FLOAT-A-HOME CRAFT PRINT No. 369 Figure 1 A luxurious 21-footer, this houseboat is very stable, relatively easy to build and interior arrangement can be varied to suit your needs A HOUSEBOAT is a unique water craft in that it combines most of the comforts of home with the mobility of a boat. Of course, use is limited to sheltered waters, and speeds are slow in comparison to more sea- worthy vessels. Float-A-Home is a 21-footer that provides plenty of living space for three or four per- sons. An extremely simple houseboat to build, it features a strong hull with a heavy FLOAT-A-HOME SPECIFICATIONS Length at Beam 73" Power Cost 120 hp max. $850 approx. Spring. 1972 Designed by Ernst Lanzendorfer - keel and close-spaced framing. This, coupled with a relatively low profile, makes it a very stable craft. Features include a conning room designed to provide an unobstructed view forward and to the sides through glare-proof, swing-away windows. The ‘settee behind the helm. ex- tends to make a full length berth, and in the main cabin, steps at the companionway can be removed to make way for a fold-away berth. Of course, the entire interior arrange- ment can be worked out to best suit your individual needs. Shown is an arrangement where a section of the after deck is left open to provide a patio effect on the starboard side, while the galley is to port. Make up full-size patterns for the stem,FLOAT-A-HOME Figure 2 | wl a Boat Burprn 7 _NV1d_ LNAWS9NVeuV Zl oN ‘| UG wa gaan” [yd My anid BT (e30NN) Wiki UalvaKSIMD¥930 3013 woTeH FoR steW 4] ‘amin 1317 as wan Figure 3 Sprrnc. 1972FLOAT-A-HOME transom knee, and mast, as shown in Fig. 4, and for the stem plate as shown in Fig. 3. Cut out these members from the proper stock as shown on the plans, and assemble the stem. Fasten the two sections of the assem- bly with two %-in. x 6-in. #10 bolts, after countersinking for the bolt heads. Fasten the stem plate to the stem with two 2-in. #10 flat head screws. Make all measurements for framing di- rectly on the wood stock, and cut out the pieces. Cut out the transom panel and frame #1A from 34-in. marine plywood. In all the following steps, be sure to coat mating sur- faces with marine resorcinol glue before final fastening with screws, bolts, or nails. Make up the transom as shown in Fig. 6, and the balance of the frames_as shown in Boat BumpsFig. 6 and Fig. 3. Use plywood gussets to reinforce the frame corners. Notch all frames for keel, chines, and clamps, and notch frames #1 and #1A for the stem assembly. Line up the assembled frames, upside down, spaced as shown in Fig. 3. They can be held in position by temporary 2 x 6-in. battens nailed to each side. Attach the tran- som knee to the transom, and install the stem assembly in its notches in frames #1 and #1A. Notch the keel for the transom knee, as shown in Fig. 6, and install the keel. It is fastened to the transom knee with two %-in. x 6-in. #10 bolts, and to each frame with a similar bolt long enough to go through the keel and frame (and through keel, stem, Sprinc, 1972 and frame at #1). Countersink for all bolt heads, and fill the holes with wood putty. It’s a good idea to cut a rabbet groove along each side of the keel at the fairbody (the line where bottom paneling meets the keel) to take the edges of the bottom panels. If this is not done, you should fiberglass this joint to make it watertight and strong. Next attach the clamps. These aid the chines and carlins are cut from lengths of 1%-in. x 5¥2-in. stock, as shown in Fig. 4. Cut a notch along the bottom edge of each clamp, as shown. The top edge of the ply- wood side panels will lie in this groove. In fastening the clamps, start at the transom and work forward, alternating from one side of the boat to the other at each frame. This helps to keep stress on the framework even.a Add the chines in the same manner; trim the ends of the clamps and the chines so the chines will fit flush against the forward ends of the clamps, and against the stem plate. Fasten clamps and chines with two. 14-in. #10 flat head screws at each joint. Now the temporary side battens can be removed. Tack bottom and side battens temporarily in place, and mark all the frames for their notches. Remove the battens, cut out the notches, and refasten the battens perma- nently with 2-in. #10 fiat head screw at each joint. Fair all framework so planking will Tie flat. . Use lengths of builders paper to make templates for side and bottom planking. It will be necessary to butt sections of plywood -together to make up the required length for each panel. All butt joints should be backed along their entire length with 6-in. wide butt blocks of 34-in. plywood. Install the side panels first, and trim the edges flush with the chines. Use I-in. #8 flat head screws, spaced about 2-in. apart, and fasten to each frame as well as to tran- som, clamps, and chines. Install the bottom panels in the same manner, trimming the edges flush with the sides. Rubbing strips can be added, and fiberglassing can be done at this time. Give the finished hull at least three coats of a good marine paint, and allow to dry thoroughly. Follow the paint manufacturer's instructions carefully for best results. Turn the hull right side up, and paint all interior surfaces that will be difficult—or impossible Boat Buttper—to reach after flooring, bulkheads, cabi- nets, and other joiner work is done. Install the floor battens in the same man- ner as the bottom battens were done. Install the carlins as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 5, MATERIALS LIST Amt. Rea. Size and Description Use 1 34” xa x8" plywood traasom, frame #214 9 Yon xd’ x 8 plywood bottom & floori 14 36 x 47x 8 plywood fide planking, decks, gussets, patio bulkhead Val xP x8 plywood interior bulkheads, motor well, settees (a4! x8! Masonite vea- B25 i ceilings 2x4" x 616" pine 8 20x 4" x65" pine 2 x" x 35" pine 2x Ter x40 pine 20x 912" x 72" 2rx ah 72" pine 2°56" 772" bine 254 x6" x 169" soruce or fr 1 x6" x16? soruce or fr 199" x 97x 772" pine 246" x 6" x 3/6" spruce VXI" x 18" pine 11% 3" x 16" pine 2x2 lift rats 1" x50? Ya-round molding sun root 2K 6" x 24" pine shines, clamps, carlins 2" x6" x 37 mahogany mast FASTENINGS 2 gross 79" #27 flat head wood screws gussets, bulkheads 6 goss 17 28 tat head wood screws planking, sides 1 gross 11" #8 flat head wood screws. bottom planking 5 dozen 1/4" $10 flat head wood chines & clamps to screws frame 2 dozen 2” #10 flat head wood screwsstem molding 3 dozen 2/2" 2210 flat head wood roof molding screws I dozen 2/2" 38 flat head wood screws Four $4” x 6” 310 bolts, nuts & washers Six 36” x 10” #10 bolts, nuts & washers framing framing framing transom & deck beams transom heel kee! battens stem plate stem assembly floor battens bottom battens transom stem assembly, keel {o transom knee keel to frames and finish off the hull interior with Masonite or %-in. marine plywood ceilings (interior side paneling). Make up the superstructure by installing the uprights as in Fig. 5. Note that full- length uprights are at all frames except 3, 4, and 5, where the uprights reach just below side deck level. This allows installa- tion of berths that extend slightly under the side decks, giving a little more floor room inside the cabin. Install the roof beams across each pair of uprights, after notching them for the headers. Install the headers in the same manner as hull clamps and chines, then notch for the roof battens and install them. Fasten cabin panels and the sun deck in place, with I-in. #8 flat head screws spaced about 2-in. apart, and add the finishing trim and molding after the narrow side decks and fore deck have been fitted. Windows, doors, and other finishing touches can be added as shown in the plans, or the entire superstructure can be modified to suit your individual ideas and the avail- ability of door and window units in your area. Make up the motor well as indicated in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, and steering console of your own design. Install mast, lights, cabin fittings, and all hardware and furnishings. Mount a single motor or two motors totalling no more than 120 horsepower on the tran- som, and you're ready for the water. a © Craft Print No, 369 in enlarged size for building Float-a-Home ig available at $3. SPECIAL DIS- COUNT OF $1, OFF on this plan is available to readers of this issue of BOAT BUILDER. Order by a number, deducting $1 from the usual price 5. To avoid possible loss of coin or currency in the mails, remit by check or money order (no stamps or C.0.D’s) to Craft Print Dept. Serence and Mechanics, 229 Park Ave. South, New York, N.Y. See han ier form on page 112. Please allow three to four weeks for delivery. Outboard Motor Test Tank FLATTEN SIDE. Sprinc, 1972 If your outboard motor is given a periodic check before and after being laid up for the season, it wili give many years of trouble-free service. The best way to make such inspection checks is by running the motor for short inter- vals in your own test tank. Then, too, if the motor was used’ in salt water, it should be flushed in fresh water, as the action of salt water on aluminum parts causes electrolytic corrosion and premature failure of underwater parts. A 25-gal metal drum with head cut out provides a satisfactory test tank for small mo- tors up to 5 hp, while larger motors will -re- quire a 50-gal tank prepared as shown. Cut the head of the tank with a cold chisel ‘and bend the lid down to serve as a deflector. Then at- tach a motor board to flattened fore side of the tank, and fill tank about %4 full of fresh water the cans in place—V. H. Lamoy.