I saw this video on GardenFork.TV recently and thought you folks would get a kick out of it. Its a video by our friend Eric Rochow that shows you how to build a boat from a single sheet of plwood. I wouldn’t count on making any long ocean voyages in it, but it looks like a fun DIY project. Just make sure you have a life vest on!
Eric has been video podcasting at least as long as I’ve been doing The Wood Whisperer and I think you’ll really like his show. He covers a wide range of topics including cooking, gardening, bee-keeping, and DIY projects. The show is always “real” and always fun. Plus, he and his wife are dog people. Gotta love that! Check it out at GardenFork.TV
My favorite quote from this video? “Caulk all the joints. Caulk, caulk, caulk, and more caulk.”
speak soon
If you were to add a layer of half inch styrofoam to the inside bottom of the boat it may float higher in the water and be a little more comfortable to sit in.
Pretty sure that a layer of Styrofoam on the inside wouldn’t make the boat sit any higher in the water… it would actually make the boat sit a bit lower, because of the weight of the Styrofoam. Would definitely help with the comfort though.
Back to basics, look like fun…
Hey Marc,
Thanks for sharing, bring back some memories of earlier days. I’m sure this would be a great project to inspire kid’s, or grandkid’s.
I’d recommend some kind of polyurethane caulk from one of those box stores, should work fine if allowed to cure.
Randy
I like the use of bricks for clamps. Must dig a few out for my next project
For anyone interested in simple boat designs that require minimal materials, check out http://koti.kapsi.fi/hvartial. He’s come up with several one-sheet designs. I’ve been slowly working on a version of his Portuguese Dinghy that I elongated to make use of two full sheets.
Who needs a Festool track saw when you can use chalk lines instead.
It’s worth noting that original credit for the design and build of the one-sheet plywood boat goes to Derek Diedricksen of Relaxshacks.com. Eric does credit Derek in his original post. Just didn’t want that to get lost because it’s a very cool build – Derek has a lot of really great builds that are similar in terms of material frugality. Nothing of “Wood Whisperer” quality, but neato nonetheless.
Love the site looks as if me and eric would get along great if we lived close looks as though we like a lot of the same things thanks Marc for directing me to it would like to see more links like this one if anyone else would like to share Thanks again
Joe
Pretty cool! I guess I’ll ask Dynami a few questions about waterproofing before attempting this! B-) I watched a few others on Eric’s YouTube channel, fun stuff…
That looks like fun. My grandkids will love it!! Thanks for posting, Marc.
It’s a great video for a first time boat builder. As a professional waterproofer, I cringed with their caulk choice. Also, as the video shows, the window in the bottom is a poor idea.
All that said, let’s go build them. It looks like a great project.
Dyami, what would you recommend for waterproofing caulk?/
Jim,
We used all sorts of caulking at work and the absolute best two we’ve ever (and still) use are:
Lexel (http://sashco.com/hi/lexel.html)
M-1 (http://www.chemlink.com/conten.....ink_m1.pdf)
They’re both hard to find in residential retail outlets, but a good hardware store or commercial building supply will have them both in stock. While M-1 is easier to work with, Lexel bites aggressively to oily wood. Both should work fine with plywood. I would also recommend a high quality caulking gun, as with any tool, you get what you pay for.
Finally, if you use M-1 I reccomend a bare finger for tooling the caulk. I keep a roll of paper towel next to me when doing it and wipe off my finger constantly. If you’re using Lexel, don’t touch it with your bare hand until it cures (only a few minutes). Instead, use popsicle sticks from a craft store to rub it in.
Hope this helps.
Funny pod cast! Your right Mark they get the dogs involved and that is what made the end of the video when they put the boat in the water was the dogs swimming along. LOL. Thanks for sharing your finds with us of other peoples sites. I will be checking out more of G Fork TV. Cheers – Todd
No expense is spared during the building of this project.
Love it.
Love it! Retired sailor, never got on a big boy, but I think I can build one of these! Lotsa lazy rivers in Texas, too! Love the glass bottom, too!
Thanks!
With all our talk about fancy joinery and hardwood species, it’s easy to forget how much fun it can be to knock something together out of playwood and maybe some 2x4s. Great video!
Agreed. Right now, I’m bodgering up a run of utility storage drawers out of recycled 3/4″ T&G subfloor; it’s a welcome change of pace from exotic timber and joinery tolerances measured in thousandths.
Nice…
Like the window in there..