Man building house boat that's 3,200 square feet

[Dogman]

He is following his dream!

(CBS) - Ever wish you could sail away and leave all your troubles behind? That's exactly what one man plans on doing after he finishes building his 3,200 foot catamaran.

There are some who think James Lane has got to have a screw loose -and he might. He's using about 800 pounds of them to hold together five tons of wood.

"The guy's nuts!"

It's not an uncommon response when people see what he's building. The catamaran comes in at 3,200 square feet- likely bigger than many people's house.

"Building a boat to sail away," said Lane, "that's what I call freedom."

With his 26-year-old son, mother, girlfriend, two other friends and his dogs, he plans to sail to the South seas and never come back.

"There are 30,000 islands in the South Pacific and they are all tropical paradises." he said. "Why not?"

He's a master craftsman, but has never built a boat before. A $10,000 insurance settlement started the funding for what he hopes will be a $30,000 job.

"It's awful big..."

They follow the progress from nearby Andy's supermarket.

"The customers, you know, a lot of time talk about the weather, or about the bad news going on." said Andy's employee Patrick Crowley. "This is something different, watching this project grow right from the ground up."

"That's the most unseaworthy thing I've seen since they tried boats with cement. There's no way that's gonna hold together." said Alan Dragge.

Lane says he's studied the construction of 10,000 boats and is confident about building his own.

"Wouldn't you do it if you could? No? Maybe?

Video at link

http://www.cbs19.tv/story/15461245/web-exclusive-man-plans-to-live-on-3200-foot-yacht

[Spectrism]

I am no marine engineer but I think that thing will rip apart in the first test of rough seas. I hope those pontoons are more than just plywood.

[hoarder]

Catamarans are subjected to extraordinary stresses in high seas. The critic is right, it will come apart. 2x4 construction??? He's nuts!

[ShortJohnSilver]

Is he going to fiberglass everything once he is done? I see a lot of what appears to be spruce or pine, if water gets in there it will go soft (punky) pretty quick. For something that size he could have done ferro-cement or steel hull .

[midnight rambler]

I'm wondering what his back-up plan is, IF he has one.

[Ponce]

If you can think of it you then can do it.......why not?.......otherwise we would still be living in caves.

[Joe King]

I'm wondering what his back-up plan is, IF he has one.

1060

[Neuro]

Noah's ark? People thought he was nuts too... No?

[Dogman]

I agree the pontoons are the weak link!


By Jessica Bernstein-Wax
Marin Independent Journal

Posted: 09/13/2011 07:01:43 AM PDT
Updated: 09/13/2011 02:14:18 PM PDT

http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site234/2011/0912/20110912__nmij0913boat%7E3_VIEWER.JPG (http://www.mercurynews.com/portlet/article/html/render_gallery.jsp?articleId=18884124&siteId=568&startImage=1)


James Lane walks on the aft deck of the 65-foot catamaran he and his son are building, with the help of some friends, at the Loch Lomond Marina in San Rafael, Calif. on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011. (IJ photo/Alan Dep) Alan Dep

A giant yacht that a father and son are building at Loch Lomond Marina in San Rafael has captivated the neighborhood's imagination, with shoppers at nearby Andy's Local Market keeping daily tabs on its progress.

James Lane, 50, and his 26-year-old son, Michael Johnson, began working on the 65- by 32-foot catamaran in June 2010 in Butte County, but moved the partially constructed vessel to Loch Lomond this spring.

"We should put it in the water in about 30 days," Lane said, as he showed off the nine-bedroom, three-bathroom 3,200-square-foot boat on a recent afternoon.

The yacht, which Lane will call the Flying Hawaiian, features fiberglass over wood construction and boasts two kitchens and a gym. It weighs about five tons and has so far required 700 to 800 pounds of screws, Lane said. Sixty-five-foot catamarans typically sell for anywhere from $500,000 to $2 million or more.

"This boat is going to be two times the size of most people's homes," said Lane, a master craftsman who has never built a boat before. "I spent three years on the design of this. I've looked at thousands and thousands of yachts."
Come late October, Lane plans to move aboard the Flying Hawaiian with his mother, Johnson, several other people and one pet Chihuahua and travel to Mexico, Hawaii, the Samoan islands and New Zealand.

He doesn't plan on coming back.

"We're going to island hop until we get bored," Lane said. "We've got plenty of music and plenty of fishing gear and plenty of time."The group hopes to make money by renting out the yacht or taking tourists out on the water. A small generator will power the boat's "gel cell" batteries each day, he said, adding, "It's about the freedom and the lifestyle -- it's fresh food and good living."

Yachts can be quite large -- with some measuring 110 feet in length -- but locals have been particularly interested in Lane's boat because it's unusual to see such a large vessel being constructed in San Rafael, Loch Lomond Harbor Master Pat Lopez said.

"People are curious, just very curious to see it because it's so unique," Lopez said. "It's something that we don't really see around here too often."
About half the customers at Andy's have been talking about the plus-size vessel, providing daily updates on Lane's progress, said Patrick Crowley, the store's general manager.

"If they don't ask about it, what it is, they talk about the size of it," Crowley said. "It's a conversation piece, and everybody wants to see it get launched because that's awfully big to get moved to the dock.

"These guys, they're just going to go sail around," he added. "It's kind of exciting in a way."

Resident Jim La Fleur, who lives a couple of blocks away, said he and his family were stunned to see the progress Lane and Johnson had made on the boat when they returned from a month-plus trip in August.

"I haven't seen the animals coming two by two, but it won't surprise me," said La Fleur, 44.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing if it works," La Fleur added. "I admire his optimism and his drive to do something like that."

Meanwhile, Lane said he's busy preparing the boat for water and would welcome any spare parts residents want to donate. The Flying Hawaiian won't look quite so enormous once it leaves the marina, he added.

"When you're a little speck out in the water, it doesn't feel that big."

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18884124

[Spectrism]

If you can think of it you then can do it.......why not?.......otherwise we would still be living in caves.

Living in caves or living on the Darwin Awards list. I think caves are better.



Noah's ark? People thought he was nuts too... No?

Noah got directions- precise directions- from God. He had dimensional precision, proper wood material selection and a supernatural glue that was sure to hold the ark together.

[Dogman]

This boat is being built up and across the bay from solid, maybe he could scope it out for us someday? Pict's and shit! ! It is about 18 miles from solid as the buzzard flys.


37°58'22.81"N 122°28'53.07"W

[midnight rambler]

Ya know how to make God laugh?

Show Him your plans...

[Neuro]

Living in caves or living on the Darwin Awards list. I think caves are better.




Noah got directions- precise directions- from God. He had dimensional precision, proper wood material selection and a supernatural glue that was sure to hold the ark together.

Well, he may still have a better chance compared to staying in California...

[ShortJohnSilver]

Good luck to the guy, but most people suggest starting with a smaller boat to make sure you understand how to operate and maintain it, before stepping up to a floating Taj Mahal.

[Ponce]

Well John, even the Taj Mahal can sink.........remember the Titanic.......you never can tell if it will work till it is build.

[palani]

Back in the '70s it was reported in Mechanics Illustrated that a Dubuque man was building a steel hulled boat to retire on. Don't remember the size but I remember the details reported several years later. He sailed it down the Mississippi to the gulf and then through the inland passage to Florida. His wife left him there. He continued to sail it solo to the Bahamas where it was put up for sale.

Dreams frequently end up poorly.

[Spectrism]

Well, he may still have a better chance compared to staying in California...

Sure- I'd take the boat over zombies... but the zombies are still incubating.... hatch time is still a few days off.

[gunDriller]

"Come late October, Lane plans to move aboard the Flying Hawaiian with his mother, Johnson, several other people and one pet Chihuahua and travel to Mexico, Hawaii, the Samoan islands and New Zealand.

He doesn't plan on coming back."


i have a feeling we'll be reading about him again.

if he was just going to use it as a party boat in the San Rafael marina - like most of the other house-boats there - i would say, not a big deal - most of what they have to deal with is high tide low tide.

most boating accidents don't receive so much planning.

[Dogman]

Sure- I'd take the boat over zombies... but the zombies are still incubating.... hatch time is still a few days off.

They maybe incubating, with the radiation levels rising just hope that some do not metamorphosis in to sea zombies!

http://acreativeuniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/sewer_dwelling_monster_federico-scarbini.jpg

[JJ.G0ldD0t]

Sure- I'd take the boat over zombies... but the zombies are still incubating.... hatch time is still a few days off.

And miss the zombie apocalypse viewed from the sights of a DECK GUN?
I dunno... that's a tough one!

[mick silver]

i for one hope the guy make it ... features fiberglass over wood construction i dont see why it will not float . hell i spent half my life working in fiberglass you can do alot with it

[Spectrism]

i for one hope the guy make it ... features fiberglass over wood construction i dont see why it will not float . hell i spent half my life working in fiberglass you can do alot with it

That makes me feel beeter that he is laminating fiberglass. That will increase strength and waterproofing. I wonder if he can treat the wood to keep it from rotting.

[Dogman]

That makes me feel beeter that he is laminating fiberglass. That will increase strength and waterproofing. I wonder if he can treat the wood to keep it from rotting. There is one thing good going for this project and that is he is building it where he is and not in the middle of the country on a prairie.

You can almost bet there are knowledgeable people watching what he is doing and probably making suggestions (good ones) to help the guy along.

[joboo]

I'd need to see a lot more pictures. I hope he has some kind of cross braced metal bar/rod structure incorporated into the thing.

Does that wood look pressure treated to you? It doesn't to me.

[palani]

Doubt if marine grade would be pressure treated.

Older times salt boxes were used to preserve wooden ships.

A must have is the ability to spot hurricanes and typhoons and move out of the way expediciously.

[hoarder]

Single hull sailboats that go out to sea have 1" thick fiberglass hulls. Now that is a monocoque hull that is much less susceptable to the forces of waves. Putting 1" thick fiberglass on that catamaran would be cost prohibitive and less than 1/3 as strong as single hull design. Also his boat has a flat hull that will make the two hulls lurch independently of each other in high seas.
Shrimp boats in the Gulf of Mexico are often plywood hull with 1/4" of fiberglass on them, but the seas are much gentler than the Pacific Ocean. Also shrimp boats have a lot of "rocker" IOW they are round-bottomed, which reduces stress in high seas and permits them to turn sharply.

The fool might make it if the seas are gentle all the way, but will probably realize when he gets there that his boat is not seaworthy to cross the Pacific again.

[hoarder]

Doubt if marine grade would be pressure treated.Fiberglass won't stick to pressure treated wood, you have to use epoxy resin.

[palani]

Catamarans are stable in two modes .. .right side up and upside down

[solid]

I've got mixed opinions on this. On one hand, the world is full of critics who sit back and do nothing but criticize folks, who actually go out and do things. Lot's of folks say you can't do things, and then folks go out and do them. The oceans are full of 'unseaworthy' boats that cross oceans. Lot's of luck involved, lot's of skill too.

That being said, based upon the pictures, there's no way that boat can be launched in 30 days. You couldn't get the fiberglassing done in that time. What about all the through-hulls, the bottom paint. Do both hulls have bulkheads, what's going to be the structural support for the vessel when if flexes in high seas.

Back when boats were built with wood, it was all hardwoods, teak, mahogany, oak. Thick, heavy timbers of it. You can't just get 2x4's from home depot.

The costs involved have to be at least double 30K. A mast, rigging and sails is at least 10K, if you find a bargain. Sails cost a bundle alone. All the winches, running rigging, lifelines, another 5K. An engine is going to be another 5K. He better have a liferaft, another 3K. To wire the boat up with marine grade wire...at least 1K in wiring. Marine heads, water tanks, plumbing, electronics...arggg. It all adds up.

I wish this guy the best, but I hope he has the skill to avoid heavy weather at sea. Water will find it's way into that boat, it finds it's way into all boats..and all the wood will rot. If it's standard ply, and pine softwoods....the boat won't last a season unfortunately.

[Dogman]

I've got mixed opinions on this. On one hand, the world is full of critics who sit back and do nothing but criticize folks, who actually go out and do things. Lot's of folks say you can't do things, and then folks go out and do them. The oceans are full of 'unseaworthy' boats that cross oceans. Lot's of luck involved, lot's of skill too.

That being said, based upon the pictures, there's no way that boat can be launched in 30 days. You couldn't get the fiberglassing done in that time. What about all the through-hulls, the bottom paint. Do both hulls have bulkheads, what's going to be the structural support for the vessel when if flexes in high seas.

Back when boats were built with wood, it was all hardwoods, teak, mahogany, oak. Thick, heavy timbers of it. You can't just get 2x4's from home depot.

The costs involved have to be at least double 30K. A mast, rigging and sails is at least 10K, if you find a bargain. Sails cost a bundle alone. All the winches, running rigging, lifelines, another 5K. An engine is going to be another 5K. He better have a liferaft, another 3K. To wire the boat up with marine grade wire...at least 1K in wiring. Marine heads, water tanks, plumbing, electronics...arggg. It all adds up.

I wish this guy the best, but I hope he has the skill to avoid heavy weather at sea. Water will find it's way into that boat, it finds it's way into all boats..and all the wood will rot. If it's standard ply, and pine softwoods....the boat won't last a season unfortunately.

Now Solid tell it like you really feel and do not hold back! :D :D

May be worth to take a look seeing it is down the street from you, sort of! ;D
And if you do, take a camera.

[solid]

Now Solid tell it like you really feel and do not hold back! :D :D

May be worth to take a look seeing it is down the street from you, sort of! ;D
And if you do, take a camera.

I feel bad about saying that, because honestly I've got the same dream actually. To cruise the South Pacific, you've got to cross an ocean to get there though.

I don't know how people can realistically calculate the costs involved when determining a project like that. To give you an idea, the guy who owned my boat before I bought her. He paid 8K, for just the standing rigging (the stainless cables that holds the mast up). 8K for just that.

I don't understand this guy's logic, at all. You can buy an old, bullet proof, sailboat for cheap. She may need a lot of work to be seaworthy, but the structural parts of the boat can be just fine. Why not buy an old one and fix her up? You could do that for a lot less than starting from scratch.

I should go take a look and talk to the guy. Maybe the pictures are misleading and he really knows what he's doing. All that 2x4 framing makes me cringe though...and want to yell Don't do that! LOL.

[hoarder]

He better have a liferaft, another 3K.No kidding!

[Joe King]

I should go take a look and talk to the guy..Yes, you should. You'd probably be the first one here to actually go out in the field to follow-up on a thread and do our due-dilligence for us. lol

[Heimdhal]

Solid,

I agree completley with your assesment. I thought the same things. The thing would be an awesome party boat or vaction spot on a nice big inland lake. MAYBE for a nice weekend sit in some calm bay or gulf waters, but across the pacific, no sir. Especialy flat bottomed cats.

We used to race sail boats when I was youngers. Cats have great advantages, though we never owned one, I've been on plenty to see. He seems to be taking away many of those inherent design advantages and wishes simply to make a floating house.

Thats fine, but not for what he wants to do with it.

Ontop of all thats, he needs redundant systems and supplies which will easily cost him 10's of thousands for his whole family. I wish him the best of luck, but I remain skeptical.

[Gaillo]

I think we all need to send him our PM's, so we can all have one big happy boating accident!
Anyone else with me on this? ;D

[milehi]

Haven't any of you read Kon Tiki? These guys were real life adventurers who harvested the materials for their boat (an adventure in itself), built their prehistoric craft and sailed it to their destination with little to no sailing and/or navigational skills. These guys started off into the unknown scared shitless, and in no time were pulling sharks out of the water by their tails.

[hoarder]

Haven't any of you read Kon Tiki? These guys were real life adventurers who harvested the materials for their boat (an adventure in itself), built their prehistoric craft and sailed it to their destination with little to no sailing and/or navigational skills. These guys started off into the unknown scared shitless, and in no time were pulling sharks out of the water by their tails.The structural integrity of a raft made of logs lashed together is far superior to a catamaran because the logs can move with the waves. If the catamaran hulls moved much in relation to each other the boat would sink.

[Heimdhal]

The structural integrity of a raft made of logs lashed together is far superior to a catamaran because the logs can move with the waves. If the catamaran hulls moved much in relation to each other the boat would sink.

also, a lot didnt make it........

[solid]

Haven't any of you read Kon Tiki? These guys were real life adventurers who harvested the materials for their boat (an adventure in itself), built their prehistoric craft and sailed it to their destination with little to no sailing and/or navigational skills. These guys started off into the unknown scared shitless, and in no time were pulling sharks out of the water by their tails.

Imo, if you are going to dream big, and do something daring...it's best to think logically and give yourself the best odds.

There's a young man near me, who purchased an old 30 foot wooden boat,complete with mast, sails, and rigging. He bought the boat for $1. He hauled it out, the hull solid mahogany (I think). He fibreglassed over it, painted the hull, and put her back in the water. His haulout costs maybe $1500. What a beautiful little classic boat.

Personally, I would feel 100 times more safer in the ocean in that classic tough little 30 footer, than in that 3200 squarefoot catamaran.

Both boats, dream of exploring exotic islands, tiki dancing girls, etc..same dream! Which boat makes it though? The 30 foot could survive storms at sea, I'd give the little boat the better odds. That would be the boat I'd go on.

[Neuro]

I think we all need to send him our PM's, so we can all have one big happy boating accident!
Anyone else with me on this? ;D

Yes! I will write out a future contract on my PM's that is as good as gold, for storage at Titanic II. In fact why don't you send me your PM's, and I will include them in the contract.... >:D

[mick silver]

I think we all need to send him our PM's, so we can all have one big happy boating accident!
Anyone else with me on this? ;D

Gaillo sent me your silver an gold and i will make sure he get all your stuff as well all of mine . that way we save on shipping cost

[Son-of-Liberty]

The guy and his son are clearly insane. The way that thing is built, first rough water he gets into it will likely rip apart. I agree with solid. Why wouldn't he just find a good sized older boat and fix it up? At least that way you have something you know is sea worthy.

[mick silver]

find a nice place and pull the boat onto some dry land and you have a home . the wood just a mold he adding fiberglass the same way i did when i build boats . i have made five boats for myself . the guy who showed me how to work with glass he builded his house boat made of fiberglass pontoons thats 70 feets long the house boats 16 wide and it works just fine . you have to have a mold it is alway made of wood which you can leave in the glass , i bet he cover the wood with resin to keep the wood dry and plus there will be a pump in his pontoons to remove any water that does get in . then when he moves to tie the pontoon together he will use steel to place the house on . i have run more chop guns then i want to think about

[Son-of-Liberty]

I hear what your saying Mick. my worry would be that there is not enough holding the two pontoons together and that they will rip apart in rough water. Maybe there is more bracing that we can't see keeping the pontoons together and the deck rigid.

[mick silver]

he will use steel to tie the pontoons together the steel will let the boat flex some . i almost bet there will be four points were the pontoons are tie together

[midnight rambler]

I don't understand this guy's logic, at all. You can buy an old, bullet proof, sailboat for cheap. She may need a lot of work to be seaworthy, but the structural parts of the boat can be just fine. Why not buy an old one and fix her up? You could do that for a lot less than starting from scratch. His logic is that he wants a NINE BEDROOM THREE BATH 3,200 S.F. SEA-GOING PALACE.

I agree, one would be far better off buying a good used PROFESSIONALLY MANUFACTURED SAILBOAT and re-furb it.

Even for real manufactured sailboats succumb to the seas.

[Libertytree]

I hope he's a duct tape and a bungee cord kinda guy, he's gonna need it!;D

[willie pete]

maybe on a river or lake, not in the ocean

[Dogman]

The way I figure it as in all things man does, What ever floats your boat and makes you happy, do it!

[midnight rambler]

Considering he claims to have no plans of returning, I'm thinking he's got visions of Mary Ann and Ginger on a deserted island.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obk8iF94SeQ

[Santa]

Maybe his intention is to hide his stash in a tragic boating accident.

[Dogman]

Hell in this new world of so called "reality" shows. I would not be very surprised if this project gains enough interest, that some network or producers would jump at the chance of following the project and story.

And the builder if smart and played his cards, win or fail could possibly not loose a dam penny and even make some money selling the projects story from where it is at now to ether success or failure.

Hell there are a bunch of truly questionable "reality" story's that have been or are on the air now.