New guy alert!

[zachdotcom]

Hi! I'm new here and I have no experience with building boats, but I wish to change that over the coming winter. I recently moved to a small town on the Mississippi river. Being one that can't resist an adventure, I almost immediately decided that in the spring I was going to build a raft is that a bad word here?) and float to New Orleans. Then I decided that a raft wasn't the best plan. So I decided to try to find a small boat to use instead. But that didn't seem as fun, so I decided to get the best of both worlds and build a boat!

After doing a little research I decided I could do it. I want to build a small (7-8 foot) dinghy. Being that this will be my first boat, and and I have a low budget, simplicity is key. I do have some experience working with wood, but this will be my biggest project yet.

So anyway, I guess I'm asking for advice? Tips? Suggestions? Encouragement? I don't know anyone that's built a boat, so you all are my best friends in the boat building world.

Thanks!

[David G]

New Guy On Deck. Sound The Alarms! Somebody hide the Gronical Tools... NOW!!

OK, thanks for the warning... I think we're squared away now, and ready to welcome a newcomer.

Welcome Aboard!

Raft is not a bad word. Nor is dinghy.

So... tell us about this dinghy. We know you want to use it to float the Big Muddy. Are you coming back upstream too? Will you keep it afterwards, and use it on the river? Will you sleep aboard, or on the bank, or some of each?

What motive power? Sail? Outboard? Oars? A brace of mermaids with you holding the reins?

Sounds like you'll be solo for the trip. What do you weigh?

Tell us everything you think about your boating needs. Then tell us everything you think you think. The more info we have, the better advice we can dish out.

Pending more answers, I'll make a couple of initial points. First, as a beginning boatbuilder, you might not know that the difficulty of building a boat is not entirely based upon how big it is. It has more to do with the complexity of the boat. Second, a broad declaration (with plenty of exceptions) - the expense of a small boat has more to do with its weight than anything else.

And finally, for your initial consideration - if you're talking cheap, quick, remarkably stable small boat... look at the 8' Puddle Duck Racer... or maybe the 12' Goose. Their primary drawback is that they're as homely as the S. end of a N. facing mule. You may well discover that an 8' boat of any design will not be sufficient to the task, but it at least gives you a starting place.

Good Luck, and please do fill us in more.

[Robert L.]

Welcome!

How abut one of these?
http://www.inhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/schwimmhaus01.jpg
Looks like a raft to me.

Or go more traditional.

http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/browne/lisa-b-good/lbg.gif

[perldog007]

This is my cheap 8' easy to build boat

http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww264/perldog007/IMGP0823.jpg

she is a prefect example of what I would not want to have on the big muddy. When I was in school for the Navy in Millington, we went to a river bend near West Memphis once and actually jumped into the river.

I would want a western dory, in other words a boat designed for a little rough water. I stick mostly to ponds and am a champion of the little box punts and simple funky shapes.

I would not be in your shoes. That's serious water as I recall. Welcome aboard and enjoy the selection process, the world is yours.

[DGentry]

Hi Zach - Welcome aboard!
Building a boat is a great idea, but be warned - it's addictive.

So, it's your first and you have little idea about the whole process or what to shoot for? I strongly suggest some reading is in order. Hit up the library (interlibrary loan is your friend in non-boatbuilding towns), or an online book seller for one, or all, of these -

Jim Michalak's comprehensive and easy to follow guide:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Pz41fjUgL._SL500_AA240_.jpg
or anything by Harold "Dynamite" Payson, starting with this:
http://instantboats.com/images/ibbwdp150.jpg

or even Gavin Atkin's
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51xuyzwcLML._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU01_.jpg
All these books have designs and plans in them for a variety of boats.

Then check out some other designs - deciding which is right for you is half the fun, btw. Here are some links:
www.instantboats.com (http://www.instantboats.com)
http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/jim/michalak.htm
http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/r/plansindex.htm

And for something completely different - check out the quick, cheap and easy to build skin-on-frame kayaks at www.yostwerks.com (http://www.yostwerks.com)
I'm a big fan of these boats, and they are mission capable - an acquaintance just finished a 42 mile race on the lower Mississippi River in his Yost Nikumi 19 baidarka.

Anyway, that's a good start. Likely you will find that an 8' boat will be a little cramped for camping out in, and you might feel pretty tiny out on the river, too. They are slooow, as well, though that's not so important if you are just drifting. I guess it might be very important if you had to get out of the way of string of barges coming at you, though . . . .

Good luck! You picked the right place to come to.
Dave

[Jim Ledger]

Usually, when someone like you shows up, we try to talk them out of the "start small" timid kind of approach, and get them to build something more ambitious.


Do you like catboats?

[paladin]

This was my pet puddy tat and she liked boats, as long as she could see the shore line.......and if it got a bit rough she'd jump overboard and swim....and always go home........I guess you could call it a cat boat.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj152/paladinsfo/Image-021.jpg

If'n ya wanna nice dink, look at John Welsford's Sherpa...plywood, can add simple sail.....

[Bruce Hooke]

Keep in mind that a very short (e.g., under about 10 to 12 feet long) boat is quite slow and frustrating to row for any distance. It is harder to keep such a boat going straight and also just more work to propel it...

[JimD]

Greetings and welcome to the forum. A small dinghy is a great place to start although you'll need a considerably bigger craft to float down the Mississippi. Here's a link to the small dinghies of one of my favourite designers: http://www.selway-fisher.com/GPDinghyup13.htm

http://www.selway-fisher.com/Sky4p4.jpg

[James McMullen]

I built a Bolger Instant Catboat fifty boats ago, and it was a pretty nice little sailboat. Not a rowboat, though, and not very cheap compared to many others. The catboat will probably need a little electric outboard or something if you sail anywhere with currents--more expense. You'll also need a trailer.

A littler boat like the CLC Eastport Pram (http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/rowboats/eastport-pram-rowing-sailing-kit.html) or a Shellback Dinghy (http://www.woodenboatstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=400-109) which is car-toppable is what I'd recommend for an inexpensive first project. Both of these particular boats are also available as CNC cut kits as well as plans, so that even if you really don't have hardly any woodworking tools yet, you can still build a pretty and useful boat.

[Lewisboats]

Have you seen what is on the Miss. that far down stream? One of those barges would turn an 8 ft boat into toothpicks and never know it.

Here is an article about a local who is at mile 1200 on his way from Sioux City to the East Coast and why he chose to skip the southern Miss.

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/article_3bc7bb5f-5478-57c2-a580-c7779ee1b364.html

Read the two other articles linked in the one above. He wants to tell the tale with our hosts!

[zachdotcom]

Hi everyone. Thanks for all of the advice.

To answer some of your questions:

I don't plan on coming back up stream. Since I was thinking of building such a small boat, I didn't plan on sleeping on board. Just camping out on the bank. For power, I really wanted to go the mermaid route, but the freshwater variety is a little out of my budget, so I settled for oar power. I weigh about 210. I won't be carrying a whole lot, either.

My original plan was a raft and a long pole. Talk about slow and hard to maneuver! That's why I decided a boat would be better. The idea was that a boat would be easier to get out of the way of those big barges. However, I'm still clinging to the romantic idea of very modestly drifting down the river. That's why I want to build a small boat. I will admit though, I did think it was going to be easier then building a big boat.

As far as the danger of barge traffic, I plan on flying an orange safety flag to increase my visibility, and hopefully my chance of a pilot letting me know he's coming (that is if I don't hear him coming first!). There is quite a bit of barge traffic here, so I'm going to try and talk to a couple of the crews and see what they have to say.

I was thinking of going the stitch and glue route, because it seems the least intimidating. Any pointers there?

Thanks again for the advice so far. Please keeping asking questions!

[rbgarr]

A really big truck inner tube will just bounce off the barges and you'll get a really good view as you spin around down the old Muddy. Sleeping on the bank might not work out so well. Just nod off afloat. Stop at KFCs and Hardees along the route. The oil seeping from the chicken buckets and breakfast sandwiches will keep the waves down.

:D