Building a boat for the first time

So none of those will hold then...

Once again, this only needs to hold for 2-3 months, with probably a couple of hours max each week. What materials could I use that are very common? Are my only options polyurethane, polysulphide, and epoxy? I have been doing research, and I know that polysuphide and polyurethane sealants are the ones I want, but I just can't find any here. They don't really have stuff like home depo here in Indonesia.

 

So right now I'm planning on doing a very solid plywood on frame structure, sealing the seams with the hard epoxy glue I mentioned (PC-7 or PC-11), then painting it all with an oil based paint. Is this going to meet the requirements that I've stated for this boat? Considering 2 hours a week, how long do you think it'll last if I do a good job with the said method?

 

Andrew, why are you putting the boat in a swimming pool? Why build a boat instead of buying a used one? if you want to learn boatbuilding, why come here and ask for help while insisting on designing it yourself? Why abandon the boat after a couple of months?
Why not wait until you return home to build something? Why waste resources and time to build a poor design in a comprimised way so it can sit in clorinated water and leak?
Be uncomprimising in all that you do. Build it right or not at all.

 

I'm doing this because I'm fond of the idea of making up a boat that I'll be able to float around in my swimming pool in. The ocean by Jakarta is quite gross, and I would want more than a sheet of plywood between me and it. I want to do it now, before I go back to Aus, because... I just want to. If the boat is good, I'll bring it back (I doubt it will be that good though).

Look, I'm leading up to my final high school exams, in which they will dictate what courses I'll be able to do in university, so it'd be foolish for me to take up a big, challenging project. I want the boat very soon, or at least have some time using it before I go back to Aus, so I figured that my only option is to do a quick, rough job. I soon realized that my knowledge was considerably lacking, so I came to these forums in hope of overall guidance for how to build my boat.

Also, I plan on using spare wood from a previous project of mine, and spare sealant, so it won't be a waste. Besides, I don't really see anything wrong with using a bit of wood to make up a boat for fun, even if the boat won't last that long.

However, through this project, I'll be able to get an idea whether or not I'd like to build a decent boat. I think I may consider it actually... . If I do though, it'll be back in Australia.


So I don't think you can really simplify it to building a boat very well, or not at all, because I want a boat, but I haven't the time to do it well. Does this answer your barrage?

 

Yes, thankyou. I see things very differently. I hope someone here can help you.
You know, regardless of the experience level of all the people on this forum, we do share one thing: a passion for an ineffable ideal, an escape, perhaps, from the mediocrity of today's make-a-profit culture.
It's born into all of us to seek a kind of geometric elegance in the way we apply our hands to our work.
Unfortunately, the modern world is structured in such a way as to turn us all into consumers of comprimised products. it's gotten to a point where we can't any longer open up food packaging or figure out how to use our answering machines.
Our "boats", or at least the ones the great majority of the population buys, are more likely to be designed by the shipping department or the marketing department than a good marine architect. They are emblazoned with graphics almost as large as the boat itself.
Not just boats, virtually everything available to most people is designed for reasons other than aesthetics, function, or longevity.
Mostly, design is about attracting the attention of a person who knows least about the product. The preceding sentence should cause you to take notice.
You see, to some, boat design and building is a high science. It is actually humbling to realize that here on this forum there are a few people who know as much as the best in the world about their craft.
Most of them have earned this knowledge without ever benefitting financially from it (at least to the degree that would reflect their vast knowledge of a trade).
I know that if I wanted to build a spaceship and sought advice from NASA, I would understand that they were puzzled if I told them I wanted to design it myself and then put it in my basement, then probably abandon it after a couple of months.

 

That's good, I'm glad. I must say I share a version of that passion, particularly the "geometric elegance in the way we apply our hands to our work", and the whole principle of doing it yourself rather than just getting the finished product. That last point is part of the reason why I don't really want to just copy someone else's design, as I really want it to be a complete, do-it-yourself project.

Nevertheless, I do see why people don't agree with me making a quick build. Maybe I should have labelled this thread "building a quick, short-term boat" or something to that effect.

Anyway, I think I have some ideas for building the boat based on the materials available to me. I don't think I want to explain them, as I think they're pretty much sacrilegious in the boating world, and I'm sure the response will be something like "make sure you can swim back to the sure, because you're gonna sink". I'll make a post some time later if I've made progress, just to let you all know how it went/is going.

 

I'm sure you won't let yourself drown.
You already have enough advice to proceed if you read what's been written here. It's understood you're not trying to build a good boat. Whatever your reasons, good luck with the project.

 

Hannu Vartiala's site http://koti.kapsi.fi/hvartial/ has a section of free boat plans * that are very easy to make and has a lot of information about the design and construction of minimalist boats that would help you.

First decide what you want. A tiny boat that will barely hold you or a heavy and stable raft that you can haul yourself into from the water without tipping, or something between. Is the pool large enough to make it worthwhile building a rowboat and is it tough enough to withstand a boat and its occupant hitting its edge at speed?

From a safety point of view, it isn't just the risk of falling overboard; if you're in the water and pulling yourself into the boat and it flips over and comes down on your head, it can easily injure you or knock you unconscious. Since you are unlikely to be wearing a personal floatation device (life jacket) in a swimming pool there could then be serious risk of drowning. It is not always possible to anticipate a risk in an unfamiliar situation.

Building a boat is not difficult, especially with modern materials like plywood and glue. I don't know what's available in Indonesia but in North America we can get quite decent glues from a local hardware store. However, although they may be "waterproof", they are unlikely to withstand long soaking so the boat should always be removed from the water and dried out after use, and kept painted. House paint will do fine for such a boat.

One way would be to build a simple raft by constructing a simple box, filling it with foam, and covering it with ply. Screws or nails could then be used since it no longer has to be watertight as the foam will prevent it from filling. Screws and nails will not let the boat fall apart after a soaking, which could happen if you use the wrong glue. Plastic water bottles or an inflatable mattress would do the job as well as foam. If a few months life is all that is required there is no need to waterproof it or even paint it. However, it is not the sort of thing you would want to take back home and launch into a marina!

One type of boat that might suit you is a catamaran or pontoon. That would be 2 rather narrow hulls connected by cross members or a platform. Leaving the middle open allows it to be smaller, as you can pull yourself into the boat from the middle with no risk of it tipping.

However you proceed, enjoy the experience and may your efforts be crowned with success, or at least a feeling of accomplishment!

* The "Simbo" might suit you, it is made from one sheet of ply. Hannu's method uses screws through the ply into 2 x 2 x 2 inch wood blocks to hold it together while you add glass tape and epoxy, after which the screws and blocks are removed. That is because Hannu likes to get the entire boat from just the ply sheet, but you could leave the screws and blocks in place, maybe use a few more, and then apply an exterior grade caulk to the outside of the seams. Well protected with paint and stored out of the water, it should last for the few months you are looking for and be very quick to build. Most of the construction time will be waiting for the paint to dry.

 

Here's the web site for the PDRacer. That's PD as in Puddle Duck. It's one of the simplest boats there is, it is about 4' x 8' and perfectly square, with just a little curve on the bottom. http://homepage.mac.com/peterhyndman/Sites/PDRinfo/index.html

Here's a web page that will translate boating terms:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_nautical_terms#A

 

You are 100% right - you are not breaching any moral code, and you will learn a lot building a rubbish boat.

Every rubbish boat I ever built (and there was a lot of work put into them) led me to the conclusion that I would have spent 1/4 of the time, 1/10 of the cost and 10% of the aggro by building a boat from plans, using a popular technique.

Even if you make a "fair" job from plans, you will get 300% more satisifaction, 400% more use and 500% more value from the final product.

Good luck on the project - and be assured you are cleverer than you think you are, and you can get a lot of good advice from this forum is you get confused or stuck on any plan or building problem.