Custom caravan boat build bids Good Times bon voyage

Al Toombs is selling the dream. The retired Townsville boilermaker built himself a custom boat which doubled as a caravan called Good Times, giving him the ultimate travel freedom.

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Al Toombs is selling the dream.

The retired Townsville boilermaker built himself a custom boat which doubled as a caravan called Good Times, giving him the ultimate travel freedom.

Al Toombs with his trailable house boat which he built himself is now up for sale. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“I went down to Fraser Island, along the Sandy Strait. And I’ve been over to Magnetic Island with it,” he said.

“I just designed it to float and be trailable and as light as possible.”

However, the days of travelling aboard Good Times are sadly over for Mr Toombs who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer.

He said the cancer treatment had left him unable to operate the machine on his own.

“I have trouble pulling the anchor up, I just don’t have the strength,” he said.

Al Toombs with his trailable house boat which he built himself is now up for sale. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Good Times took Mr Toombs about three months to build. He first stayed in it at the Blue Water caravan park and stopped in many fishing spots in between.

Determined not to let Good Times end up in a junkyard, he has put it up for sale for someone else to continue their adventure.

He said it was made of sturdy 4mm marine grade aluminium plate and could float in as little as 12cm of water.

“It’s got a marine toilet, it a sink and it’s got 210 litre fridge/freezer, bed and wardrobe. It’s got the same as what as you would expect in a caravan,” Mr Toombs said.

Al Toombs inside his trailable house boat which he built himself is now up for sale. Picture: Shae Beplate.

With a 40hp outboard, Mr Toombs said Good Times could reach a leisurely top speed of 7 knots.

Mr Toombs is asking for $75,000 for Good Times but is open to offers. Interested buyers can phone him on 0417 714 460.

Originally published as Custom caravan boat build bids Good Times bon voyage