A floating foamie?!?! The Scythian

[Jeff Bramlett]

Howdy y'all! I've just joined the forum after reading multiple posts. I have a unique project I'm calling "The Scythian." I'm taking two vintage aluminum canoes and building a platform across them to make a type of pontoon boat. Then I am going to build a camper on top using the foamie idea. I made a primitive sketch of the project as my icon, but will post it here as well. I have been working on the trailer for this boat since October. It has taken me a long time due to financial constraints. Each month I have spent a couple hundred dollars on it. I got a free trailer frame, then had to get a new axle, springs, electric brake hubs, wheels, fenders, lights, and I had to do all the wiring, including my truck. Now I have a workable platform, except I still need to make the bunks for the canoes. Also I need a boat winch. I've spent about 1800 dollars so far. I just think the foamie idea is perfect to keep the weight down. This boat will be for river travel and some camping inside, like a micro-shanty boat!

 

[Jeff Bramlett]

This is my trailer....

 

[Jeff Bramlett]

Here is a not-so good shot of the trailer with the two canoes on it...I'm looking forward to finally getting to build the boat soon-ish. Unfortunately I'm super busy. Boo!

 

[Jeff Bramlett]

This is what the trailer looked like when I started. Also the two canoes cost about $500 total.

 

[Pmullen503]

Power?

 

[Tom&Shelly]

Brings back memories. When I was in high school, probably not too long after Grumman invented the aluminum canoe, there was an annual event in Upstate New York called the Great Owego to Nichols raft race.

A friend and I each contributed a 15-foot canoe, which we lashed together with two pieces of an extension ladder, and put a wood pallet between for a deck. We added a rubber surgical tube sling shot and funnel to shoot water balloons, a BIG battery powered amplifier with a tape recorder playing Ride of the Valkyries (Apocalypse Now had just come out), and a large pirate flag.

We would go raiding other rafts who were grilling a local treat called "Spiedies." All in good fun, of course. We even raided the WEBO AM radio raft, which gave us our 15 minutes of fame. Could have come another way, but I'll take it. Good times!

Then, a few years later, some fellow had the bad manners to drown (while drinking) at another raft race upstate, and they all shut down.

Anyway, sounds like your design will work. I presume you've calculated how much weight your canoes can bear, and how heavy you expect your camper will weigh?

Tom

 

[Jeff Bramlett]

I presume you've calculated how much weight your canoes can bear, and how heavy you expect your camper will weigh?

Howdy that sounds like a blast! The canoes are from the late 1960's and are Appleby brand from Missouri, though I am in Oregon. They must have their own Oregon Trail stories and one has a 1976 Nebraska sticker on it. The serial plates state that the canoes can carry 800 pounds each, so I guess my budget is 1600 pounds, but I hope to be far under that. I haven't done any estimates on how heavy I want it. I think as light as possible, because I only have a 3 horse outboard so far. Anyway, thanks for the reply!

 

[Jeff Bramlett]

Power?

Howdy. I currently have a 1956 Johnson Sea Horse, only 3 horse power. I pasted a pic of it in my crude PowerPoint drawing. I've got it running well and have been attaching it to a canoe. Motorized canoeing is very fun.

I am contemplating getting one of those Thai-style long tail motors because they are relatively inexpensive if you can buy the kit directly from Thailand. I would put a Harbor Freight motor on it. I like the long tail idea because my goal is to be able to go up the Willamette River here in Oregon. The Willamette can get shallow in places, with a rocky bottom. I'm tempted to go ahead and order the kit from Thailand because I'm not sure international trade is going to be getting any easier with the oil shortages from the closed Straight of Hormuz. Here is the kit. It costs about 106 dollars, but I am not sure about shipping or any import tariffs. MAC I COMPACT for 5.5-6.5 hp.

I would connect it to this motor, which is $230 6.6 HP (224cc) Max Performance OHV Horizontal-Shaft Gas Engine, EPA

I've seen people using more powerful long tails on Youtube, but I want to be able to mount and dismount the motor easily. The motor I would get is about 30 pounds. I don't want to go very fast. The canoes are displacement hulls and will not get up on plane.

Anyway, thanks for the comment!

 

[Pmullen503]

Canoe hulls are displacement hulls and won't plane. More power just means a bigger bow wave. I have an electric trolling motor on one of mine to pull me upstream on a river. Switching from "1" to "6" doesn't make it go any faster. Your 3.5 hp motor will be fine.

Don't know if it will make a difference on a catamaran but in a canoe, mounting the motor on the front and pulling the boat through the water is MUCH easier to control than pushing from the rear.

 

[Jeff Bramlett]

Very interesting! Thanks! I am having the trouble of figuring out how to see over the camper from motoring from the back. It could be a solution to mount the motor in the front! Ha! Food for thought...thanks!

 

[Jeff Bramlett]

Might look something like this, with the cabin more on one end instead of in the middle! Interesting in that the weight balance might be better. I'm glad I joined this forum.

 

[Pmullen503]

There are some really nice electric options. From trolling motors to thrusters. Add a lithium battery, solar cells on the roof....

 

[Jeff Bramlett]

There are some really nice electric options. From trolling motors to thrusters. Add a lithium battery, solar cells on the roof....

That would be awesome. I have a basic trolling motor, but I have seen the really nice ones! Would be cool to have a solar charger for it....hmmm...thanks!

 

[Pmullen503]

I've converted a couple trolling motors for canoe use; shorten the tube from head to power unit (so it's not sticking up 3 Ft in the air) and rotating the head 180 degrees on the tube.

 

[Jeff Bramlett]

I've converted a couple trolling motors for canoe use; shorten the tube from head to power unit (so it's not sticking up 3 Ft in the air) and rotating the head 180 degrees on the tube.

Neat! I have a Newport 36 pound thrust kayak series trolling motor for my current canoe and like it. I put a propeller designed for remote control airplanes and it pushes the boat faster! There are videos on YT about that. Here is an interesting video about a guy building a simple shack. I think this might be about the size I'm looking at, maybe a little bigger. He does use some foam insulation in the build, but it is mostly wood. Pretty inspiring for me!