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
The little yellow guy.
A perspective looking aft.
My wife at the table, captain’s quarters, the mess, and the corner of the head all in one shot.
Settling down for the night.
Waking up.
Mini-shanty trip
Re: Mini-shanty trip
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.
No affiliation.
Jbo
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.
No affiliation.
Jbo
- cape man
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Re: Mini-shanty trip
Lake Woodruff NWS?
The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before - Neil Gaiman
Re: Mini-shanty trip
That’s it. Very peaceful. Reminded me of canoe weekends in the Okeefenokee only not quite as secluded. We had an awesome trip.
Jbo
Jbo
Re: Mini-shanty trip
Nice weekend jbo!! Jeff
Re: Mini-shanty trip
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
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Re: Mini-shanty trip
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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