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From: Stuart Crawford
Date: 02 Jan 2008
Time: 20:02:43 -0500
Remote Name: 121.90.66.191
Tom, Thank you for your considered reply. In this hypothetical case I would imagine a diesel powered boat without sailing ability factored in, as I don't personally see it as being an economical addition if used in narrow canals. What I would envision is the idea of an economical way for a couple from the Southern Hemisphere to view Britain and Europe in an economical way for a reasonable length vacation (several months to a year or more) in their own mobile motel. The philosophy behind this would be that the couple could build the boat in there own backyard themselves, in their own time. with what would presumably be a simple shaped hull, and could be achieved at a reasonably low cost in materials and labour time. Also the ballast could be bricks or concrete slabs as used in british long boats. Using a container for shipping imposes a size restriction on the boat, which keeps it from becomming to elaborate and costly and is also keeps shipping costs down (Probably about $10,000 less than self propelled ship/drydock). Gantry container cranes could launch the boat in about ten minutes with the slings they use for loading over dimensional loads onto container flats, between ships, cheaper than marinas charge for travel lifts. It would be very easy to secure a boat inside a container (cars are regularly shipped in containers and secured with Spanish windlass though truck lashing strops would be even easier). Because propulsion would be by motor, electrical capacity would be available to run everything except cooking and heating, on 12v DC. This means that even refridgeration becomes feasible. A motor that I have been looking at is the Bukh DV7-ME (7hp)which has a 160amp alternator (unsure of cost or suitability for propulsion). At the end of the vacation there would be several options for the boat. You could try and sell it, come to an arrangement with a local farmer to store it on their land in exchange for use of it (so you could return for a future vacation), or spend the last week stripping the expensive stuff (engine, stove, toilet, electrics etc) to ship back home in a less than container load shipment and dispose of the hull. Or it could be shipped home and then to North America to explore the inland waterways at a future time.