Recently, yesterday in fact, I was told “your getting bored so find a new project to waste time and money on”. Now a person could take that statement as, I look bored, or, I’M GETTING UNDER FOOT TOO MUCH!!
So, all things being un-equal (in other words I know when to get out of the way) I thought I might try my hand at building a boat on top of restoring grandpa’s. Nothing to large, after all I have to be able to get it out the garage door.
I think it will be a john/duck boat of some sorts. Maybe something around 10 or 12 foot in length that I can pack around on the sleeper.. Has anyone here built one of these? If so, I could use a few pointers as far a bottom widths, depth of the walls and what not.
I build one many years ago so I could not give you the dimensions but I can say it was a fun project. It was a little 12 footer with a wood body and fiberglass shell. I was doing a shop project and tried all the different modalities we had in shop. It floated well and lasted a long time.
You’re more ambitious than me. I have a full functioning boat and it’s more project than I care for it to be. Restoring your grandad’s boat is a full plate, let alone undertaking a total fabrication. I’d rather fish! HA! Good Luck!
(edit) I was checking out the web and there a tons of sites that specialize in boat building and plans. Here’s one: http://www.clarkcraft.com/
DJR: I scratch built one mooms ago just out of my head but thats been so long ago I forgot what it took and I sold it. I ran across a set a plans on the web to build an 8’ from a single sheet of plywood. Maybe I’ll simply over size that.
LOL, BLM. Oh I plan to get plenty of fishing in too but I’m the kind of old %art that has to keep his hands busy all the time on a project or two or I’m not happy.. I’m thinking the john boat will be a rainy day project..
I WAS ON THE SLC LIBRARY WEBSITE AND DID A SEARCH ON ALUMINUM BOAT BUILDING AND THERE ARE MANY BOOKS OUT THERE, I ALSO FOUND A HANDFUL OF EM ON AMAZON.COM ON THAT SUBJECT…IT COVERED USING ALUMINUM FOR BUILDING MATERIAL BUT I AM SURE THE SPECS WOULD BE THE SAME NO MATTER WHAT YOU DECIDED TO BUILD THEM OUT OF. I WAS THINKING SINCE I AM HAVEING SUCH A HARD TIME FINDING A 14 FOOT ALUMINUM SEMI-V HULL BOAT, I MAY HAVE TO BUILD ONE…I HAVENT DECIDED FOR SURE YET. BUT ITS INFO TO THINK ON.
Hey thanks for the heads up Badfish! Yeah those 14’ aluminum units like you want are hung on to fairly tight.. Me, I just want something 12’ or so I can slip in the back of the pickup or on the sleeper now and then..
While I was on a Green River fishing trip about 5 years ago, I meet a guy that had the most beautiful wooden drift boat that I have ever seen. He said that he sold plans for do-it-yourselfers. I don’t have access to his web site but maybe you could look for it if you are interested. DKS