What do you need to be virtually self sustainable on a BOAT?

[Abaddon]

Well, actually.. more of an home, than a boat. How would one make a floating island?
What material could the base be that might actually survive some significant time?
Dry docking ever-so-often is impossible.
I imagine once this baby is settled and anchored, it aint going to come back to land!

I'm thinking a platform with concrete legs would get to much attention from other countries.. a "boat" anchored in international land cannot get into too much trouble right?

Don't they have "floating" oil rigs?


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How would one go about making it self sufficient?

 

[cgannon64]

Are you actually considering doing this and living on it?

 

[Abaddon]

Well im only 19 as it stands.. but its the kind of thing im always thinking about. I figure if i dont get distracted with a wife + kids after my degree and lead a normal life, i could quite easily retire v early and become a floating hermit Then again im not against others joining me.. just tie your boat up too!

Of course self sufficiency is key, this wouldnt be a holiday. The scale is such that one could live on the boat year round with no other contact (not withstanding this driving you mad).

Obviously much of the 21st century would be given up, but i think i could live with that, happily hoeing between the weeds as my island gently rocks to the waves

 

[Babbler]

Unobtainium, of course.

 

[Gr3yL3gion]

Why don't you create a giant surfer board?

 

[stormbind]

International waters are quite far from the shore

If this is a serious question, you should try asking metallurgists (http://www.eng-tips.com) but fiberglass is quite good for small boats.

 

[Abaddon]

Then again, as long as i dont go off on one claiming its a new country, are many countries going to mind if its in their waters?

As for material. would a concrete boat, with the right displacement float? and what doesnt corrode in saltwater quickly?

 

[Aphex_Twin]

Steel, coated with some non-corrosive material (i.e. gold)

 

[Abaddon]

does copper or brass not corrode?

 

[nonconformist]

Copper corrodes, albeit slowly.

 

[Gilder]

The idea intrigues. We'll call it the party barge, and have a woman in every port. Sailing around the world having romantic mishaps and slapstick misadventures!

 

[stormbind]

I don't know the laws of the sea, but assuming your vessel is registered and seaworthy they will probably only mind if you violate their weather and tide warnings. They can get quite stroppy and forceful when it comes to issues of you staying alive!

Afaik, fiberglass resists corrosion and is fairly cheap - it is also very strong when pressure is evenly distributed (i.e. in water). Concrete will float in perfect conditions but I don't think mother nature would be kind enough to provide them

Metals can be hard-faced to make them resist corrosion, but quality varies between suppliers, and I do not know enough to give exact answers. There are issues of erosion, galvanic, pitting &c. and if you need it to remain at sea indefinitely then you would need some means of monitoring it's condition. All fixtures would need to be resistant as well.

I would seriously investigate the use of nylon!

Have you ever been to open sea? I assure you that poor conditions are extremely unpleasant * turns green *

 

[nonconformist]

In international waters, you are (as far as I know) bound by the laws of the country whos flag you're flying.

 

[stormbind]

does copper or brass not corrode?

brass is fairly resistant

 

[Gilder]

In international waters, you are (as far as I know) bound by the laws of the country whos flag you're flying.

And if you fly no flag?

 

[Abaddon]

RRRRRR

Your a pirate, bound only by the rules of the waves!


(hehe!)

 

[Jawz II]

once i saw this on tv, it was a guy from i think brazil, who made himself a floating island, he used recycled plastic bottles (empty of course) in plastic nets and added dirt, and then he planted some kind of salt water trees, the roots kept the island together

he even grew some vegetables on it, and kept a few chickens, maybe even a goat, cant remember

also, he kept adding to it and making it bigger for every year

that was one cool hippy with a cool idea

 

[Abaddon]

could nylon or fiberglass be used as a coating for steel me thinks? Tho if it took underwater knocks it could be troublesome to repair.

If it was lined inside aswell perhaps.

 

[Abaddon]

once i saw this on tv, it was a guy from i think brazil, who made himself a floating island, he used recycled plastic bottles (empty of course) in plastic nets and added dirt, and then he planted some kind of salt water trees, the roots kept the island together

he even grew some vegetables on it, and kept a few chickens, maybe even a goat, cant remember

also, he kept adding to it and making it bigger for every year

that was one cool hippy with a cool idea

I am loving that.. just the worry in bad weather it would be all gone!

 

[Evil Tyrant]

Teak might work, but to tell you the truth, I think this sounds like a nutty idea.