Boat Building

Are there any boat builders here? I've built a few over the years, definitely not fancy. A few 5 board pirogues, some small flat bottom row boats. Usually made them from rough lumber. Used them mostly for trapping a marsh or some such. I would carry them in and leave them there. I didn't caulk them, just let them get wet and swell up. After the season pull them out and turn the upside down and hide them in the brush.

On my want to do list is a canvas canoe. Built very similar to a birch bark canoe can be built the same really.
the other is the boat shown on Happy People. Not the dugout but the long lapstreak. One of these days

 

I built a dugout canoe with an outrigger once as a scouting project. Nothing fancy. I did learn how to use fire to shape the inside. That was only 40ish years ago lol

 

Had a buddy that used to build fiberglass kayaks. Learned a lot from him but never had the time of space to build my own.

Dale

 

that's awesome, what part of the great lakes? did you make it to Mackinaw Island? Beaver Island? There are others but I worked on those islands.

 

Good morning Randy,

Not a builder within the definition - but a modifier.

As part of my prep, I have what I call a "drag boat". Some would use name of "duck boat" or "garden wagon".

I have a polyethylene boat modified and outfitted to my requirements. No Plimsoll line on hull but a canopy to keep cargo protected.

The "boat" can be safely towed 1 NM on an inland waterway. It could mount a gasoline or electric power plant but my prep philosophy only allows for a large pole ... think of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery ... or paddle if no cargo to be hauled.

Somewhere here I've got detachable wheels - no double duel tandem apparatus but just something that can spin-bolt on - forgot nautical term - the back of the boat to wheel to water.