Happy camper “Boater Home”

[dodge_guy]

Well came across this on You Tube. Wasn’t sure if this should be here or the truck camper forum? Or even an Avion/Airstream forum? Or for that matter a boating forum!!! I know stuff like this is done quite often, but this one is cool!

Happy camper/Boater Home!

[4x4van]

Use google images and search for "small houseboat" and you'll find dozens of examples that are no different than this conversion. They're nothing more than enclosed pontoon boats; and there is very little mass up high. In fact, this one is actually shorter than most small houseboats. I've spent time on small houseboats on lakes; yes, including spending time on the top deck.

[fj12ryder]

We'll just have to agree to disagree on that thing.

[MrWizard]

take a second look
not flat bottom,
the deck sits on (3) platoons, all the fresh water, and waste tanks are down low for ballast
the camper is no higher above water, than it would be on the back of a PU truck, and the boat is much wider and longer than a truck

i don't think the 'center of gravity' is as high up as some people think it is

i might not use the sun deck up top while moving, but it is a sun deck, not really a party deck, all that is on the lower deck

[fj12ryder]

Most of the "house boats" I've seen are pretty wide compared to their height. That thing looks very narrow, appears to have a pretty flat bottom, and lots of weight up high. Thanks, but no thanks.

[4x4van]

All of the naysayers here have obviously never taken a look at any houseboat, thousands of which are in use every day, on lakes and rivers all over the country.

That is a really bitchen conversion of an old camper, giving it new life as a small houseboat. Kudos to them!

[HadEnough]

It's fine for lakes. There are plenty of problems with it but for small lakes like it's in... No probs.

[dodge_guy]

Jeez, almost as bad as the you tube comments. It doesn’t look or seem too heavy to me?

[mike-s]

Fizz wrote:
That ocean liner has tons of weight below the water line.
If you can't figure out the potential problem by just looking at the video...

...and you can see the hull shape and how it's ballasted by looking at the video? :R

[Fizz]

mike-s wrote:
Unstable, top-heavy, it's going to go turtle. Good thing we have nautical engineers around here with intimate knowledge about the design and construction of that thing to warn us.

That ocean liner has tons of weight below the water line.
If you can't figure out the potential problem by just looking at the video...

[mike-s]

Unstable, top-heavy, it's going to go turtle. Good thing we have nautical engineers around here with intimate knowledge about the design and construction of that thing to warn us.

[fj12ryder]

Does the word "topheavy" immediately come to mind?

[Fizz]

One more problem...

That bed must be at least six feet above the water. Every little ripple will be magnified, rocking the bed back and forth a foot or more.

[valhalla360]

Looks really unstable. First decent wake it takes on the side, I expect it will go turtle.

[2012Coleman]

Agree that it is nice, but isn't Happy Camper a brand of holding tank treatment? More research on the name would have been a good thing.