you'll have lots) you can't call or email the dead guy, let alone get his opinion on a proposed change you might like to do.

[crowie]

Back in the mid-1970's a good friend built a houseboat in his backyard in Brisbane.
He bought 2 long narrow-ish pontoons then added an open plan caravan design on top with the addition of a deck front & rear.
Originally he had 2 x 45hp evinrudes, one on each pontoon. It was slow, easy to manoveer but heavy on fuel.
It was towed from Shorncliffe to the Noosa River were many weekends & holidays were enjoyed.
After a few years on the lakes he & I added a large hardwood transom to take a diesel out-boat, still slow but heaps more fuel efficient.
I have some photos in an old album somewhere upstair if you're interested.
Cheers, crowie

[PAR]

Again, it's what you want and need. A pontoon boat will not be very efficient, nor particularly desirable in a chop, contrary currents, etc. Pontoons are fine for a party barge, that will see limited use underway. On the other hand if you'd like to travel around, do some camp cruising, etc., you'll want a boat with some capabilities and more importantly some capacity.

Make a lift of what you'll do, what's important, prioritizing the items on these lists and look for designs that tick off most of the boxes. Don't list aestedic considerations, as these can be adjusted on any design to suit, just look at what the particular boat can do, carry, etc.

[Psi Phi]

Thanks guys for the responses.
PAR - yeah, I've already drooled over your designs, more than once, and Chiusa is exactly what I was looking at.

What attracted me to the Budget Houseboat was not the free plans but that it seemed to have simple construction and a useful layout, and the Mrs liked it. In reality it may be more than we want, we were really looking at pontoon/party boats. Going to hire one sometime soon and get a feel for them.

The List.

• Simple/Economical to build - I don't get a lot of spare time.
• Low power requirements - not going to spend $10,000 on a motor or $100 a day on fuel.
• Shallow draft and no need to cope with much of a chop - stomping ground would be Pummicestone Passage, Maroochydore and Noosa rivers.
• Will need to deal with strong currents
• We don't need overnight accommodation - but if we had it I might get the family into overnighting and weekends away.
• 2~8 people ambling up and down the protected river/passage, maybe have lunch aboard, pull up on a bit of beach for a while

I was looking at Bateau's new Pontoon boat which is kind of a blank canvas as far as layout goes
PC20_350.jpg 24green_classic_600.png
[http://www.bateau.com/proddetail.php?prod=PC20] ,


and at Michael Storer's Dayboat which is pretty much just a sharpie hull with a nice looking roof.
storer23dayboat.jpg Storer23DayboatConstruct.jpg

[http://www.storerboatplans.com/Daybo...t_Launch.html]

Simon