Palette Boat B.O.T. II

It is an easy-to-build, stable, and cost-free or at least almost cost-free boat that can be divided into three parts, to be carried inside two small cars.

Step 1: Gathering the Materials and the First Steps

Materials :

- Palettes (ask hardware shops and/or trading companies)

- almost any kind of wood

- PVC skin ( like its used for ponds )

- Nails

( you can ask hardware shops for wood they do not need and are wanting to throw away - this way you can find good and unused wood)

Tools :

- Hammer

- Screwdriver

- Drill Machine

- Grinder

- Saw

We wanted to build a very cheap, easy to build and solid boat that could carry us four and also some additional luggage. Another important aspect was that we could transport it in an easy way, as we don't have a trailer. Therefore we have decided to build a boat that can be divided into three parts

We started by aligning three of the palettes in a row and checking whether we we would fit comfortably in it.

By building little "bridges" (as we called them) we started building a stable way to be able to connect the segments by pushing a large wooden strip trough them.

ATTENTION :

Be very careful when working as there are multiple possible dangers for example a lot of nails looking out of the pallets or the saws.

We do not take any responsibilities for possible injuries or damages that might occur to you.

Step 2: Setting Up the Side Panels

We build the side panels by using some parts of the pallet.

They don't have to be very stable as there won't be too much force on it.

(The water will not reach higher than the pallets)

Step 3: Seats

When travelling the hardware store, and asking for unused wood that would be thrown away, we were offered some laminate for free.

We later on used this laminate for our noble seats.

Step 4: The Helm

The back of the boat was built very strong so it can carry the helm.

When travelling we figured out that the helm is very useful on a lake, but it doesn't help too much on a river.

Step 5: The Hull

[ As the first skin got a little bit damaged we had to buy a second one. That is the reason why there are two skins on the picture. ]

Simply strip the skin over the side walls and attach them via rope or clamps.

Step 6: Unused Ideas

Although we didn't use them I thought of using paddle-wheels,

as they would have taken an amount of space that is needed for one of the seats, we didn't use them.

Step 7: Going to the Lake

Until now the boat or like we call it B.O.T. II [Bounty Olga Titanic II - every part has its own name] served us excellent, without any issues.

Even when rushing over some currents and some big rocks that were very shallow and touched our boat no damage was done.

Ooh and don't forget setting up a guidepost - for example a bird.

Their are just a few pictures as we didn't intend on making an inscrutable when building the boat.