Pocket Houseboat

[hoss]

O.K. I know this is not a woodenboat but you guys are the only boat experts I know. Yesterday I saw a very small houseboat, well under 20 feet, which was really interesting. It's cabin extended all the way around leaving a very small flush deck in front with a step on the stern accessed from large window/doors in the back. It had a "V" hull but was very rounded, it looked like it was had about a 20 horse outboard on it. It sure wasn't a pretty boat but it looked perfect for what I would like to do (travel around inland lakes, and not use too much fuel) There were no names on it. I know this is hard but does anyone have any idea what this boat could have been?

[Meerkat]

where was the boat located?

It could have been a "one-off" design. Houseboats are not all that hard to design from scratch, especially compared to regular boats. If you took pics of this boat that's captured your fancy, you could probably recreate her yourself.

There are many, many places that have "shanty-boat" plans in various sizes and etc.

BTW, how can you have a "well rounded" V hull? ;)

[JimD]

So it was bigger than a bread box. Anything like this?

http://www.glen-l.com/designs/house/dsn-gyplb.html

[hoss]

Good point Meerkat about the hull shape, what I was trying to say was it was not a pontoon boat, it was on a V hull, which sides seemed to be rounded. It was hard to see the hull as it sat fairly low in the water. I didn't have my camera with me, it was in Peterborough Ontario at the city dock I guess it was cruising the Trent. It seemed like it was a production boat (too much formed glass to be a one off)

[Keith Wilson]

John and William Atkin designed a few; look here. (http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/Misc/index.html) The smaller ones don't generally show any power besides sweeps, but towing them with an outboard skiff would be reasonable, or you could hang an outboard on one end or another.

http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/Misc/images/Retreat-1.gif

http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/Misc/images/Retreat-2.gif

These are more house than boat, however.

[ 08-04-2005, 01:54 PM: Message edited by: Keith Wilson ]

[hoss]

Close Jim but it was all glass, there was no front deck to speak of (cabin almost to the bow) and stern deck.

[Meerkat]

Jim; The performance houseboat is a hoot! smile.gif

http://www.glen-l.com/designs/house/house-images/dsn-gypb.jpg

[JimD]

Twin Merc 250s and look out! :D

[Kermit]

Not powered, but hey! They have a smaller one if'n this is too big. Of course, you'f have to have a small tug to go with it...

http://www.macnaughtongroup.com/hush.htm

:D

Oh, oh! Check Devlin's site; he's got a small one too.

[ 08-04-2005, 10:44 PM: Message edited by: Kermit ]

[YMT]

21' X 8' House Boat. http://www.tantonyachts.com/images30.gif http://www.tantonyachts.com/images31.gif

[Jack Heinlen]

Mark Van, a member here, has been thinking and drawing and making for a number of years. A twenty something boat is on the drawing board.

It depends. If you just want a retreat, and don't want to go anywhere, Atkin's "Retreat", as Keith posted. Though a retiree did put a ten horse on the back, and some leeboards, so the boat could go about.

[Mark Van]

I haven't done much work on the 28 foot houseboat plans, I am spending too much time enjoying the scenery on the Ten-Tom waterway.

[DrakeChristensen]

Harry Bryan has a 20 footer on his website: here (http://www.harrybryan.com/harrybryan/plan11.html)