Pontoons + Teardrop/TTT

[Shadow Catcher]

On the way to something else I found the Nemo Water Camper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyExZGCc ... AAAAAAAABw

There are a couple of other videos posted showing other aspects.

[atahoekid]

HMMMMM Interesting houseboat of sorts!!! Don't think I'd take the time to make that a project at this point in time, but who knows??? Maybe when I'm out of other things to do...

[Shadow Catcher]

This is an idea I have been playing with for some time and unfortunately don't see a way to do it economically and still have it something that is easily transportable short of using inflatable pontoons. This strikes me as being something that it would be nice to be able to rent one of these to use with your trailer or teardrop.

[schaney]

Inflatable pontoons is the prefect way to do it. I've also been toying with the idea. I've talked with CamperCat a few time about their inflatable appraoch.

[Shadow Catcher]

One of the things I was looking at as a source of pontoons was adapting marine ship launch air bags http://www.blueoceantackle.com/ship_lau ... r_bags.htm or something of that ilk.
The big problem I see is how do you launch it with the trailer on top or get the trailer on top?

[schaney]

My thought is a 6-7' x 8-12' flat deck outfitted with a covered space, possibly inflatable like the campercat, or a teardrop like compartment, could even do a tube frame structure with roll down fabric panels with a folding tent unit on top. When you get to the boat launch you attach and inflate your ~20' x 24-36" pontoons, like you do on a cataraft. Then the platform floats off the trailer. You could also just park and use it on land.

[Shadow Catcher]

I was thinking about this today and a couple of thoughts. The underside of the trailer needs to be protected from splash this however does not need to be a solid deck it could be a strong tarp.
The other side trip in thinking is a foamy floaty. One of the big advantages of foam is that you can sculpt purity much anything you can dream, and why could that not be a cat tear with the wheels in the catamaran.

[schaney]

PVC coated polyester fabric would make a nice splash guard on the bottom, it can also be glue instead of sewn.

you could make a foam main "pod" that has an attachable framework like a cataraft which folds down in place for the pontoons. Then use trampoline material like a hobbiecat for a walkway / decks around it.

[Lgboro]

Aluma Sport 615 by Hotwoods shows some promise. I have emailed for info on this new model for specs, It has 4 12inch pontoons instead o 2 8 inch and 2 12 inch and is 6 foot wide instead of 5 wide. I have been toying with the idea of building a tear based pontoon houseboat for a while. I hope the wider AlumaSport will have a little more capacity and be even more seaworthy. This model is actually a rescue boat so I am hoping it will be stable enough to navigate the inland waterway I may have to build one to find out but for sure it would handle a large lake.

[Shadow Catcher]

The Alumisport only has a 900# capacity and very little freeboard. I still like the idea of inflatables and I am starting to think creatively of how to do the framing so that it is removable.

[Lgboro]

The AlumaSport 615 is a foot wider with 4 12 inxh pontoons ao I would think the capacity would go up some. Still waiting to hear from the company with specs on the larger one.