74' Steel Boat Build, Front Yard, Tulsa ?!?

...so a guy decides he's going to build a 74' steel motoring/sailing vessel based on a Chinese Junk design and why not just build it in his front yard in Tulsa?
Sounds crazy right?
Turns out he has wicked fabrication skills and it so happens Tulsa, OK is right next to the Arkansas River which links to the Mississippi River.
The boat and project is called SV Seeker and he's got an amazing vision. He invites other people of various skills to come down and help build it. There's a whole series of videos and it can be kind of addictive to watch it...

https://youtu.be/HnWkg-vZ2uQ

WOW! That's pretty cool!

Hi, it is very hmm...A project that does not end in sight.

NBs

Been watching this since day one.

Hell of a retirement program, and he hasent actually retired yet!

Obviously no zoning laws. Have there been complaints? Anyone know how addressed if so?

Rustoleum sellers will be happy.

sunchaser said:

Rustoleum sellers will be happy.

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POR 51.

Heard it said” there’s folks who enjoy building boats and those who enjoy using them. Very few of the first become the second”.

A close friend of my wife’s father built a 64’ steelie in Quincy MA. My father in law did the wiring. The boat builder ran a construction company and used his employees when there wasn’t a backlog of contracts to fulfill so the boat was completed and splashed. After a few years ownership changed hands and she made her way on her own bottom to Alaska. There she caught fire and sunk. So on occasion these projects do get completed but it’s d-mn rare.

82 ft AH Dauntless from memory built in a strawberry farm in Redland bay, the wife did most of the welding.



Pic of her in the paddock back in the day

Hamrow said:

...so a guy decides he's going to build a 74' steel motoring/sailing vessel based on a Chinese Junk design and why not just build it in his front yard in Tulsa?
Sounds crazy right?
Turns out he has wicked fabrication skills and it so happens Tulsa, OK is right next to the Arkansas River which links to the Mississippi River.
The boat and project is called SV Seeker and he's got an amazing vision. He invites other people of various skills to come down and help build it. There's a whole series of videos and it can be kind of addictive to watch it...

https://youtu.be/HnWkg-vZ2uQ

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Bet the neighbors were 'pleased'. This adventure was also called, "What happens when you live in a county without zoning."

I like this one better....

I watched it for a while. The guy is very determined and I think will finish the project, unlike most such projects. But he's all mouth and no ears, so aspects of the build are questionable.

Anyone catch if he knows the USCG will get involved with building standards if used for charter?

I'd say that's the least of his worries right now

backinblue said:

I'd say that's the least of his worries right now

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Not really......if this is proceeding along.....get too far and changing things to comply later may be enormous.

psneeld said:

Not really......if this is proceeding along.....get too far and changing things to comply later may be enormous.

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Fair point, but he doesn't seem the type to be worrying about things like that. I'd be surprised if it makes it to the water any time soon, if ever.

psneeld said:

Not really......if this is proceeding along.....get too far and changing things to comply later may be enormous.

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Probably too late for all that anyway. But I don’t recall what his plans are for the boat Re charter, paying guests, or just personal use.

I’m trying to remember when I unsubscribed, but it was after I pointed out that marine norms were to do something one way, where he was doing a typical land approach. It may have been using wire nuts for the electrical system, but I’m not sure. He was downright hostile in his response, so I moved on.

The posted video he said he wanted to be the poor man's oceanographic research vessel. His vessel might cost $40,000 for months charter versus many that are $40,000 per day.

Better get the big picture now, no matter how far along he is.

psneeld said:

The posted video he said he wanted to be the poor man's oceanographic research vessel. His vessel might cost $40,000 for months charter versus many that are $40,000 per day.

Better get the big picture now, no matter how far along he is.

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It will be interesting to see how it pans out.

Just my not so humble opinion....
That guy SV Seeker is an asshat. Watched and followed along until the faked accident. Just happened to get it on film. Supposedly had a gas explosion with him inside the boat. All bandaged up with another fake Dr. giving reports of injuries.
All drama. All BS. He lost thousands of subscribers. Hope he lost a bunch of Patrons too.

Hamrow said:

... He invites other people of various skills to come down and help build it.

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My boat needs to be compounded, buffed and waxed. I’m inviting anyone interested to come help me also [emoji846]

Mako said:

My boat needs to be compounded, buffed and waxed. I’m inviting anyone interested to come help me also [emoji846]

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In your dreams.

Solly said:

Just my not so humble opinion....
That guy SV Seeker is an asshat. Watched and followed along until the faked accident. Just happened to get it on film. Supposedly had a gas explosion with him inside the boat. All bandaged up with another fake Dr. giving reports of injuries.
All drama. All BS. He lost thousands of subscribers. Hope he lost a bunch of Patrons too.

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I watched some of his videos early on and was appalled at what I was seeing. I am not a welder, but when a guy is welding in shorts, with no safety gear, and his toddler grandkid is playing around next to active welding... He was shocked when his legs were "sun burned."

I would watch from time to time to see what he was up too and I really hope he "finishes" and floats that boat. I really want to see what happens. The boat build is based on a technique that I would not even consider.

Eventually, I mostly stopped watching the videos, but then I heard about his fake accident, and the only video(s) I will watch now, is, if and when he launches that boat.

For those who do not know, he is building behind his house, that he rehabed, which is in an industrial area. He got divorced years ago.

He has talked about using the boat as a research and/or repair operation but methinks he just might run into issues with regulations.

Later,
Dan

dannc,
May I suggest, he conceived this idea while drunk.

I watched some of his recent videos and he claims it will be launched in August. We shall see. He’s kind of a jerk at times, but I hope he makes it.

Solly said:

Just my not so humble opinion....
That guy SV Seeker is an asshat. Watched and followed along until the faked accident. Just happened to get it on film. Supposedly had a gas explosion with him inside the boat. All bandaged up with another fake Dr. giving reports of injuries.
All drama. All BS. He lost thousands of subscribers. Hope he lost a bunch of Patrons too.

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I guess that goes along with his mantra of safety being the third priority.

psneeld said:

The posted video he said he wanted to be the poor man's oceanographic research vessel. His vessel might cost $40,000 for months charter versus many that are $40,000 per day.

Better get the big picture now, no matter how far along he is.

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Are the regs any different for a research vessel vs passenger, assuming the same number of people on board?

Crusty Chief said:

Been watching this since day one.

Hell of a retirement program, and he hasent actually retired yet!

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Okay, I have spent the day watch a lot of his videos. Will someone give me the URL when they moved the boat, put it back together and launched the boat, please?

Every thing I ever learned about Tulsa, I learned in Larry Clarks’s book Tulsa, and Live PD used to back up my opinion in their weekly shows.

twistedtree said:

Are the regs any different for a research vessel vs passenger, assuming the same number of people on board?

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I did look up and find that "scientists" on research vessels are not considered paying passengers.

How this guy works that out I will find curious....but they are still commercial vessels under USCG regulation. Just not familiar with what they might be..