Aluminum drift boat build.

[koditten]

Using the laser level to draw me a perfect horizontal line on both sides of the boat.

 

[koditten]

Because this is my first boat build...and I'm a *******, I didn't realize that I wouldn't be able to fit the front casting floor in. The side shelves would not allow me to clear and set the floor in position in one piece. Had to rip it down

After I do a true river leak test, I'll weld it in solid. Bummer I'm gonna have a seam. What can you do? Story of my life.

You can also see the line that I drew with a marker on the end of the laser story pole.

 

[koditten]

Another pic of the casting floor. Not visible re the upright floor supports that bridge from the bottom of the floor to the top of the boat bottom laterals.

After the leak test, this area will get blocked off and a floor will be placed directly onto the laterals that spans the remainder of the boat bottom.

I really can't go any further until I get it truly leak checked. I know I filled it with water and it held, but my OCD prevents me from moving ahead until this step is checked off.

Thanks for watching.

 

[Tinner]

Why don't you test for leaks with dye penetrant?

 

[koditten]

See post 109, 110 and 111.

 

[Tinner]

See post 109, 110 and 111.

Dye penetrant is the industry accepted standard for finding leaks, the method you used is not.

I'm trying to save you some grief down the road, or stream, as it were. Feel free to ignore my advice.

 

[koditten]

No worries, this is the first boat I ever built. I wish someone would have suggested penetration dye when I started this build.

I used what I had available.

 

[marinusdees]

I have revised my total weight estimate UPWARDS.

 

[mike93lx]

No worries, this is the first boat I ever built. I wish someone would have suggested penetration dye when I started this build.

I used what I had available.

why wouldn't you use it now to check before putting it on the water? should be a lot easier to pin point leaks with dye, no?

 

[koditten]

Where do I get it on a Saturday evening? The river is only a mile away. I don't even have to take the boat off the trailer this time of year. No one is waiting to use the boat launch. Besides, I kind of want t get it in the water, even if it's only for 45 minutes

 

[koditten]

in the water and leak free!

Now to get serious and get the interior done!

 

[madoc1]

nice! did you splash any champagne on it?

 

[ilovevocs]

It looked good in the garage but it looks better in the water!! Congrats.

 

[koditten]

nice! did you splash any champagne on it?

I think I've drank enough beer while building this thing, the next 10 boats should be properly christened. Lol

 

[zmotorsports]

Boat is looking great.

Very nice work.

Mike.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TheNerd]

EEEKKK, that river water will ruin the boat, if you ever need a second set of hands let me know...

 

[Bronson]

Very nice, Sir!

 

[kbs2244]

You need to put some weight in it, equal to you and your boating buddies, and re-float it.
Empty you are sitting too high to test all the seams.

 

[koditten]

It was 34* that day, the river was at pre flood stage and it was windy AF. I wasn't going stand in that water any longer than I had to.

If I got any leaks, I'll have to take care of them later. I'm just happy i was able get it in the water.

 

[ALinCarolina]

Looks great in the water.

 

[kbs2244]

As a great beliver in "Don't fix what isn't broke" I would agree with your idea to just "go for it."
Nice work BTW.

 

[marinusdees]

No news lately??? Fishin' weather!!

 

[koditten]

Not quite. All our streams are blown out. Heavy rains for the last month.

I haven't had a lot of time to work on the boat. The Mrs wants her gardens prepped and the yard cleaned up. I know what side my bread is buttered

In addition, we had a guy retire at work. 100% coverage means I will be working a lot of overtime until we get an new body selected and trained. (say goodbye to my summer)

 

[gren_t]

Congratulations on a Great job, as you've said this is your first Alloy boat build now you know the issues you face your next will be easier and better as a result, as it was with your 1st trailer build.

Many thanks for taking the time to document your build I've enjoyed the ride.

Gren

 

[koditten]

Thank you, Gren.

 

[koditten]

Sorry to report, but spring is here and the boat build is taking a back seat to, well, life.

I took on a small project to keep my skills up.

I'm still sourcing accessories. Keep an eye out for oars for me. Those fuckers are expensive. 1, oar, $450! and that doesn't include the blade! I just want some 8.5'ers made out of wood.

Not pics of the boats, but I figured all you guys that have me book marked can see that I'm not goofing off.

[/IMG]

 

[marinusdees]

Given your welding skills, why not make your own oars out of aluminum?? That's all I ever used in my Wooldridge boat but went thru two sets. I loved them and beat the p... out of them. Never even close to breaking one, but bent them time to time. Didn't worry about hitting rocks or wearing the tips. Wooden handles for relative warmth. And, when you anchor up to begin fishing, just drop the oars and they float in the oarlocks. Well balanced. I may be able to find the guy who built the second set. Or, see if you can find the Wooldridge Co in Seattle. They may be able to provide a set of working drawings, or some idea how they were built. I had the first set out behind the building but sold them for scrap. I think I have a piece of the leftover tubular aluminum they were made of out in the shop.
If you are interested, I am willing to do what I can to help. Let me know.
PS I am not a professional welder, but I can weld, including aluminum. If I wasn't almost 80 years old I'd volunteer to do more, but. If this was for my own use, I would build a set of oars the hell with age.

 

[koditten]

Thank you. I have thought about fabbing my own.
If I could get the dimensions of the tube needed, that would be a huge advantage. Can you measure the tube stock? No hurry. I'm going fishing in the Keys next week, so no work will get done anyways.

Thanks in advanced

 

[theoldwizard1]

Not pics of the boats, but I figured all you guys that have me book marked can see that I'm not goofing off.

For projects like that, it would sure be nice if you could get square/rectangular aluminum tubing with rounded edges (i.e. not a sharp 90°).

 

[koditten]

Why is that something you need? I never really gave it a thought.

 

[marinusdees]

If you Google drift boat oars,you'll find a helluva lot of opinions. Kind of like, " I use xyz and love them". Not really any comparison or having used a lot of different kinds. I stand by my being an aluminum oar user. And, yes, I have rowed several drift boats and used wood oars and cataract shafts. Balance , strength, and light weight are my important factors.
I gave you my original discourse on oars. I haven't changed any opinions.

 

[koditten]

Why is that something you need? I never really gave it a thought.

This in reference to the rounded edged aluminum tubing reply. Not aluminum oars.

 

[koditten]

I'm really thinking hard on fabbing my own oars. I'll need to do some research on what diameter tube and wall thickness and order up some of that stock.

I don't see why I couldn't split the last 10" or the tube and slip the blade in the split. Maybe hammer on the blade a bid to give it a bit of "scoop".

Making my own oars goes along with making my own boat.

 

[1949 caddyman]

I googled these, there are more plans. If you could build a boat, you can build an oar.http://duckworksbbs.com/plans/storer/oar/index.htm

 

[marinusdees]

Now you're thinking. That tubing is 2" OD and 1.77" or 1 25/32" ID. Sorry, I can't give you the alloy number. Mine were made with the end of the tubing split and the blade extending about 8" or 10" beyond the tube. The blade was about 20" long and half and half in and out of the tube The blade was a sort of corrugated sheet with the "V" longways in the center of the tubing. I would suggest something like this as opposed to a flat sheet. The oars could be used either way, no "up" or "down". As I said, I used turned wooden handles for warmth. Oak would work but I used fir because I had it. Stuck in the end of the tube and secured by a couple of small wood screws. Extended 8 or 10 inches into the tube. The original handles were too short for my hands, so I turned my own. I coated the handles with that Plasti-dip stuff they make for coating tool handles. I've already told you I was a whitewater boatman until age caught up with me. I wanted to have a hold on the oars with my hands and a hold on the boat with the seat of my pants. I hope you plan on what we called a "caned" seat--rope woven back and forth from side to side just a little wider than your ****. Gives you a good grip on the boat and is reasonably comfortable. Only for the rower's seat, of course.
The guy who made the second set of oars (yes, I said i beat the p... out of them) is a friend who was an excellent sheetmetal worker. I may be able to contact him to see how much he remembers.
If you plan on someone standing in the front of the boat (as opposed to sitting) a pair of kneebraces welded to the back of the shelf in the bow makes it more comfortable. Just remember to warn them to sit down just before you hit that rock you know is there because you hit it last week.
Have fun in the sun and if I can come up with more info, I'll post it. I could come up with a rough sketch, but never took mechanical drawing, so it would be diagrammatic. And, I have no idea how to post such a thing on this site.

 

[marinusdees]

Now you're thinking. That tubing is 2" OD and 1.77" or 1 25/32" ID. Sorry, I can't give you the alloy number. Mine were made with the end of the tubing split and the blade extending about 8" or 10" beyond the tube. The blade was about 20" long and half and half in and out of the tube The blade was a sort of corrugated sheet with the "V" longways in the center of the tubing. I would suggest something like this as opposed to a flat sheet. The oars could be used either way, no "up" or "down". As I said, I used turned wooden handles for warmth. Oak would work but I used fir because I had it. Stuck in the end of the tube and secured by a couple of small wood screws. Extended 8 or 10 inches into the tube. The original handles were too short for my hands, so I turned my own. I coated the handles with that Plasti-dip stuff they make for coating tool handles. I've already told you I was a whitewater boatman until age caught up with me. I wanted to have a hold on the oars with my hands and a hold on the boat with the seat of my pants. I hope you plan on what we called a "caned" seat--rope woven back and forth from side to side just a little wider than your ****. Gives you a good grip on the boat and is reasonably comfortable. Only for the rower's seat, of course.
The guy who made the second set of oars (yes, I said i beat the p... out of them) is a friend who was an excellent sheetmetal worker. I may be able to contact him to see how much he remembers.
If you plan on someone standing in the front of the boat (as opposed to sitting) a pair of kneebraces welded to the back of the shelf in the bow makes it more comfortable. Just remember to warn them to sit down just before you hit that rock you know is there because you hit it last week.
Have fun in the sun and if I can come up with more info, I'll post it. I could come up with a rough sketch, but never took mechanical drawing, so it would be diagrammatic. And, I have no idea how to post such a thing on this site.

When I posted this I had a further addendum on the oarstops, etc. My computer burped and I lost it. I'll reread this later and add it in a new post.

 

[ez-duzit]

...I wanted to have a hold on the oars with my hands and a hold on the boat with the seat of my pants. I hope you plan on what we called a "caned" seat--rope woven back and forth from side to side just a little wider than your ****. Gives you a good grip on the boat and is reasonably comfortable...

Good point!

 

[koditten]

Yes to all the above!

I do plan on a rope seat. Oddly enough, I actually know how to cain chair seats, but I think I'll go for the rope method. MOre durable and easier to replace.

Yes there will be thigh braces for the front fisherman. Still thinking on this. I need to find some design that pleases my eye. What I've seen so far seem bulbous and kind of draw away from the lines of the boat. I don't see why I can't do this later anyways.

As for a hand sketch of your oars, can you take a picture of your drawing and post it up?

Great that you guys are still finding this thread interesting, even though I have had little to no time to work on the boat

As usual, thanks in advance.

 

[marinusdees]

I became a dritboatman not to run whitewater, but to be an expert steelhead fisherman. I think in the end, I got pretty good at both, but, can say, I once in a while got in a situation that, as they say in the vernacular "would **** your nuts up". I miss those days. My nuts worked OK until prostate surgery.

I have also run the Grand Canyon and drifted the Salmon in Idaho. Don't ask me which part.
I will make a sketch and somehow PM it to you. Included will be a dissertation on Al oar construction (not step by step). Mostly blade dimensions and oar stop placement. I am 79 1/2 years old and my computer skills and running a driftboat skills are not remarkable.
Running a driftboat is a necessity if one wants to be a successful steelhead fisherman. I have seen more than one homemade driftboat, and many were characterized by inappropriate seat placement, inappropriate oarlock placement, etc. incompatible oars. Un less you have run a really sweet handling driftboat thru a fairly rapid rock garden , you really don't know what you're shooting for. This is not intended to be a putdown. If all you want is a rowboat it's a lot less critical.
I am not prepared to offer my drawing skills to the forum at large. I am,however, willing to offer all the free advice to you I can, including a stab at a drawing oars (Al) as I knew them. Keep in mind my oars dated from 1970. My feelings will not be hurt by what you choose to do, but, I do reserve to say "I told you so".
Don't sweat the lack of progress statements. Takes the pressure off me. I appreciate your willingness to share and expose your work to criticism. Not sure I could do the same. Keep on and I'll see what I can come up with.
My oar blades were roughly 20" long by 8" wide. rectangular in shape but with the corners cut off. If you can visualize this we're off to a good start.

 

[koditten]

Yep, I can visualize.

I think I can handle everything except turning down some oak to make the grips. I may reach out to others that have a lathe to have this done. I have to ask around to see who had one.

This project has been 100 percent satisfying. Except the part of running out of time to work on it.