Q for Henning and all of the other boat guys

bigred177

bigred177

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I have come across a 42x12 fiberglass houseboat hull. It is free if I can haul it away. I have the means to haul it but I wanted to ask about it on here first.

A little setup:

I don't know much about boats and I don't know anything about boat building. I am not very skilled with glass and I'm merely okay with wood. But I can learn anything and get pretty decent at it in a hurry.

So this thing is just a hull. I can see some fun things to be done with it but I don't know if it's worth it or not. This would not be a resale project; I would likely keep it forever. At first I was thinking about building a new house on it so I could have a custom one for a fraction of the price but then I got to thinking about just having a serious party barge.

My questions to everyone: is it worth it and what should I do with it?

Go!

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It has these internal mounts but I have a Johnson 150 outboard already and I was thinking about getting another to mount on the back for the time being. Or maybe some Cummins 4bts?

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You will not be able to turn that into a functioning vessel for less than you can buy one. The project that you are looking at is huge, expensive and difficult. I would only take that if I had an industrial purpose for a small flat top barge, and a short term one at that because the entire hull is delaminating.
 
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Are you a shipwright or a sailor? (With apologies to Jay's RV thread).
 
catmandu said:
Are you a shipwright or a sailor? (With apologies to Jay's RV thread).
Click to expand...

The OP answers 'no' to shipwright lol, the fact that he's even considering it says no to the other...:rofl: Oh well, you gotta start somewhere right? Just not on this one...:no::no::no:
 
Here's the test. Get a trailer and show up so as to appear that you're ready to haul it off. Keep a close eye on the guy who is giving it to you. If you see him doubled over with laughter you'll know who is getting the best deal.
 
What it would be great for is a treehouse if you have a big tree. Both fun(ny) as hell and practical in case of serious flooding.
 
I am most definitely not a shipwright or a sailor. I have very limited experience with boats in general. The best I have is a 20ft deck boat that I did quite a bit of work on.

I am getting it from a boat storage facility. The PO brought it in as a full houseboat and stripped it down to what it is now. He paid for a few year's rent and then just left it (I suppose this is a good hint huh?)

Would it be viable for private use as some sort of a barge instead of having its own power? Or do I need many many more years of experience before I even think about looking at this hull again?

What kind of small industrial barge options would be out there for something like this?
 
You'll have more fun piling up hundred dollar bills in the driveway and setting fire to them.
 
So I guess if I feel like using it for a not boat application I should go ahead and pick it up but just forget about it ever being it the water again huh?

Probably a smart move. Or just let someone else try and move it.

Kind of sad though. I was thinking of all the fun things that could be done on a boat that size.
 
bigred177 said:
I am most definitely not a shipwright or a sailor. I have very limited experience with boats in general. The best I have is a 20ft deck boat that I did quite a bit of work on.

I am getting it from a boat storage facility. The PO brought it in as a full houseboat and stripped it down to what it is now. He paid for a few year's rent and then just left it (I suppose this is a good hint huh?)

Would it be viable for private use as some sort of a barge instead of having its own power? Or do I need many many more years of experience before I even think about looking at this hull again?

What kind of small industrial barge options would be out there for something like this?
Click to expand...

Small inland island car ferry and supply hauler.
 
bigred177 said:
So I guess if I feel like using it for a not boat application I should go ahead and pick it up but just forget about it ever being it the water again huh?

Probably a smart move. Or just let someone else try and move it.

Kind of sad though. I was thinking of all the fun things that could be done on a boat that size.
Click to expand...

Lots of fun things, thing is, you'll be spending more time and money before having fun than if you just bought a turn key older one for $5k ( junky and may need an engine) to $25k for a nice one.
 
The time isn't an issue. We have 50 acres to store it and it would be a fun way to waste time. Money is an issue though; my broke ass needs a plane :).

I don't see many $5k houseboats/barges around here. Maybe I'm not looking in the right places?
 
bigred177 said:
The time isn't an issue. We have 50 acres to store it and it would be a fun way to waste time. Money is an issue though; my broke ass needs a plane :).
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Then bring it home and play with it as something to put a deck, small guest apartment and hot tub on.
 
bigred177 said:
The time isn't an issue. We have 50 acres to store it and it would be a fun way to waste time. Money is an issue though; my broke ass needs a plane :).
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You could cut it up and use it for firewood and save money on your heating bill.
 
For what it's worth, it appears it is a General Boat Corp hull built in Edenton, NC. They're still in business- if you are so inclined to contact them. But one look at that transom and the naked ribs and stringers in it, and all I see is a huge polyester fueled bonfire someday.

I hate to see these things going derelict as as much as you do- just looking at my list of vessels sitting in my yard is a testament to that.

Dave
 
Don't do it. Keep your eye on the prize (airplane)
 
jhausch said:
Don't do it. Keep your eye on the prize (airplane)
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If he has 50 acres he can do something fun with it if it costs him nothing to acquire, I just don't recommend making a boat out of it unless he wanted to make a floating island in a stock pond.;)
 
Hmmm. 42 x 12? Invert it, put it up in the air and use it for a pole shed. Just make sure to point the bow into the prevailing winds. :)
 
Houseboats (functioning and complete) around here can be had for less $ than you'd spend on even the simplest airplane or even some of the nicer forms of other boats. I had a friend who was selling a really nice and complete houseboat (he had lived on it a year while he was building his land house on a waterfront lot) for $22K.
 
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