The Pontoon Building Blocks

Having a time convincing my scanner to put the drawings of the houseboat pontoons and parts into this. The image is always small but maybe the next attempt will be better.

This is a bit better. The pontoon is made from exterior plywood 1/4 or 1/2 inches thick. I think I will use  3 sheets of 1/4 for the bottom and sides and 3 sheets of 1/2 for the ends and top. A single sheet of plywood is laid down for the bottom and then 2 sheets are reinforced with 1 inch board as in image "c". My ends will be cut out of 1/2 inch as in image "b" and reinforced with boarding as shown. It is fairly easy to tie the sides to the bottom with tape or wire snugged through small drilled holes. Tie the ends in place so all the reinforcements are to the inside of the pontoon as shown in image "a."
Leaving the top off for now make small fillets of resin glue along all seams and then spread resin wide enough to affix fiberglass tape over all inside seams. Put down tape and allow to harden. There are all sorts of tutorials on how to do this on You Tube. Find one you like and can follow and get to it.
It is also possible to use bias tape (seamstresses know what that is) and simply paint it over the edges with waterproof paint. This takes longer because more coats of paint are used, but it will work if you can get a hold of fiberglass tape.
 Paint the entire inside surface with waterproof paint.
Flip the pontoon over and using resin/fiberglass tape or paint/cloth tape seal all the outside seams. Again paint the whole outside surface, this time use several coats of paint.
Flip the pontoon right side up and put on the top two sheets of plywood. I am holding these down with removable screws for now as I will be living in the pontoon to begin my journey.

Amazing Child update

The novel "Amazing Child" is 4/5 done now. I have made copies and eagerly await the reviews and editorial suggestions from some of my friends. I will post the completed book on my Transsexual Child blog  in the next week or so. Be sure to tune in.

Houseboat Float Around the World

Still love the idea of a houseboat on flotation using sealed floats, but I do not have the funds to start down the river again  this way. I need to have a place to stay without paying rents and utilities so I can purchase floats later. 

Many of us live at or below the poverty line and our disposable income never exceeds 10% of our monthly income, in my case $200 per month after paying for housing and food. My income is completely from Social Security and a small retirement benefit from the church I served for many years. I have $14,000 each year to live on. I am happy, but I would also like to travel around the world.

I looked at land prices in my area, which is far back in the Appalachian Ridge country. One acre of land seldom drops below $6,000 and is often priced, even in these near-depression times at around $14,000. It would take three years to purchase even one acre at the lowest price. It is unlikely I will be able to save enough while paying shelter and grocery bills to buy land so I could save up for a houseboat.

So, I have designed a houseboat, I can build piecemeal while I live on it. No frills to begin with and about a year or more to complete. Maybe if I do a good job of recording this adventure, you too will become a devotee of life on the water.

I will post the designs and then the actual building process beginning tomorrow.