First Boat Build

Discussion in 'Metal Boat Building' started by JonBoat, Jul 21, 2012.

  1. JonBoat
    Joined: Jul 2012
    Posts: 5
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    Location: Vancouver

    JonBoat Junior Member

    Well I couldn't afford to buy a new boat and since I worked at a metal shop, i thought i would give it a go. I am a computer jocky and not a fabricator so i had to learn to Tig weld to get going.

    I had a design in mind and drew up what i wanted and ordered some sheet.

    I started off with two 4X12 sheets of 5052 H32 Aluminum (.065) which is apparently good for fresh salt water as well but i wouldn't dare the salt.

    I put in three ribs per sheet and the gunwhales.

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    To the rollers to do up the bow.

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    Cut in profile for final brake

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    Tack weld the halves and bend some benches and it has a rough form to it

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    With a little more welding its water proof

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    Some storage holes

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    Next thing for the project is try building some seats/ trolly thing for one man moving and then see if it catches fish.
     
  2. GTS225
    Joined: Jun 2011
    Posts: 42
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    Location: Waterloo, Iowa

    GTS225 Junior Member

    Good job! It's great to see someone try something new, rather than sit back and wish he had what he wants. You started with a 12' sheet, so it came out something shy of 12'. Just out of curiosity, what did the sheet set you back?

    Did you put some foam in those seats for flotation? If not, I would recommend you pull them back out and do so before your water trials.

    What do you plan on using for power, oars or a small motor? Either way, I would suggest you strengthen the transom with some good ply and a polyurathane coating at the minimum.

    Roger
     
  3. hoytedow
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    Location: Control Group

    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    Welcome, JonBoat.
     
  4. JonBoat
    Joined: Jul 2012
    Posts: 5
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    Location: Vancouver

    JonBoat Junior Member

    Hi Roger, the overall length is pretty much spot on 12` with the handles on the front and back and its pretty close to 60 inches wide. The two sheets costed somewhere in the range of 220 bucks if i recall. everything else included around 450 all in.

    I plan to foam the seats, i actually have a doubler plate over the seats with a large hole cut in for battery storage and potentially gas storage. I have to install some tubing to run the electrical or fuel and then i am going to put in expansion foam. Hopefully it works out.

    For the transom it does have three laminated 3/8 plywood eclosed in aluminum so it should be strong enough to run say a 9.9hp motor.

    I actually heard its good to have a slight curve outwards in the transom to make it stronger, so i took the transom before it was welded in and the plywood before it was laminated and stuck it under my pickup for the weekend with some small blocks on the sides. monday it had a nice natural curve and was easy to laminate the wood into place. Kinda see it in the last photo but it is there.

    Edit: Hey hoytedow, been a lurker for awhile now.
     
  5. tunnels

    tunnels Previous Member

    Fuel tanks and batteries should not live in the same location fuel is a exsplosive and the battery could be the ignitor so keep them well apart as far as is practically possible and allow air to get in and around dont seal then up !.Fuel tanks exspand and contract with temprature changes and batteries give off gass that goes boom and they need air as well !!

    Foam will soak up water like it or not ,so keep it a few inchs above the hull bottom so it wont wick and suck up water If you notice the boat gets heavyer after a year or so the foam could be waterlogged !!. :(

    I do like the boat it looks great and well done !!! take care ,live long, and enjoy !.
     
  6. JonBoat
    Joined: Jul 2012
    Posts: 5
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    Location: Vancouver

    JonBoat Junior Member

    I was planning on doing the battery in the front bench seat and the fuel in the rear bench seat but the order could be reversed.

    I hadn't really thought about ventilation for the battery or gas. I kinda thought that battery boxes kept water and air out for the most part so i didnt think of it as a big deal but i will add some ventilation for safetys sake, thanks for the heads up.

    Good suggestion on keeping the foam up off the bottom a little, i figured the ribs would keep the water from contacting the foam but its better to have the clearance anyways. i guess i need to figure out a spacer now......

    Thanks for the suggestions, things i wouldn't know as its my first boat.
     

  7. tunnels

    tunnels Previous Member

    Ok Fuel in the front as the bow is always up hill !:p
    battery at the back so you use shorter cables and not so much voltage drop !! also keep you battery up and so water is well away from it !!,;)
    Also set them both in the centre line of the hull so the boat is balanced even if the tank is full or empty . Remember a fuel tank is always emptying so even with fuel its a floatation device of sorts as the level goes down the better it becomes !!!
    Floatation if you ever think about adding smetime it should be up under the gunwhales so even when the boat is full of water it sits level .Take into account the weight of the motor and a strip to suport the motor !!! the bow usually has air trapped under there any way but a little floatation wont go a miss .
    Foatation down low the boat wants to turn turtle and stay upside down and is just about impossible to right again with lots of effort !:confused:.
     
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