Question about boats

[Cliffmeister2000]

I know this is WAY off topic, but I also know many of you are boat builders, so here goes!

I've been thinking about picking up or building a small boat to take when camping near lakes. There are 5 good sized lakes within 50 miles of home, and they all have great camping.

I was looking at jon boats over at the local Cabelas, and was shocked to see the capacity of the smallest one: Two persons or 180 lbs.

Now I looked at the next two sized up, and way before I found one with a capacity as large as my butt, I was way out of my price range. Forget about taking my beloved!


Now depending on if it's before of after lunch, I weigh in at 225 - 250 lbs. (I'm 6'4, so not the lard casing you might imagine, but I haven't been skinny in a while). My beloved is 5'8, and she'd shoot me if I gave her weight here or anywhere else, but she is thin. Suffice to say I'd need a capacity of 400 lbs to carry her, me, and a tacklebox.

Now the question: Are there formulas for sizing boats to butts? Is the issue on the jon boat the water displacement, or the aluminum? I'm actually thinking of something I could put a trolling motor on, and carry on the pickup in front of the weekender.


Something like this



Any info would be appreciated!

[greg755]

Good save by throwing the tackle box into the equation

[Miriam C.]

I take it you are leaving the cooler full of ice home. My canoe does over 400# and if I put two adults, my cooler and a cooler for fish I am loaded. Something to keep in mind. Also the battery and motor.

If you get plans from a website they should tell you how much weight you can carry.

[Dark Horse]

I'm not a big fan of prefabed boats

Stitch & Glue

http://www.bateau.com/

Blue block on the left side top option is small Boats - lots of the have been built Pick yer poison I'm partial to the V10/V12s but there are smaller options that will fit your needs

Cedar Strip

http://www.bearmountainboats.com/ Canoes & Kayaks

http://www.compumarine.com/ Small boats - I never ordered from them, went with Bateau. But the designs are nice and the building method give nice results and beautiful boats.

[tinksdad]

Don't remember where I downloaded the free study plans for it; but there is a stitch and glue called the 4Dink.

An excerpt from the included text file:

The requirements were typical of a dinghy for long range cruising:
must fit on deck, be easy to launch and retrieve, stable, must row
well in a chop, have a capacity of 2 or 3 persons. It should also take
a small outboard and a sail. Additionally, it had to be very easy to
build with very easy to find materials: there was no hardware store in
Portsmouth Dominica, and no electricity.

[hotrod]

Ive been tossing around the idea of putting a hitch on the back of my big boat trailer and pulling the tear. Then I got the best of both worlds.

[Cliffmeister2000]

I'm not a big fan of prefabed boats

Stitch & Glue

http://www.bateau.com/

Blue block on the left side top option is small Boats - lots of the have been built Pick yer poison I'm partial to the V10/V12s but there are smaller options that will fit your needs

Cedar Strip

http://www.bearmountainboats.com/ Canoes & Kayaks

http://www.compumarine.com/ Small boats - I never ordered from them, went with Bateau. But the designs are nice and the building method give nice results and beautiful boats.

Thanks, Darkhorse. I like the 12 footer, FL12. Seems like something I could handle. No weight capacity given, however. Bearmountain has one that has a stated weight of 847 lbs, far exceeding my requirements, but I'm terribly intimidated by the cedar strip construction.

Canoe is also a possibility, albeit without a motor.

Thanks, you've given me a starting point.

Tinksdad, I found several references to the 4dink on Google, and they pointed me back to the Bateau company, but no reference to it there. I wonder if it has been discontinued?

[Cliffmeister2000]

Ive been tossing around the idea of putting a hitch on the back of my big boat trailer and pulling the tear. Then I got the best of both worlds.

I don't think that's legal in Arizona.

[Pizzaguy]

Ive been tossing around the idea of putting a hitch on the back of my big boat trailer and pulling the tear. Then I got the best of both worlds.

I don't think that's legal in Arizona.

I don't think thats legal in Minnesota either......

http://www.hitchemup.com/statetowinglaws.htm

[Cliffmeister2000]

Don't remember where I downloaded the free study plans for it; but there is a stitch and glue called the 4Dink.

Found it. Thanks!

http://www.bateau2.com/free/4dink.zip

[Sparksalot]

You might look at some of the plans/kits here:

http://www.clcboats.com/shop/rowboats/

[hotrod]

funny, you sure see alot of big 5th wheeler setups going down the road with big boats behind..Ive never actually read into the laws here on it..

[Juneaudave]

This is the 13' 9" BearMountain Rice Lake Skiff, I putz around with a 3 hp on it. I wouldn't be too antimidated by cedar strip...it's more of a time thing...

[xrover]

The issue with jon boats is they have no draft and are therefore very unstable. To carry your size (and mine) I would look for something that has a v shape hull to give better displacement in the water. The other consideration is whether or not you plan to motor or row. If it was my money (since I would not have the ability to build a boat) I would consider aluminum if planning to motor, or wood if planning to row. Here's why.
If all you plan to do is tool around on a lake, and it means hauling a boat, then aluminum is light and takes a pretty good beating. Plus you could easily buy second hand and save a potful of money.
As for rowing, a boat to be properly rowed need to have the same exit through the water as it does it's entry. i.e. points at either end. This allows a rowed boat to track straight through the water (like a canoe) versus trying to row an aluminum bass boat which will never hold a straight line. There are few things more beautiful on the water than seeing a well made wooden rowing boat. Something you'd be proud of, and something you'd be proud taking care of.
Check out some wood builders like http://www.rossiterboats.com/index.cfm. While he is probably far away from your he makes a beautiful boat, and I almost bought one until my wife reminded me I don't do exercise!

[doug hodder]

Is the issue on the jon boat the water displacement, or the aluminum? I'm actually thinking of something I could put a trolling motor on, and carry on the pickup in front of the weekender.

Cliff....I've built a couple of boats but am by no means an expert on any of it. My opinion...you need displacement. The easiest way to get maximum displacement in a small boat with a minimum of effort and cost is to do a flat bottomed one as opposed to a V hull. Easier to build also. If you want to just putt around and fish it'll work. If you go with aluminum. Battens to support your footing will work. I've built a kinetics vehicle that held 6 people and only used .050 aluminum skin on it all. I'm betting that you could build a skiff that could be lifted onto a roof rack that would support you and your other in 1/4" ply. Also might try www.glen-L.com great bunch of people over there that are willing to help out. I've built a couple of their designs...worked out great!

Now I see you aren't planning on building....so none of it matters. Doug