Let's talk about my boat
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There She is.

Sitting in the storage lot next to an RV. I can't really do anything to her for a few days.

For one thing I bug bombed the hell out of her yesterday. The inside of her cabin is TOXIC. I'll wait awhile and let the poison do it's work before I start to do anything to her insides.

For another thing that's a temporary spot. As soon as the 'managment' (and I use that word advisedly) of the storage facility finishes the construction of new parking spots. I'm moving her to a spot. I'm renting two...longer and wider than the one she's in right now. I'll park her straddle down the middle of the two lots...and have some ROOM to work. I'm also renting a garage type storage enclosure. It's 'secure' (lockable door) in which I will store tools, 'stuff' I haul out of the boat. (gas range, shower, drawers, tables ...etc) while I decide what to do with it. Some of the 'stuff' might still be good enough to sell. Most of it I'll probably just toss.

Everything that goes inside her...will be NEW.

I think about it a LOT. I drink coffee(whisky/beer) depending on what time it is...chainsmoke ceegars...and think.
What will I do to my SteemDreem.

I change my mind CONSTANTLY.

The Marines have another slogan

Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance

Planning is cheap. After I start butchering wood...it's gets not so cheap right quick.

Measure twice..cut once.

So I'm thinking.

Pull up a chair...grab the drink of your choice. Lite em if you got em...
and help me think.

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So here's where I am right now.

SOLAR ELECTRIC

I plan to cover every exposed exterior surface with solar cells...big ones small ones...
NO PAINT needed...just solar cells.

I'm going to rip out her little guts...and replace everything on the inside except for the fiberglass. I'll probably replace stringers, struts...anything made of wood, that shows the least sign of rot.

I intend to make a 'keel' trough..running down the center line of the boat...inside it goes tanks, the AC unit, and solar batteries. All the 'heavy stuff' goes below the water line. All the 'voids' between the 'heavy stuff' will be filled by pour-in, expandable, marine foam. The floorboards go on top of that.

I'll most likely have to replace the transom.

I'll redo it completely. I'm thinking I want TWO eight foot stern paddle wheels powered by twin DC electric motors for the drive. I'm also thinking of extending the roof to enclose the wheels except for the very rear. (made of light framing and foam...NOT load bearing...just a wind fairing...and covered with...you guessed it...solar cells.

The 'head' (nautical talk for the toliet/shower) will go directly in the stern..just in front of the paddle wheels...where the rear deck/engine well is now. It will be all enclosed.

I'm considering removing the entire rear wall of the cabin, as it now is, replacing it with a 'structural arch' opening...constructed of very strong plywood.

Step down a little bit. (no skinny door to squeeze thru...into the main cabin...Bed, computer, etc..etc...go in there.
.

now here's the part that I'm excited about..
.

I'm going to design and construct a captains chair..kind of like Captain Kirk's on startrek?
all of the controls for the boat (throttle and steering...GPS...monitors for the Go-Pros mounted outside...etc.) will be on that chair..

but WAIT..there's more..

the chair will be on the end of a beam..which is hinged at one end...much like these stairs.

so that it will swing UP (with me sitting in it) thru a slot in the ceiling...into the the flying bridge.

The flying bridge will be enclosed...but have windows all around. I'll be able to see 360 degrees....and control the boat from up there...

OR
drop it down into the cabin...and control it from there.

When not in use..the captains chair will be out of sight...above the ceiling of the cabin.

but WAIT..there's MORE.

I'm going to replace the front door.

in fact I'm going to replace the whole front WALL.

Make the whole thing into a hatch....it'll swing out and up
kinda like this..the hatchback car.

except that it'll be at 45 degrees already when closed.

when open it will be the roof of the front deck... when closed it'll be the lid.

the front deck will have the cooking facilities...probably a built in grill.

..microwave..

hotplate...sink...refrigerator...etc.

When the hatch is up...it'll be the roof over the deck
when the hatch is down...it'll be the lid..
while in motion the lid will be down(perhaps)...more streamlined don't ya know

so..

what do you guys think?