Mini-shanty trip

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jbo_c
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Mini-shanty trip

Post by jbo_c »

Took a weekend trip aboard a Hobo Houseboat this weekend. Hard to find much info about them on the internet. They were made in the 60s-70s by a company in New Jersey called “Be A Hobo”.

It’s an 18 foot watervan/camper with 8 foot beam. Accommodations are Spartan at best. Boat has a 4 foot front deck. Then starts a cabin that’s 12 feet long. Going into the cabin, starboard is the helm, map table, head, galley. Port is a single bunk that slides out to form a “double” followed by a table with bench seating. Aft of that is a two foot deck/motor well. This one was powered by a 40hp Evinrude(though a 9.9 would have been more than enough).

If it sounds cramped, it is. :) But it is well thought out and uses every foot to the fullest. Not very pretty. All function.

Here are a few pictures. Sorry some are sideways. I can’t seem to get them to turn.

Jbo


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The little yellow guy.


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A perspective looking aft.

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My wife at the table, captain’s quarters, the mess, and the corner of the head all in one shot. :)

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Settling down for the night.

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Waking up.

jbo_c
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Re: Mini-shanty trip

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We left out of Deland, FL. We covered about 8 miles down river(St. John’s) Friday and stayed in a nature preserve. Saw no other boats for about 15 hours.

Woke up and went upriver about 12 miles and hung out with the manatees for the night at a spring.

Motored back to the slip this morning and headed home.

Average speed was a blistering 3.2 knots. Fuel usage 3.5 gallons.

Weather was nice. About 5 degrees warmer would have been nice. Daytime was 65F. Nightly low 39. A little unseasonably cool, but still darned near perfect for a fall cruise.

Boat was a rental from a small operation down there. They have three currently in service and another to come on line in the spring. I thought the prices were reasonable. They’re easy to find if you look for them.
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Jbo

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cape man
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Re: Mini-shanty trip

Post by cape man »

Lake Woodruff NWS?
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jbo_c
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Re: Mini-shanty trip

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That’s it. Very peaceful. Reminded me of canoe weekends in the Okeefenokee only not quite as secluded. We had an awesome trip.

Jbo

Jeff
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Re: Mini-shanty trip

Post by Jeff »

Nice weekend jbo!! Jeff

TomW1
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Re: Mini-shanty trip

Post by TomW1 »

Sounds like a nice trip jbo, glad you enjoyed it. Tom
Restored Mirror Dinghy, Bought OD18 built by CL, Westlawn School of Yacht Design courses. LT US Navy 1970-1978

silentneko
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Re: Mini-shanty trip

Post by silentneko »

Glad you had a good trip. We are going to try to go again next year.
Built: 15ft Skiff, 16ft Skiff, Modified Cheap Canoe, and an FS17.

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