How to Build a boat

[larry long shadows]

In New Sept. Popular Mechanics good article on how to build a dingy from 1937 project. One thing he said was want to get to know your neighbors, start building a Boat.

[Light Keeper's Kid]

boy thats right

[Dogpaddlin]

I moved to Spring in January and started building my pirogue shortly after. Within two weeks I new ALL of my neighbors.

[Pogo]

Oh, definitely: one of the chief joys of boat building is all the people I've met because of 'em. Interesting to hear the same was true in our grandfathers' time.

[larry long shadows]

Sorry Pogo I did not word it right..It is old plans form 1937 that he just built with some modern day changes.You boat builders need to read this one short but good stuff talks about wafer thin marine grade plywood and plank the bottom with in to layers ????

[Pogo]

Ah, thanks for the clarification.

If I sound a little jumpy, it's because I often hear from people who are astonished almost to sputtering speechlessness that some ordinary mortal like myself would/could really actually BUILD a BOAT!! My stock reply is that our current generation has merely forgotten how to make a lot of our own stuff, whereas only back in our fathers' time it was common for housewives to sew clothes or make pie crust from scratch and those sorts of things we took for granted but hardly anyone knows how to do at all any more. And that back in our grandfathers' times, you could be pretty sure that anyone who used a duck boat built it himself because there just wasn't any money to buy a boat with in those days, nor was there a store in town that had boats for sale if they did. That we're all about instant gratification in this Wal-Mart age and all that.

I have a fit with that sh..., um, schtuff. And even people who are somewhat knowledgable about this hobby today still look at the building process as some necessary evil that must be endured if you really want a boat all that bad. I say it's a pleasant pastime that may be enjoyed before the pastime of paddling the finished product commences. But that's just me, I know I'm just an ornery old eccentric.

Know what? I think I'd research home boat building in the early 20th century if I knew how to do research. In fact, I think I'd like it even better if someone else did it for me.

[larry long shadows]

Your right those days are gone My Dad and Mom were great when it came to make and do.My dad made wooden boats/home made campers a welder from air plane generator mounted on back old crank Orange Allis Chambler Tractor. My mom made our shirts from old feed sacks, slaughter chickens,rabbits in the back yard..I remember going to school and tradeing rabbit for Bolony sandwich ..They would repair and fix things instead of throwing it away..With that welder my dad made us go carts that ran off car starter, gas petal was head light dimmer(thing got hot as h#^& ), steering wheel was a tricycle wheel..
I could go on and on so I will stop now I Tip My Hat to all those old timers...I never remember my parents complain haveing to work....

[preacher]

They also draw a crowd when you stop for gas

[Paddletrucker]

If you think you get to know your neighbors by building a boat,,,,,,try an airplane!! I got to know all of my neighbors and I don't even

One time, after I had rolled the plane out of the shop and into the yard (it had folding wings) the postman, who was filling in for the regular guy, asked me how I landed it in my yard!!

[Paddletrucker]

They also draw a crowd when you stop for gas

I can just imagine. (Actually, I can hardly wait ) My plastic kayaks draw plenty of folks at the gas stations. They see the stickers in my window from the various kayak fishing sites and want to know about them.

They are usually astounded when I show them how much gear is in the hull and accessible through the RodPod(Trident 15) and are pretty amazed when I show them the Fish Finder and GPS units.

I always get comments about how "that thing is equipped as good as my Ranger" and "I'll trade you fuel bills."

[bowgarguide]

Larry
I had to smile when you posted the welder from an airplane generator,my grandfather and great grandfather built one and went in the steel business,been five generations of folks in the steel business from that start,I have a old pic of one of there shops and a old model T jacked up and blocked to run the jack Shaft THRU THE SHOP.
fOND MEMORIES
rON