Home build flood rescue craft

[Frogsider]

Though I live in France it has been quite impossible not be aware of, and concerned about, the recent extensive flooding in much of the south of England.

From TV reports and photos in UK online newspapers, it is clear that all kinds of small craft have been pressed into service to help people in affected zones deal with the necessities of everyday life when the water is half way, or even higher, up your angling waders.  Most canoes and small dinghies  are not really suitable for the transport of, for example, disabled people who may have to be moved from their homes, old people who are not as mobile as they used to be, mothers with children in pushchairs and prams, farmers who need to carry sheep, calves, or other small and vulnerable livestock from flooded fields to dry ground, etc.
 
It struck me that the ideal boat for this kind of emergency would be a cheap, easily built, flat-bottomed, plywood punt type craft equipped with a landing craft ramp at the bow.  Obviously making the bow ramp watertight might be a bit of a challenge, but with a bit of thought a way around the problem might be found.  Perhaps a double bottom to raise the bow sill above the waterline, or a tunnel hull with self draining centre section running longitudinally the whole length of the boat.

A cheap. innovative, simple, practical, easily built floating craft?  This is surely a project for the inventive minds and crafty construction skills of UKHBBR!

Come to think of it, such a craft might make a really practical HBBR rally boat, too.  Any ideas?

[Chris Waite]

Ho Frogsider!

May I be impertinent enough to refer you to -

http://uk-hbbr-forum.967333.n3.nabble.com/Camping-in-a-Punt-tp4027262p4027263.html

If we go on at this rate, we're going to be able to tie our pet punt projects end to end and walk from one side of the Somerset Levels to the other; dry-shod.  It does look from the TV news this side of La Manche, as if there are several professionally produced hulls, very much of the design you describe, that are already being taken advantage of.

Ah; boating around in muck!

Chris W

 

[alopenboat]

On 4 Mar 2014 at 2:44, Frogsider [via UK HBBR Forum] wrote:

>
> It struck me that the ideal boat for this kind of emergency would be a
> cheap, easily built, flat-bottomed, plywood punt type craft equipped
> with a landing craft ramp at the bow.  Obviously making the bow ramp
> watertight might be a bit of a challenge, but with a bit of thought a
> way around the problem might be found.  Perhaps a double bottom to
> raise the bow sill above the waterline, or a tunnel hull with self
> draining centre section running longitudinally the whole length of the
> boat.
>

Sounds like a PDR (Puddle Duck Racer) or Bolger Brick to me.

--
Hoping for calm nights

Alastair Law
Yeovil, England.
<http://www.little.jim.freeuk.com>

[andre]

 
    The Pinoy Boat builders have had such a rescue craft for about 5 years    
   
      http://www.pinoyboats.org/articles.htm         

    Very interesting site and active home boat building forum  

     
     http://www.pinoyboats.org/forum/       

     Also ,a project to replace the 50 000 small inshore fishing boats lost in the recent  typhoon.

      http://www.duckworksbbs.com/donate/     

    And the boats being completed       https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201716743744855&set=oa.10152253240632235&type=1&theater     

      Trust  I am not digressing too much from the original post......