TriloBoats as FEMA Trailers: Let it Rain, Let it Pour

Flooding can be a huge problem for low-land lubbers. Floods can wreck a house and leave its family, should they survive at all, displaced and exposed.

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), faced with populations who have returned to their properties but are lacking on-site shelter, have, in many cases provided trailers as temporary dwellings. Unfortunately, these have fallen under a cloud of suspicion as poor construction, toxic materials and invasive molds and mildews have
bedeviled their occupants.

The topsides shown are only one of many possibilities

 How about TriloBoats?

TriloBoats could be churned out by professionals, volunteers and amateurs working in groups or as individuals. Quality control would be local, providing jobs and business in the area at hand. They are inexpensive. Plywood construction allows none of the fungus prone voids that hollow walls imply for trailers. They can be built and finished largely or entirely with low or non-toxic materials. They can be built in a wide variety of sizes, accommodating families of most any size.

And they float! If and when floodwaters arrive, no need to head for the roof... climb aboard and ride it out at anchor.

I could see the boats being built by individual families in flood-prone areas and stocked in advance with emergency provisions, similar to a storm cellar. No reason they couldn't be used, between emergencies, for recreation, guest accommodations or storage.


In case of shortfalls, they could be stockpiled, or built and distributed as needed, either centrally or on-site. Delivery of completed TriloBoats is straightforward, vja flatbed trucks. Standardized plans would allow prefabrication of such components as bulkhead sets, further simplifying assembly. Kits of pre-fabbed components, non-toxic glues and other materials could be warehoused, supply-on-demand, to facilitate distribution to disaster areas while keeping options versatile.

What's stopping us?