The BO-AT Single Sheet Plywood Boat

My son and I built this simple one sheet plywood boat following the plans and sage advice provided in the following link  http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2011/07/the-blue-crab-one-sheet-plywood-boat-tiny-yellow-house.html.  We saw this in a recent eNews from Make Magazine.  This is Not our design but I wanted to share what we learned.  This was a simple and fun project to build and cost us a grand total of $59 dollars and about 6 hours (not counting Beer and Juice Boxes).

Step 1: Shopping for Material

We went to our local hardware store and purchased the following supplies:

1 Sheet of 4x8 15/32 Plywood Sheet
Gorilla Glue
Silicone Sealant
Latex Paint
Screws
Paracord
Sand Paper

Depending on the size of your workshop and the tools available to you, you may decide to have the store cut the 4x8 sheet of plywood for you (as we did) - just make sure they cut it right (as we did not) - it will save you trimming and increase you freeboard later on.

Tools Used:

Jig Saw
Caulk Gun
Screw Gun
Measure
Clamps
Drill
Paint Brush

Comments

[dm957]

Is this the exact same boat as deek made? Like with the dimentions and all?

[PaleoDan]

As close as I could make it from the video. I added a few things but mostly this is his boat.

[lukev2]

how much did it cost all together? =D

[PaleoDan]

It's been a while since I put it together but it was not too much. A single sheet of plywood and depending on what you already have, nails, silicon and paint. I think I was under $50 for the project.

[lukev2]

Sweet! Thanks Alot!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PaleoDan]

$59 I just looked at my material list again.

[smiley G.I JOE]

if i just make the length measurement longer when buying supplies say '3-4' feet more could i mount a sail on it. a small one but able to speed me up.

[PaleoDan]

I think you would need to also add a real keel if you area adding a sail. This boat is not very stable and a sail might be the tipping point but I would love to see what it would look like. Post a picture if you build it.

Good luck

[ClandestineIntestine]

I built one!
I don't have any pics handy, though. It was a fun build and my first boat. I'm hooked. I'm fast running out of boating/building time as it is getting really close to winter. (Alaskan)

I flubbed my measurements, and the boat ended up being about 2 feet shorter than I had planned. But it Floats! It doesn't leak! Some water did slop over the side since it only has about 3 inches of freeboard.

Oh well, build and learn.
Thanks for the great instructable.

[PaleoDan]

I am glad it worked out for you. I am planning a two sheet build to see if I can make a more realistic (functioning) boat next spring.

Hope your winter does not get too bad this year.

[calebgeb]

you are awesome

[tjeweler]

Would an outrigger help to stabilize the boat, so it isn't so wobbly?

[PaleoDan]

It might but the design of the boat itself is limiting. This was my first try and I have since seen other versions that look to be much more stable. I might try one of those first. This was a great fun project but did not produce much more than a pool toy or tiny pond boat.

[707z123456]

how wide is the inside?

[charlessenf-gm]

Prime (oil-based exterior primer) "finish cut" boards first. Then paint two coats of finish paint color. Then assemble and caulk with Silicone sealer or, better yet DuPont 5200 (comes in white only as far as I know). Sealer will adhere to paint, paint does not adhere readily to most silicone sealers.

Seal exterior of seams first and foremost - sealer is to keep water out. Sealing interior joints can't hurt, of course.

If you add sealer (esp DuPont 5200) to joints before assembling (use as a "glue" as well as a sealer, you will seal exterior and interior simultaneously.

[solarbipolar]

Those were very good suggestions except that there seems to be no such thing as Dupont 5200. If I do a search on it, all I come up with is stone counter sealers, which don't seem like the right kind needed here.

[ArtisanEclectic]

That's because 5200 is made by 3M. It's used a lot in the marine industry and can be used under the waterline. It's an extremely tenacious sealer/adhesive that should only be used on things that you would rather throw away that have to take apart.

[ArtisanEclectic]

It's also very expensive, About $20 a tube. PL Premium would be a better choice than even silcone. I saw Deek's video on building this boat and I wondered why he would use silicone. Then I remembered, He is a Tiny house builder.

Silicone is for doors and windows, Not boats. It's a sealer, not an adhesive.
Wooden Boat magazine used to sponsor an annual family boat building event where the contestants (A parent/ child team) had to take a bunch of precut pieces and build a boat then put it in the water and hopefully not sink.

They were not allowed any fasteners. Only PL Premium.

It's available at the Big Orange Place for less than 5 bucks a tube. But read the labels and test for your self since there are different formulations. I'm pretty sure this is the one I used to glue the skin to the frame of my Hollow Wooden Surfboard (Instructable coming soon.)

http://tinyurl.com/7rqgzbh

Ok. It's less than 6 bucks a tube.

[tomgrayb17]

what angle do you cut the bow side of the sideboards at?

[PaleoDan]

It's about 80 inches long

[PaleoDan]

It's about a 45 degree angle. It is easy to use one of those plastic orange angle square to prop it up then draw your lines. Post pictures when you done please.

[tomgrayb17]

what is the overall length, bow to stern?

[rwilliams22]

I had a buddy who built boats for a living. He made his hulls out of thin strips of wood, nailed and glued to the spars. After sanding, and before covering the boat with fiberglass, he would rub the entire hull down with a mixture of flour and sawdust, making sure to work it into any cracks or defects. He explained that if there was any moisture at all in the wood or leaking through the fiberglass coating, the bits of flour and sawdust would soak it up and swell to keep the boat from leaking. Not sure how much value that would add to a plywood joint, but it's worth considering

[PaleoDan]

I appreciate the idea - I will try that next time. Mine is still holding but this sounds a bit more stable

[trainz222]

When you attach the bow isnt there a gap between where the bow and the bottom meet how did you fill it in, or did you cut on an angle???

[PaleoDan]

I did not cut at an angle but I did fill the gap completely with lots of the Silicone. I did this from both sides (as with all the Silicone I used). I completely filled one side (started with the bottom) until the Silicone was coming out. I let it cure the full time recommended on the tube and then flipped the boat over and did the same from the other side.

Cutting your bow on an angle would give you a much better fit and cleaner look so that is the way I would go next time I think.

Thanks

[jsadler1]

Silicone in a deep pocket that is air tight can take weeks to cure and is risky at best. The surface feels completely cured in a day but deep within it remains quite raw and weak.
There are marine, paintable, adhesive sealants that last and are very hardy and grip with much more secure force. You won't even believe what salt water can do to common silicone, household products.

[mharris17]

We made these boats when I was in the FFA in North Florida in the 60s. They are great for shallow streams and are very easy to maneuver. It takes the about the same amount of time to paint the boat as to build it.

[jerbear1978]

Would you need to register this for use in public waters?

[mharris17]

In most states a row boat does not need to be registered. But if you attach a motor, then both the boat and motor have to be registered. Check with you fish and game office.

[PaleoDan]

You will need to check your local regulations but I think for NJ, you only need to register boats larger than 13 feet or as soon as you put the motor on. That is why the Motor test was in my pool.

[Verga]

Dan
Congrtatulations on winning one of the Grandprizes in the water sports contest. This is a great instructable and your prize is well deserved. Looking forward to seeing other instructables from you.

[PaleoDan]

Thank you very much for all the votes and support. This is a great community and I enjoy being a part of it very much.

[jbend]

Can you put a small boat moter on the boat.

[PaleoDan]

I did in the last pics - did not get a good chance to test but because my battery was crap but will test it when I can afford a new one

[speedphreak]

BO-AT. Nice Phineas and Ferb reference. http://phineasandferb.wikia.com/wiki/BO-AT

[PaleoDan]

Thanks - you are the first to notice. My son and I like to watch Phineas & Ferb - they are the best cartoon Makers out there...

[utatuka]

hahaha... i built my boat with zero money... and i counted the beer... 400 !!!

good project... i will build also a 1 sheet boat for the daughter of my friend...

Thanks... I will use your project... Cheers from Turkey.

[PaleoDan]

Very cool - not sure how you pulled off the free beer part but that would make a great Instructable itself - "How to get Free Beer" I would like to read that one...

[utatuka]

you can see the free beer part here

http://utatuka.blogspot.com/2011/07/adallara-sevgilerimle.html