Boating Information and Entertainment | BoatBible

  • DIY
  • Gear
  • Plans
  • Power Boats
  • Accidents
  • Videos
  • More
    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
  • Search
This Crazy Fast Homemade Speed Boat Will Astonish You

This Crazy Fast Homemade Speed Boat Will Astonish You

This Aging And Poorly-Kept Pontoon Boat Got A Fabulous DIY Upgrade

This Aging And Poorly-Kept Pontoon Boat Got A Fabulous DIY Upgrade

Pond King Mini Pontoon Boat Fits In The Back Of A Pickup Truck

Pond King Mini Pontoon Boat Fits In The Back Of A Pickup Truck

The 6 Most Common Sailboat Rigs And How To Tell Them Apart

The 6 Most Common Sailboat Rigs And How To Tell Them Apart

5 Outrageous Luxury Yacht Designs You Have to See To Believe

5 Outrageous Luxury Yacht Designs You Have to See To Believe

5 Things You May Not Have On Your Boat, But Should! Boat Emergency Gear 101

5 Things You May Not Have On Your Boat, But Should! Boat Emergency Gear 101

Indexed: Camper, DuckWorks

When You See This Mini Camper Cruiser, You’ll Need To Build One Too

By BoatBible More: Amphibious, DIY, Plans, Shantyboats

Now you can build your own amphibious camper boat thanks to two genius designers who created the Mini Camper-Cruiser.

It doesn’t take long for most people to realize that boating costs a lot. High fuel prices, repairing wear and tear on a boat’s structure, and all the (must-have!) accessories that go along with the boating lifestyle add up.

What better way to save on expenses than to build your own boat?

If you don’t need (or want) a large craft, the homebuilt Mini Camper Cruiser might just be the perfect do-it-yourself boating project for you. Plus, it doubles as a micro camper!

Mini Boat Built For Sea – and Land!

Mini Camper Cruise photo

Craig Titmus

 

This creative shantyboat camper is the brainchild of Ken Simpson of Portable Boat Plans and Craig Titmus of Australia. Ken is a retired mechanical engineer who worked on the inertial navigation system for the Apollo Spacecraft! Now this is an engineer you can trust. 🙂 Ken said,

The original concept is by Craig Titmus of Australia, and over the past few weeks he and I have been trading emails regarding the design details. While I drew up the plans, he built scale models as proof of concept. Compromise and creativeness have been the key words in our collaboration, and the end result is a gem, if I say so myself.

Besides developing plans for the Mini Camper Cruiser, Ken has built a homemade hovercraft, an amphibious vehicle powered by a VW engine, and a dune buggy for his family.

Mini Camper Cruiser Details

With a goal of creating a multi-use boat that can double as a camper, Ken and Craig ended up with a design that carries up to 750 pounds in passengers and cargo. Ken wrote,

The whole idea was to produce a Boat that has generous capacity for it’s size, and then convert it into a land Camper at the end of the day, where two occupants can spend the overnight and sleep in comfort.

Fishermen and hunters will have plenty of room for gear, and at 4 feet wide and 12 feet long, it is stable and comfortable.

There is no stand up headroom, but plenty for sitting.

The Mini Camper Cruiser seats four, and only draws about four inches of water. You can take this craft up shallow waterways with no trouble at all.

While the base model can sleep a person of shorter stature, the plans include an extended version that will give you an added 12 inches in length, perfect for those who are over six feet in height.

Propulsion Methods

You could use a small gas outboard engine, an electric trolling motor, or simply stand up and paddle your way over short distances.

For sit-down rowing, you could add some oar locks to the sides of the boat.

Possible Improvements

Although Ken and Craig have finished their initial set of plans, they’ve thought of several improvements you could make to the base design. These include,

  • adding a canvas canopy over the hull
  • attaching a folding tent directly to the exterior of the vessel
  • fixing a mast, sails, and steerable rudder for leisurely sailing on windy days

Craig Titmus built the first prototype and shared some photos of the finished craft.

Getting it ready for a maiden voyage.

Mini Camper Cruiser

Craig Titmus

With a hull speed of 6 knots you’ll cover a lot of water quickly.

Speeding along at 6 knots

Craig Titmus

Back on its boat trailer.

Back on its boat trailer

Craig Titmus

Folded up in camper form.

Folded up in camper form

Craig Titmus

Inside the Mini Camper Cruiser.

Inside the Mini Camper Cruiser

Craig Titmus

Ready for a slumber party!

Ready for a slumber party!

Craig Titmus

To order plans ($35) for the Mini Camper-Cruiser, visit Duckworks Boatbuilder’s Supply.

Mini Camper-Cruiser Resources:

  • Detailed build log by Craig Titmus
  • Plans at DuckWorks Boatbuilder’s Supply
  • Free study plan
Best Of BoatBible
← PREV ARTICLE
NEXT ARTICLE →

Search

So, You Need to Make a Boat Repair? Here’s How You Can do it Simply and Quickly!

So, You Need to Make a Boat Repair? Here’s How You Can do it Simply and Quickly!

DIY Boat Cleat Tutorial: Make All The Cleats You’ll Ever Need

DIY Boat Cleat Tutorial: Make All The Cleats You’ll Ever Need

Portable Bozeman Pontoon Boat Fits in a Backpack for Those Hard To Reach Fishing Holes

Portable Bozeman Pontoon Boat Fits in a Backpack for Those Hard To Reach Fishing Holes

How To Launch A Warrior Fishing Boat Without Getting Your Feet Wet

How To Launch A Warrior Fishing Boat Without Getting Your Feet Wet

This DIY Pickle Barrel Boat Can Get You To Those Hard-To-Reach Fishing Holes!

This DIY Pickle Barrel Boat Can Get You To Those Hard-To-Reach Fishing Holes!

UP NEXT

1 Dead Simple Trick For Tying Your Boat To The Dock

1 Dead Simple Trick For Tying Your Boat To The Dock

RSS RV Mods – RV Guides – RV Tips | DoItYourselfRV

  • RV Bug Screens That Are Easy To Install
  • 5 Ways To Prevent Camping Theft
  • How Long Do RV Water Filters Last?

RSS Boating Information and Entertainment | BoatBible

  • This Crazy Fast Homemade Speed Boat Will Astonish You
  • This Aging And Poorly-Kept Pontoon Boat Got A Fabulous DIY Upgrade
  • Pond King Mini Pontoon Boat Fits In The Back Of A Pickup Truck

RSS CampZing

  • Here’s How You Can Safely Change The Color of Your Campfire
  • 7 Simple Camping Hacks That Might Just Save Your Life
  • This Inflatable Solar Powered Camping Lantern Takes Up Almost Zero Space

RSS Unpack | DoItYourselfRV

  • Magnetic 100 Minute Timer For Easy RV Cooking
  • Manual Solar Panel Positioner
  • Custom Made Tent For Prius Car

RSS Small Homes | Simple Living | SnugShack

  • This Hobbit Hole Tiny House Will Make You Want To Squeeze Right In
  • Charming Cottage Built By Couple With Own Hands Over 6 Years
  • This Tiny Chapel Puts A Whole New Spin On Small Weddings

Copyright © 2022 · Metro Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in