Some of you may be interested in the concept of a cruising rowboat that can be slept aboard. Colin Angus is a very experienced ocean rower and he has just been writing about such a boat in his blog. here's what he has to say-
"The cruising rowboat is a concept I’ve pondered for years, and when a fellow inquired about the possibility of us building one for an expedition he is planning, I jumped at the chance to design and build it.
Constructing a human powered boat that has comfortable accommodation on board for camping on the water is a delicate balancing act. It’s imperative to remember we only produce ¼ horsepower, meaning we can’t propel heavy cumbersome vessels into adverse weather. An overbuilt boat powered only by oars, in fact, is dangerous and unseaworthy when near land. An ocean rowboat, for example (the type used for crossing oceans), would be the worst type of craft to use for coastal rowing or on a non-downwind down-current route because of its excessive size and windage.
With this in mind, I set out to design a boat that would be lightweight (about 150 lbs), with minimal windage, and powered with a sliding seat rowing system – the most effective way of harnessing human energy on water. The 19’ vessel will have a comfortable sleeping cabin with a pop-top hatch, and the cockpit will double as both the rowing area and the evening lounge. This will be achieved with a small retractable table and countertop (with stove, sink and prep area) which stows when the boat is underway.
This decked boat will be fast and seaworthy and camping at the end of the day will be as easy as finding a sheltered anchorage and dropping the anchor and opening a bottle of wine."
http://angusrowboats.com/blog/Brian
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