Expendable boat building - for canal use.

I've been searching through the forums for cheap boat building methods (when I say cheap I mean cheap - the $100 boat thread drew me right in).

Whilst I was doing it I stumbled across a thread about ply over styrofoam construction with this LINKIE.

I've got loads of closed cell foam left over from an insulating job, so thought this could be just what I need.

Has anyone (apart from the bloke on that site) tried this? I'm looking to build a simple boat for a single voyage along the Nantes Brest Canal. It'll need to be light as anything (I'll have to pull it out and carry round some of the locks) spacious (but thin) and sleepable in. I'm thinking kayak style sit on top but with a built up rear to provide a sleeping area. I may well opt for pedal power rather than paddle as I'm more of a cyclist than a rower, the downside there will be weed, and also the occasional "slide" which I could use to avoid carrying round some of the locks.

I guess think Greg's Atlantic boat but built on a budget and pedalled on calm waters.

 

If you have a lot of foam you might want to take a look at this...
http://www.magallanesboatbuilding.com/2-the method.htm
from this thread...Sam
http://boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?t=16293&highlight=foam

 

if your goal is cheap, stick with cheap plywood on frame with construction adhesive, and latex house paint.
as soon as you say the words 'resin', 'carbon' , it is no longer cheap.

 

It's hard to beat the price of exterior playwood and traditional wood.

 

The first boat looks quite exciting, though!

 

Expendable boat building

Loiter around building sites. The exterior ply used as 'safety fencing' is often discarded once used.

 

Openboater got it right. You can assmble a ply on frame boat in just a few hours and it can be very cheap. Matter of fact you need only one frame. Take a look at the Six Hour Canoe by Mike O'brien. (about 15' 6" loa and 36" beam. See Wooden Boat Store for plans book and instructions.

 

Torturing PVC

Well I have to admit I was trying to avoid ply, not that I've anything against it, it's just very expensive over here for anything half decent, and a nightmare to get hold of. Also I have little experience in torturing it, and I was planing on a kayak like shape so it'd have a curved bottom.

But I think I might have found an alternative I've put it in THIS NEW POST.

 

Cheap boat

AQn age old saying regarding ANY BOAT is, "It's a foam, wood, steel or fiberglass lined hole in the water in which you pour lots of money"/ Building can be cheap, but any maintenance and powering won't be.

 

Indeed that's true, and maintenance will always be an issue...

Powering it? Well it's going to be a pedal powered, so the only expense will be feeding the motor - me.

 

How about welding three 55 gallon drums together. Cut vertically in half you would have four full size compartments and one drum would become the stern and bow by removing one end, drawing the sides together and welding. For portage, construct a trolley with a pair of wheels. If too tippy, develop some flare with a sledge hammer, but that would mean you would have to eliminate the separate compartments by cutting of the ends of the drums. Removable amas would help.

Pericles

 

Try a wooden frame with canvas over it and a generous coating of shellac. They used to do that years ago, $hit I'm old.

Do they still make shellac?

Poida

 

Expendable boat building

Remember it well Poida. Kayaks - they were all the go - but we used hessian sacking in place of canvas. Trouble was that stress on the frame caused the paint to crack - leaving small holes between the fabric weave. Still another coat of paint soon solved the problem...until the next time.

 

Yes your quite right Bergalia, I didn't mention hessian bags as nobody (except you) would know what I was talking about.

You must be ancient too.

Poida

 

Expendable boat building

Ancient Poida ? Nothing as contemporary as that. When I was young hessian bags were 'the latest thing...' The use of animal hides disappeared overnight.....