Calling All Liveaboard Folk!

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Through my research i had discovered that there are very few moorings available particularly in the south of the country, however who is to say that if there were huge demand new moorings and marinas could not be created.

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look dood, use google, I presume they teach you how to use a computer..... search mdl marina monopoly.. and please, fogive me, but, a, WHERE would these marinas be created, b, WHY would these marinas be created, c, HOW MUCH do you, in your wildest dreams, think these new marinas would charge.....

there is no space NOW.. the vast number of spaces are taken by ex universitry graduates striding through life with no direction wanting to BUY into others dreams.... an apartment on the solent, comute from london, price out the nobodies, thats the reality of marinas... you NEED to do research, I know they probably dont teach that, or math, or times tables etc... but use the tools.. search and find....
most liveaboards are getting away from the very misguided and programmed phylosophy that you have had planted.. they dont want to BUY into it....


sorry to go on now, its late in Spain n bed calls... but honestly.. unreal.. pc guidance to minors now......
 
The yanks have finally perfected hearts and minds, 1 in the heart, 2 in the mind.....


and captslarty has finally perfected how to win friends and influence people ... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
There is also a large population of houseboats in Sausalito, CA, and in Seattle, WA, some of which look like A-frames on water. I don't know whether they have a forum of their own someplace, but you might look that up.

I don't think demand is going to get more marinas built, at least here on either coast in the States. What we see too often are condominiums taking over marinas for their owners' use, moving the regular berthers out. And the waiting lists for liveaboard space is at a premium.

Still, if you can settle the issues mentioned by others--waste, heat, damp, width of mooring space, etc--I think having a waterfront without the land taxes is delightful. I'm not sure I'd want a static living situation, though. I like being able to change the view.

And get around the world by sail.
 
Nicholas,

From what has been said here, in what is definitely not a houseboat forum, it would seem that what you are looking to do has already been done, to some degree - perhaps not with a contemporay design, (i.e todays' design, rather than last years design), nor perhaps incorporating the very latest environmentally friendly stuff, both in the build and the operation.

There is no doubt that, once you have a basic hull of a given floor space per storey, you can design anything into a houseboat that you could design into a boat, or a house.

I think you need to find a houseboat forum, which might be Dutch, or American, and get hold of the houseboat equivalent of Yachting Monthly. If you have already found the houseboat forums, and not received a warm welcome, perhaps it might be better to sign on again and pose as a potential houseboat owner, looking to incorporate the latest design and green stuff, to see what people are both recommending, and looking for in their homes. If you take this approach you need to not look like someone doing a project or they will spot you very quickly and give you short shrift.

Reading all the posts would give a flavour of what is going on, possibly without even needing to post.

e.g. it's fairly clear from reading a couple of months of these forums that the hot topics for liveaboard boatowners are power generation and storage, anchoring tackle and techniques, anode stuff, and ease of access to maintain/repair/replace. Living space and what we do with it seems to be secondary.

One boat currently being bought has an easily accessible area down below which houses most of the utilities stuff, so repair and maintenance should be much easier than some of the stuff that others here have to do.

Just a few thoughts

Richard
 
The main cost of the average house in the UK is in the 'land', not the 'bricks and mortar'.

Have just sold my 'bricks and mortar' to liveaboard and chill-out, just like Captainslarty. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Hey Guys! I think we are being taken for a ride here. If you look at the question on this thread and the 'MOS' just above it; this is a practical joke. Good try guys! "I want to cruise Creece...... in four months and then sell". We old 'liveaboards' can be made fun of. This one was good but a little bit too obvious. Good luck next time!
 
Slarty, I enjoyed our beers together but sometimes you're a disingenous old pillock. Give the lad a break.
Nicholas, I admire your gumption but you'd be better off hopping on a train to Chelsea and talking to the liveabords there. And, since you're presumably into higher education, the grammatical disaster of your second post does you no favours at all (he can talk, you might thunk, but he's just got back from the pub. Apologies, all, for any literals).
 
Re: Radical houseboats

Hello Nicholas, you have my sympathies re some of the posts above, but dont worry, they are all useful input in the long run!

While it is nice to think that one might come up with something totally revolutionary for a final year design project, realistically the odds are that whatever brainwaves, ideas or concepts you develop, somebody else has already been there and done that.

But this doesnt mean that you cannot expand on / develop their concept, perhaps by looking at it from a different angle or perspective.

I think that the whole rationale behind final year design projects is really to demonstrate to the course tutors / assessors that you are able to apply what you have learned at college over the past 2 or 3 years in a practical and useful way - and invariably a design project is far more fun than a research project (at least to me it was!).

My final year design project at uni 20+ years ago was for a sail assisted cargo ship. Commercial sail power was all the rage then, and the future looked rosy. I had dreams of saving the earth then (I am older and much more cynical now!) and I wanted to come up with something radically different - but then quickly realised that I was basically trying to re-design/ improve on the proverbial wheel, in terms of all the basic naval architecture parameters.

So my sail assisted cargo ship became a bermudan schooner rigged inter-island general cargo ship specifically for trade in the Eastern Caribbean while having the capability to carry 12 passengers as well - this because nobody else back then was taking pax on small cargo ships, and hence there seemed to be a potential untapped niche market.

Then I did the sums...... and I found that while the rig was efficient, the net savings in fuel costs from using the sails would in effect be rather small (I think it was less than 10%) - the principal financial benefit of the sails would have been obtained by using the 'romance of sail' theme to lure the 12 fare paying passengers on board....... and they would have contributed handsomely to the coffers!

And of course my ship was never built..... and it didnt break any new ground (or water), but I certainly learnt a lot of lessons along the way about how to work through a design process.
Which brings us back to why we do design projects at college....

Go for it, and give it your max, and see what happens! A Donf!

By the way, for an interesting houseboat design, have a look at Simon Rogers homepage at http://www.rogersyachtdesign.com/

Click on 'Past Projects', and then on 'Waterspace PLC'.

(For the sailors on here, Simon is not related to Sir Richard Rogers the architect (as far as I know) - rather he is Contessa Jeremy's son).
 
Re: Radical houseboats

Thanks to all who took the time to reply. There have been some interesting points raised which will push my project forward.

Take care Nicholas
 
Re: Radical houseboats

Slarty dons fireproof overalls, and wades back in.... much to the disagreement of his brief.................

what he means is, a NEW "enlightened" project.......

Burgers anyone.. extra fries, hold the mayo.. ?????????
 
Re: Radical houseboats

ok, yes human emotion is basal..
I truly am sorry if I upset the applecart, I have this "thing" about pc uni students lol..

have a great life.. ferrari is not an option, enzo was family, and if you are NOT family. you will be taken care off....

I really do hope you go on to great things.

The internet is a WRITTEN COMMS medium.. I mean you no hurt Sir,

Enjoy life and ALL it has to offer, and that is great deal.
 
Re: Radical houseboats

Nicholas, how about posting some photos or sketches re your ideas so far?
Some folk might shoot them down in flames, but you are also bound to get some useful advice and constructive criticism.
 
Nicholas,
Good luck with the project. I hope you've gained a bit of useful insight despite some of the ignorant booze-fueled invective you've had to endure, and from which I, for one, disassociate myself.
 
Hey John, that's a lovely view of Preston you've got on your website; the yachts anchored up in the bay, surrounded by palm trees.
And actually the lad did get some good advice and a clear insight into what real clients in the real world are like - i.e somewhat 'variable' in nature. I don't think any postings were "booze fueled" which is an unnecessary bit of spite (and you really ought to learn how to spell if you're gonna be so po-faced).
 
That's the tropical part of Preston! (Actually it's BVI.)
'Booze-fueled' was intended to excuse the offending poster not pour spite on him. If that was a sober, considered response to a young man asking for help from the forum then I would suggest he has more character traits to worry about than a penchant for a few sundowners!
 
My course is structured so that I have two live projects throughout the year. My minor project is due in before Christmas but my major (houseboat) runs the length of the academic year, because of this I’m still in my research phase. Eager not to let my project procrastinate ill start the design stage in the coming weeks and will post sketches and design ideas up for approval! (Cringe!)
I’m not sure how many of you check up on old threads (?) but as before all of your help is very welcome.
Thanks again Nick.
 
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