Driftboat Construction

I want to build a boat for drifting and fishing rivers in the west up to class 3-4.  Three criteria are important for me:  (1) I want to build with solid wood, (2) it needs to be relatively easily repairable, and (3) the build needs to go relatively quickly (3-4 months).  Has anyone built, or seen, a “driftboat” built from solid wood?

 

With these criteria in mind, I’m leaning toward “parallel carvel” planking as advocated by Sam Rabl with a cross-planked bottom.  I was contemplating a design of my own based on a St. Lawrence River bateau in Chapelle, but with time an issue, I may just use the stem and framing set-up for the 16’ double-ended Mackenzie in Fletcher’s book and plank it rather than use plywood.  I realize such a boat will likely be heavier than the plywood version.  Depending on the outcome of the planking, the outside will likely be painted with the interior oiled.

 

I have two questions at this point:

 

1)    For a driftboat that will be wet for 12 hours or less at a time for most of its use, do you think caulking the planks is necessary?  I understand there is a structural component to caulking that may be critical for some boat designs.  If so, would I need to caulk all the planks or just the bottom couple that will be in the water most of the time?  Would there be any advantage to using seam-batten construction for the planks requiring “caulking” rather than caulked carvel?  I was originally thinking about strip plank construction but think now repairs would be much more difficult.

 

2)  I’m conflicted about which wood to use for the planks.  I think most folks would normally recommend some type of cedar for planking, but I’m concerned how well cedar may resist damage from rocks, etc.  (My children will row as well so I expect some damage.) 

 

Reclaimed plain- and rift-sawn DF (likely coastal DF) is available 150 miles away.  Its nice wood, relatively expensive, and may have nail holes to consider. 

 

There is a small sawmill about 60 miles away that does big business locally with inland DF from Montana.  They are very accommodating, and their prices are very good – less than $1/bd-ft.  Plain-sawn planks would be readily available and air-dried.  Rift-sawn planks may be available, but likely would have to be milled and would take some time to dry. 

 

And then there’s redwood from the local big boxes that’s relatively expensive, a little tougher than WRC, and more stable than DF. 

 

WRC is available from a mill about 200 miles away.  Its likely to be plain-sawn.  Prices aren’t too bad but I have to consider the time and gas it would take to travel there and back.  Likewise with some of the other options. 

 

Do any of those options stand out above the others?

 

Another option would be to buy a used plywood driftwood and bring it back to life, but it would be plywood and built by someone else.  That would be my last option if time seems to be slipping away.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

Gary Davis

Billings, Montana

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Lawrence E. Long on February 25, 2012 at 6:50am

Gary:  I am no expert-all of my boats and canoes have been built with PW. The one DB was done stitch and glue.  All the others were edge glued lapstrake-very few nails,screws and no caluking.  We do however ,have a Swampscott Dory- built about 15 years or so ago by a 93 yr old guy that is  traditonally planked,framed and fastened with galvanized boat builting nails and caulked.  The dory is about 15 ft by 5ft,heavy and leaks like a sive   when launched at the start of the season.  Once soaked up it is fine.  Given the above some questions for you:

How experienced are you at woodworking?   Carvel planking a boat is very  difficult and requires much skill in fitting each plank .  If you bust a plank on a rock or a garboard you have a lot of work and it is not easy. 

As to your questions: #1 I think the boat would not get enough time in the water to swell up and get tight.  Caulking all the planks sounds better to me.  #2- good cedar would be my choice-easier to work,lighter and rot resistant.  DF harder to work, heavier and nail holes dosen't sound good.  WRC and Redwood  tends to split easily and is expensive.  Air dried lumber is fine- its going to get  wet sooner or later.

 

Just one mans opinion- Doug Hanson is/was a professional boatbuilder and will have much better advice than mine- Good Luck

 

Permalink Reply by Gary Davis on February 25, 2012 at 7:29am

Thanks Lawrence.  Carvel planking a la Sam Rabl is a different beast.  You really only shape the garboard and sheer strake.  The intervening planks are parallel-sided and are just screwed on as is.  That's why I think it would be relatively easy to repair.

You don't mean WRC when you say cedar?  Yellow cedar?  WRC's most common in the west.  If we assume WRC, how thick should the planks be - 3/8"?

Thanks again - Gary

Permalink Reply by Lawrence E. Long on February 25, 2012 at 10:41am

Gary:   Here in Maine  northern white cedar is good.  I was thinking in the west Alaskan, yellow or Port-Orford would be great  They are all high in workability,rot resistance, fair in nail holding ability and  good glueability .   DF is slightly less in the above characteristics- but still good.   Our dory is planked with NWC and is about 5/8" thick and lapstraked.   Given your class3-4 waters I would think 1/2" might be the minimum- but I am no boat designer.  Where can I find out more about this Sam Rabl method of planking?  I am just about finished with my current build and have to look at something for next winter.

Good Luck

Permalink Reply by Gary Davis on February 25, 2012 at 11:13am

Thanks again Lawrence.  The book is Boatbuilding In Your Own Backyard.  There are 2 editions and the second edition is reasonably-priced used.

I can scan and send you the few pages about this technique if you're interested.

Let me know.

Permalink Reply by Gary Davis on February 27, 2012 at 7:57am

I think I've decided to use either 5/8" or 3/4" WRC for the planking (and maybe for the thicker bottom) and DF for pretty much everything else.  The planks will be fitted with half laps backed by some flexible sealant.  Bottom will be cross-planked maybe with a little cotton between planks.  Instead of designing my own, I'm going to follow Fletcher's plans for the 16' DE.  All comments welcomed.

Stay tuned.

Gary

Permalink Reply by Randy Dersham on February 28, 2012 at 8:58pm

Garry, I'll try to find a photo to post of a boat built for white water rivers in 1931 and again in 1938. The first was made by Velti Pruitt but several were made by Mckenzie River guildes in the 30s.  They used Spruce but I believe that any white cedar would also be a good choice.  In Oregon we would recommend Port Orford Cedar.  

The builders had 12' planks planed down to 3/8.  I wouldn't recommend any wider than 1/2" because of the weight.  I also would not recommend Douglas-fir. It is fantastic for many things but it splits easily and planking is not it's best use.  

The side panels were butt joined and battened on the outside of the boat.  

Photo coming soon.  

Permalink Reply by Gary Davis on February 29, 2012 at 7:39am

Thanks Randy.  I look forward to the images.

Would you have issues with WRC for planking?  Its less difficult to acquire and less expensive than yellow or POC in central Montana.

Are the external battens you refer to longitudinal battens or butt blocks?

Thanks again - Gary

Permalink Reply by Randy Dersham on February 29, 2012 at 8:29am

longitudinal battens. The board ran the entire length of the boat.  I think that WRC would split easier then Doug-Fir.  The obvious historic fix for this and the ability for the wood to bend  is to cut cedar strips. It doesn't sound like that is what you want to build.  

I'm going to go look for those photos.

Permalink Reply by Don Hanson on March 12, 2012 at 11:21am

  Gary,

  The boat you are speaking of...not the best idea.   I don't mean to 'rain on your parade' and you can certainly get an attractive finished boat, doing what you propose....it is sort of how boats were built before there was plywood and modern chemicals.   But, as soon as plywood became available, boatbuilders saw its' advantages and many switched over to it....and the boats they built became better, more durable, lighter and longer lasting (for the most part)  Plywood construction has it's own drawbacks and issues, but far fewer than trying to build properly with whole lumber...

   I learned traditional wooden boat building, apprenticed with a lapstrake master, did lots of traditional wooden boatbuilding for a while....and while the craft we built were absolutely gorgeous, they were impractical as hell...(compared to more modern built boats)  A driftboat's shape really is appropriate for plywood....especially the bottom...if you cross plank the bottom, you are actually just doing your own "cross-ply" but with just two plys...That will NOT be easy to repair, I promise.

  You might think about using lapstrake construction on the sides, if you insist on using planks.   With the longitudinal over-laps, you can gain strength and reduce the scantlings, also reduce the number of needed frames. It's also enjoyable to 'clink clink clink' away on copper roves and rivets, fastening the planks as they overlap...But when you put it in the water, it will leak till it swells back up.....

  There are all kinds of ways to build a boat...  Planked wooden boats are not the best for a boat that is not kept in the water all the time.  In Montana, with it's dry climate, you will be plagued by repeated drying and swelling, causing all kinds of problems.  We sold some wonderful pulling boats, some wooden wherries and even a caravel-planked Bill Garden Eel sloop into the Mountain states from our shop in Gig Harbor, Washington..emphatically warning the buyers that they should expect problems, not from the quality of the workmanship or the materials, but simply because of the difference in climate and such....we saw split planks, open seams, all kinds of problems as the planking and frames 'adjusted' themselves to the climate and the drying and wetting.  Plywood does not do this....

A meticulously maintained wooden boat *can* be made to work OK, but it is a constant battle that is best avoided (In my humble opinion)  I was glad we found wooden boat nuts to buy our fine boats, and I enjoyed practicing this art for pay, but for my own boats, I used (use) modern epoxy building practices.

  Now, if you are willing to take extra care of a traditional boat, you CAN deal with it all....but few people actually do what is required, year after year, and eventually they end up with nice planters or "yard art" boats that no longer float.   I've even seen traditionally planked boats used as Salad Bars in fancy restruants....

Think:  Probably one full week each spring to 're-commission' your planked boat, to keep it alive...Think: Keep it out of the weather, always when not in actual use.

  Good luck    Don Hanson

Permalink Reply by Gary Davis on March 12, 2012 at 12:44pm

Thanks for taking the time to offer your insights Don.  You can bet I will be doing a lot of thinking in the near future on the proper direction for constructing this boat.  If I ultimately decide to go with plywood, I'll probably buy a project boat and do whatever's required to bring it back to life.  I've spent 2 years working with plywood, epoxy, and FG for a sailboat and I really don't enjoy that technique.

Cross-planking the bottom just means (at least to me) planking in a single layer athwartships rather than fore and aft.  I wasn't implying multiple layers on the bottom.

If I go the solid wood route, can I assume unsheathed strip-planking is a better choice than carvel?  And with carvel, I really don't mind leakage - to a degree.  If I build in a dry environment with wood at equilibrium with prevailing atmospheric humidity, would you still expect leakage?

Thanks again Don.  Know of any decent project driftboats out your way?

Gary

Permalink Reply by Don Hanson on March 12, 2012 at 1:36pm

   There are plenty of project boats for sale in the Northwest.  I have one in my shop that a fellow bought last fall and has me doing the restoration, up to the painting stage before he takes over.  

   I don't mean to offend  but I think you might be a lot better off going with a boat that has been built using tried proven methods and materials.  Trying to 're-invent' a boat...you can be almost certain others have already tried the same methods sometimes in the past and had poor results...Boats are best built a certain way because that is the way that has 'evolved' into the most effective combination of construction techniques and materials...Thousands of boats are built each year...if they are well done following plans or by an experienced shipwright/boatbuilder, they mostly work well, but hundreds are abject failures that fall apart or sink because they were poorly executed or improperly thought-out or gross mistakes were made..There are uncounted ways to make a bad boat...there are hundreds of small mistakes or uninformed decisions one can make while building a boat... that will show up soon as "Bad!", in the enviornment that boats have to live in.

  I'd say stick with a kit, build to some proven plans or buy a restoration project.  You can find salvageable drift boats around here (the Pacific NW) for <$1000..but expect to put plenty of work and time into making it floatable.  Restoring a neglected boat, it can be very labor-intensive.  Often a boat you find, while it looks OK at first,  you would be better off starting fresh from scratch or having some commercial builder do the basic boat for you to finish, or get a kit from one of the guys here on this forum...

  Good luck with it...Boats are a hoot to build and driftboats are fairly simple, as boats go...

  Don Hanson

Permalink Reply by Phillip Westendorf on March 11, 2012 at 8:08pm

Gary,

Just yesterday I looked over a Wooden Drift Boat at the 2012 Midwest Fly fishing Expo in Detroit.  The builder had built it from Western Red Cedar.  The sides were "stripped" with 1/4 x 2  1/4 planks by various lengths with butt joints centered on the  framing.  The bottom was fabricated from the same wood, Cold Moulded" with the planks orientated North-South and East-West.  Was a really smart looking boat with natural finish, f'glass, epoxy and Varnish.

Last Fall I started building the 16’ double-ended w/ transom (Woody Hindiman's) from Fletcher’s book.  The framing was just completed and after talking with the builder I have decided to use this method for the sides and bottom rather than plywood.

 

phil w.

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