homemade pontoon boat

hello,
i am looking to build a homemade pontoon boat. i plain on using 55 gal drums. i have a figare of six per side that would support 3370.77 lbs. Know my frist question is is that per side that it hold per pontoon. I am also want it to be 16'x10' ft deck area. would that be enought to support the weight.

 

You should have enough enclosed flotation so that the barrels are half-submerged. Gallons weigh about 8 lbs so barrels weigh 55 x 8 = 440 x 12 = 5280 lbs.
Your target average displacement should be about half of that, 2640 lbs.
If you figure the weight of people and stores, equipment, etc., to be about 600 lbs, the balance should a bit over 2000 lbs including motor. If, for example, your ideal outboard would weigh 250, then your target boat weight should be about 1800 lbs..

 

Strongly recommend you only load those pontoons to 40%.

You may not think that 10% would not make much difference and it may be hard to convince you but I can assure you, 40% is what you want your maximium loading to be.

Oh, and when you do your loading addition, don't forget to include EVERYTHING on board including, fuel, water, pontoons, docklines, coffee cups, toilet paper, tweezers, dental floss, condoms, loose change, wall hangings, I think you get the idea... EVERYTHING.

Good luck, have fun and stay upright and afloat.