Weston Farmer's KATUSHA

[rbgarr]

Has anyone built, seen, taken pictures of this trailerable motor cabin cruiser?

http://www.dngoodchild.com/5118.htm

[Wild Dingo]

That goodchild site has some interesting stuff on it doesnt it?... :cool: wonder how they lend themselves to todays googes and lighter stuff???

I like the bedroom!! half caravan with motor... and here I was thinking Id have to build a shantyboat or one of the houseboats from GlenL... nice one mate :cool:

Shane

[Thad]

The question I ask is about the plans themselves. The pictures look nice, but the cartoons remind me of Alex Hadden's assessment of Bill Atkin's plan for the larger but similar boat he finished last year -- the plans were no better than cartoons, lacking the details needed to define the structure, especially in it's difficult areas.

[rbgarr]

That's the exact same concern I have, and why I asked the questions!

This summer I talked to Alex and went aboard that boat he built so nicely. It was clear to me that if he were asked to build one again he'd have to charge alot more than he did.

At the moment I'm waiting for Goodchild's booklet of the boat to arrive in the mail. One alternative I'm considering is purchasing a fiberglass hull of similar size and fitting it out like the cartoon, with differences, for ICW day (four or more friends) and weekend cruises (for two) here on the Georgia coast , and trailering to Maine for summertime use. There's a hull available called the St. Croix 22 that has promise, as does the Pemaquid 22. Probably outboard powered (I've got two used Honda 45's available).

Like a caravan, the boat could be trailed around and used for on-land camping and cruising in faroff places we'd like to go in retirement: Great (and other ) Lakes, Hudson River and Erie Canal, Pac No. West, even ship to Europe for canal cruising (?!?) One requirement we have is for a real queen sized mattress. Installing, flipping and airing would be interesting wouldn't it?

Any other bare hull builder suggestions out there?

[ 01-05-2003, 12:22 PM: Message edited by: rbgarr ]

[Steve Paskey]

A real queen-size mattress? That's 60 inches wide. Katusha's maximum beam is 79 inches at the sheer. Subtract the width of the gunwale and planks on each side, allow for the fact that the mattress is lower than the sheer (where the hull is narrower), allow for the curvature of the hull (i.e. the hull will be narrower forward and aft of the point of maximum beam). . .

Looks to me like you'd be cutting it a mite close if you hope to leave an "aisle" clear along one side, as shown in the cartoon. Maybe something with a foot more beam? (That's still well within the trailerable limit.)

[ 01-05-2003, 09:28 PM: Message edited by: Steve Paskey ]

[G. Schollmeier]

rbgarr

Let’s say I like the boat, and I do. Is an aft cabin something you have given much thought to? Maybe you or others could put their $.02 in about aft cabins. It’s a great way to cover the dog house. It would eliminate most engine noise. Might be more comfortable while sleeping at anchor. What are the cons?

Farmer plans are still available if what you get isn’t enough.

Gary

[JimConlin]

Also look at the Sisu 22. I think it's a Royal Lowell design.