Does this sound like a pipe dream?

[tbodine88]

check this out
Here is some one who did it C2's Cruising Adventures

[csnlynn]

Great link, this is more what I have in mind. Will have something to look over the weekend.

Just found this blog about two young ladies that are currently going down the Mississippi.

https://carrierpigeonstudio.com/blog-2/

[Cormorant]

I built our 31-footer and it took two years of all my spare time, plus a burning unquenchable obsession to build a boat. Now that it's over, the obsession is quenched and I don't want to do it again. So, just saying, you really gotta have that burning desire to build. If so, go for it. If not, as everyone will tell you, there are plenty of good old boats to fit out for your needs.

By the way, a good old book you'll enjoy: Shanty Boat: A River Way of Life, by Harlan Hubbard.

They build their own, and do some really cool voyaging / homesteading. But it's more than 50 years ago and much of the America he portrays probably can't be found again. . . .

[SV Bacchus]

You might check around the lakes in Kentucky and Tennessee, they are infested with houseboats, big and small. Find one in a marina that appears to have not been touched in a year or two, contact the owner and low-ball the heck out of em'.

Then spend your time not building but rebuilding. Rip out the interior, make it yours by building it the way you want. Insulate accordingly, put in new, double pane windows, etc.

You get the idea, work on it as much as you want to scratch that "I wanna build" itch.

You will end up with a vessel designed to do what you want to do, maxed out to your desires and will get you on the water so much quicker!

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Just a thought. Why not rent some kind of craft for a couple of weeks on one of the rivers you mention and see how it goes?
.

A good thought .... except for the "rivers"

If the OP is truly heading north I assume he means the Great Lakes. If that is the case he should build for the Lakes, not the rivers. Last Month Sharon and I spent 2 days hiding out in Conneaut, Ohio because the 50' Marine Trader we were delivering couldn't handle the weather on Lake Erie. I've done the length of Lake Michigan in 10' waves and once spent 19hrs. between Oswego and Toronto in 19' waves ....... build for the Lakes, not the quiet rivers and canals.

[Sparks5501]

I just retired and bought a boat. After about six months of research and crawling all over a bunch of boats, we found the one we wanted for the price we could afford. The hull was great and the motor was gently used. Had to fix up some of the interior. Repaired the head and the water heater by replacing some of the old parts, so didn't have to put much money into it. Now we know the boat inside and out like the back of our hands because we have done all of the work ourselves.


We are planning on doing the Great Loop in sections. We also decided to go for a smaller boat that we could pull on a trailer. This saves slip fees and haul out fees. The boat is a 28' Donzi Express cruiser. She has two berths, galley and a head/shower. plenty of space of Mack and I to stay in. we can have company too if they want to spend the night.


Capt John Great Loop website and the Great Loopers Association are two great places to go for information on that. Now that everything has been fixed, we are ready to go on a trip. It has been a dream of mine. Plus my brother and sister have lived on boats for many years. It runs in the family. It is the beginning of a new adventure.