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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Thanks Lee.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Baker on
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Floors look great Guy. The reason I like the carpet is I like to fish in bare feet, but my skiff is a lake boat.
Mike
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Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on
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Mike, I didn't know you ever wore shoes?
Rick N
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Thanks Mike.
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One more to go. Then I will work on the supports for the deck plates and seat bases.
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Here are some pictures of the bases for the pedestal seating. I plan to add supports to the frame members around the seating. (The side to side strength should be pretty good; but I want to increase the forward and aft strength.) The tops of the bases are square to the frames; thay way the pedestals will stand square to the frames. Notice how for each base, one side is "taller" than the other side. I will cut openings in the floor plates to accommodate the seat bases.
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I'm still fitting things. But here are the three standard seats. The pedestal bases require a 3-1/2 in. hole. I can attest through experience that a 1/2-in. electric drill and a 3-1/2-in. hole saw is not a good combination. It's a fight the whole way through, being careful not to break your wrists when the saw grabs. But I'm almost done with that.
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I'm still working on the bases for the pedestal seating. The bases and supports are epoxied, but nothing is yet attached to the boat. This is not complete, there is more bracing to come.
This is the back seat.
This is the oarsman's seat.
These are the front seats.
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Permalink Reply by Phillip Westendorf on
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Guy,
Looks Nice and clean. Good idea to add the blocks to support the bottom framing at the floor. Have you done any calculations on the forces applied at the frames? Nice seats too! Are we to assume the angle the bases are inclined on the frames are to compensate for the loading (multiple people in the boat)? Any calculations in this regard, as the seat positions are fixed. Being a rookie at this kind of boat I am curious what drives this feature of your design. I see a lot of boats with adjustable seats (fore & aft) to allow for different loading. I am not a fan of the pipes in some of the pics of other boats shown in this site.
Keep up the good work,
phil w.
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Thanks Phil.
I have not done any structural force calculations. I'm taking the "make it as strong as reasonably possible" approach. There is more framing to come and I started working on that tonight. I figure that between passenger placement and gear placement, I can trim out the boat well enough to float. My desire is to have wide-open deck space (more so than the traditional design) for gear and movement about the boat.
I admit there is a degree of uncertainty in my design/layout. That uncertainty is causing me hesitation when it comes to the next move of "permanently" anchoring the pedestal bases to the boat with epoxy and/or 3M 5200. Once I do that it would be very difficult to reverse course to a more traditional design.
Well see what it looks like when the "framing" is done.
Thanks for the input.
Guy
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Well, I think I've given up on launching the boat this fall. I'm going to set my sights on next spring. There is still a lot to do and it's already August. But we'll see how it goes. I just don't want to rush myself at this point.
Here are some pictures of the pedestal base for the rear seat. The aluminum angle is 1-1/2-in. by 1/8-in. The aluminum base is bolted to the laminated plywood base, which is bolted to the aluminum angle, which will be bolted to the bottom frames, along with an aluminum backer plate (not shown) on the opposite side of the frames. All contacting surfaces will be coated with 3M 5200, including the wooden support blocks.
I may float the boat in some calm water before applying the 3M 5200, just to see how it rides. That will probably be a prudent thing to do before turning that corner.
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Guy,
Looking at your pics above, I think you've nailed the strength issue of the seat supports. The Alum. Angles and backing plates brings into play the whole width of the Oak Bottom Frame, add to that the 1/2" glassed flooring, the angle brakets on the Keelson. There's not much else you can do, as I see it. One heck of a job! Getting me excited!
phil w.
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