Just wanted to give you guys an update 14ft Meyers aluminum pontoons

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by robmcg25, Aug 4, 2020.

  1. robmcg25
    Joined: Feb 2019
    Posts: 23
    Likes: 2, Points: 3
    Location: Ohio

    robmcg25 Junior Member

    I've asked several of you guys for ideas and help over the years and I finally got a TIG welder and Aluminum to make myself some pontoons and water deflection on the front of the boat when over loaded and hauling gear or firewood. Then wrapped them to stream line and increase hydro Dynamics. Unwrapped the boats max speed was 18.5mph, after wrapping them the boat is faster then it's ever been going 23.5mph.

    Anyways anyone who's helped in the past, thank you and enjoy the update. This winter I'm going to paint the exterior in tiger stripe camo.

    Image gallery https://albumizr.com/a/rXBl
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2020
    cthippo likes this.
  2. BlueBell
    Joined: May 2017
    Posts: 2,684
    Likes: 959, Points: 113
    Location: Victoria BC Canada

    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    Wow, you go TIG welder!
    You put the Fab in Fabulous!
     
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  3. Squidly-Diddly
    Joined: Sep 2007
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    Location: SF bay

    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

    interesting, about how much weight was added?
     
  4. robmcg25
    Joined: Feb 2019
    Posts: 23
    Likes: 2, Points: 3
    Location: Ohio

    robmcg25 Junior Member

    I would guess about 40 pounds total. You can can easily lift the pontoons. The boat is aluminum and so are the pontoons. Not counting the nose cones each pontoon should add about 300 pounds total, if they where fully submerged. I know I've had 600 pounds of people and 400 pounds of gear with them and the boat was still sitting higher in the water then it was with just 2 people and no gear before adding them.
     
  5. Crash5291
    Joined: Jun 2012
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    Location: Ontario, Canada

    Crash5291 Junior Member

    Nice, always like seeing some home brew mods that work good.

    Now that you have that sorted it wont be long until you are building a whole boat customized to your needs.

    One day I'd like to have a go at tig, and aluminum. All i work with is steel though, SMAW and GMAW (Sitck and Mig) on a variety of things new and repair.
     
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  6. robmcg25
    Joined: Feb 2019
    Posts: 23
    Likes: 2, Points: 3
    Location: Ohio

    robmcg25 Junior Member

    I do stick and mig as well. Tig really isn't that hard. It's unlike any other process but really if you can lay nice welds with stick then tig is just learning the process.

    Also yes, honestly I've debated getting a larger aluminum boat with higher sides to handle big water better and then redoing all the mods on this thing. But really I might just cut this Haus in half and weld in a 4-6ft for section to get a similar effect.

    Before I paint the boat this winter I plan on cutting large holes in the top of the potoons, welding in some storage area and fab a water tight lid then fill the pontoon with floatation foam to dampen the noise of water hitting them for fishing and because I always build in a plan B. So even if it starts to leak, it'll be fine.
     
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2020
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