******Please Note: The woodworking part of this project is complete. Pt. 2 will be on Prepping and Painting the boat.
My name is Greg and I am a wood scavenger. I was trained as a 6093 Aircraft sheet metalsmith In the Marine Corps, Most of my lifetime ago. When I got out of the Corps I spent a couple of years working for Lockheed Ga. on C5's and C130's. Then I moved to Florida and went to work for a Yacht manufacturer fitting aluminum panels on 100'+ yachts. But every time I walked past the woodworking shop I loved my job less and less. So I studied and bought old hand tools from flea markets and thrift stores and now I am a Certified Wood Butcher. I can't stand to see good wood in a dumpster or a scrap bin. My motto is, "It's not scrap until I say it's scrap."
So one day I was walking across the 9' boards I had recently saved from the landfill and decided that a boat would be a good project for them. So began the internet search for a suitable design. I wanted something to travel the canals around my house and take photographs. So I wanted something lite and stable. I decided on a design called Pintail. Drawn by William D. Jackson in the 1940's. and published in a book on small boat building called the "Boat Builders Handbook". The viewers at home can follow along by downloading the Pdf for free at Svensons. That is what I did and that is what I am building from. It's a simple yet challenging boat to build and it has all of the features I was looking for. So let's get started shall we.
My name is Greg and I am a wood scavenger. I was trained as a 6093 Aircraft sheet metalsmith In the Marine Corps, Most of my lifetime ago. When I got out of the Corps I spent a couple of years working for Lockheed Ga. on C5's and C130's. Then I moved to Florida and went to work for a Yacht manufacturer fitting aluminum panels on 100'+ yachts. But every time I walked past the woodworking shop I loved my job less and less. So I studied and bought old hand tools from flea markets and thrift stores and now I am a Certified Wood Butcher. I can't stand to see good wood in a dumpster or a scrap bin. My motto is, "It's not scrap until I say it's scrap."
So one day I was walking across the 9' boards I had recently saved from the landfill and decided that a boat would be a good project for them. So began the internet search for a suitable design. I wanted something to travel the canals around my house and take photographs. So I wanted something lite and stable. I decided on a design called Pintail. Drawn by William D. Jackson in the 1940's. and published in a book on small boat building called the "Boat Builders Handbook". The viewers at home can follow along by downloading the Pdf for free at Svensons. That is what I did and that is what I am building from. It's a simple yet challenging boat to build and it has all of the features I was looking for. So let's get started shall we.
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Signing UpStep 1: Tools needed
Always keep in mind when you are working with sharp edged tools and especially power tools, that they will cut flesh and bone as easily as wood. Even the Ryoba hand saw will give you a nasty wound if you get your body parts in it's way. Make sure that all of your tools are razor sharp so they are able to do what you intend them to do without forcing. Do not push tools towards any part of your body including and especially your hands. Also be very careful of bystanders as they may not be aware of what you are about to do. Always wear safety goggles, dust masks and other protective gear when appropriate.
Most importantly If you have never used a Table saw, give the dimensions and wood to someone who has experience and let them cut the long parts. Please read all directions and have good understanding of what needs to be done before starting a project like this. And don't forget to change the batteries in your smoke alarm on your birthday.
Power tools
Table saw (only in the beginning to cut the long parts. You really should not attempt to cut these pieces with a circular saw)
Circular saw (Skillsaw)
Jigsaw or Bandsaw
Screw gun
Sander
Hand Tools
Hand plane (or a belt sander or grinder)
Tape measure
small try square
All of your clamps (most of them anyway)
Chisels
Adjustable angle "Boat square"
Small Hammer
Japanese "Ryoba" Saw
Battens
The materials list is in the plans.
Most importantly If you have never used a Table saw, give the dimensions and wood to someone who has experience and let them cut the long parts. Please read all directions and have good understanding of what needs to be done before starting a project like this. And don't forget to change the batteries in your smoke alarm on your birthday.
Power tools
Table saw (only in the beginning to cut the long parts. You really should not attempt to cut these pieces with a circular saw)
Circular saw (Skillsaw)
Jigsaw or Bandsaw
Screw gun
Sander
Hand Tools
Hand plane (or a belt sander or grinder)
Tape measure
small try square
All of your clamps (most of them anyway)
Chisels
Adjustable angle "Boat square"
Small Hammer
Japanese "Ryoba" Saw
Battens
The materials list is in the plans.
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DZ
That why it's important to understand all of the steps before beginning. Sometimes the things you do at the start can affect how things work out at the end.
Thanks for your question and for checking out my 'ible. The weather is looking good for this weekend so I am hoping to get the it painted. Look for that 'ible coming soon.
A few years ago I started to build a sailboat. I went to three different HD's to find six 10ft 2x4's for the mast. I built a nice mast but unfortunately I didn't get much further than that.lol
Where I live there are 2 HD's within 5 miles and 8 within 10 miles. So regular lumberyards don't stand a chance. I had some friends that owned a hardware store that had been there for 50 years. They had to stop selling plywood because HD was selling it for the same price they were BUYING it. And when the second HD with opened up within 1 Mile of their store, they had to close.
Love your boat, anyway
good for single person waterfowl or duck hunting!
Thank you
The product I purchased about 3 months ago was labeled TRI PLY. The product description on the Orange Box website says it is "moisture resistant" and "suitable for any room in the house" Unless they've changed their manufacturing adhesive in the last three months, this is NOT SUITABLE FOR ANYTHING EXTERIOR THAT WILL BE EXPOSED TO WATER WHETHER PAINTED OR NOT! Using it to line a utility trailer has turned into a mistake that will be expensive and time-consuming to correct.
Recently in the Austin, TX area, I've noticed that some stores have had only the TRI PLY in stock, while other stores have had both LAUAN and TRI PLY. Where the Orange Box has 4'x8' sheets of both, it usually also has 2'x4' and/or 4'x4' "craft panels" of the same materials. Save yourself the cost and labor of having to build twice... buy a small piece of each and test them both... after my trailer was built and before it was painted, we had 2 days with 10 minute light showers in the afternoon, and by the time the sun was back out on the second day, the TRI-PLY WAS ALREADY DELAMINATED!
The Ply wood I got was also labeled "TriPly" and it has not disappointed me. As I said earlier, It rains a lot where I live, in fact, Right After I put the sides on this boat, it was caught in a Downpour. I wasn't even able to cover it up in time and a section that I had just installed actually filled up with water. You can see the pictures in step 10. The 5200 wasn't even skinned over yet. And it held water. The unfinished edges of the plywood were soaked, and yet no sign of delam. even now.
Also, If you check the third picture in step 15, look past the boat, there is a patio chair with something pointy sticking out from it. Those are scraps cut from the deck install. They are still out there. I shot that photo more than two weeks ago on the 4th. In fact I waited to answer this comment because it has been raining all nite and in fact is still raining as I write this and there have been NO Signs of delamination.These are not primed or finished in any way.
It could be that you just got a bad batch. I'm not trying to tell anyone NoT to use Marine grade Plywood, but when this plan was drawn, there was no such thing. At least not commonly available. And this is a boat that was most likely built by someone with not much experience building boats. and with not much money. He used what he had. Some of these boats were sealed with roofing tar. The directions with this plans say to put it together with roofing nails. That sounds crazy to us today but it didn't stop people from building boats in their backyards and worksheds.
-Thomas
If your interested in some more bang for the buck low cost options.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHQGUbMSPTM
These guys are moving along for sure.
I also found this, which is probably more along the lines of what I am looking for. I would probably build my own though.
Also there are a couple of designs here including the one in the first video. Unfortunately several of the links are dead now.
http://www.kayakforum.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/guille/wiki.pl?Making_A_Sail
Stability was important to the duck hunter. This works to your advantage with a sail as initial stability is high. The hull can stand a fair amount of sail. Providing a bit of lateral stability under sail will also require a center/dagger board or a leeboard mounted on the gunl' if you are to want to do anything but go downwind. The craft was designed for rowing though and should be easy to propel in that manner if you desire only downwind sailing....
John
It's actually 10 feet long. Here in Florida it has to be less than 16 feet and no motor to avoid the annual tax.
I think it would be a great boat for kids. (Supervised of course) It's "rated" for a man and a dog or two kids. The cockpit is a bit smaller than I envisioned. In the last pic with my socks I am sitting with my back against the coaming.
12ft 2x12 for the form $15
4 2x4s for legs $10
2 Sheets 5 mm ply $25
1 sheet 3/8ths ply $15 I only used about half of the sheet for the floor and Coamings
I got the frames and stem pieces out of material on hand but even if you had to buy the wood I think you could probably get it all out of a 1x8x8' piece of pine.
So really only about $65 for wood. Plus 2 tubes of 5200 Sealant @$12 each and about ten dollars or so in hardware comes to about $100.
I also spent $12 on a quart of primer but I am not sure that will be enough. I haven't bought the paint yet, but I am figuring about $30 for that.
An Oar and a life jacket should get me on the water. I'll probably make the oar, just because I am like that. xD
To get it TO the water I plan to make a cart using the two wheels that are seen in some of the pictures in this build.
Thanks for your question and BTW I used your 'ible "The Constrictor Knot" when I put up the shelter in Step 11. It's still up too!!
One more thing. Add $12 for a 2x8x10 that I used to cut the long parts from.