You are doing this quickly Don. Good work too I can tell. You'll be getting it wet before much longer.

Final Gunwales today. If you want it finely fair and spray painted you'll have to come do it. Can always fair ir later.......winter. This is the best that this one-handed man can do. I found an old trailer for free with title and regs. Can't decide on which Semi-gloss paint color select: dark navy, dark teal, dark Burgundy.
Today its been one month since I first contacted you for the plans.



Yipee!

I once built 5 boats in 30 days flat, working with one employee. He's a civil engineer now. He was the best employee I ever had.

I'm working now on a boat I started 3 years ago. I have some health issues. One handed? I tried to teach fly tying to one armed veterans a few years ago. It isn't easy.

Working around injured vets can be humbling. I have both arms and all fingers all in working order but I can’t grip with my right thumb yet and it hurts when I try. Nothing compare to what some of these nice young men have been dealt in war. I’m very thankful for their willingness.
I would think that if it was staged perfectly and more of the components were pre-coldmolded that a one man crew could build one a week minus the paint.

It would be a rather generic boat though.

Easychair designing

Full size pattern.

Anchor
sprit halves

love that look

Gunnels

Dayum

Today was a day of seeming to tread water. There was no highly productive looking steps taken but allot was actually done. All the clamps were removed and the interior of the hull was sanded and the Gunnels as well. Then I glued and clamped the anchor sprit. Turns out that it was significantly enough twisted that I had to load it up with clamps and pull it around a little:


I added a strip for Sandy to catch sliding flyboxes on the rear seat:


Lastly I found this old anchor in the basement. I believe it was my son's from years ago but recently I had used it as a river anchor for my Carolina skiff, it may do okay for a while in the slow pools along the river:

I realize now why the gunnels should be level. To save the finish when stored upside down.......more bearing area.


Flat paint. Compass Blue by Behr.

You work quickly Don. I spent 3 hours in the shop today, mostly upside down on my "work on the oil pan" automotive cart--underneath the form I'm building on now. And ran out of gas.

When I turned 50 I still felt like I was 27. At 60 I realized my gas pedal only went half way down. At 70...........I ain't even saying. I can still work as long as it doesn't require figuring things out. Can still row all day for instance. But when I'm tired and I'm not sure how to accomplish what comes next, I almost always f&^k it up. Being smart takes more moxey than being strong.

I hear ya. It was decided that this build was to be more of a prototype. Sole purpose is to get me on the river safely. Earlier in the year I had purchased a Kayak. Once in the thing it is plenty comfy but boy its hard to get in and out of and if I ever flipped it would have been over. Not knowing any better I started looking for punt or simple rowboat plans when I found your site. There will be plenty of time to make a nice one some year but this one will hold up well and give me access to areas where motorboats can't go and in comfort to boot. Plus my Dog can be with me and/or also a son, Daughter or grandchild or two. Should be in by next weekend. will just be a plank for a seat for this year. I want to fish!

All that sounds good to me Bob. Yes 3/4" round over bit is what I use. Layup sounds good too.

Thanks Sandy
I'm sure I'll be back with more question as this progresses.
I live in San Antonio Tx and plan to use the boat on the Guadalupe river which is a tail water fishery, and also the Llano river which has a few class 1-2 rapids.

Sandy and others: has anyone seen and/or had time to read my comments on the trailer thread. I posted photos of the trailer I am converting and would like to know if you would leave the tongue way over length or fit it closer to the vehicle? The winch post is bolted and so is moveable. I could shorten it 3-4' if you think I should.

Trailer balance is important--and dangerous if you get it wrong. Too much weight on the front is annoying but generally safe. Too little weight on the front can cause chaos. I'm not going to say more. This is not my expertise.

Sunday or Monday is launch day. Its not done but its waterproof and has a launch permit. Today was a little bit of varnish and started fitting the Anchor Sprit which needs sanding and more varnish.

Launching this weekend. Five weeks of work.

I hope we get some launch photos Don

You will but it is likely to be very anti-climatic as Initially I'll be the only one in the photos.

There is still lots to do at a later date such as it needs a bow eye, seat tie downs, anchor, decently sized oars and more. But I'll just do a shot 5 mile float in areas with no rapids, in and out of Tubers, in great weather.

You cold take it over the water falls to make up for only one boat

No Water Falls for this trip. The kids say It'll be lucky if it floats. So between you advocating waterfalls and kids saying it may not float I'm in sad shape..........

Don
Finally made it through all of your posts. I'm thinking you build the whole thing w 3/8 " construction grade ply? Wow!
You taking it out on the Delaware for its first trip. Have fond memories of that river.

The Delaware is historic, peaceful and rewarding. Where I’m going there are no rapids but with one exception there is a brisk current, warm water and lots of wildlife. It should be good.

Bob I do not recommend sheathing anymore because of voids and delamination. But I’ve a little experience working with it. I was looking for a tiny rowboat or pram to build when I found Sandy’s site. It coinsided with a trip to Logan river and Bear Lake UT. Somewhere along there, Provo or Weber Rivers, I was reminded about driftboats and here I am.
I gotta say that in principle I like the Pram ends of the Buffalo. But I chose it for its footprint.

A little bedding compound, a drill bit and some screws now secure the El Cheapo brand oarlocks. They are sharp looking but are certainly not the heavy duty jobs that you folks would use. They'll do for these very short oars. My son-in-law said I should use a generator and the box fan to power the thing. Seems that there are doubting Thomas's and allot of nay-sayers in my support group.

great pictures and boat Don. Of course the Delaware is spectacular-especially for this parched Texas boy. Thanks for the pointers and inspiration.

The six foot oars were a hoot. Couldn't make great time rowing with them. In another year that issue will be solved. We saw an Eagle several times during the 5 mile float and it was inspiring. The grandkids were ages 2 1/2 to 12 and they sailed along with us on their kayaks and other contrivances. The river was so low that there were some frothy rapids at a couple places.Waves higher than the gunnels......pretty exciting for a hundred feet or so.

Anyway the point is that I liked how it performed and my dog approved. You will like yours as well. Wish I had 6 months to have built it. Maybe in the future.

For now Mission Accomplished!

Couple of things I noticed:

-I now no why so many coats of glass is used, (don't ask)

-I know if it is loaded off center and you stop rowing it circles and circles.

-I know why 8.5-9' oars are necessary

-I now know why so many boats have knee braces on them.

-I know why so many of the buffalo boats have an independent center seat for the guy fishing downstream.

-I know why seats need to b adjustable

-I know that at 265 lbs I would not like to have 3 of me in the boat.

-I know its nice to have the Dog sitting next to me. I missed him when I kayaked.

Need to check the bottom. Did plenty of bang-clang'in around in that Delaware. No wounds into the plywood but paint is needed. I also established the waterline.

Help me out fellow Drifters.
As you can see in the photos above I will need to repaint the bottom of the hull. Thankfully the fiberglass is intact and painting with house paint is easy. I am wondering how experienced boaters would have handled the situation. At two or three places we knew we would scrape but didn't know how much. Now that I know what "skinny" looks like I can now better assess what to do and I'm thinking that the next time down the river I'll deploy the anchor, get out, walk it through the shallows and then get back in. Is that what you all would have done if you knew that you were getting too shallow. Surely you don't sit there and become a casualty like I did.

I also see the need for knee braces and a pedestal for the downhill fly fisherman to sit on when not fishing. it would help keep the load centered. What happens is that it is human nature to look towards the direction you're heading and so anyone sitting on the comfy front deck will try to turn around and look at the bottom or up ahead. I had a scenario where every time I would stop correcting for it the boat would spin 180. Thats when I realized tha the front passenger was leaning out to starboard just enough to change the centerline pretty dramatically. Once I had the passenger turn back and center themselves the boat rowed straight again. But then all he had to look at was me and that was not fun for him (grandson).