Land on water, crazy idea. Will it work?

Tnstratofam

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Water World........


That was the first thing that came to my mind when I read the first post. Maybe Kevin Costner will finance it if the bugs can be worked out.

I think the idea of having the living quarters going down is a start in the right direction. In my head I can see having several platforms tied together offering stability, but there also would have to be some flexibility between the platforms to allow for up and down movement due to waves. The scale of a truly usable platform would have to be massive to have the ability to offer the stability you will need for keeping your land mass stable in severe storms.
 

GA_Boater

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Why do you think the ocean is a lawless, anything goes place? Maritime law must be considered in any design. How are you going to move this thing from your back yard to the middle of the ocean with passing through regulated seas?

Do you have a budget in mind? Another important part of design.
 

coinmaster

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I'll worry about the details when it matters. Same with the budget. I'll focus on a practical design first and make a prototype. I'm part owner of a beachfront, it wouldn't be too difficult to get a prototype out there at least.
 

southkogs

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Well ... with no details or budget to worry about :)

I don't think you'll come up with a single design that will suit all of the weather conditions that come along out in the ocean. Even most of the rigs that are out there get towed out of the way of bigger storms. You might be able to come up with something that will ride bigger swells, but storms are always gonna' be a problem.

I would shift gears and focus on a grouping of smaller "hinged" pods to form a larger structure. Something like this:
Screen Shot 2015-05-16 at 6.39.54 PM.png

The overall structure would be able to flow with the swells much better.

Individual "pods" could look something like:
Screen Shot 2015-05-16 at 6.48.29 PM.png

Each Pod might be a room, or a utility pod or "earth" for growing. Bottom "knob" would be mostly ballast, but perhaps could be storage too.
 

coinmaster

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Hmmmm, not bad. The storm issue is still a factor though. That design would indeed be resilient against flipping, but if it ever did flip it would be nasty, one half would fold on top of the other. It would probably take a crazy "perfect storm" wave to do it I would assume. Then again my knowledge of oceanic storms is minimal.
I definitely like the idea though, much easier to deal with than my version and much more practical.
 
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southkogs

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Define "storm." I've been on the Gulf of Mexico during a squall line running about 12 miles off shore. By the time we made it back in there were swells in the category of 10 feet high. That was a routine thunderstorm. A powerful storm, true tropical depression, or hurricane/typhoon are 3 more storm categories that will produce amazing power.

You won't produce anything that will sustain a hit by a 100' tsunami or a hurricane. Look at the damage done to the Gulf coast from Katrina. The land mass (base) wasn't really affected by the waves/swells or winds. However, EVERYTHING on top of that fixed mass was (to some degree or another). You want a "floating" base plus stuff on top.

It's gonna' have to move out of the way of MANY storms.
 

coinmaster

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North Atlantic. It was my intention from the start to be in that area. I know the waves can be rough out there but I've never heard of a major storm in the NA, at least not comparable to stuff in the south.
 
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Scott Danforth

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the north Atlantic sees normal 12' seas in the winter. add to that the few rogue waves and some nasty storms, and you have a good 50+ feet between peaks and troughs of waves.
 

southkogs

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North Atlantic. It was my intention from the start to be in that area. I know the waves can be rough out there but I've never heard of a major storm in the NA, at least not comparable to stuff in the south.
Sorry - I was being facetious.

Superior is famous for boat killin' storms. The North Atlantic is pretty brutal too. Storms are a problem you won't get around. Even here in TN, there are impounded lakes that would support your idea (not "own country" standpoint). BUT ... we get these crazy pop up storms that can generate 80MPH winds without ever spooling up a tornado. They would do some damage to you potentially. You're probably better off in warmer weather from a utility standpoint, but you're gonna' have to deal with the finding a way out of the storm.
 

GA_Boater

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North Atlantic. It was my intention from the start to be in that area. I know the waves can be rough out there but I've never heard of a major storm in the NA, at least not comparable to stuff in the south.

The Perfect Storm and Sandy off the top of my head.
 
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