Bloating Camper?

[steveca4]

I've notice on the forum that quite a few people pull a small trailer. 

I'd like to expand on that idea by suggesting why not a floating camper?

In my mind have my 4x4 mini truck with a bed and storage, plus a pull a trailer that is a light weight micro houseboat that sides off small trailer. 

Here in Canada if you can access the water there is NO costs for being on the water anywhere. So far water real estate is still free to all. 

I'm a watercraft builder so I totally biased on this but also very open to what pros and cons I may encounter if I take something like that on the road. 

Cheers, Steve
Manitoba, Canada

 

[Minivanmotoman]

Great idea, got any plans or builds?

Building to water stress strength is going to mean weight and expense.
Commercially not available maybe because of cost and weight?.
The closest thing was that roof mounted boat on a camper back in the 60-70s?The boat was the roof but too small a camper. Boat size is the limitation.

 

[Cammalu]

Been done off and on over the years. Some were pretty cool. About the newest one is a Sealander. EAsy google search

There was also the Terra Marina made by Aqua Trail in the late 60s.

http://s221.photobucket.com/user/arborigine/library/Aqua Trail 1970


I’m sure there were more.

 

[bullfrog]

Saw a guy that had a tri-toon / twin outboards and most of a VW bus camper van mounted on the deck. Said he was having some electric problems but other that that it had been great. He was pulling it with a 3/4 ton Chevy van.

 

[johnny b]

This example of how NOT to do it popped into the news today...from our friends up north:

http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2018/07...ler-made-with-wood-pallets-and-duct-tape.html

[trailer modified with very flaky third axle, some pallets and of course a bit of duct tape!]

 

[johnny b]

The Aussies are ahead I think...here's a nice one:

https://boatahome.com.au/

 

[perj28]

The YouTube channel "Living Big in a Tiny House" has a video of someone living in a canal boat living a nomadic life. I think it's in the UK though, I guess there's canals that used to be used for shipping so you can go all over without having to transport the boat overland.

 

[steveca4]

I'm think more along the lines of a small micro houseboat or shanty maybe a trailer beach cruiser type. 
maybe something like Roy's Crow, see link :   http://www.roydesignedthat.com/

I would make the van conversion my primary dwelling but when near water this small beach type cruiser would get me on the water with no camping fees where camping tends to be expensive.

 

[broken ed]

Like the idea, but always wondered; how do people on the water know where to get food, water and supplies? Is there a marine GPS or maps - charts that tell you this? Or do just put the boat back on the trailer and go to Walmart? If not are you stuck going to expensive marina?

 

[highdesertranger]

charts are available for all larger bodies of waters salt and fresh. regular maps also show cities next to water. highdesertranger

 

[Presteaux!]

Check out Active Captain. It has all kinds of great information for boaters.

 

[DannyB1954]

Here in the States there are very few places that you can berth a boat for free. It is like renting space in a mobile home park. There are places like the California Delta that had many people living on a boat on public waterways, but I think a lot of that has been shut down from them discharging human waste into the water. Besides the EPA, there are Coast Guard and many municipalities have their own regulations, (like the San Francisco Bay).

I lived on boats most of my life so I thought about pulling a small cabin cruiser or even keel less sail boat to RV in. The problem that I found is boats tend to be large and heavy. Something with a decent size cabin will be 30' long. Most boats under 30' are half engine / fishing space with a small cabin. Sail boats have less engine space but are tapered at both ends so you get about half the living space. When in the water weight is not an issue, but it is when towing. Fiberglass is heavy stuff when it is thick enough to be a boat. An all aluminum boat would be great but as a cabin cruiser they are rare and pricey.

I still look at boats occasionally and think about keeping one in the San Francisco Bay, (where I used to live in a boat), or someplace else that is cool in the summer like the Seattle area, but that would be a full time expense for a part time use. So there is usually a reason why you do not see a lot of people doing something. It is usually because there is an easier and cheaper way to do it.