Land on water, crazy idea. Will it work?

[coinmaster]

Hey, I've been thinking lately about building a modular land structure in the ocean.
I've been trying to think of an effective way to do it.
My current idea is to get a square platform perhaps with a convex bottom and extend poles downward throughout the bottom of it with spherical buoys lined through them.
I would assume the platform would serve like a raft with the buoy poles pushing the force upward enough so it does not sink under heavy weight. The size of each platform would be large enough to accommodate a house.
I figure in theory. If I connect enough modular platforms like this together it would largely negate the movement of the ocean and prevent it from flipping.

I know it sounds crazy but humor me. What do you think?

 

[foodfisher]

I think....pontoons

 

[coinmaster]

Can't put a house and a back yard onto a pontoon
I'm thinking like a 100 square foot platform that floats, in international waters.

 

[Bayou Dave]

Can't put a house and a back yard onto a pontoon
I'm thinking like a 100 square foot platform that floats, in international waters.

A barge would be big enough. I have no desire to be in international waters on only 100 square feet.

 

[foodfisher]

100 sq. ft. = 10'x10'? Back yard?

 

[coinmaster]

Sorry, mistyped a 0 I meant 1000. I also want the design to be modular so I could expand upon it. Making it float seems simple enough, making sure it can handle storms is my main concern, and the most efficient design.

 

[jbcurt00]

I think the OP meant 100ft PER side, 10,000SqFt.

He mentioned connecting enough smaller platforms together to negate the motion of the ocean, to prevent it flipping over.

No comment on practicality, possibility, feasibility or viability....

 

[MTboatguy]

I was going to say, a 100 square is not big enough to live on. I have owned quite a few boats over the years that had bigger decks than 100 square feet!

 

[garbageguy]

and extend poles downward throughout the bottom of it with spherical buoys lined through them...
I would assume the platform would serve like a raft with the buoy poles pushing the force upward enough so it does not sink under heavy weight....
negate the movement of the ocean and prevent it from flipping.

I know it sounds crazy

Intriguing. Not sure I get what you mean about the extending poles and spherical buoys part. With a large enough platform, etc, you may be able to dampen and even compensate for the movement of the ocean, but I don't think you'll negate it. It would have to be so expansive that flipping would probably not be your primary concern. There is a great story where a group called "the wreckers" lash all kinds of stuff together to create a floating city. So in that regard, it's been done. Got any sketches?

 

[coinmaster]

No sketches yet, I'm just gathering some opinions at the moment. I have an uncle that is considered a master boat builder and I will consult him if I get my idea far enough along.
What I meant with the buoys was. Imagine a raft-like structure, and imagine poles shooting out from the bottom either going straight down or at an angle like spider legs. These poles will have buoys speared through them. That way I can add more upward force depending on how much weight I will be throwing on top. I don't know much about boat design so I am not sure such a measure is even necessary.

The entire idea from this sprang from a news story I heard. Some guy found an "unclaimed" plot of land in the middle east and decided to try and become king of it.
Needless to say his plan didn't work but it made me think how cool it would be if he actually claimed it.
Then I realized that most of the ocean belongs to no one and no one seems to be making a real effort at putting any real estate on it.

So what I'm trying to do here is come up with an expandable plot of land that can float in the ocean that is more or less available to the public.

 

[Bayou Dave]

Google was working on something similar.

http://www.google.com/patents/US7525207

 

[coinmaster]

Google was working on something similar.

http://www.google.com/patents/US7525207

I don't think a sea based data center counts as the same thing I'm talking about real land you can plant grass on.

 

[Bayou Dave]

I don't think a sea based data center counts as the same thing I'm talking about real land you can plant grass on.

Now I see where you are going. Not sure if is feasible, but would love to see an artist's rendition of your idea.

 

[MTboatguy]

Hey they did that in a couple of James Bond movies I watched!

:joyous:

 

[Tnstratofam]

Then I realized that most of the ocean belongs to no one and no one seems to be making a real effort at putting any real estate on it.

So what I'm trying to do here is come up with an expandable plot of land that can float in the ocean that is more or less available to the public.

I see a couple of things that may be an issue. 1 your going to have to design your decks for water drainage if you want to have soil to plant grass or vegetables.

2 ,and this is the bigger concern, even though the ocean has allot of international waters that supposedly don't belong to anyone, you're gonna have to have a great anchor and propulsion system to keep you from drifting into other countries waters. Not to mention when an aggressive countries navy shows up to claim your floating island paradise for their own "since your in International Waters" you won't have any friendly countries to defend you.

The Ocean Like most of the wild world is an unforgiving place, and that's without throwing man into the mix.

 

[MTboatguy]

You are going to have to have water drainage, in addition any salt spray that splashes over is going to kill most vegetation you will plant on it.

 

[Water logged]

Someone's way ahead of you with this plan. Don't remember which it was either Discover, or Science channel, or another like that showed a plan for a large city complete with high rises, parks and neighborhoods. They had it figured that by connecting a large number of units together like you suggest it would overcome bad weather and rough seas. I don't think they had a plan to resist a hostile takeover either.

Glenn

 

[JASinIL2006]

I would think that having enough freshwater to sustain any people living on this island, much less enough for plants, would be a big challenge.

 

[Bayou Dave]

I would think that having enough freshwater to sustain any people living on this island, much less enough for plants, would be a big challenge.

Put it in equatorial waters and rely on monsoons to provide enough water to last a year?

 

[NewfieDan]

Big oil already has the concept down. They call them semi-submersibles. They are a lot bigger than 10,000sq, ft, large enough to virtually negate the ocean movement. Build a couple and link them together!!!