Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

We live on a large river and there are a lot of large steel hulled boats in the ship yards here. I spoke last weekend to a couple who are restoring/converting one (their third one) for Off-Shore use, about flotation foam.

They laughed, and replied that foam is a breeding ground for a steel boats worst enemy, rust. It is like implanting a cancer causing substance in your body, and then wondering why you got cancer.

They have multiple small watertight compartments they have built into the hull that double as storage and for flotation. In the event of a hull puncture, one or two may be breached but the others not.

You also see groups of multiple (very large) boat fenders or some kind of similar devices, being used for flotation in the hulls. I don't know if these are specially made for this, or if the people just adopted them for this use.

One guy even filled his hull with several hundred, heavy weight returnable two liter plastic cola bottles, he glued the tops on with a water proof glue.

Foam sucks (water)! I am not an expert, but I don't think I would want to use it, if it was my boat.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Oh Yea, forgot something.

You have a really cool project boat. Good Luck! Post lots of Photos.

 

[oops!]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Oops,
Don't put foam in a steel boat?

foam is a breeding ground for a steel boats worst enemy, rust.

the only flotation on a boat this big........is a pfd

I have an idea to pull up all the flooring then use fans and dehumidifiers to dry out the foam.

foam will not dry out.​

there has been many people that have used the dehumidifiers and fans and lights to dry out foam.........after months of this....(10) they gave up.....it was still wet

.....even if you were able to get it dryed....it would absorbe water like a sponge....and you would have wet foam again after 2 months..

sorry.....but if its wet....the foam must come out...it will sink you.

uscg rules say that a vessel under 20 feet must have foam, so that if sunk....people would have somthing to hang on to in the water....
it is not needed in large vessels.......all the flotation is pfd's and life rafts.

as far as sinking on the madien voyage......just keep your eyes on the inner hull.....add a big automatic bilge pump........ships just about allways take on water. so dont worry if it sweats......a hole is no good.....and needs to be welded....(spend some time walking the docks at a ship yard....30-200 footers)

as far as checking for leaks......crawl down there in the bright daylight....it will be pitch black dark in the hull....look for light......

hope that helps

cheers
oops

 

[Hilabs]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Thanks for all the good advice everyone. My helper and I spent the day pulling out foam. It isn't going to take as long as I thought. I really like the idea of the jugs under the flooring. I own a chemical comany and have 5000 empty 1 gallon jugs that were going to be trashed. I am having them sealed and will use the in place of the foam. Anyone know of a use for 2 cubic yards of wet foam? Can it be recycled?
I'm not sure of what body of water this was used on. It was south of Shreveport.

 

[Paddlewheel]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

The Paddle Wheeler was on lake Somerville in TX then moved to south Shreveport. The jugs sound like a great idea. Hilabs thanks for the update. It will be great watching the old girl being restored. Thanks again from Grandson and Granddaughter of the eccentric builder.

 

[Paddlewheel]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

The Paddle Wheeler was on lake Somerville in TX then moved to south Shreveport. The jugs sound like a great idea. Hilabs thanks for the update. It will be great watching the old girl being restored. Thanks again from Grandson and Granddaughter of the eccentric builder.

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Wow!!
We have the descendants of the creator.
Thats great.
Hopefully you guys can watch the resurrection with the rest of us.
Do you have any history, pictures maybe, that you can share?

 

[AlfrmVaBeach]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Forget the idea of any flotation in a steel hulled vessel. We're not talking about a 20 foot run about here, this is essentially a ship. Trust me, after 30 years in the Navy aboard steel ships, there's nothing to be gained and a lot to lose by trying to add "flotation". The only flotation here is derived from the hull form, so you gain nothing by adding an internal layer of foam. Better to ensure the hull is solid, then add bilge pumps to all pockets that aren't free flowing to a lower area. You'll need float switches on each and wire them directly to a seperate battery bank capable of sustaing max amperage draw as long as you plan to be away from the boat.

In a steel hull, you need to be able to see the hull platiing in order to assess the rate of corrosion, corrosion is a given, you can only slow it, not stop it. Any form of foam or anything else that lies against the hull accelerates corrosion by providing a moisture well. The only way to address rusted areas are to cut out any metal that's too thin and re-plate with a like metal.

The one thing that will save a metal hull is a good electrical bonding system, spend some time to ensure that yours is working properly and the hull will last for many years.

 

[NoKlu]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

I kinda like the Gallon jug Idea. When OOPS! goes under there's going to be a lake full of ping pong balls. If you go down it'll be the same kinda result just on a different scale. Great boat gonna be fun watching the resto and results.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Very cool project. I hope someday to have a steel hulled boat myself, and I will not put any foam at all in it

If well kept, a steel hull will last as long as a fiberglass one or longer, and will be much, much stronger, and can eventually be recycled.

Erik

Edit 2: Went back and re-read to adjust the numbers. A 63 foot steel boat that looks to be about 14 feet wide should weigh around 90,000 lbs.. you probably know since you had to ship her. A chunk of foam 48 feet by 2 feet by 14 feet would be about 1350 cubic feet... which still isn't enough to float that boat.

I'm estimating these numbers, but if you know the hull weight you can calculate how much good the foam is doing. I'm betting not much.

 

[NoKlu]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

I was in the shower and had an Epiphany I just had to share[patent pending]. Other than an occasional ride in one of oops! creations, I have no experience with boats or their construction, in my opinion those jugs would be a waste of time and energy, UNLESS you tied every second one together! Water Wings! Hundreds and hundreds of water wings. In the case of a disaster and your goin down with the ship you just hold out your arms and whooosh! your at the surface safe and sound! Gotta go dry off and then call the USCG...

 

[Hilabs]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Here are some pics of the state of the boat progress. If anyone sees are better way to do this please let me know.

Hello Tommy, I'm glad to hear from you. Is the generator still in Shreveport?


http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk125/hilabs/

 

[zaroba]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

thats a big project.
i can't wait to see it when its finished.

 

[oops!]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Forget the idea of any flotation in a steel hulled vessel. We're not talking about a 20 foot run about here, this is essentially a ship. Trust me, after 30 years in the Navy aboard steel ships, there's nothing to be gained and a lot to lose by trying to add "flotation". The only flotation here is derived from the hull form, so you gain nothing by adding an internal layer of foam. Better to ensure the hull is solid, then add bilge pumps to all pockets that aren't free flowing to a lower area. You'll need float switches on each and wire them directly to a seperate battery bank capable of sustaing max amperage draw as long as you plan to be away from the boat.

In a steel hull, you need to be able to see the hull platiing in order to assess the rate of corrosion, corrosion is a given, you can only slow it, not stop it. Any form of foam or anything else that lies against the hull accelerates corrosion by providing a moisture well. The only way to address rusted areas are to cut out any metal that's too thin and re-plate with a like metal.

The one thing that will save a metal hull is a good electrical bonding system, spend some time to ensure that yours is working properly and the hull will last for many years.

hilabs......this is an exellent post with great information......

and welcome grandson and grand daughter.....

 

[bluechip]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Wow, I stumbled across this by accident. I remember seeing that boat on ebay and was very tempted! Where in arkansas are you? Im in Russellville. I'd sure like to see it sometime....

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Forget the idea of any flotation in a steel hulled vessel. We're not talking about a 20 foot run about here, this is essentially a ship. Trust me, after 30 years in the Navy aboard steel ships, there's nothing to be gained and a lot to lose by trying to add "flotation". The only flotation here is derived from the hull form, so you gain nothing by adding an internal layer of foam. Better to ensure the hull is solid, then add bilge pumps to all pockets that aren't free flowing to a lower area. You'll need float switches on each and wire them directly to a seperate battery bank capable of sustaing max amperage draw as long as you plan to be away from the boat.

In a steel hull, you need to be able to see the hull platiing in order to assess the rate of corrosion, corrosion is a given, you can only slow it, not stop it. Any form of foam or anything else that lies against the hull accelerates corrosion by providing a moisture well. The only way to address rusted areas are to cut out any metal that's too thin and re-plate with a like metal.

The one thing that will save a metal hull is a good electrical bonding system, spend some time to ensure that yours is working properly and the hull will last for many years.

I thought navy ships were built sectioned off with watertight compartments that could be closed off in the case of an accident, or attack, as with the one that took place against the USS Cole. My dad is also a Navy man, and he said they all are built this way.

Why will this not work on a smaller steal hulled vessel?

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

That is one cool boat.

Can't wait for more pics.

 

[Paddlewheel]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Just a few pics of when the boat was being launched as new. These may have been posted by the owner Hilabs I am not sure.

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

I don't think he has posted them.
Thanks for sharing them.

 

[oops!]

Re: Paddle wheel Houseboat restoration

Just a few pics of when the boat was being launched as new. These may have been posted by the owner Hilabs I am not sure.

call him "eccentric".....call him whatever you want.......your grandfather did somthing the average human would never even think of....never mind try.

it takes a special person to pull that kind of project off.


thanks for sharing thoes pics......


the sight of the craft on the flat bed......