Lil Hobo Style Plywood Boat

[GettinFishy]

Hello All,

I am new to this forum and this is my first post , I am here to learn about boat architecture and fiberglass techniques. I'm looking to start by building something small around 14' - 16'. My overall goal is to build a small boat that can sleep one, relatively comfortably . I have done research on small houseboats and found a good idea of what I am looking for. There was a boat made in the 1970's and 1980's called the "Lil Hobo", it was 18' and could sleep 4. I would like to build something similar to this but smaller. So for those of you who are wondering why, ill tell you. I want a small boat that I can navigate the intracoastal waterways with and camp out on, there are many small islands and rivers with tons of wildlife that only a small boat could access. So the reason I posted here, and what I was hoping to get answered from experienced builders are:

1. What would the likely cost of a project like this? ( ball park idea )
2. Could a novice builder accomplish something like this?
3. Whats method could be used? (Stitch and Glue)

Here are some pics and information on it:

[jacquesmm]

I like those little boats. There was also a larger model, about 22'.
I would own one but my wife hates the looks.

What do you want to do? Design one your self? That is not easy and I don't give yacht design courses.

We have some designs that could be used as a base for that type of boat. The Little Hobo is 18' LOA by an 8' beam.
If you want a vee hull able to take all that weight, look at our C19.
Buy two sets of plans: the C19 for the hull and the HB18 for the accommodations.
We can help you to merge the two designs.

[terrulian]

I would own one but my wife hates the looks.

I was thinking the same thing. It's ugly but I like it anyway, plus I like this plan for an adventure.
One bad thing about it: It looks like you're inside the whole time. You only need room to sleep and get out of the rain...not necessary when you're motoring over to those remote islands. Then you want to be out...in the wild.
Won't you need a dinghy to get ashore? Will you tow it?

[GettinFishy]

Im looking to build something similar to this but smaller. I have a kinda quick sketch of what I was thinking. I need a hull similar to a J14 or J16 Carolina Skiff, but with a wider beam. i was thinking of something with a flybridge up top, underneth the flybridge would be a small bed, and bathroom to the rear. I plan to mostly be putting traps out before dark, camping out over night, and pulling them up in the morning. Not really looking to camp on the boat for more then two nights at a time

[TRC886]

Is this what you want? The hull needs to be as designed, but above the deck, you can pretty-much do what you want.
http://bateau.com/studyplans/HB16_study.php?prod=HB16

[GettinFishy]

Heres my sketch of what i was thinking.

[GettinFishy]

Here is a 3D model of what im looking for.

[jacquesmm]

Nice 3D model but it looks very high, probably unstable.
I did some quick stability calculations for my HB16-18 and 20: stability under way was borderline dangerous.
With one or two persons, at rest or very slow in clam waters it may be fine but not at planing speeds.

[GettinFishy]

Yeah I was hoping for 6'4" ceiling height. The boat in the model is 14' x 8.6', pretty big beam for a small boat, although structurally im not sure if thats possible. Ill be in the intracoastal only.

[GettinFishy]

The GT23 looks pretty neat, do you have any plans for it around the 18 foot range? Maybe I could shorten the bow and rear some.