We have constructed five boats in New York, designed for the unique conditions of the Ganges River. During the period prior to the spring melt, the river is both narrow and shallow, combined with an added obstacle of a series of low and narrow floating bridges. These factors combined makes the use of large rafts seen in former projects impossible. The solution we have arrived at is to build a large fleet of small boats that can fit under and between the bridges and be more maneuverable so as not to run aground in the shallows. Our boats' pontoons are built in stainless steel to provide necessary strength and reliability. Stainless does not rust and will flex instead of tearing in collisions and can be repaired easily unlike aluminum. We plan to offset the increased cost of stainless by building boats that are easily dismantled, stacked and shipped that they can be reused in many future projects. This reusability allows us to easily get started again the next year and leave less waste, reducing our overall carbon footprint. Each of our boats is comprised of two shallow draft pontoons assembled from separate front and back sections, with a steel deck frame that bolts onto them. The basic elements create a light, easily assembled, manageable floating platform on top of which any above deck art can be started within hours of arrival. Some of the boats will remain unpowered floating platforms that will be transformed into interactive art environment and towed, others will be fitted with unique drive systems.

We have built a working prototype in New York of a motorcycle driven paddle wheel boat. Our plan is to obtain Hero Honda or Royal Enfield motorcycles in India and outfit two or more of our boats with this system. The rider would operate the boat the same way they would the motorcycle. The steering would have a cable system that would turn the rudders and a paddle wheel would be driven directly off the bike’s chain. The great advantage of this drive on board system is the motorcycle would not be compromised in any way so that after a fifteen minute adjustment the bike could be ridden off the boat to do reconnaissance, gather supplies or ride to a hospital in an emergency. Other boats will be fitted with a propeller actuated by a custom belt and pulley system we are experimenting with now. Members of our crew have committed to operating one only with sails and human power.

Some of the disadvantages of traveling on small boats are the lack of a large common space and the loss of the visual impact achieved by the large rafts in former projects. We have solved this problem by developing a system for linking the boats. Deck panels between the boats allow us to connect them firmly and quickly into various configurations. Our hope is to build fifteen of these floating platforms that could connect into three five boat radial star patterns. One group would form a shop another a kitchen and eating area and a third a common sleeping area and theater workshop. This system creates many exciting opportunities for interesting relationships, where two halves of a table could come together when they unite or decorative features would interlock to form new compositions. Once connected, a simple metal or bamboo frame could be erected in the center like a gazebo to provide shade and visual interest while gaining some temporary height.