Crowd sourced Boat build

[ilikeboats]

Free Boat Plans
I am looking at building the budget houseboat (trailerable)and would like to crowd source the build. It says best thing in boats since women... let's see if we can make it that way.
goals:
1)make it more modern/cool looking
2)cut costs
3) improve comfort/amenities
4) make it safer
5) make it like a cruisers boat
6)i live in Iowa, but the love the keys too how could this be used in both places
7) probably build shell put trolling motor on it and solar panels so can use it sooner and continue upgrading it
8) will be built in my garage so ideas to make easier to build

thanks ahead for your positive input only

[Adelie]

The boat you indicate is a flat bottom boat. Much easier and cheaper to build but at the cost of seaworthiness. If you like the Keys this boat would be fine to trailer down and hang out. Make sure your are in a protected anchorage every night and that you have checked the weather and forecast sea state for any passages. This will never be a cruising boat, nobody will put up with the pounding from a flat bottom boat for any significant period of time.

Any modifications to the looks of the vessel are likely to change the living area as well. Be cognizant of that before proceeding with changes.

Power vessels get poor fuel mileage. Count on getting 2-5 MPG, significantly less if you push your speed much over 5 nm/hr better at 4 nm/hr. A 10hp 4-stroke outboard would probably be the best compromise between performance, fuel economy and up-front cost. Another alternative is a diesel outboard which would have significantly better mileage (3-7 mpg) or better if you slowed down. But the diesel will cost at least double up front.

With 1 or 2 large electric trolling motors you could probably make something approaching 3 nm/hr if you had a significant number of solar panels and or batteries.

Do you have a towing vehicle? I looked for a displacement for the boat but couldn't find one. The next boat in the list was 25', which listed the bare hull as 1500lb. I'd guess 1300lb for the hull of your boat, then double that for super structure and engines. And add another 1400lb for fuel, provisions, personal gear, water, mattresses, bedding, water, batteries . . . Figure 4,000lb plus a trailer: 5,000 lb or so.

Building in wood it will have a somewhat limited life expectancy, 15yr, unless you put a lot of effort into maintaining it. As a home built vessel it will have little resale value, so this has to be a labor of love with little expectation of getting money back out of the boat when you are done with it.

Going back to the Keys. They are a hurricane zone so you will only want to take the boat there in the period November to May. Even the

If all this makes you reconsider the design, building yourself, motor vs sail or using wood we can discuss other options too.

If you still want to build this, go for it, I'll think you're ballsy.

Finally asking people to hold back on negative reactions isn't going to happen. You're a noob and the people on this forum are all pretty much anonymous which generally gives license to responses without the normal social filters one uses when dealing face to face. Of course some of the members don't have those filters even face to face. Just ignore the negativity and don't respond.

[ilikeboats]

Thanks for your input, I have been reconsidering the keys and my love affair with that area I used the vacation every year spending plenty there but after reading how they treat cruisers I think inland lakes I was just hoping it would be costal safe and beachable (if that's a word) like a catamaran. I have a old S-10 pickup 4cly 4 speed .hoping if I lighten it up maybe hual on flat trailer if not my best friend is a master carpenter maybe he will loan me one of his trucks.


Now on to latest :
Decided to make steering simple for now might simplify build?

Found this boat was nice enough that it has been copied by other boat builder so hoping we get a peak at those plans someone bought from bateunu or some name similar.. So more details.

I agree boat should be built purely for the love of boating .. Keep costs down

Guessing 120 hours I could get the shell done..after redesign is chosen with everyone's input then cost out and build I have a double garage 24' deep with only 7'4" heighth. Do you guys think I could build most of it there?

Another idea change front bunks to Queen across bow with full standing changing spot with build in hanging closets to maintain structural support and improve it

Idea: 2 only fiberglass the bottom part of hull, could I put topside paint on the rest?

Another idea, make hull 4 inches harrower so it is road legal?

I have a old slider could that be used for the back door of the boat?

All kinds of crazy ideas, and hope to get more of yours too! . Appreciate you Thanks

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, likeboats.

[weavis]

I considered crowdfunding for making a 30 foot catamaran. Only I was going to produce them for sale at a reasonable price. I was outbid on the hull moulds so that idea was shelved. I learned a lot about production and time and costs though. To do it right and small scale is not cheap. A lot of regulations involved.

A revamped Gemini 105 would be a nice Cat to do. Good for Europe.. can do the French canals in it..

[ilikeboats]

Maybe screw around with it here on lakes, run it down the big muddy..

[ilikeboats]

Thanks Gord nice meeting you, I would appreciate your help on this project catamarans are my favorite boats but hard to get one with low CG, narrow enough to haul,cheap budget and simple to build limit my risk.
that is what led me to this boat. Later maybe move up to a catamaran

[UNCIVILIZED]

Please define "crowd sourced boat building". What do you mean exactly by this.
As to cheap liveaboards that are beachable, or semi, there are plenty of them. So you might consider buying vs. building.

[ilikeboats]

Gord and Weavis, thanks nice meeting you hope you can help out with this, love cats too this is just better for me because of location, trailering,simpler build, lower cost. Faster to get in water.

[ilikeboats]

Well I have been reading this site about 5 years now and I realized through everyone's knowledge that redesigning of a boat even a simple one is not to be taken lightly multiple rules have changed since sixties on what is a good design and I don't have all the ideas... So when it is done will post the plans we come up with the reasons for the new changes then build it and we can get feed back and see what we improved. Thanks for your help also I am 6'2 and as much as I like Jarcats too small inside for me so all the trade offs including being able to leave on trailer no dockage\storage not hauling a boat half way across the country .. Just for something to play around learn and so on... Check out the article and the old plans points make sense.. Just like wooden ladders instead of buying them makes sense to me..as a example. This isn't a vanity project for me but a practical way to do something I enjoy.. A couple thousand and I can have something to play on and learn all in, no hotels on way, no dockage\storage, no big boat expenses I can fix everything (at least I hope)

[ranger58sb]

You mean crowd-sourced design?

Or crowd-sourced funding? Or parts and materials? Or...?

For consideration: Maybe find a big (but old, maybe "inexpensive") pontoon boat to use as a platform, and replace whatever's on deck with your house ideas? Repower with whatever?

-Chris

[ilikeboats]

Just design...Thanks Chris wow you guys are great !! I think this is still my best option but will check into it

[ilikeboats]

Question guys could I narrow it 4 inches and shorten it a couple feet if I wanted if I only use the flybridge as a layout area no steering, extra framing up above? If I shortened it so it seamed more trailer able maybe take a foot out of main cabin area and a foot out of the cockpit ??

[justwaiting]

Old design when wood was good quality cheap and plentiful - unfortunately not so much these days. Vehicles were heavy, solid transmissions - how much would this boat weigh when the plans talk about 12 men to turn over the hull?

The plans call for a 30HP motor - honestly i can see why. Its not only the power requirements. If you drop the size of the motor then the balance of the boat will change - will water flow out of the scuppers.

Fresh water kills ply much faster than salt water.

The boat will stop dead in any kind of chop or tide and that is before you even consider the windage.

Don't try and back that boat!

Essentially the hull is the same basic design as the old oyster punts that i used to have (and built). Have a look at the changes in the designs and materials that they use today as opposed to the designs that were used back when those plans were published. Back in the day i actually considered turning one of the punts into a house boat to use on the lake / estuary.

[ilikeboats]

Do you guys think it seems too long for a small trailer able boat to haul behind a small pick-up? I think everyone agrees it should be narrowed 4 inches. But length I haven't heard?