My “Small World” Houseboat

Nearly every concept of a houseboat is one of huge cost, or a big, heavy, cumbersome boat that’s impossible to transport...or, if so, needs the equivalent of an 18-wheeler to move it. Well, I’ve changed all of those concepts. Just take a look at these features: 1. It has a cabin with 7 by 8 feet of floor space. It has 6.5 feet headroom spanning the entire floor. 2. The cabin has its own floor and under framing which sits on the deck surface, with an airspace between that prevents any water on the deck from getting to the cabin floor. 3. The deck itself measures 8 by 16 feet long, which provides a large 8 by 7 foot foredeck in front of the cabin. (You could square dance on it.) When not square dancing, it is a large entertainment deck, for sitting or sunning...or outdoor sleeping in good weather. (Speaking of sunbathing, three girls could sunbathe on it with room for two chair-watchers.) Now. Sit down for what comes next. This houseboat can be transported on a common two wheel utility flatbed trailer that has a 6 by 8 foot or 10 foot bed area. Or, it can be hauled in one of the smaller U’Haul trucks or trailers. Is this sheer magic. No. Here’s the reason. I have developed a special construction method for the cabin, the deck, and the pontoons that allows the above features. (I won’t divulge the construction methods, except in the manual I’m working on, but I’ll tell you a few things the construction allows you to do: The cabin easily assembles or disassembles, in about 45 minutes into a stack about 18 inches high by 4 feet wide, by 6 and 8 feet long. No individual component of the cabin weighs more than about 25 pounds, so it is easy for one person to assemble or take apart. The deck, even as large as it is, is constructed with four very strong units. These stay fully assembled, for each weighs only about 40 pounds and are easely connected together. The entire 8 by 16 feet deck can be put together in about 45 minutes by one person (though occasionally another person comes in handy to hold a section in place while the other fastens it to another section). I’ve done it by myself. The four pontoons (weighing about 35 pounds each) are quickly attached under the deck. The pontoons have flotation of over 500 pounds each, producing over a ton of total flotation. This is nearly double what would be needed for 4 or 5 people aboard. I calculate the pontoons will draw only about 5 or 6 inches of water depth with cabin, deck, and 2 or three people. This would leave the deck surface at least 14 inches above water level. There are several more surprising features in this boat that would require more space than this site permits. I’ll tell of these if interested persons will e-mail me at the address given below. walthead1@earthlink.net Walter Head Hobbycraft Kayaks 1178 Laurel Fork Rd. Vilas, NC 28692