Building A House Boat

[Jimboc]

Hi,

I am in the process of collecting as much information as possible regarding the building of a Trailable House boat.. I envisage the size to be about 7 to 9 m x 2.5.

It is to become our retirement lifestyle for a year or two so that we can tour the waterways here on the East coast of Australia. It will have only a master Bedroom and probably a fold out lounge for guests. It will need a small bathroom and reasonable galley for my wife who is an excellent cook.. I am completely open as to design and material. I am VERY limited on funds. The economical climate has destroyed my business. I design and manufacture machinery from scratch such as small hydraulic tractors and front end loaders and earthmoving implements for a living so I am competent with steel. I have also just built my own steel and timber 2 story house, and a few years ago a golf course as well as some of the machinery for it. I say this only as a background to assist in any advise available. I am self taught in all these things so have no formal expertise. I am, as my Grandmother would say, "A Jack Of All Trades & Master Of None."(To make matters worse, I spent 35 years as a professional musician and at 64, still play Rock N Roll ! )

The information I am seeking is as follows:

What plans are available. Our climate is warm so outdoor living is preferred in the main. What type of engine would be most suitable, I have access to small Kubota Diesels out of tractors , if suitable, type of drive system, or would an outboard be better, what material would be the simplest to work with etc. I would like my Gross weight to be about max 2.5 to 3 ton.

A tall order I know but I am willing to take on any information or help offered & I promise not to be offend if you tell me I`m an aging idiot who should stay on dry land....... but I love to have a project to keep me from getting bored and bowls or darts at the pub have NO appeal...getting old, half deaf and half blind is bad enough.

Thanks for your time.

Regards

Jim

[olly+molly]

Hi Jim, welcome to the forum matey.

I am fairly new to this boating lark myself but i am one of your kind, love to do something like this myself one day, as soon as i can talk T into it aswell .

 

As for the boating needs, myself i would go with either ply and grp sheathed (keep the weight down ) or just get a GRP hull and fit it out with a new, if it had one, top deck, you can then design it as you want it. There are lots of boat plans out there to build from scratch so if you have the time, which i think you do, jammy sod , google boat plans, some goods ones out there which you can make from all materials. I think the weight issue will be the main problem.

As for the engine, outboard, lighter and easyer i reckon but then it depends on the mechanical skill of the captain of the ship.

Good luck with it mate, my god i cant wait to retire , only kiddin, i think, just fitting a cruiser out myself and planning a 4/6 week cruise soon as its done

 

Wayne

[Jimboc]

Hi Jim, welcome to the forum matey.

I am fairly new to this boating lark myself but i am one of your kind, love to do something like this myself one day, as soon as i can talk T into it aswell .

 

As for the boating needs, myself i would go with either ply and grp sheathed (keep the weight down ) or just get a GRP hull and fit it out with a new, if it had one, top deck, you can then design it as you want it. There are lots of boat plans out there to build from scratch so if you have the time, which i think you do, jammy sod , google boat plans, some goods ones out there which you can make from all materials. I think the weight issue will be the main problem.

As for the engine, outboard, lighter and easyer i reckon but then it depends on the mechanical skill of the captain of the ship.

Good luck with it mate, my god i cant wait to retire , only kiddin, i think, just fitting a cruiser out myself and planning a 4/6 week cruise soon as its done

 

Wayne

[colin stone]

Hi,

I am in the process of collecting as much information as possible regarding the building of a Trailable House boat.. I envisage the size to be about 7 to 9 m x 2.5.

It is to become our retirement lifestyle for a year or two so that we can tour the waterways here on the East coast of Australia. It will have only a master Bedroom and probably a fold out lounge for guests. It will need a small bathroom and reasonable galley for my wife who is an excellent cook.. I am completely open as to design and material. I am VERY limited on funds. The economical climate has destroyed my business. I design and manufacture machinery from scratch such as small hydraulic tractors and front end loaders and earthmoving implements for a living so I am competent with steel. I have also just built my own steel and timber 2 story house, and a few years ago a golf course as well as some of the machinery for it. I say this only as a background to assist in any advise available. I am self taught in all these things so have no formal expertise. I am, as my Grandmother would say, "A Jack Of All Trades & Master Of None."(To make matters worse, I spent 35 years as a professional musician and at 64, still play Rock N Roll ! )

The information I am seeking is as follows:

What plans are available. Our climate is warm so outdoor living is preferred in the main. What type of engine would be most suitable, I have access to small Kubota Diesels out of tractors , if suitable, type of drive system, or would an outboard be better, what material would be the simplest to work with etc. I would like my Gross weight to be about max 2.5 to 3 ton.

A tall order I know but I am willing to take on any information or help offered & I promise not to be offend if you tell me I`m an aging idiot who should stay on dry land....... but I love to have a project to keep me from getting bored and bowls or darts at the pub have NO appeal...getting old, half deaf and half blind is bad enough.

Thanks for your time.

Regards

Jim

 

 

Have a look at Sea Otter for some ideas on size of trailerable boats and layout/kit etc etc. Sea Otter NB Auminium with water ballast and up to 31ft are trailerable.

[Jimboc]

Have a look at Sea Otter for some ideas on size of trailerable boats and layout/kit etc etc. Sea Otter NB Auminium with water ballast and up to 31ft are trailerable.