I dream of wooden ships...

[boneyard]

Here's what I dream of at night: a beautiful wooden sailboat silently plying the playa as if it were low in the water,
the illusion of spray coming off her bow, blue lights illuminating the playa around her. Not sail-powered, but with mast and stays lit up like a festival. Crazy, happy people hopping on and off the low deck, laying on the bow, sitting in the cockpit.

Here's what keeps me up at night: how to cut the bottom half of a hull off a sail boat at the waterline; and, more importantly how to keep the boat together once i've cut the bottom off and; how to build a suspension and drive mechanism.

Other small details: does anybody have a 25-40 foot wooden sailboat laying around northern Cali or Nevada? Am I dreaming when I think I could pull this off in time for 2013 for less than $10k?

Thanks for any input!

[trilobyte]

Giving this a nudge over to Transportation, since the Preparation board is a better fit for project related questions and challenges. The 2013 Mutant Vehicle board would be better suited for announcing and discussing a more fully formed project.

There seem to be plenty of boat-on-car/truck MV's out there, hopefully some of the seasoned experts can offer some tips in how to merge the two. Good luck!

[Rice]

I have seen suggestions to use the frame from a truck and build on that.... Then you do not have to build it from scratch. (swiped from: http://eplaya.burningman.com/viewtopic.php?p=911296#p911296 {thanks Token})

Just make sure the engine, trani, etc. are totally mechanically sound - the last thing you need to deal with on the playa is a complete breakdown the first day on the playa

[Elliot]

how to cut the bottom half of a hull off a sail boat at the waterline; and, more importantly how to keep the boat together once i've cut the bottom off and;

Install the new -- and structural -- floor BEFORE cutting away the old bottom.

[Ole Shi Ted]

My 2c worth...build it from scratch. I doubt you'd find a wooden hulled vessel that looks enough like an old world sailing vessel to be worth the effort. The hull of your mutant vehicle is decorative so a hodgepodge of old shed siding, tongue and groove flooring...even balsa wood will suffice. with 10-20 people bouncing around on it you'll want all the extra strength of the base platform dedicated to holding them aloft.
Seeing your dream in my mind's eye starts with three decks..diamond shaped fore deck in the prow, deck midship with mast, and raised poop deck aftward over captain's quarters. Six months and 10 grand is tight. You'd probably need a build team and extra funding to make a bus sized contraption. Start with a big old sedan or the most heavy duty pickup you can find. On your budget you'll need a real rust bucket and some mechanical skills. cut away enough of the body to frame your platforms in steel. connect them directly to the vehicle frame. Block out the suspension...it's a party barge's worst enemy. go over the cooling and charging system with a fine toothed comb. pray to the transmission gods with all your might. Ready....go!!!

[boneyard]

thanks for the advice! Do you think a bigger structure could have it's own independant suspension(s) and the vehicle could just push it around from the inside?

[motskyroonmatick]

Take Eliot's advice. Reinforce, cut and apply painted or vinyl wood look to the outside. Put an emphasis on proven and quick technology over innovative and artsy. Measure twice. Cut once. Use guides for hand held blades.

On the other hand how cool would an elevated sail boat look on the playa secured by an appropriately long and wide conveyance system.....Keel and all!!!!! Party!