SEE "GYPSY" THE PONTOON BOAT VERSION OF PEANUT AT BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE!

PEANUT started out as a concept in economy and had been sitting in my preliminary drawing file for about a year. What I wanted to create was a floating permanent residence for a single retired person or "friendly" couple. No doubt of it, the living area is compact, but certainly magnanimous in comparison with sailboats or even most powerboats. I wanted to design a house-raft which could be built out of the cheapest of the cheap materials (or alternatively made from the best stuff) and last for generations with minimal routine maintenance. Somewhere in the dim mists of my mind I thought I might build one for myself and later sell plan sets, but it was my friend George Parker who really got the ball rolling.

George is an airline pilot, nearing retirement age. He suddenly found himself sans significant other and knocking around in a big, expensive house in an upscale neighborhood. After the dust settled and the "wound licking" subsided he realized on one sunny day last summer while dutifully mowing his lawn, that he no longer had any interest in living in Yuppie Del Acres. He stopped in mid-mow, leaving the mower in the middle of the yard, jumped in his car and drove to the marina to sit in the cockpit of his sailboat, have a beer and a think.

Enter me, wandering down the dock. When the greetings were said and the conversation got earnest, George said: "If this sailboat wasn't so small, I'd sell out and move aboard. I'm sick of spending zillions keeping up appearances and to this moment, nobody's rung my doorbell and given me a hundred-dollar bill for being a credit to the community! I wanna live on the water."

Peanut immediately jumped to mind, but I've learned not to try and fit a person to a boat rather than the other way around. I asked George what he thought he wanted and sat back and listened. Turned out that when he finished his want list, he was pretty much describing Peanut. Anyway, here's what came out of our brainstorming session, and the plan shown here is what George's Peanut will be like.

George wanted a houseboat that he could build and which would sit in the water nearly forever with no attention to the bottom or whatever was holding it up. As Titanic buffs know, any boat can sink, but unless there is a raging flood, or the sun goes nova a "barrel boat ", one floating on foam filled plastic drums, will go the distance. In fresh water, there'll probably never be a problem and in salt water there are of course considerations, but I've outlined some good solutions in the how-to-build-booklet that comes in the plan set.

One thing that worries people about barrel boats is what keeps the barrels in place? Well, the answer is that properly designed the floats stay in place from the pressure of flotation. On Peanut for example, the upward force exerted on each barrel in it's frame is between two and three-hundred pounds. Or to put it another way, it's the same force required to pick up a Chevy motor block sitting on the ground. However, having said that, the barrels on Peanut are secured by one web strap per barrel so that the boat can be craned out or lifted with a travel-lift, so even a large wake, wave or towing short distances can't possibly flip the barrels out. The best news is that poly drums are cheap (around $25.00) and sometimes free if you know where to look, foaming them costs a little, but can be done by an amateur builder, and is essential.

Another of George's requirements was that the boat be easily transportable on a custom or light flat-bed trailer. At 8'6" across the eves, Peanut is street legal in all states, and if properly built, could be towed behind a 3/4 ton pickup almost anywhere with no road damage. Take the barrels off, secure them inside and a move of almost any distance would be easy.

The original Peanut was drawn shorter, but extended then to 30' which opened up more room for the desk/computer center (George writes and does occasional consulting work for the FAA) made for a bigger head compartment and on the other side allowed a full-size refrigerator freezer and bigger bureau.

The double berth is raised, allowing a large storage space underneath, which also houses a small 30-gallon water heater. As configured in the drawing, this Peanut is primarily a marina live-aboard, but in a remote area away from shore power and water, it would be easy to make it self-contained.

As far as building economies are concerned; there are some quite inexpensive materials fairly new on the market that will cut exterior construction costs sharply and still be worth using and last for a long time with little exterior maintenance. For roof treatments products include elastometric systems which not only are strong, last for years, but also are easily maintained when the time comes. Also worth considering are certain imported exterior waterproof and vapor proof panels that cost a fraction of what would normally be employed. Suggestions and solutions are listed in the bill-of-materials and the instructions.

One feature worth noting: A 2' x 2' floor trap which can be opened if you need to inspect the underside of the boat, or perhaps bait a hook, attach it to the underside of the door, or drop a crab ring or shrimp trap and if you're in the right place, dinner might be a fait' accompli. Peanut is a boat-home designed with a place for everything and everything in its place and will make for comfortable, cozy and uncluttered living.

Study plans are not necessary, because what you see here is what you get. The plan package contains all the important dimensions and construction details and is priced $75.00 (US) or $110.00 (Canadian) Postpaid. Merrell Watercraft, P. O. Box 80264, Seattle, WA 98108-0264 (206) 764-1298

Ed Builds a Peanut! (Click to follow Ed Sasser's Progress)