Kind of off topic for this forum, but I got a spot in the river here with some big ol cats, and I need a quick built boat to get into them. I found some 'free' plans (don't need the lecture on free plans, believe me), but I was wondering if anyone had built a 12'-15' fishing boat out there that is a super-fast build?
here is the one I'm looking at right now...
http://koti.kapsi.fi/hvartial/wpunt/wpunt.htm
Mine's a fishing boat, but not super-fast by any stretch. I
Still have the section forms if you want to give it a shot.
Do you have a picture of it?
Brit, the punt you've listed is terribly heavy, for what it is. He lists the weight around 250 and this is easily twice what it needs to be, making for a hard to manhandle little boat. Something like this should be easy enough for a couple of normal size guys to toss in the back of a pickup. The raw hull on a build like this could easily be much less that 100 pounds, which with seat boxes and other items, still keeps the boat within a weight range, that it can be easily tossed in a pickup bed.
Underway it's narrow beam does help, which is why is gets up an scoots along with a small outboard. The photos show good longitudinal stability, which you'd expect from a boat shaped like this, but I don't see any photos of him standing on one side, working over the side. I'll bet she's pretty "tender" this way, but everything is a trade off. If she had a wider bottom or if he removed some flare out of the sides, she'd be a little better in this regard.
What size and capacity do you need Brit? a 12' boat is a one man deal, which some gear. A 15' boat is a two man boat. If both are to be pushed to full plane speeds (15 MPH), it'll have to be fairly narrow and lightly built. I'd recommend a double planked bottom, using two layers of 1/4" plywood. A simple 1x2 chine log or taped fillet seam, no frames, but strategically spaced seat boxes, little fore and aft decks. 1/4" sides, with 1x2 sheer clamp and preferably a skinny side deck, also of 1/4" plywood, sitting on some simple hanging knees. A 1x4 done the center on the outside as a keel, with a couple of 1x2's near the chine as runners and that's about all you need at these speeds and power levels. A 5 HP outboard would get her to 15 MPH easily, faster if lightly loaded, but don't consider any more power than this, without more longitudinal stiffness, built into the hull.
If you want I can pen up a quick sketch, with appropriate scantlings, so you can "wing" you way through, so long as you follow the basic shapes. You could use underlayment plywood, which is cheap. I'd give her a real bow, instead of the pram bow, so she'd pound less at speed. Besides, boats just look better with a pointy end.
That would be awesome, Paul. I need the boat to hold two people, three in a pinch. Speed is not a top priority, as I intend to run it with a Minn Kota electric troller. I would rather have the pointy bow, too.
Probably needs hold 500 lbs (people and cargo), one person seated at each end. I would like a wide center bench, that could serve as a work table if necessary. I'd also prefer it weren't much beamier, as I would likely car-top it to the river from here (about 15 miles or so). Reducing the flare sounds like a good way to do that.
A trolling motor will propel this shape nicely, though slowly. The biggest trolling motor is about 1.3 HP and requires 24 VDC (a least two 12 volt batteries). 3 MPH will be it, not counting contrary wind and currents.
A 4 - 5 HP engine is fairly easy to find and cheap. This will push you 5 times faster.
If going the gas outboard route, might I suggest a buddy of mines, free plans. Hes' not a professional engineer, designer nor NA, but he's been studying and has some very simple stuff, for free available.
>Â
http://www.angelfire.com/ego/lewisboatwo...Skiff.htm <
This would work well with a 4 to 15 HP outboard. It wouldn't pole or row well, but it will support a lot of weight and will get up and scoot with little power. I've seen 2 - 5 HP outboards on E-Bay for about $300, which means you can find them cheaper.
Contact me by email Brit and we'll go over what your needs are, so you can pick the best design to suit them.
Tom, I have fished like that. We called it noodling. While I was down in Louisiana, two or three people a summer died from getting caught themselves by cats in the 300+lb range. Not that I couldn't handle a 300lb cat, mind you, but there is a lot of "structure' in this particular river, mostly concrete and rebar. Not wading in there. Too dangerous. Not up on the tetanus shots.
Meant that tongue-in-cheek, but since you asked.Â
Here's the plywood cutouts, as near as I can figure =)