On the West Coast:

http://www.calequipment.com/landingcraft.html

"Ron Thornton" wrote in message
...
Jacques idea sounds good. There is an outfit in Portsmouth, VA that
sells surplus landing craft. I've seen several converted to house boats
over the years. They are very sturdy and many come with diesels that
are rebuildable.

Ron

An idea, would be to find the barge/what-have-you and build a house on
it. I've often thought that if you did away with the "cutesy"
boat/camper specific things that go with a houseboat/camper and just
built it like something you'd like to live in, it would come out
cheaper. I've seen this done with pontoon boats... The big thing is to
use more nonrusting hardware and better paint (and more paint more often).

I have a composting toilet in a cabin. A few times a year (when the air
is unusually still for more than a day or two) there is a urine smell.
The cabin is on a hill and you pretty much have to stand at just the
right place on the hill and close enough to the exhaust pipe to smell
it. Other than that, it is never a problem. I would think in a marine
environment where even a gentle breeze is more common (than in the
woods) this would not be a concern. They do need emptying once a year
(average use) and some amount of maintainance (additions of peat
moss/mulch, turning of the drum, and maintaining the proper moisture
level.)

I think in Mass./New Eng. (considering propulsion (esp. at any speed) is
low on the priority list), a steel barge would need hauling and painting
not much more than every 10-15 years or so. I may be wrong on that. As
I remember, the barges here on the Chesapeake are not re-painted more
often than that and while not tropical, the water is warmer longer here
and there are more creatures.

Ed

Bill wrote:

Ed--The barge house in Baltimore sounds exactly like what I
would love to do but money is a concern--we aren't poor, but aren't
rich either. Great idea if we could find one though. Just leave it
moored over the winter. Ice probably wouldn't bother it.
Peggy---I wonder if the composting toilet might leave bad
odors down wind causing hate and discontent wtih those who are there?
Any ideas?? I am leaning toward a holding tank as pumping out on most
Cape harbors is free.
Does anyone know if a steel barge needs to be hauled very
often for painting, maint., or whatever?
Thanx again everyone.

Bill


On Wed, 16 Jul 2003 00:23:34 GMT, Bill wrote:


We aren't sure where we will end up going at this point, however it
will be on the east coast, harbor, maybe Cape Cod area, but not sure.
Bill


On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 22:50:12 GMT, Peggie Hall
wrote:


Bill wrote:

As some of you mentioned, yes, we have given this a little more than
just a quick thought. We have a gen set, so power isn't a problem. For
blackwater we are thinking of an Electrasan style disposal system...

Where do you plan to put the barge? If not in coastal waters or a

Peggy---I wonder if the composting toilet might leave bad
odors down wind causing hate and discontent wtih those who are there?
Any ideas??

Not if it's installed and operated according to directions. The
drawbacks: a considerable amount of power needed for the heater and
evaporator, and even that may not be enough to prevent the need to
collect excess liquids, which cannot legally be drained overboard.

I am leaning toward a holding tank as pumping out on most
Cape harbors is free.

Sounds like the best solution in this case to me too...especially if
there's a service that comes to you. You haven't lived until you've had
a full tank and no choice except to try to maneuver a barge and all
"sail area" of a RV on it against an outgoing tide and a crosswind to
get into the pumpout dock. And, there's also the matter of
expense...your camper already has a holding tank...modifying the
plumbing to allow it to be pumped out will cost a LOT less than the
$1,000 or so it would cost you to convert to composting or even a Type I
MSD (Lectra/San).

Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"






Does anyone know if a steel barge needs to be hauled very
often for painting, maint., or whatever?
Thanx again everyone.

Bill


On Wed, 16 Jul 2003 00:23:34 GMT, Bill wrote:


We aren't sure where we will end up going at this point, however it
will be on the east coast, harbor, maybe Cape Cod area, but not sure.
Bill


On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 22:50:12 GMT, Peggie Hall
wrote:


Bill wrote:

As some of you mentioned, yes, we have given this a little more than
just a quick thought. We have a gen set, so power isn't a problem. For
blackwater we are thinking of an Electrasan style disposal system...

Where do you plan to put the barge? If not in coastal waters or a

Peggie Hall wrote:
Peggy---I wonder if the composting toilet might leave bad
odors down wind causing hate and discontent wtih those who are there?
Any ideas??


Not if it's installed and operated according to directions. The
drawbacks: a considerable amount of power needed for the heater and
evaporator, and even that may not be enough to prevent the need to
collect excess liquids, which cannot legally be drained overboard.


Ours has a heater but with a family of 5 using it, only the fan is
needed for the summer. When the temps dip below 60 the heater gets
turned on.

Ed

Ed, I agree with what you said with regards as to how it should work,
but I feel Peggy has the best idea of simply adding a large holding
tank, and dump straight into it from the camper. This all seems to be
coming together faster than I thought. I have even found an older
camping trailer, although 40 feet long, that the wheel bearings and
brakes are shot, and a couple of people have told me that both axles
need replacing. It sat in a camp ground and used about every other
year for the past 10 years, but never moved. The owner only wants
$7500 for it. I am wondering at this point, if I can get it onto the
barge, just make it part of the barge, no on and off deal. Gee, so
many oportunities! The Landing Craft idea was a good one also, but
wow, very expensive, so back to looking for a steel barge. Thanx for
all your help, like I said, I never thought this idea would be worth
it, for some reason or another, but I have a feeling it will. Thanx
again all.
Bill

I thought you already owned the RV. For $7500 plus whatever it'll cost
you to build the barge, you could buy a small houseboat in fairly
decent--certainly operable and sound anyway--condition AND have it
transported. I'm not referring to permanently moored floating
structures, but what amounts to a floating mobile home on a barge hull
or pontoons, with engine(s), that would need no modifications 'cuz these
things are boats...inland lakes and rivers are littered with 'em. Sizes
range from about 35' to over 100'. Many are aluminum, but some are steel
and some even fiberglass...and ideal for your purpose. Pick up a copy of
Houseboat magazine and check the used listings for older ones...also
Heartland Boating. An older 35-42' Nautaline--provided it didn't have
any fiberglass rot (they're prone to it) would be a perfect choice for
you. Or maybe an older Gibson or Holiday Mansion.

Just my $.02 worth...

Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://www.seaworthy.com/html/get_ri...oat_odors.html



Bill wrote:
Ed, I agree with what you said with regards as to how it should work,
but I feel Peggy has the best idea of simply adding a large holding
tank, and dump straight into it from the camper. This all seems to be
coming together faster than I thought. I have even found an older
camping trailer, although 40 feet long, that the wheel bearings and
brakes are shot, and a couple of people have told me that both axles
need replacing. It sat in a camp ground and used about every other
year for the past 10 years, but never moved. The owner only wants
$7500 for it. I am wondering at this point, if I can get it onto the
barge, just make it part of the barge, no on and off deal. Gee, so
many oportunities! The Landing Craft idea was a good one also, but
wow, very expensive, so back to looking for a steel barge. Thanx for
all your help, like I said, I never thought this idea would be worth
it, for some reason or another, but I have a feeling it will. Thanx
again all.
Bill

And you are planning an around the world cruise with your Travel
Trailer/Barge *******ization?

Be sure and let the Coast Guard know the day you leave.

"Bill" wrote in message
...
Peggie,
Nope, don't own one yet. I am looking all over and found a few of
those house boats you spoke of. Never thought one of those would be
even close to sea worthy. I guess I was wrong, although none I have
seen so far one would want to take too far off shore, and even at that
only in the calmest of weather. Still looking, thanx for the lead.
Bill

On Sat, 19 Jul 2003 17:48:13 GMT, Peggie Hall
wrote:

I thought you already owned the RV. For $7500 plus whatever it'll cost
you to build the barge, you could buy a small houseboat in fairly
decent--certainly operable and sound anyway--condition AND have it

What brand of composter do you use?

Thanks
**********

Granted the composter I have is in a cabin (with power) and not on a
boat, but it has performed flawlessly for a couple years now. For
marine use, a small sealed lead-acid battery and solar panel seems like
it would be the way to go (for the exhaust fan). The only possible
drawback that I see is that they require real-time maintainance as
opposed to the once a ?? pumpout of a storage tank.

Just out of curiosity, what are the drawbacks you've found/foresee for
marine use of composting toilets?

Ed