Landing Craft Modified

[Eric M]

A recent Boat US magazine had an article about a fellow that did the great loop on a pontoon boat. That would clearly not get the fuel economy you are looking for though...We have a 35' sailboat with a 35hp diesel and can get 7 knots at 7 miles / gallon all day long. However, we have 100 gallons of water and 50 gallons of fuel and fill the water tank 4+ times for every time we fill the fuel tank, so you might want to rethink your tankage requirements.
Another thought - Refrigeration on boats is your #1 consumption of energy. Front opening fridges, like a small apt fridge spill out all the cold air every time you open the door. Many boat fridges are top opening so you can open them many times without loosing so much cold air. Something to consider unless you want to have to run your generator nearly full time.
Can't wait to see photos!

[hpeer]

Take a look here.

I grew up with garveys, Dad's was 32' but no cabin, a work boat.

Others, a bit larger but with a large forward cabin, were used to run duck hunting parties.

Third Friday Speaker Series: Chris Cunningham « Bearings: The Blog of The Center for Wooden Boats

21terrapinpage

Also here, Tuckerton Seaport photo, there is a garvey with a forward cabin. Used to be lots of them around. I had to really, really hunt to find a photo.

http://www.sjmagazine.net/html/2010/...l-museums.html


Then you can go to Parker Marine and there are some plans for sailing garveys and other interesting craft.

http://www.parker-marine.com/parker2_1.htm

Not to mention Phil Bolger. I ran into an AS-29 doing the great circle.

http://www.ace.net.au/schooner/as192939.htm

[markpierce]

Landing craft (notice anchor on stern) modified as a gunboat.

[Wavewacker]

Gotta say I had some laughs guys!

Let's see, no, the guy that might have been here with a similar requirement has an older Glod Wing and a side car, that's not me.

Ok, it's going to be a flat bottom, straight sided scow with a landing craft bow. 30' LOA, waterline beam about 7. Freeboard 5' at the bow and 4' to stern. Draft, less than 2'.

For stability, adding amas with akas that fold up for transport. The amas could come off and be carried on the forward deck or inside the hold when not needed....(less than 10' long)

Pilothouse or a downeast style cabin top aft with about 4' aft deck should be plenty of room to mess with the OB.

Forward of the cabin will be the hold and drop down ramp about 4 1/2' wide. 7/8% rise forward.

Foward deck with a slight crown and opens up from the center to sides like barn doors to the bow. This will give a covered forward hold and open to load/unload.

Hope to have a simple ketch rig, mainly for downwind and using leeboards.

10 to 15hp should get it moving to 6/7 knots, with a 25hp at half throtle should give decent efficiency and pass a few marinas and have reserve power to get out of the way of some guy in a trawler (LOL).

Doubt the fuel tank will be as big, but can carry cans as required for the long stretches of the lower Mississippi.

My bike is a Honda Transalp, dual sport 650 V-twin, a rare beast at 325#s or so. The other is a 1600 cc Vulcan cruiser at about 700#. Either bike could go. A ramp inside to guide the wheels will provide a lock down for the bike. A winch inside will help load back end first or unload if needed.

I know, it will be a strange craft and probably won't be selling it anyway.

How does that sound???????

It's not an option to leave the bike, I will need transportation while staying in remote river areas, where no one is there to rent a car, get a taxi or hop a bus.

Sorry I can't post pics, maybe I can get help on another computer, but my little notebook has limitations and so do I.....LOL

Suggestions?????

PS. Hpeer, the AS 29 is another option with some modifications, thanks!

[psneeld]

plan on a bigger engine and if you are building it double your estimate.

[Wavewacker]

Originally Posted by psneeld

plan on a bigger engine and if you are building it double your estimate.

Hope not, but I won't go over a 50hp. It should be a cheap build, ply on frame, lumberyard stock, tape the seams....

Your suggestion to get an existing boat is certainly an even better option, if I could find an old boat worthy of being destroyed.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

Hope not, but I won't go over a 50hp. It should be a cheap build, ply on frame, lumberyard stock, tape the seams....

Your suggestion to get an existing boat is certainly an even better option, if I could find an old boat worthy of being destroyed.

they are out there for a fraction what you will spend building!

[Wavewacker]

Originally Posted by psneeld

they are out there for a fraction what you will spend building!

Well, I've been studying that a little and looking at the market for over a year. From memory, the cheapest LC I came across was 15K and it wasn't anywhere near large enough, just big enough to put a 4 wheeler on it basically and a standup helm.

Maybe cutting the bow out of a CC and gutting it and adding an aft cabin would work, but I'm not an NA and I'd rather not die. It would be mega bucks to have such work done I would think.

Maybe there is a better way to do this without so much expense....

I wouldn't be doing this in an exotic marine ply, it would be a work boat type, ply on frame. I don't see a great expense, under 4K for the boat, taped seams, not glassed, just painted and painted and painted. 3 or so for an engine and a couple K on the infill, that's under 10K.

But, if anyone has a specific idea, boat or how to modify what, please chime in....

[psneeld]

stop looking in yacht mags/ads and look in workboat classifieds...there's all sorts of hulls out there.

If you want to do the loop in a nailed together (galvanzied nails cause stainless will cost most of that 4 grand) plywood box with camping gear...well go for it.

otherwise like I said...double your estimates and plan on a bigger engine.

Not to knock your dreams...but I have already "thought out" your plan because I thought the same for several years....

You might do it very inexpensively...but usually the opposite of quick, all fun and hassle free. Start scrounging now and after doing that for several years (unless you are retired/unemployed)..and you might start to have enough for an inexpensive cruiser you can start to put together.

[Me-and-Boo]

Thanks for bringing this up. I have been contemplating what would be necessary to carry a Smart car around.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

and I'd rather not die.

First time you have mentioned this requirement - that's gonna add a few more bucks to the project .

Why not get a trials bike? and then bunny hop on and off! (over here they can be made road legal).

[Wavewacker]

Originally Posted by Me-and-Boo

Thanks for bringing this up. I have been contemplating what would be necessary to carry a Smart car around.

You might search for scows and look at those. There was one named "Nina" that reportedly carried a VW in the Hew England area.

Check out the Wooden Boat forums as there are several threads on landing crafts. IMO, you'll be looking at a 38/40+ footer for a small car, as the beam is about a third of the length, it will also be a very heavy build.

Another guy is working on an LC to carry his motorcycle with a side car!

What most miss about carrying a load and load operations is the draft required to get close enough to shore, it's not just a nice thing to have shoal draft, it's a requirement, you have to be able to land on a muddy bank or shore. A trawler with a 3/4/5' draft means your ramp might be half as long as your boat, maybe longer! A sailboat with a fixed keel would be a real problem.

Psneeld, I see what you're saying and stainless probably would be a significant cost. I have looked at commercial boat sites, landing crafts are usually not posted in Yachting World, and they are not cheap. I looked again yesterday and the cheapest commercial boat at 30', not an LC, was 15K and it was pure work, no head or anything.

There are more inland waterways and miles to cover in the US than a circumnavigation and I have no interest in crossing the pond when there thousands of miles of rivers to explore and much of it a 30+ foot trawler can't go there. I ride motorcycles off road as well as on the highways. It is the same attitude to cruising, going where others can't go or at least few go and when you do get there you might want to go ashore, go to a store.
The Great Loop is the highway for cruisers. The Buffalo River in Arkansas is one of the best floating rivers in the country and it can't be done in a just any trawler....I could stay several weeks on the Buffalo.

I realize that such a craft may be looked down on by most, but if I need an ego boost, I'll take my son's 50' Searay.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Might also want to read / chip in to this thread:-

About landing crafts - Boat Design Forums

[Wavewacker]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

First time you have mentioned this requirement - that's gonna add a few more bucks to the project .

Why not get a trials bike? and then bunny hop on and off! (over here they can be made road legal).

Because I'm 60 now and I have been retired for 10 years. A trails bike would kill you on the highway on a 200 mile trip and take the time I have left! LOL

Thought I mentioned this, I have a Transalp, it's a 650 cc, V-twin dual sport, it will cruise all day with two up at 75, top end at 110 mph, this is not a popcorn popper. I also have a 1600 Vulcan cruiser I could take on other trips.

Did I also mention the boat must be trailerable, towed by an F-150?

[Wavewacker]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Might also want to read / chip in to this thread:-

About landing crafts - Boat Design Forums

I'm Wavewacker, the one who bumped this thread. Might check out "SCOW PROA", about a scow with an outrigger, some nice designs there as well.


Yes, I have been making the rounds....
BTW, thanks for posting this too, I would have, but I'm technologically deficient!