G'dayRigby's missus here looking for some assistance. He has been trying to find out some information, plans, anything in relation to building a fairly large size pontoon style platform suitable for us to build a houseboat onto. We have three daughters that are growing up fast therefore comfort and space is rather an important factor. After alot of research and deliberation we think that a pontoon type would serve us well, we sort of want to be able to escape the rat race when not working in super comfort on the water. Rigs loves to build things and is great working with all kinds of metals we live on property so size and space to build this is not a problem. Also have access to moorings so size for trailering is not a factor. Would love to hear from someone that may have done this themselves or knows of somewhere we can obtain plans or advice. Thanks heaps Janette.
Do a internet search for 'boat plans'. There are several sights with free plans you can download and scale up, or on others they sell plan sheets that are sort of like blueprints for a nominal fee.Another option is find an older one and restore it. Often you can find boats with broken engines or need a refit that are almost free if you haul them off. That might be a good source to get the pontoons themselves if not a whole boat.Ed,
I did a web search for homemade houseboat or home built houseboat and came up with a site where a couple were building just what you describe, entirely wooden I think. Can't remember the site URL, but I bet its still there...could have been DIY houseboat. Give it a try.
Winger Ed and tim Mc, G'day, thanks heaps for replying. Had a bit of a surf on the net last night re pontoon houseboats and found some good info. We realised that all our original searching for boat plans had been mainly on v-hull design. My boat design search begins again, which is what I love to do when I find the time, natural female instinct I guess (always looking for something). Ha Ha.Thanks again guys for your time and great info. Janette (The Missus) P.S. Winger Ed - Hydro looks great.
Janet, I'm in the middle of doing the exact same homework. My wife and I are looking at buying a 40ft houseboat that needs new pontoons and motor (just like 'Ed' described).40ft marine grade alloy pontoons are not cheap but they will last much longer than sheet metal, you need to do accurate sums to determine if alloy is cost effective. In my case, about $25,000 for the pontoons, including a solid alloy full length bumper. At this stage I think I will get them custom made so that I can incorporate water tanks, septic tank and fuel tank. The most up to date pontoon design is a square box profile that tapers slightly in the last few inches, the bottom is flat. The front section of the pontoon is racked to help cut through the water.I've looked a hundred of houseboats in the past few months and have come to realise that they are deceptively simple to build. Think of your pontoons as bearers, add joists every 900mm (depending on the size of the material), add noggings between the joists to support the floor, add a marine ply floor (or plate alloy floor) and build a house on top. The house framework can be light gauge box steel or kiln dried treated pine. The rear section of the joists are beefed up to accomodate one or two motors. Its much easier to build the rear section to suit outboards as opposed to I/O.Aldo
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You don't mention an actual length, but have you checked out the Glen-L website? They have houseboats from 16' to 45', mostly plywood hulls but the biggie can be plywood, welded steel, or GRP. With something as simple as a pontoon hull the plywood ones should lend themselves to steel or aluminium construction too, all you need is the shape which is a basic box with a point at one end!
Aldo, Janette here thanks heaps for your message. Great info. Hubby is in the shed at the moment tinkering with an outboard that he is rebuilding. I will get him to read your message when he comes in for dinner. It's great to see that you are thinking along the same lines as us. We have definately decided that aluminium has to be the go, understand that it will cost us a bit more but think it is well worth it. We are looking for something around the same size as yourself and originally were looking at the Roberts Atlantic 40 in alloy as a build but after many many hours of research and discussion feel that a houseboat is a better option as our three girls are 8,9 and 10. Maybe look at v-hulls further down the track. I will have a look for some restoration housey's as well which I think is a pretty good idea. Thanks again heaps for your info, Rigs will probably reply a bit later on for maybe some more info. By the way good to hear from a Melbournian, I am born and bred in Ballarat and miss the people down there majorly. Very different here in Sydney and not getting much better by the day. Hense our future plans.Kind regards Janette.
“G” day at you, too. Just a thought … here in the San Francisco Bay it is not uncommon to see barges that have been made into homes and/or offices. They are really nice. I play in a boatyard that purchased a couple surplus military barges ($12k ea) and made them into machine and wood shops. They are big, heavy steel boxes that are 30ft wide, 60ft long, 15ft high. Cut in a sun roof, has doors on two sides, a deck on one side. You can cut in windows, grow your garden on top…Before you commit to spending $$$ on this venture start with a feasibility study. Can you find a place to moor your new home? This is the single biggest problem in the SF area. No where to park your floating paradise. We had an opportunity to purchase one of this barges ready to go ($40k) but we are unable to find a place to put her.Search the web for barges. Lots of brokers selling barges in England, US, Europe. I would image in your area, too.
Janette, 18rabbit makes a good point, where are you going to use the boat? Couple of things to concider, a 40ft pontoon houseboat (as opposed to a 20ft wide monohull) won't handle coastal conditions, they are just not designed for heavy swells and the occasional storm but they would be great for the Hawksbury river system or Myall lakes.The life span of aluminium is greatly reduced in salt water unless you spend "Greg Norman' type money. Aluminium pontoons are very popular on the Murray system, try searching boat builders around Mildura/Echuca/Albury etc.40ft is not easily or cheaply transported. Where it is slipped is usually where it stays, a single story 40ft x 15ft generally weighs in at around 10 to 12 ton (a rough guide, way to many variations).In my case I am looking at Lake Eildon, perfect for alloy pontoons although I haven't seen any on the lake, don't know why. Cost maybe - dunno.My wife and I recently toured the Whitsundays' for 2 weeks in a 39ft alloy cat (rental). What a boat! About $450,000 to buy, I'm only $420,000 short but this cat needed to be slipped, cleaned and painted every six months at a cost of $6000, not exactly within the price range of the average punter.Aldo
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building Aluminium pontoon
Just a thought Â… here in the San Francisco Bay it is not uncommon to see barges that have been made into homes and/or offices. They are really nice. I play in a boatyard that purchased a couple surplus military barges ($12k ea) and made them into machine and wood shops. They are big, heavy steel boxes that are 30ft wide, 60ft long, 15ft high. Cut in a sun roof, has doors on two sides, a deck on one side. You can cut in windows, grow your garden on topÂ…
but this cat needed to be slipped, cleaned and painted every six months at a cost of $6000, not exactly within the price range of the average punter.
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