Wooden Boat People
By McKenzieDriftBoat.com
Guy's Wooden Drift Boat Project
Hello Everyone,
My name is Guy and this is my first post in this forum. I am here because I want to build a wooden drift boat and, undoubtedly, I will occasionally need advice of the pool of experts and experienced drift boat builders on this forum.
In preparation for this project I have read and studied three books: Drift Boats and River Dories by R. L. Fletcher, Boatbuilding with Plywood by G. L. Witt, and Covering Wooden Boats with Fiberglass by A. H. Vaitses. I have also developed my own set of construction plans based off of the "Original McKenzie Double-Ender with Transom" in Fletcher's book. I used and MS Excel spreadsheet to calculate all of the dimensions, cut angles, compound angles, and bevel angles of all frame components and I used Pilot3D software to calculate the as-cut dimensions of the plywood sides and bottom. At this point I am pretty comfortable with the mechanics of construction and I think that I am just about ready to start purchasing lumber.
Presently, I plan to use Meranti Hydro-Tek plywood; 1/4-in. on the sides and 1/2-in. on the bottom. I found plenty of places to purchase these materials, but they are all far away from Idaho Falls, Idaho, and as a result shipping costs more than the materials. Are any of you aware of a business within a few hundred miles of Idaho Falls that sells this plywood? I have a few requests in to the local lumber companies, but I have yet to talk with someone who has heard of this material before.
I also plan to use Port Orford Cedar (CVG) for the straight frame sections and White Oak (quater sawn) for the bent frame sections (chine logs and sheer rails).
Thank you, Guy
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Guy Fredrickson on
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Fitting the inner sheer rails. I'm ready to drill the holes for the rail bolts.
Frame 1.
Frame 6.
Frame 12.
Stem. I still have some shaping to do.
Transom.
Overall.
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Drilling the holes for the rail bolts. I finally got to use that jig I made months ago.
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Structurally, the boat is finished!!! What remains is seating, decking, trimming, oarlocks, anchor system, drain holes, boweye, fly deck, sanding, calking, varnishing, and painting.
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Permalink Reply by Phillip Westendorf on
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Guy,
That's one heck of a fine looking drift boat. Your workmanship in this phase of the construction is VERY GOOD! I can't wait to see the rest of the construction as it progresses. Any finish date in mind a this time?
Keep up the good work,
phil w.
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Thanks Phil. There is still so much to do, I'm not sure when it's going in the water. If it gets in the water this year, I'll be very happy. Guy
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Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on
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Guy, you've built a heck of a strong driftboat, I don't see anything structurally that can ever fail. You will be on the water quicker than you think. I am back to my boat this week, still in hospital at the end of a bout of pneumonia and bad reaction to an antibiotic. Will be in shop tomorrow. Your documentation will be helpful to many for years to come!
Rick Newman
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Thanks Rick. Sorry to hear that you were in the hospital. I hope that you are feeling much better. Guy
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Guy, I am at home and doing much better, thanks! Tomorrow out to the garage to get back on the horse(boat). Time to get it done.
Rick
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I cleaned up the transom area.
That rail across the top of the transom looks too narrow. I should not have installed it until I was at this point (and there was no need for installing it earlier). But I can widen it later if I decide to.
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I am going to deck the bottom of the boat with 1/2-in. (12-mm) plywood. I want the plywood to extend from side to side, around the frames. That's a pretty complex pattern, so I built a layout jig (out of scrap lumber) to transfer the dimensions from the boat to the plywood.
The clamps are permanent, so that the jig is returned to exactly the same position each time.
Here the reference points are being taken. It can take three points at once.
Here the reference points are being transferred.
The other side of the boat.
Transferred again.
You keep repeating the process until all of the critical dimensions necessary to make the cuts are transferred. I could not think of an easier way to get this done.
Here is one of the tips.
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Guy, have you considered that items dropped and flopping fish might end up under the plywood? What about dirt and such how will you keep that cleaned out. Is there a problem with having the traditional, removable slats? Just a question or two?
Rick Newman
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