Budget Boating:Houseboats/Shantyboats/Minimalist Cruising

Hi,
We share an interest in beer and Panama, but I initially found your blog while researching shanty boats, which got me to minimalist boating, and a whole lot of other stops since. Surprising how little shantyboat info is available, it seems I keep getting pointed around a relatively small circle.
Today I found http://www.theboathitch.com/houseboat.html
this is a guy who has really thought this through and has the ability to put his dream and drawings together.
I sail the upper Chesapeake Bay while waiting for global warming to raise all boats so I slide into the Delaware Bay and then over the Joisey Shore to the Atlantic. For the near future I don’t want a heavy displacement boat, but some of the river designs won’t do even on an average day on the bay.
I keep toying with the idea that a 10 x 40 shanty/houseboat, with a small motor skiff for trips to the grocery/beer store, and my 28 foot Catalina nearby to satisfy my sailing jones, (and maybe a Hobie for the kids and a despicable used beater “personal water craft” for going fast….oh, and a tiny house with some acres up the Susquehanna in the Pennsylvania hills for the dead of winter) would do the trick.
Houses are easy, even foundations. But building or choosing a “foundation” for shanty/houseboat ain’t simple. Thinking long term I don’t want to pay for hauling, cleaning and painting a beast that big, at least not often. Don’t want to consider spreading that much epoxy and glass resin. Steel has its problems, among them I don’t weld. Aluminum is a possibility. 30 or 36 inch poly pontoons (http://goodoutdoors.theshoppe.com/pontoon_boat_kit.html) might work. Molded fiberglass pontoons look good too, but get costly ….too.
Anyway, the boathitch guy has some great ideas other than the boat hitch. If you haven’t found him I thought you might be interested.
all the best,
Denis

I agree with you about how little information is out there about shanty boats. As you can see my site started out with a bang and then tapered off dramatically when I kept finding when I would Google for more subjects to add that I had become a primary source. While that’s good for the ego it sure sucks when trying to find new material.

I’ve been up and down the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays a few times when I had the time. Mostly my trips up and down the east coast were deliveries and I’d have to make the run “outside” due to time constraints. But I enjoyed the bays when I had the chance.

I think that what I’d use for a dinghy would be a Puddle Duck Racer. Small enough to be easily transported aboard yet large enough to carry a good load of groceries. Plus they’re cheap to build and so ugly that they wouldn’t be targeted for theft.