Building a watercraft

[david w.]

Hey PA! Long time since I've been around. Missed this place.  I'm looking to fish some backwaters of the Mississippi that I would need some sort of boat.  Being a broke college student I can't afford a canoe or kayak.  I was wondering if anyone had made  a simple watercraft.  I was thinking maybe a pontoon type boat with those big Culligan water containers for flotation?

[david w.]

http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Plywood-Canoe  How about this?  Looks almost too easy

[mullet]

Google, Plywood Pirouge.

[Alpinbogen]

I just finished a skin-on-frame, Greenland style qajaq.  (My 3rd Greenland qajaq and 4th SOF overall.)

Build and first launch video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37_vGzaPWTw

Some pics.







I generally followed Christopher Cunningham's, "Building the Greenland Kayak", but did a few things differently; skinning method a big one.  Materials cost is about that of the cheapest recreational kayak, but with your time, you end up with the Lamborghini of traditional kayaks.  I find that since they paddle so effortlessly, I can cover more water to focus on the hottest fishing spots.

[mullet]

Man, oh Man, that is gorgeous!

[hedgeapple]

Great video.  I loved the different style of rolls you did.  I never mastered the stern roll.  I've whitewater kayaked since '78. I learned the eskimo sweep roll, then later the c to c.  I've even rolled a canoe in Class III water.  But, that stern completely evades me.

Beautiful boat.

[Cameroo]

Man, I've been drooling over your kayaks since you posted your first one a few years ago.  I think I've told you this before, but one day I am going to make one... just need to find the space and time.  That thing is a vision of beauty, I'm always envious when you post those pictures

Can I ask what the advantage is to doing the seam in the middle, vs. along one of the gunwales?  If I remember right, in Cunningham's book he mentioned stitching along the side?

Did you have a mortice machine for all those joints?  I need to find a cheap one somewhere, I can't imagine drilling and chiselling 50-some mortices...

[Joec123able]

Hey PA! Long time since I've been around. Missed this place.  I'm looking to fish some backwaters of the Mississippi that I would need some sort of boat.  Being a broke college student I can't afford a canoe or kayak.  I was wondering if anyone had made  a simple watercraft.  I was thinking maybe a pontoon type boat with those big Culligan water containers for flotation?

A dugout canoe wouldn't cost anything except a lot of work but you can let a fire carve it out for you making a dug out canoe is something I plan on doing one of these days

[Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive]

Alpinbogen....that is just gorgeous        I have been wanting to burn and scrape out a dugout, but I am not readily close enough to any waters to get any real enjoyment out of using it

[RBLusthaus]

I suggest you google the Lumberyard Skiff.  Special project plans from Woodenboat to get you on the water with lumberyard dimensioned lumber and choices.   

[Marks]

I bought a crappy canoe for $75. I sold a busted fiberglass one for $10. Look hard enough and don't be afraid to ask and cheap ones can be found. Or make a friend who has a canoe/boat.  Put an ad on craigslist.

[Cameroo]

I was thinking about buying or building a kayak for myself, but just recently found out I can join the local canoe club for $50 for the season, and then have unlimited access to their canoes and kayaks.  The only downfall is that I can't book them (first come first served) and I can't take them on overnight trips, but for a beginner like me I think it's going to be a great way to try different types and sizes of kayaks before putting down a large chunk of cash on a good one, or investing a bunch of time to make one myself.  Also saves me having to find somewhere to store it, and I don't even have to travel with them if I don't want to.  I can just go down to the boathouse and be on the water.

Going to sign up later this evening, I can't wait to get on the water again!

[HoBow]

That's a beauty of a canoe!  .

David- I've seen dozens of single sheet plywood plans for free on the Internet.  Should be an easy project.