Pontoon rebuild / redesign

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Very cool!

 

[fmjnax]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I've never been a fan of pontoons, but man this one sure is shaping up to be a beauty! I love all of the ideas/plans and the attention to detail you are giving it. I'll be watching this thread from the back row (I don't have any helpful information for ya, but I'll be following your progress).

 

[oops!]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

i just read the kalakalaka story start to finish.......wow....cool.....

i lived in victoria and was not aware of the boat or the run form port angeles didnt even see any pics of the boat in victoria????

very very cool........i hope the get her restored....too cool to sink

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Thanks for the complement fmjnax, grab some popcorn it should be an interesting ride for sure!

Oops I agree, that is such a cool ferry, maybe we should make it an Iboats community restoration project? I think we could all chip in and have her looking like new in a week or so!

On the project I ask my friend David K to come by and give me his ideas....he is another architect who has similar construction skills and 6 boats. He came armed with a sketch and a lot of "counter point" ideas....very good suggestions so at the end of our conversation we had managed to throw about 100 more ideas into the pot, lol! His main idea is to flip flop the floor plan and put the open space on the bow. He has some good arguments with the weight distribution issue when the boat is moving. He also promoted the idea of building more or less a dog house over the motor and building a full width swim platform across the stern behind the motor. On each side of the dog house he was talking about having a seat base, with a back rest that flips backwards and forwards....so you can sit facing the stern or bow. The swim platform would be something like you would see on a tournament ski boat....he was a tournament skier, go figure.....with the platform just kissing the water at anchor.

Tonight was sitting there looking at it thinking, what if I got another 45 hp and strapped them to each pontoon? Then put the platform between them.....I can't seem to warm up to crawling over the seats to get to the swim platform. And if I go with a single outboard I'm leaning toward another tower of power just to make my life simple. They are about 28" tall above the transom, so that rules crawling over the dog house in Davids scheme. But if I go with two 45's they are 8" shorter, I could have dog houses over them that are also part of a rear facing chase lounges, elevated above the deck. Between them would be access to the swim platform, which could still be full width behind the motors.....but then I have to deal with rigging TWO motors....STOP! don't anyone mention a I/O conversion!

I love this, I can't pick out a paint color for my house, but I have clients that give me 10 million to spend and I can make decisions all day! Its not the money part, just the "I have too many ideas for my stuff" part that gets me!

So to confuse things more, I've invited my freind Malia over...she is an interior designer, I thought her take would be interesting. She and I tend to click more on the design side that David. Last time she and I did a restore it was this 1964 retro fit...

http://www.founderstower.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=83&Itemid=183

I think next time I will stick with just finding something that needs stringers, deck and transom, lol!

 

[GT1000000]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

OK, arch, since you are throwing around some ideas, how about you get a couple of Huey chopper turbine engines, or even Cobra helicopter engines, install them in the pontoons and you wont have any engines any where in the way of any thing, and I bet it would pull about 12 skiers, 6 tubers, and a couple of troubled boats, all at the same time...at about 120 knots...
Oh yeah and the third "toon" in the center, that's for the fuel...

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

lol How about I just get a Packard out of an old PT boat? I'll have to get Jay to help me out with the Captain's call exhaust for a V12.....that should cause nerve deafness in anyone close

 

[GT1000000]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Yeah, that would be suhweeet!, I could hear it now...all the way in Miami...LOL

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

In the 'new' vein of jumping the shark:

I hear Jay Leno doesn't need his train motor'd car anymore, dig up another of those beasts, mount 'em both as inboards a mid-ship in the 'toons, get thrust pods(partially enclosed) and run those out the back of each pontoon. Ditto the 3rd 'toon for fuel....... Hey will the 45's be 'small' enough to raise & lower like a trolling motor?:facepalm:

The author takes no responsibility for loss of life or limb during the implementation of above mentioned ideas....​

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming​

As I think I understand where your headed: Considerating how the 'toon will primarily be used: a destination platform that also functions as a fashionable (??) transport, rather then primarily an A to B transport that is also a cool as hell floating stripper hang out D). A cruise out, tie up, swim off the back, grill a little tasty critter, consume a few frosty adult beverages, get out of the sun occasionally, relax on a lounge, survey the surrounding territorial waters from the upper deck. Lob an occasional volley across the bow of intruders

Push the fore deck out so that plane of pontoon meets arc of new bow, regains some of the aircraft deck lost to flattening the bow angle. Push aft deck out so that it encompasses motor, allowing access across the stern to the full width swim platform......Doesn't take into account transportation trailer length limitations, or covered dock sizes.........

I apologize for the hack job on your deck layout, graphic artist I am not. Clearly not a boat designer either...

NOTE: Slip & Slid from upper deck off the back omitted from this perspective

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Thanks for the thoughts Jbcurt....that is more or less the basic idea. I took last night off from thinking about the boat, my brain was hurting, lol! Ok so that is sort of a lie, I did spend some time thinking about controls for a dual setup...that gets pricey in a hurry! I do like the idea of how it would open up the middle of the stern.....well I think I need to do some more drafting on this, and see what I come up with.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I more or less ignored the project this weekend.....think I have been spending too much time thinking about it or over thinking it! Ok so I didn't completely ignore it....I did head out to the shop last night and buffed out a couple of areas of one toon....looks sexy! I also spent a couple of hours studying Harris flotebote and Benningoton's websites yesterday....I went by a Bennington dealer today....kicked the tires so to speak and picked up there literature. I feel a lot better about some of my assumptions in regards to seating and weight distribution now. I also came up with a twist on the rear deck layout and pilot console this weekend. I have a couple of drawings but need to work through them. I also have my freind Malia coming over one night this week.....I think she might have some out of the box insight that will help me get this thing back on the right path design wise. Hope you all had a productive weekend working on your projects!

 

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Way to much information. My head hurts after reading all that. LOL
Sorry Arch, I still have the I/O for you. LOL

 

[produceguy]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Hey arch, Really like the design. Looking great!!!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Thanks, I have a couple new ideas I"ve been working on for the aft section.....hopefully that will start to bring things together.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Thanks Produceguy! I was chasing my tail on the design, I just wasn't getting anywhere.....so I took last weekend off from the boat. I started to work on it late in the week and hit it hard this weekend. I have a lot of wadded up tracing paper, lots of CAD plans I don't like and a couple Sketchup models that I don't like.....but I did work my way through things till I came up with something that I think is workable. I had Malia (she is an amazing interior designer) come over to critic what I had come up with. I really wanted to bounce things off her, half of this project is like designing the seating in a club. I was happy to hear she agreed with me on direction! After she left I looked at the mess we had made on my drafting table....the winning sketch was on top.....

I stuck with the bow design and seating, added a "center console" setup for the helm, added aft facing loungers.....and a "hood" over the outboard......there is also a half circle swim platform. I didn't get the floating bar in, but I'm thinking the swim platform might evolve into that somehow. What I think is the most interesting part of the design is the "swing wing" design of the lounge chairs. I'm going to have them fold out to 18" or so. Not only is it functional, but should be pretty cool too. I spent some time looking at the Benniningtons on Monday, I really think the aft facing loungers will be a plus. I am planning on going with a simple design. I plan on the lounger turning into a backless bench seat when the back is folded down. I may even make both ends fold up so it you can face the bow or stern. I'm also planning to raising up the deck where the helm and loungers are 6". That will allow for some nice storage, plus a better view.

Here are a couple shots of the pontoon on the port side. I did a little polishing on it.

Looks like they should clean up nicely. This is the only damaged area, but should be below the water most of the time any how. I need to do some more sanding on it......you can still see the 220 grit scratches. I think taking it out to 400 would do the trick.

I think stepping back a bit has helped out a lot. Now time to turn the sketch into a drawing, then detail it....then get things moving in the shop again!

 

[fmjnax]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Lookin' good! I've seen the cardboard mock-up of the bow and my first thought after seeing the draft posted above was the Star Wars Sail Barge. This thing! HAHA!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Thanks FM....I think, well I guess that thing was sort of a party barge......

 

[fmjnax]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Yes, it was a compliment! I'm some what of a big Star Wars fan. It's looking good!

 

[75TowerOfPower]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

'Toon looks good and shiny. It might be cool to have the toons shiny and the side either matte or brushed aluminum finish.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Thanks 75.....I have toyed with a silver paint.....but I keep leaning towards a medium blue or crimson metallic. I have been working on drafting a "real" plan tonight and sketched some details...I have the feeling there is going to be a lot of drawing to make this happen. Otherwise some expensive parts may not fit together.....I also need some acurate drawings to give to my freind that is going to build the 3d model for the molds...hopefully, sent him the "hey when you are bored, why don't you model this boat for me" e-mail tonight. I like the name 75, nothing beats a tower,

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

OK good news, I'm hooked up on the 3d model. He emailed me back and said he was about to call me to see if I would do some welding for him.