Swamp Adventure with our Tiny Houseboat

[@wannabetraveler6595]

You use your boat like I would’ve. That looks like fun. Also, it was neat to see how you negotiate shallow water and use of the oars. Awesome. Thanks again.

[@roydesignedthat]

A few people don't understand why I have oars and chuck under their breath. They don't understand that they are extremely useful as you've seen but also as a safety measure! My motor has quite (sucked up weeds and overheated) on a river bend with rock s on the outer shore. With out the oars, which got the boat to the soft inner shore, we would have been bouncing off the boulders!!!

[@schoonerchandlery5107]

Now there's a nice day on the water! What a lovely little houseboat you have!

[@roydesignedthat]

Thanks Schooner

[@BearClawAK47]

What an amazing house boat!

[@roydesignedthat]

Thanks BearClaw

[@zulumagoo1]

I love them all, but Dianne's Rose, is top shelf choice. I wonder if my old 20 horse mercury, would endure a few miles. I thought it might be frozen, but I think I just need to tank it and try it properly. The Mississippi, the atchafalaya basin, The calcasieu river in my back yard.

[@roydesignedthat]

Yes you have a beautiful back yard!

[@manojshanmughan]

Wow👍👍

[@alanalilley3037]

You need a old jetski motor and pump jet drive be epic

[@roydesignedthat]

Might just work but then the motor sits inboard and eats valuable cabin space. Add the noise and fuel management in the boat rather than "on the deck" as I now have it I think you can see it is working as is . With alterations it could work! Best/Roy

[@tomcop668]

Those are some long oars. Did you make them?

[@roydesignedthat]

Yes, from air dried ash! Very strong ten foot in length.

[@ElishaBenYisrael]

What's the draft on that vessel

[@roydesignedthat]

6" at slow or stopped. Barge hulls roll water out of the way at the bow when underway at speed and while ours is not a simple flat bottom barge as it has "V"d sections 24" on the side/bottom and only is flat on the center bottom with a nice curve rising up at the bow, it still does this on this 4' section. The rolling water creates a trough where the hull settles into underway so draft increases to 8-9"! This is why the boat handles well in wind as it hunkers down into the water and is not pushed around! Where we are careful is when approaching a dock in strong wind as at slower speeds she can get pushed by wind and we are sure to pick a dock where the boat is pushed against it for easier docking. 6" is a huge advantage as it opens up lots of cool cruising grounds. The hull also has little drag and just our 9.8 hp is enough to cruise 6 mph at 3/4 throttle! Even when settled the rolling water at the bow acts like a bubbler reducing drag and the hull speed is the same! Hope this helps Trailblazzin! Best/Roy

[@ElishaBenYisrael]

@@roydesignedthat thank you sir. I'm very interested in building one

[@roydesignedthat]

Plans are available Trailblazzin. Let me know when you are ready at [e-mail] ... Here is a video link where you can see some of the other builds already under way. Quite a few more are in the water since so others are having a good time building. Proof the plans are well drawn! Best/Roy kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHibZ5xqg7N_bas

[@Nimbus495]

What River or bay is this?

[@roydesignedthat]

The Nottawasaga River, which empties into the southern end of Georgian Bay, part of the Great Lakes. It was an important river route for natives and settlers and played an important roll in the battle of Mackinaw island as the British's only supply route for their fort there! Best/Roy

[@bookhappy4257]

👍👍👍👍

[@GardenKatt]

The good the bad and the ugly of boating

[@jalanaspalchannel6834]

Like from indonesia,

[@roydesignedthat]

Thanks Jalan!

[@AndySjostrom]

Roy, I've watched all your videos from the beginning when you fist started building Dianne's Rose and honestly after all this time I'm surprised you haven't added a trolling motor and a fish finder that can tell you how deep the water is.with all your adventures I wonder have you consider taking the Dianne's Rose around the great loop?

[@roydesignedthat]

Thanks Andy for your dedication. I have a brand new fish finder in a box somewhere! The muddy river I know well from my canoeing days and I look for hints in the current if a log is below the surface and on occasions we just hit them! Lol! Trouble with the depth finder is it would be warning me all the time that we are in shallow water and Dianne would panic and tell me to go where it is deeper! I designed the boat to "Creep" the shallows! I can see very well from the helm into the water and wear Polaroid sun glasses to cut surface glare. I don't fish much, I may have added the finder if I did but I like exploring. The Great Loop is a perfect trip for the boat but I'm unable to convince Di to go. She is not that adventurous! I'm fortunate DIANNE'S ROSE is as safe and comfortable that she is willing to go out for a couple of weeks with me without complaint! She only did day trips with our old sailboat! I'll keep working on her! Lol! Best/Roy