Our design interests are not limited to building architecture.
We have been involved in the design of the following projects:
A 50m megayacht for a member of the ruling family of the UAE.
The conversion of the 90ft schooner Atlantic Clipper from a sailing general cargo ship operating between Portsmouth and the West Indies to a 135ft sailing passenger ship to take part in the re-enactment of the First Fleet voyage from England to Sydney.
A FRENCH CANAL CRUISING BOAT
ou
JUST AN IDEA .... OR MORE!
Having enjoyed a 10 day holiday cruising the French Canals on a hired boat, and looking at retiring in the not too distant future, I scribbled a few ideas for a canal cruising house based on our shipping container concept. It starts with a modified design of the SMALLisSMART HOUSE, a 40 ft container that in this instance will house 7 people. The rear cabin has a queen bed with a single bunk over it. The dining area converts to another queen bed, and the couch folds out to make the third bed.
Whereas the SMALLisSMART HOUSE is built in a high cube container, this model has to be a standard container to achieve just enough headroom to travel under bridges along the canals. The house will lock onto the cat. barge using standard corner locking mechanisms used whenever containers are moved (by sea, rail or road).
The barge is to be constructed of two hulls 1m X 1m in cross section and in two components each side so that they can also be transported to a location in a single 40ft container. They will be joined by 5 main cross beams bolted to the pontoons. A bridge deck forward will be bolted between them. Within this deck will be an open space for a small outboard motor that will provide manouvering assistance much like a bow thruster but of course much cheaper! We are investigating a number systems for main power. Outboard engines are too fuel thirsty! A possibility is to have a diesel industrial engine fitted with a hydraulic pump that is hose connnected to a swivelling underwater haydraulic motor fitted with a propellor.
Drinking water, fuel and waste water tanks will be installed in openable lockers in the pontoons.
Solar panels will provide enough electricity for all the led lighting and low energy requiring equipment. For more power we may use a generator clutch connected to the main diesel, or a portable generator. An apron around the roof will allow us to collect rainwater. Gas bottles for hotwater and heating will be stowed on the rear deck. There is enough space along the side decks for us to have a vegie garden in pots fixed to the container walls. A few chickens in a specially designed cage will be connected to sliding tracks so that the cage can be slid rearward off the deck so we can make use of the deck except when traveling thru locks when the cage would be pulled back inboard.
When not being used by the owners, the houseboat can be used as a home exchange or it could be hired out.
This is a part DIY project with the pontoons built professionally probably in France by a local steel fabricator or manufactured in China and freighted in component form to France in a shipping container. Estimated cost: Around $120k.
We welcome visitors comments! You may even like to hire it if it gets built or you may like to build one then we could hire it from you. Or if there is enough interest we could end up with a fleet of them and a community of owners and travelers. We would be happy to prepare all the necessary drawings and specs for the DIY builder.
We have recently had a response from two factories in China. They would like to quote us for the construction of the "house" and the pontoons and for delivery to a location like Marsailles where we would assemble the components and launch it onto the canal. (One has quoted us $15 per day as a charge out rate for welders! In Australia, we pay $65 per hour!!)
We are being encouraged to produce an E-book providing detailed construction information along with a complete set of drawings. We can even provide access to builders of components etc. Anyone interested, get in touch with us.
We also designed a small cruising boat for a family of 4 that fits into a 20 foot shipping container for international transporting! It was entered into a boat design competition and gained a commendation! The drawings will be upladed to the website soon along with the design for a highspeed house boat for the UAE.r YYou may even like to hire itcontent here