Too Late To Start ?

[Don1500]

What you want to do is what you want to do, and I have no problem with that. I admit a 50cc bike will not run at 70mph all day and carry two people plus luggage. I just didn't expect that is what you wanted to do. I just sold my TWO Nomads (2001, 1500 and a 2005, 1600, one of the perks you get when the bike costs 1/2 the price of a Harley) Along with my wife’s 1100 V-Star. I really tried to think of a way I could take a bike with me and decided that it is not an option for me. I do plan on a set base in the summer near Hampton, Va. I have a relative there that would let me store a bike over the winter when I expect to do my serious cruising. I also have another relative in Orlando that might let me store a small scooter there. But I am thinking that the costs associated with owning and operating a vehicle negates its value. Think about the costs in licensing and insuring a bike and the actual time you NEED to have it. Sure I love riding, but it will eat into my budget. Public transport, renting when needed, borrowing or bumming a ride occasionally from said relatives should be all I need. And walking will be good for me. I think that time takes a different meaning and now I am hung up on speed that requires a car, later I will not.

[Wavewacker]

Hey Don, none of that rant was for you buddy....I jsut got off topic so to speak. Yes, I'll be getting rid of alot of stuff too. My Transalp costs about 150 bucks a year to insure....upkeep is pretty slim too, but your comment has a good point!

What I see as more likely is that the hassel of loading and unloading it, especially in some areas, would be too much for the benefit, if so, I'd let it sit onboard.

The only times I have been along the east coast were during my Army days and I didn't see much. For me, if I travel 800 miles on rivers and get up in that area, I'd kick myself for not taking off and seeing other sites that boaters usually don't get to.

Where it's easy to fool with the bike, I can run to any store I'd like, not just the water side tourist traps.

I'm on a landing craft kick right now, a long narrow boat like Bolger's Bantam or Tenessee but with more forward storage and a ramp off the bow. I need at least 14 feet of cabin about 7' of beam. A raised wheelhouse and smaller aft deck. I'd rather stay away from the garvey bow as it will be going around FA and in the ICW, otherwise I'm going by rivers. A motorsailor would be perfect....with a 10 to 25hp outboard.

I did find an ambulance boat that could be converted, probably toooo much $$$$$$! Otherwise, it looks like a build....

[Don1500]

PULLED THE TRIGGER TODAY!!! Put a deposit on a boat in Maryland. Soon as it's accepted I will post the details.

[RTB]

I bet I know the one. I've followed their blog from the beginning, if I am right. Best wishes, I'd be very surprised if she doesn't check out.

[Don1500]

Mahalo

[RTB]

He mia iki!

[Don1500]

That was a clue

[Wavewacker]

Congrats Don! You could post what you're interested in.....?

I'm going to ask a dumb question, I know it's a dumb question because I can't find any answers on it which implies that no one else ever asked it;

What can you do to a pontoon boat to make it sea worthy? Can the bow be redesigned? More of a catamaran with U-----U shaped hulls, not O-----O. 24/26 feet long, 8' beam and a cabin that it more trawler style or mostly a covered deck area...maybe a raised wheelhouse.

Carri-Crafts were older catamaran houseboats that I really like but hard to find, but I really don't need something so big.

At my old and feable age (LOL) seems it would be easy to get around on deck, step ashore, haul stuff loading and unloading and could be pushed by a small outboard.

I also saw a thread in a design site about rigging a sail on a pontoon, I was surprised when hard core types said you could do it, tacking might be hard but would move the boat.....

[Don1500]

I am interested in a monohull, 30-40', on the east coast.

[Wavewacker]

That's cool Don, I really like those too! Is it white? I bet it has a galley and a head too.....LOL

Okay, wait til your offer is accepted and then you can spill the beans....

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Don1500

I have missed many "perfect" boats because I can't be there to inspect them. I can't leave here till the house closes. I will then go to the Houston/Galveston area to have a real good look at what is available. I also feel that the best buys never make it to the internet, they sell too fast. I am not upset about the boats I have missed, I know there will be others. I do still spend hours looking at the adds though.

There is also a marina in Mobile, Alabama, that specializes in selling boats. Not all that far from the Houston area ...

[Wavewacker]

I'm first wanting a machine to do the Great Loop, at my age if I can accomplish that in the near future that should let me know if I'm really going to get salty enough to move aboard and cruise.

My problem is that I'm in Mo. and can't be running all over the country looking at a boat. That's why I'm considering a build, of some kind. I have some 30' ponttons available locally, 30" tubes...big ones. It might be just as easy to start from scratch.....thus my question above.

Just wondered if a pontoon cat could be seaworthy, changing the deck attachments, deck, bow and cabin forward....it wouldn't look like most houseboats.

Doctor says if I don't stop smoking I'll be dragging a bottle around, I ask if it was a bottle of rum and said that would make it quicker. So, I'd better clean up my act and get busy with something....

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

I'm first wanting a machine to do the Great Loop, at my age if I can accomplish that in the near future that should let me know if I'm really going to get salty enough to move aboard and cruise.

My problem is that I'm in Mo. and can't be running all over the country looking at a boat. That's why I'm considering a build, of some kind. I have some 30' ponttons available locally, 30" tubes...big ones. . . .

Exactly what do you intend to "circumnavigate" in the "Great Loop?" If it includes navigating in the open Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, I would rather think that a "pontoon boat" would be very bad or possibly suicidal idea.

- - I have lived in St Louis and St Charles and there are small to medium sized mono-hull sailboats and plenty of power yachts available on both the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.

[Don1500]

Here she is. Put a deposit down already.

Kaleo under sail in the southern Bahamas - 2011

Specs:

• Built in 1984
• Hull #207 of approx. 250 built
• LOA 34′
• LWL 28’8″
• Beam 11’2″
• Draft 5’6″
• Mast height 49′
• Displacement 13,600 lbs
• Ballast 4,700 lbs
• Sail Area, Main 226 sq. ft. Working Jib 219 sq. ft., 150% Genoa 456 sq. ft.
• Headroom 6′ 7″
• Berths 6 x 6′ 4″
• Water tankage 90 gal (3 tanks)
• Fuel tankage 25 gal
• 30 hp Westerbeke diesel (3471 hours)

[Wavewacker]

Originally Posted by osirissail

Exactly what do you intend to "circumnavigate" in the "Great Loop?" If it includes navigating in the open Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, I would rather think that a "pontoon boat" would be very bad or possibly suicidal idea.

- - I have lived in St Louis and St Charles and there are small to medium sized mono-hull sailboats and plenty of power yachts available on both the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.

Yes, I'm watching there, CL mainly, and you are right, but not cheap, so far seems like the St Louis market is not at all in touch with the prices along the costal areas, New Orleans, Tampa, even Miami. Texas has a few good ones and then in the Northeast there seem to be great deals too. St. Louis is four hours away, haven't seen anything worth a trip.

Yes, doing the GL will mean running along the coast of the gulf and the Keys and up the ICW. While my thought was using tubes, it's not modifying an existing pontoon boat. I wish I could load pics, I'm technologically deficient. More like a hull with amas, cabin forward...might be too wild, marinas might not let it in...LOL

I have also become a Bolger fan as to boat building, some are very simple builds, like the Tenessee,

But it would be sooo much quicker and cheaper to find an existing boat.