Thinking about buying a boat

[Fordtech86]

Recent threads have really got me thinking about life…

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/118/47/e2111530118.full.pdf

Very few things I can do in life, but I can drive a boat. Maybe I could make a difference and head to the Arctic to help clean this up (even though I have contributed nothing to the situation)

Got a few questions though. What size boat am I going to need? Is there a full electric option? Are there charging stations available along the way (departing from NOLA and turning left past Florida). How long does it take to recharge said boat? Can I make it in time? Whats the current going rate for recycled plastic? Any government assistance available to me to finance this mission? Am I too late?

 

[ccoon520]

If you are going off shore you'll want at least a 28'+ boat (either cat or deep V hull no flat bottoms). Unless you are fixing to sail and have a putting around motor for when there is no wind or harbor use then you'll probably be stuck with gas or diesel. There are a couple of electric options for outboards, however, I don't think i've seen any over 80hp. With a 28' boat you'd probably need at least 5 or 6 of those to go 40mph. Range will depend on size of battery bank (MAH), charge time will depend on the same thing.

However, if this is going to be a working boat an inboard would probably be your best option. I do not know of any inboard electric options except for the sail boat type mentioned earlier. If this rubs you a little wrong keep in mind the large cruise ships and some of the large cargo ships are burning straight crude oil instead. Also remember you'll want a cabin to live in and get out of the sun/weather. If you're buying new you're probably looking at every bit of 150-400k depending on a multitude of things. Buying used you are probably looking at 50-100k (you'll definitely want to get it inspected professionally before going out to sea).

I have nothing to base this off of except a hunch but no the Gov't isn't going to assist in paying for any of this because it is in international waters and not their problem. A gofundme would probably be more reliable if you need assistance. However, if you need assistance you'd best spend your time cleaning your local waterways with a 15' flat bottom boat and a 80ftlb trolling motor hooked to some deep cycles. You'll still have plenty of work to do with the trash people leave behind or throw in the water. Remember every piece of plastic you fish out of a river or stream is a piece of plastic that doesn't end up in the ocean.

 

[Bmyers]

Sounds to me like you are going to need a really LONG extension cord to keep your electric boat afloat.

 

[lugbolt]

nah, when the juice runs low, just cruise on in to the closest marina, carry a bucket with you and tell them you need a full bucket of electricity for your e-boat. You'll be back in your boat in no time.

 

[Fordtech86]

If you are going off shore you'll want at least a 28'+ boat (either cat or deep V hull no flat bottoms). Unless you are fixing to sail and have a putting around motor for when there is no wind or harbor use then you'll probably be stuck with gas or diesel. There are a couple of electric options for outboards, however, I don't think i've seen any over 80hp. With a 28' boat you'd probably need at least 5 or 6 of those to go 40mph. Range will depend on size of battery bank (MAH), charge time will depend on the same thing.

However, if this is going to be a working boat an inboard would probably be your best option. I do not know of any inboard electric options except for the sail boat type mentioned earlier. If this rubs you a little wrong keep in mind the large cruise ships and some of the large cargo ships are burning straight crude oil instead. Also remember you'll want a cabin to live in and get out of the sun/weather. If you're buying new you're probably looking at every bit of 150-400k depending on a multitude of things. Buying used you are probably looking at 50-100k (you'll definitely want to get it inspected professionally before going out to sea).

I have nothing to base this off of except a hunch but no the Gov't isn't going to assist in paying for any of this because it is in international waters and not their problem. A gofundme would probably be more reliable if you need assistance. However, if you need assistance you'd best spend your time cleaning your local waterways with a 15' flat bottom boat and a 80ftlb trolling motor hooked to some deep cycles. You'll still have plenty of work to do with the trash people leave behind or throw in the water. Remember every piece of plastic you fish out of a river or stream is a piece of plastic that doesn't end up in the ocean.

This is why I LOVE OTT!!!

Thinking about cashing out my “retirement” funds. Definitely looking used.

 

[Fordtech86]

Sounds to me like you are going to need a really LONG extension cord to keep your electric boat afloat.

‘Googling where to get 4500 miles of extension cord’

 

[Fordtech86]

nah, when the juice runs low, just cruise on in to the closest marina, carry a bucket with you and tell them you need a full bucket of electricity for your e-boat. You'll be back in your boat in no time.

Why should I need to touch that stuff, can’t they just deliver it?

 

[NCL4701]

Just spitballing here but a couple of things to consider…

You won’t be able to pick up much plastic with a 30’ V hull boat. You may be thinking too small.

Coal is on the way out so you should be able to pick up a half dozen or so coal barges cheap, particularly being you’re near a major port. A small flotilla of coal barges could really move some plastic to… Well, I don’t know where you’d move it to but you could sure move a lot of it.

Two easy options for the power unit:

1) Find a diesel-electric pusher with a bad diesel and re-power it with a wind turbine. Supplement with a few solar panels and a couple forklift batteries if you want power when the wind isn’t blowing. I like the simplicity of this one because the generators, azimuth drives, controls, all that stuff is there. You’re just changing what turns the generators. Plastic is a lot lighter than coal so you probably don’t need more than 1500 HP.

2) Simplify the plan by just using sail power. Not sure if you’d be better off putting a push plate on a sailboat or putting a couple sails on a pusher. Tacking into a headwind with a flotilla of barges might be a little dicey but otherwise seems perfect to me.

Whatever you do, please post pics.

 

[Fordtech86]

Just spitballing here but a couple of things to consider…

You won’t be able to pick up much plastic with a 30’ V hull boat. You may be thinking too small.

View attachment 70242

Coal is on the way out so you should be able to pick up a half dozen or so coal barges cheap, particularly being you’re near a major port. A small flotilla of coal barges could really move some plastic to… Well, I don’t know where you’d move it to but you could sure move a lot of it.

Two easy options for the power unit:

1) Find a diesel-electric pusher with a bad diesel and re-power it with a wind turbine. Supplement with a few solar panels and a couple forklift batteries if you want power when the wind isn’t blowing. I like the simplicity of this one because the generators, azimuth drives, controls, all that stuff is there. You’re just changing what turns the generators. Plastic is a lot lighter than coal so you probably don’t need more than 1500 HP.

2) Simplify the plan by just using sail power. Not sure if you’d be better off putting a push plate on a sailboat or putting a couple sails on a pusher. Tacking into a headwind with a flotilla of barges might be a little dicey but otherwise seems perfect to me.

Whatever you do, please post pics.

Very good points NCL. You are correct, I am thinking too small.

I need to go see a man about a boat

 

[Bmyers]

 

[orange crusher]

April Fool's day must be early this year !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[D2Cat]

Let me get your thinking back in line!

If this is a woman:

Then this is a boat. When you get it you can park your tractor in it and solve two problems, wanting a
boat, and needing a storage area!!

 

[Fordtech86]

Let me get your thinking back in line!

If this is a woman: View attachment 70255




Then this is a boat. When you get it you can park your tractor in it and solve two problems, wanting a
boat, and needing a storage area!!
View attachment 70252

Now why did Aerosmith just come on

 

[D2Cat]

Partner, I can't answer that. I just looked "cross dresser" because I needed a picture to make my point. I'm concerned what will come up on my screen!!!!

 

[PaulR]

if it floats, flies, or F#$%s, it's going to give you trouble.

 

[Henro]

It's probably just me, but if I were thinking along the lines of Fordtech86 I would probably start with a Rubber Ducky on my small pond just to be sure I was on the right track...

 

[Fordtech86]

It's probably just me, but if I were thinking along the lines of Fordtech86 I would probably start with a Rubber Ducky on my small pond just to be sure I was on the right track...

Here ya go

 

[aaluck]

Not sure what you guys are seeing but at the top of my page I have this... Didn't we discuss this in another thread? Big brother not only listens but also reads!!!!!!

 

[ccoon520]

Not sure what you guys are seeing but at the top of my page I have this... Didn't we discuss this in another thread? Big brother not only listens but also reads!!!!!! View attachment 70276

less big brother more so your privacy settings for cookies. For example if I were to be running around a car mall (lets be real the internet is part mall, library, and conspiracy den all smashed together) yelling questions about buying a brand new car that I wouldn't get a few sales people who overheard. Same-ish principle. Use a VPN and have the correct privacy settings and you'll be golden.

Also hot tip when using a VPN if you are shopping to buy something once you have figured out what you are going to buy and order from the web, if you close your current vpn and open a new instance, and search only for the thing you picked out to buy it is possible the price might be lower. Sometimes sites increase the price of items that you are actively shopping for by 10% or so because they know you are interested in it and most likely won't notice the slight price hike.

 

[JimmyJazz]

I once dreamed of having a big sailboat. I have all kinds of books on sailing and on how to obtain a captains license. For years I subscribed to boating magazines. My problem was every time I got on a boat I couldn't wait to get off the darn thing. Its easy to romanticize the notion. World travel, no constraints, a Brandy in every port (Brandy your a fine girl, what a good wife..... song). Go on YouTube and look for people living aboard boats. Unless you have a lot of money the experience is not for most people. Maybe you should crew on a freighter first. Good luck.