Homemade sailing boats made of plywood. Boat made from one sheet of plywood

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The development and emergence of such an unusual project is due to the widespread interest of sailing enthusiasts in maritime antiquities. A small and shallow-draft (draft 1.5 m), but quite seaworthy cruising yacht, designed for long-distance voyages with a crew of 8-9 people, has been given some features characteristic of sailing ships of the XVIII - early XIX century - the heyday of the sailing fleet. At the same time, the project provides for the use modern materials and hull design, as well as technological techniques used today...

The vessel's mast was designed taking into account the main features of shipbuilding from the times of the sailing fleet: the “classical” proportions and principles of armament were preserved. In the old days, masts of small ships were most often made in one piece or assembled from well-fitted parts - pieces held together from the outside with vulings (tied with a strong cable) every 800-1000 mm...

For some time now, operations with the 48-kilogram “Whirlwind” have become difficult for me - carrying it from the storage place to the boat, attaching it to the transom, removing it from the boat, etc. A dream appeared about a leisurely displacement boat with an economical inboard engine, with a cabin , which would protect from rain and wind. This is how the boat shown in the photo and sketch appeared, equipped with a four-stroke air-cooled UD-25 carburetor engine...

Captain Vrungel believed that whatever you name the ship, it will sail. We will not argue with the old, proven sea wolf, but we will still put forward our opinion - the more carefully and carefully you prepare the drawings of a plywood boat with your own hands, so it will serve you long years and in any weather. It is the drawings of the vessel that will determine all your future decisions.

They are the ones who will introduce you to this world of shipbuilding, where Anglo-Dutch terminology rules. And understanding the terminology of boat design elements, and therefore successfully reading the proposed drawing, is fundamentally important.

According to the old axiom, start from the stove

Blueprints homemade boat made of plywood must include strict instructions on how to fasten all elements - this is a key issue for the entire structure

Indeed, terminology, when throwing yourself into such a bottomless field as boat building, is of great and crucial importance. We bring to your attention its fundamentals regarding the design of boats, which appear everywhere in the drawings.

Terminology

Therefore, understand these terms very carefully; they literally permeate any worthwhile drawing of a boat made of any material.

In the side view we note the following structural elements boats, and it is impossible to say which of them is most important and which is less important, all elements are required to be used:

A – frame. You can choose the option of an ordinary punt, without frames, but when it comes to such an aspiration thrown on the Internet as “do-it-yourself plywood boat drawings”, the reliability and strength of the structure comes to the fore, which means frames are required;
Spacing is the distance between two frames. The most important characteristic design of any boat;
B - sternpost;
C - stem;
D – timber
E – keelson. A very desirable design element, which, however, is often discarded for boats;
F – fender. You cannot do without this element if you are going to add a superstructure to the boat. For open models, the fender is not used.
I – breshtuk. We strongly advise you not to neglect this element; the strength of the entire structure greatly depends on it.
J – book. The bracket is also extremely important in ensuring the strength of the boat.
K – stringer. It is also an indispensable element if you approach construction with the utmost care.

The top view introduces a few more important terms:

A – beam;
B – half beam. Goes into a full beam if you do not build a superstructure on the boat;
C – karengs;
D – midsection.

The view from the forecastle introduces terms that will be fundamentally important at a more advanced stage of construction, when it becomes necessary to strengthen the boat’s hull and install a sail and keel, also improving sailing performance:

A – tongue and groove belts;
B – keel. By ensuring the keel weight is 50 percent of the weight of the entire boat, you significantly increase its stability. After all, you never know how the rolling will affect you or future passengers, and a solid supply of sucking sweets and even ginger can do little to prolong the pleasure of being on the water, except to quickly get to the shore;
C – steps. Mandatory if you are putting up a mast;
D – tongue and groove;
E – partners. This is the name of the hole in the superstructure for the passage of the mast. Of course, if you don’t have an add-on, then you can forget about partners for now;
F – velhout. A very important sheet pile belt at the level of the waterline, water;
H – shearstrek. The topmost tongue and groove belt.
G – water level;
I – waterweiss. This element is already an element of the add-in.

Plywood

The most common material for making boats today is, of course, carbon fiber. But this material is the domain of industry. When it comes to independent creativity, such “folk” material as plywood comes to the fore..

Plywood or in other words, wood-laminated board - construction material, created by gluing specially produced veneer. Usually the number of veneer layers is odd and, in any case, more than 3. To increase the strength of plywood, each subsequent layer of veneer with its wood fibers is perpendicular to the fibers of the previous layer. Frames are the basis of any floating craft. Drawings of plywood boats that claim to be something more than the title of punt should have a separate option - the location of the frames

Characteristics of plywood

When choosing plywood for boat construction, it is very important to choose the right type.

Based on the arrangement of wood fibers on the outer layers, plywood is distinguished:

Longitudinal, when the fibers are directed along the long side, and,
Transverse - along the short one.

To build a boat, it is better to choose a longitudinal one.
Of course, such an isometric drawing is also possible, but this is the simplest option for the “free plywood boat drawings” section - there are no frames, and the work is in many ways similar to assembly children's construction set, except that the details are tens of times larger

By purpose, plywood is divided into:

construction,
industrial,
packaging,
furniture, and
structural – this is exactly what we choose for our purposes.

There is a classification of plywood in relation to the effects of moisture, which is fundamentally important for a boat:

FBA is like this, but you shouldn’t choose it, it doesn’t meet the strict requirements for moisture resistance;
FC – this is the designation for plywood that is sufficiently resistant to moisture;
FSF - and so, with increased moisture resistance;
FB – impregnated with bakelite varnish, such plywood is considered the most resistant and can be used even in aggressive environments, which is important in our case, and under water;
BS - this one is simply impregnated with bakelite glue. Consider that if you have such plywood at your disposal, then the success of the whole business is 50% guaranteed. This plywood is quite for a long time specifically used in aircraft and shipbuilding. It happily combines all the qualities necessary for a boat craftsman - excellent flexibility, highest strength, complete waterproofness, and also resistance to rotting and deterioration;
BV - but don’t be fooled by this one, it is in many ways similar to BS, but does not have moisture resistance.

Helpful advice!
When choosing plywood for boat construction, we recommend paying attention to laminated plywood.
At the very least, it will be just great if you use one as tongue and groove belts or on the outside of the case if it is single-layer.
This will greatly improve the driving performance of your creation, because water is a medium in which frictional force plays a significant role.
On the other hand, you should not use laminated plywood inside the boat.
Its slippery surface itself, and even wetted with water, can cause a lot of trouble.

Principal characteristics

When it comes to using plywood to build a boat, it is important to choose plywood based on its quality, determined by the number of knots per square meter of the outer layer.

There are 5 quality levels here:

E – so-called elite quality, when there are no knots at all. It is probably unnecessary to say that it is always necessary to strive to choose just such plywood;
Well, then, a simple classification of quality - I, II, III and IV. In the latter case, the number of knots is not controlled.
I – maximum length knots and warping does not exceed 20 mm;
II - cracks no more than 200 mm, wood inserts are permissible, and glue leakage is permissible only on an area of 2% of total area leaf;
III – no more than 10 pieces of knots with a diameter of no more than 6 mm. There is even a limit on the total number of deficiencies - no more than 9;
IV is the most poor quality with even fallen knots and edge defects of up to 5 mm.

Operating conditions requirements

Most likely, for building a boat you will choose as the most common one. There is also birch plywood, but its use is limited by too high a price.

Another thing is very important here - the quality of processing of the outer surface of the plywood sheet.

Based on this indicator, plywood is distinguished:

NS – unpolished;
Ш1 – polished on one side;
Ш2 - polished on both sides.

Here it is fundamental and mandatory to use the sanded side of the plywood with outside housings. It is advisable, for safety reasons, not to use the polished side on the inside.

Dimensions

A natural characteristic of any sheet of plywood is its size.

The industry, according to standards, produces sheets of the following four sizes:

1525 x 1525 mm;
1220 x 2440 mm;
1500 x 3000 mm;
1525 x 3050 mm.

Your choice will largely depend on the size of the boat.

Helpful advice!
All the given characteristics of plywood must be indicated in the specification of the boat drawings.
Under no circumstances agree to purchase the proposed boat drawings if they are not accompanied by a detailed explanatory note describing all the nuances of manufacturing, and most importantly, the choice of type of plywood.
The drawings must indicate the degree of processing of the external sides of the housing.
In this regard grinding machine will be one of the most in demand in your work.

conclusions

Building a boat is a fascinating creative process for people who still like to live, who are not afraid to experiment and have a design streak. (see also) But, on the other hand, you shouldn’t reinvent the wheel, be sure to get acquainted with all the photo materials, study the terminology and various Constructive decisions.

Prepare yourself for possible reworking of unsuccessful decisions. Know how to “talk to yourself” and communicate with experienced masters. Only in this case is the success of the entire enterprise called “building a plywood boat with your own hands” possible.

In the video presented in this article you will find additional information on this topic.

First of all, hello everyone! This boat has been in my dreams for a long time; a few years ago I made a model of this boat, but somehow I didn’t have time. And then my Ufimka burst (it’s about time, it’s been built since 1985), so much so that a meter-long hole appeared in the side in the shape of the letter “G”. Believe me, if I wanted, I could repair it, but imagine how much material I immediately had: oarlocks, magnificent bottom and side fabric rubber, oars, etc. All that remains is to purchase sheet plastic. I also considered aluminum as an option, but after becoming familiar with the properties of polypropylene (it is also lighter than water), I finally settled on plastic. I’ll make a reservation right away, nothing worked out with the swaddle - about 1000 NIS for one sheet, but I need at least two. I chose 3mm plastic with the main properties: not to crack under bending load and to keep the rivet line from destruction (many samples cracked precisely along the line of the holes for the rivets) at a price of 200 NIS per sheet. My initial conditions were the following: a folding boat, with a maximum folded length of 1.5 m, 2-seater with a carrying capacity of at least 180 kg, absolute buoyancy, i.e. non-sinking even when completely filled with water, stern, keel with the keel transitioning to a minimum at the stern, stable in waves, light when working with oars and with small own weight, with an option for a small electric motor and with useful devices, such as a “chest of drawers” for accessories and boxes for bait under the seats, light racks for spinning rods and, of course, with minimal time for installation and dismantling. I met all these parameters. Boat weight 18 kg. And now its dimensions: in working condition, length 2.5 m, width 0.95 m, side height 0.3 m, total height 0.45 m; in transport condition: length 1.5 m, width 0.3 m, package thickness 0.08 m. The kit also includes 2 seats, a stern insert, frame stiffening tubes and oars. Now let's talk about how we had to achieve some parameters. Buoyancy - strips of material similar to soldiers' mattresses are glued along the sides (they do not sink and are moisture resistant), the same strips are glued to the seats and feed, all the frame tubes are plastic with plugs at the ends, which does not allow water to fill them, in extreme cases, if this will not be enough (although this is unlikely) I marked on the bow and stern of the boat places for attaching 2 floats, similar to those of the rescuers from the famous TV series). As a connecting material, I used rubber strips from the bottom, and the aft flexible part from the side of my Ufimka, set with glue and then riveted. I carried out all the work in my apartment, in the absence of household members - fortunately, when they arrived, the entire system was easily hidden behind the sofa.

I indicated the weight of the boat -18kg. Cost: 400 sh - plastic, 100 sh - glue and rivets, 100 sh - pipe and couplings for the stiffening frame, 50 sh - connecting screws with wing nuts and fasteners for side plastic. Everything else: rubber and oarlocks from an old boat, plywood for the seats and under the oarlocks - scraps, edging along the top of the side - scraps of pipes for drip irrigation. And the rest is hands. I don’t know how much it might cost for sale, maybe the fishermen themselves will appreciate it? As for the pressure on the bottom seam, I distributed the main pressure (in a sitting position) over 3 seams, there is an option for a tube connection and side seams under oblique supports in the same way as the keel part. As for the flooring, it is enough wooden lattice 50x60cm between the seats with two transverse ribs along the outline of the bottom. I also want to put umbrella fabric over the top with Velcro from the bow of the boat to the first seat in case of rain, to keep things dry. At first I wanted to make a 3-meter one, but I had to buy another sheet of plastic with a large remainder after cutting. So I went with the minimum.

PS. The cost of materials is indicated in SHEKELS.

Production time, so slowly, is about a week. It took a lot of time to find suitable plastic. I’m retired, so when my household left, I took everything out from behind the back of the sofa and did it. I already wrote that the rubber, rowlocks and oars I had were from a broken boat, and the rest was a matter of technique. But first I made a layout from thin plastic by 25 cm. And with this boat it was easier for me also because it is my second homemade boat. The first was a frame made of plastic pipes and thin tarpaulin. When disassembled, it was no longer than a meter. In short, a bag with tubes and a cover. I want to do something like this too. That one was even lighter, and with the current choice of material, there should be shine.
As for the pattern, everything is simple. The width of the canvas is 30cm, the short part is 1 meter long, the bow part is 1.5 meters. Step back 1 meter from the nose edge and bring it in two arcs to the middle. It is clearly visible in the photo. But I still advise you to start with a small model. There, instead of rubber, you can use adhesive tape. The model can provide everything possible options, and it’s much easier to correct mistakes. To be honest, I didn’t give any importance to the name of the plastic. At first I was looking for polypropylene, since it is not brittle and is lighter than water, but it has an exorbitant (for me) price. Then he began to select according to the principle: crushed, touched, broken. The main condition is not to burst at full bend (this means that the body will not burst upon impact), and not to crack along the holes for the rivets. And I maintained buoyancy in a flooded state due to additional side linings from a soldier’s rug. The glue is ordinary rubber, but the main condition for gluing is: cleaning, degreasing and degreasing the surfaces to be bonded, and mandatory soaking for min. 15 minutes after applying the glue, before joining. And I also think it is very important to additionally cover the edges of the rubber strips along the entire length of the boat with thin strips of rubberized fabric, like on factory boats.
About the changes. Already changed: the boat is designed for 2 people, but with one person the center of gravity moves to the “bow” of the boat and it goes down, and the stern rises, the wave overwhelms us, so the seat for the rower was moved closer to the center of gravity, which is easy to determine from the layout -models. Regarding the height of the side, I proceeded from the maximum cutting of a standard sheet. but, for the future, I think that a side width of 40 cm, instead of 33, will still be preferable, and stability will increase due to an increase in the overall width of the boat.

The boat is double in terms of the number of seats and carrying capacity.
There is no need to hit anyone with oars; when there are two in the boat, the seat is inserted closer to the “bow” of the boat, and when there is only one, then 30 cm to the stern. As for convenience, it is naturally more convenient for one person, but, if desired, the boat can handle the other. Good luck!

Folding boat for Mercury 3.3

Homemade folding boat

InstaBOAT For Sale_Setup the Boat

A large number of fishermen are convinced that the best fishing equipment can only be made with your own hands. Fishermen learned to make not only gear, but also swimming equipment.

The process of building a watercraft is very exciting and allows you to fully realize your creative potential.

Contents

Manufacturing Features

When building a boat, it is worth considering that the most significant element of the frame part is the base on which the remaining parts (keel) are attached.

The bow area is formed by the stem and is fixed on one side. In the aft part, the fastening is carried out by the sternpost - elements responsible for ensuring the longitudinal rigidity of the structure.

They can be made from wooden materials (solid) or glued together separately and fixed with nails and screws.

The transverse parts of the hull allow you to achieve bends and transverse contours, which adds the necessary rigidity to the craft. In the upper part of the stem and sternpost there are boards connected to the frames. This design forms the sides.

The resulting frame is covered with plywood. A deck (slant) is placed in the inside of the boat. This creates the lower deck.

Boats made of plywood material can be equipped with a motor or oars. The main difference in the design is the aft part. For motorized watercraft, a transom (made of multi-layer plywood) is installed in the stern.

Upon request, the boats can be equipped with a cockpit, deck stringers and side stringers. To ensure good buoyancy, the niches must be filled with foam, which will prevent the vessel from capsizing.

Deciding on the parameters

Experts presented the most comfortable parameters for a watercraft made on the basis of plywood, the thickness of which is within 5 mm:

The length of the hull (from bow to transom) is 4.5 (m);
The width indicator in the widest part of the body (measurements taken from the top) is 1.05 (m);
The boat depth indicator is 0.4 (m).

The most important stage construction is considered to be the construction of a drawing. You can take finished drawing presented on websites on the Internet or make it yourself.

It is very important to study the proposed drawing very carefully if the diagram is taken from the Internet. It is recommended to construct a scale drawing on graph paper. This will allow you to accurately calculate the body elements.

Stages of creating a general plan sketch

The first step is to draw an axial (or diametrical) plane - a line dividing the body part along its length into a pair of equal parts. Considering the symmetry of the image of the boat, all elements should be adjusted as accurately as possible.
The diametrical type plane is divided into proportional segments. Frames will be located in these areas.
Drawing a vertical projection swimming device.
Let's move on to construction top view.
Drawing frame plans along transverse lines.
Making sure the locations are consistent and the scale of all parts.
Having drawn up a sketch of the frames, we proceed to constructing its drawing, using a scale of 1 to 1. It is advisable to build drawings on a cardboard base, which will allow you to easily transfer it to plywood.
To ensure the necessary smoothness, you should connect the points with a metal ruler (from the keel to the side area).
Having folded the drawing along the diametrical plane, we check the symmetry. It is very important that the sides accurately follow their contours.

Transferring an image from a template to plywood

After checking the symmetry of all elements, we first transfer the image onto a cardboard base. After this, we move on to transferring the templates onto plywood, while accurately observing all the contours. Under no circumstances should you add extra allowances! When transferring the template, the order of the fibers is observed with absolute precision.

Materials and tools

When creating a swimming device, you cannot do without the following materials and tools:

screwdriver;
manual milling machine;
grinding machine (manual type);
clamps;
jigsaw;
waterproof plywood with a thickness of 5 mm (2.5 by 1.25);
waterproof plywood with a thickness of 6 mm (1.5 sheets);
planed boards (at least 25 mm thick);
slats (wood);
nails (brass);
wood screws;
epoxy resin;
varnish (waterproof type);
fiberglass;
timber (50 by 3400);
timber (40 by 20 by 4000).

Manufacturing process

The assembly of the frame part begins on the workbench and ends on the floor (ground).

To avoid mistakes during the assembly process, it is recommended to use the instructions below:

We lay the keel on the workbench.
We attach a sternpost with a transom to one of the sides of the keel. The stem is connected to the second side.
Using nails, the keel part (together with the frames) and the stems are connected. We carefully check everything for any distortions. If there are any, adjustments must be made. To do this, a string is stretched between the transom and the stem.
Making sure that the axes are completely aligned, we make the final fastening.
Thin fabric is saturated with paint(sufficiently thick) and is distributed between existing connections.
After securing the stems, we proceed to installing the frames. To ensure tight fixation, the cut under the keel should be made slightly narrower than the frame (a couple of mm).
The fit is checked using a stretched rope. An exact match with the beams must be ensured.
Install frames It is recommended to maintain an angle of 90 degrees.
We finally fasten the frames.
Having completed all the operations, we set the deflection angle. For this purpose, round bars can be used, temporarily attached to the outer parts of the keel (from the inside).
We insert between the timber and the keel wooden beam(11 cm).
Fastening is carried out exclusively with bars, which will prevent the occurrence of transom distortions.
Let's move on to covering the frame. It is advisable to transfer the entire sheet sketch to a reduced size of cardboard and cut it out.
Draw an image for cutting on plywood(observing sheet dimensions).
Let's try out the templates.
Cutting out using a jigsaw(small teeth) all the details. We make a margin of no more than 2 mm. It is very important to add an additional 70 mm for joining sheets.
Using threads driven in (between the boards), we align the axes of the elements. We glue and wait for it to harden.
Using small cloves, we shoot down identical parts of the craft.
We carefully customize between each other with a plane.
We drill holes (2 mm in diameter) at a distance of 12 mm from the edges of the cheekbones, observing a step of 50 mm, intended for fasteners (wire). It is the clamps that will become reliable connectors.
The plating is attached starting from the bow of the vessel. It should be fixed with copper wire through the holes that are made along the bottom and side. The wire is twisted from the outside a couple of turns.
Next we make the cladding transom and bottom.
The assembled sides are subject to installation and are temporarily connected.
The bottom is assembled according to the same principle, as the sides.
We install the transom and fasten it using screws(3 by 18) and adhesive base, while maintaining a distance of about 0.5 cm.
If the side elements protrude beyond the transom towards the stern, then you can use a plane to level the edges.
Finally tighten the paper clips with pliers. We crimp everything in the inner area.
Each crack and joint of the watercraft must be taped with fiberglass tapes. The width of the first layer should reach 28 mm, subsequent layers should be about 75 mm. When placing each subsequent layer, we move it a little (on different sides).
After the fiberglass has hardened, it is necessary to remove the protruding edges of the fasteners. We glue the outer area with fiberglass.
To increase the degree of rigidity and increase the service life, it is necessary to strengthen the bottom with strips. To do this, holes for screws are drilled on the planks (the pitch is 25-28 cm). All the blanks, laid out in places, are fixed with screws, marked with a felt-tip pen and removed. Only after each basting has been treated with an adhesive base can the blanks be screwed into place. After the glue dries, the screws are unscrewed, and the resulting holes are clogged with nails cut from wood.
Taking off assistive devices , fill all the holes in the casing with a mixture of epoxy resin and sawdust.
External part of the watercraft processed with glue and fiberglass.
The inside of the boat is covered hot drying oil.
The ship is being painted oil based.

Boat testing

After self-made boats should be taken out onto the pond and be sure to be tested. Checking speed characteristics, it is necessary to create conditions as close to reality as possible. In addition, testing is carried out with different levels loads.

IN in this case You can use an independent exit with two people on board. However, it is advisable that total weight did not exceed 150 kg. You can measure your speed with a GPS navigator.

It is important to consider that motors with low power (5 hp) have difficulty withstanding increased load. This situation will get worse if the boat is too short.

Therefore, for such motors the recommended load does not exceed 90-100 kg, otherwise it will be impossible to switch to planing mode. The sufficient length of the boat and a good motor will allow you to easily plan even when fully loaded (150-160 kg).

When making a floating craft, all irregularities are necessary that appear after applying epoxy glue, sand sandpaper.
Any flaw can be filled with putty moisture resistant type.
There shouldn’t be any particular difficulties when building a boat., however, it is extremely important to follow all the recommendations of experts regarding the step-by-step process.
Before cutting the material, you should once again make sure that the measurements are correct. and only after that start cutting out the parts.
Picking up wood material for the manufacture of watercraft, preference should be given to products without knots and cracks. We select only the highest quality specimens.
At correct execution After assembling the structure, you can be confident in the strength and reliability of the boat. Products made from plywood very rarely leak.
A boat made from plywood is light, which does not cause any special problems during transportation.

Fishing enthusiasts or simply people living near some body of water sooner or later face the question of purchasing a boat. It can provide not only pleasant boat trips under the gentle sun, but also accessibility to the most catchable places where trophy fish are found. For many people, buying a boat ready for launch is very expensive, but a boat made of plywood, built with your own hands, will cost several times less. And this process itself, interesting and creative, will bring a lot of pleasure.

Let's dispel doubts

After hearing the phrase - a boat made of plywood - some pessimists will twist their finger at their temples and say that this is absolutely impossible. Like, making a real watercraft from thin and straight plywood, and one that can support more than one person, is a utopia. In fact, this is quite possible. Moreover, you can build not just a small punt, but even a real sailing yacht, and if a small outboard motor is installed on the reinforced transom, and a cockpit is made on the bow, you will get something like a boat. So what, the boat will work out. And these are not fishing tales.

Plywood comes in different thicknesses and strengths. Cutting parts to size and different configurations from it is even easier than from boards. In addition, it bends well enough to give the sides the desired roundness. Modern means to ensure the moisture resistance of a plywood boat is also sufficient. Therefore, for someone who decides to make a boat on their own, only three things are needed: desire, a working head and hands that are not afraid of work. Everything else can be easily found.

Well, the advantages of a plywood boat are simply undeniable:

Light weight. The simplest punt weighs only 15-20 kg.
A well-made boat can last a very long time.
There are boat designs that can easily support up to 5 people.
Cheapness.

Preparations for work

Setting out to build your own plywood boat, the first thing you need to do is find the appropriate room in which all the work will be carried out. It should be spacious, dry, with good lighting. Sudden changes temperatures and high humidity are categorically excluded. The entire production will take enough time, which is stupid to waste in the summer, when you can do other things. Therefore, work is usually carried out either in winter or spring, so the atmosphere in the “production workshop” plays a very important role. Untreated plywood does not tolerate moisture well, but glue and impregnating liquids are applied better and with better quality in warmth. Yes and paint ready product It's also better in the warmth.

Second required action- this is a drawing. There should be no problem with this - you can find it on the Internet in just a few minutes. But even purchasing material without it is not worth it.

There is no point in starting work without a quality drawing.

There are different types of homemade plywood boats, and you need to choose a project that you can carry out yourself. If this is your first experience in shipbuilding, then it is best to choose the project of the most ordinary punt. Despite the simplicity of the design, the possibilities it provides are almost unlimited. You can hang a motor on it, and even put a mast. And under the oars she walks just fine.

Having calculated from the drawing what and how much material is needed, you can begin purchasing it.

Material

It is not worth reminding that the material from which the plywood boat will be built must be of high quality. The plywood itself is without knots, the glue is only from a trusted manufacturer, and the impregnating liquids too.

The entire list looks like this:

Sheet plywood 1.5-1.5 m, 5 mm thick, grade BS, BK or FSF.
Several boards, preferably oak.
Fiberglass.
Putty.
Waterproof glue.
Waterproof impregnation for wood or drying oil.
Waterproof enamel or Oil paint.
Self-tapping screws.
Nails.
Copper wire.

When choosing plywood, you need to carefully inspect the edges for chips and cracks at the ends. You shouldn’t hope that you can saw off a couple of centimeters. Everything else can be easily and at a very affordable price purchased at any hardware or hardware store.

Tool

A good owner, who is accustomed to independently produce certain things in the house renovation work, the set of tools is already there. Even with interest. Directly building a boat will require the following arsenal:

Jigsaw.
Electric planer.
Screwdriver.
A circular saw.
Sander.
Plane.
Hacksaw.
Hammer.
Pliers.
Screwdrivers.
Metal ruler.
Chisel.
Spatulas.
Brushes.
Clamps.
Drawing set.
Graph paper.
Cardboard.

Having prepared everything according to these two lists, you can proceed directly to work.

Power tools will make the job much easier

Let's start drawing

Marking the contours of the boat directly on a plywood sheet would be rather reckless. A small mistake and the vessel will yaw to the side or tilt to one side. Therefore, it is better to first draw a diagram or sketch on graph paper in full size. Moreover, the word diagram is not very appropriate here, because it is necessary to strictly maintain the dimensions.

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

A center line is drawn dividing the bottom of the boat lengthwise.
At one end, a transom line is drawn perpendicularly to size.
The installation points of the frames are marked on the center line itself.
At these points, perpendiculars are drawn to suit the size of the frames.
Using patterns, the bottom itself is drawn.
The resulting diagram is folded in half along the center line to check symmetry.

Patterns for the sides, frames and transom are made in the same way, taking into account their sizes and configurations. But the drawing doesn't end there. Now, after the symmetry of the bottom and the sameness of the sides have been carefully checked, the stage of transferring the drawing onto a cardboard template begins. The graph paper is too thin, but it will be much easier to transfer the drawing onto plywood from a cardboard template without errors.

First gluing

If you managed to get sheet plywood that matches the length of the future boat, that’s good. But if you have ordinary sheets of 1.5-1.5 meters, you will have to glue them together. Most The best way– gluing with a mustache.

Mustache gluing is the strongest connection between plywood sheets

A distance equal to 10-12 sheet thicknesses is retreated from the edge of the sheet and ground off at an angle with a plane. After this, you need to go through the sander and do the same operations with the second sheet. Cleaned and degreased surfaces are smeared with glue, carefully connected and secured with clamps. Since clamps can only be placed at the edges, a weight must be placed in the center. After the glue has dried, the clamps can be removed, but let the product sit for at least another day.

Cutting out parts

After the glue has dried and all burrs and smudges at the gluing site have been removed, you can transfer the dimensions of the bottom and sides using cardboard templates. During this simple process, you should ensure that there are no allowances even of a couple of millimeters. Especially on different sides.

Then a jigsaw with a small-toothed file tucked into it is used. Large ones can clutter the cutting edge. But even after a small one, it’s better to carefully go through it with medium-sized sandpaper. You need to cut carefully, without rushing. One wrong movement, the slightest deviation from the drawn line - and in best case scenario you will have to go back a few centimeters, in the worst case, start this part from the very beginning. That is, from drawing a new one.

You can draw and cut frames right away in full size. But you'll have to think about the transom. If intended powerboat, then it needs to be strengthened. There are two options. One is to cut several identical parts from plywood and glue them together. Or make a transom from a solid board with a thickness of at least 25 mm.

Let's start collecting

The boat is assembled using the “sew and glue” principle. It’s better to start with the transom - then it will be easier to install the sides. Holes of such a diameter are drilled in the rear of the bottom and in the lower part of the transom that the copper wire can pass through. The holes must be strictly opposite each other. Using pieces of wire, the transom is attached to the bottom. After making sure that the edges match, you need to tighten the twists of the wire with pliers.

Instead of copper wire, you can take a wire of suitable diameter

The sides are attached in a similar way, starting from the stern and ending with the last twist at the bow of the boat. At this point, the result is a collapsible model, which can still be corrected. Trim excess, smooth out uneven areas. After the next operation, you can forget about dismantling tactics.

Second gluing

Or rather, gluing the seams between the bottom, sides and transom in order not only to secure the parts, but also to ensure moisture resistance. A strip of fiberglass is carefully laid on the seam and carefully coated with moisture-resistant glue. In this case, one layer is not enough. You will need at least three. And if the first layer of fiberglass is approximately 100 mm, that is, 50 on each side, then the second and third layers should be wider. 125-135 mm. it will be just right, only each subsequent layer needs to be shifted a little - one towards the bottom, the other, on the contrary, towards the side. This is done so that the fiberglass comes into contact and sticks directly to the plywood. After the glue dries properly, this folding gasket will turn into almost real plastic, and this will guarantee that the boat is moisture resistant.

Installation of frames

The frames are installed strictly in place on the adhesive base and screwed with self-tapping screws. After the glue has dried, the screws are unscrewed, and the holes left by them are filled with the same glue. If nails are used instead of self-tapping screws, then after pulling them out, you need to hammer wooden nails and coat with glue.

Final imparting moisture resistance

This completes the construction of the boat. What remains is internal and exterior decoration, serving not only for aesthetics, but also to ensure that the boat does not leak. Ordinary wooden boats will be tarred, but what to impregnate a plywood boat with - there is a very specific answer to this question. On the outside, all seams and the entire body are treated with fiberglass and glue, in the same way as was done when gluing the parts. Before this operation, the protruding wire should be removed or cut off. The inside of the plywood boat is impregnated with hot drying oil.

When covering a boat with fiberglass, you must carefully ensure that there are no bubbles.

Painting

At this point, the construction of the plywood boat can be considered complete. It will take some time to dry, and by and large you can already swim on it. On oars, with the help of an engine, if you tried to make the transom for a motor, or even under a sail, if this is provided for by the design. It is already completely waterproof, but absolutely not aesthetically pleasing. Painting is the most final stage, and then the production of the boat will be completed completely.

There are two options here. Or oil paint - the color is chosen according to taste - for fishing, something merging with nature, for walking, something brighter. Or waterproof enamel, selected according to the same principle. You'll have to wait a little longer until the paint or enamel dries - and you can safely set sail.

Main

Before you start building a plywood boat yourself, you need to understand that such homemade products do not tolerate careless approach to the matter. This may affect not only appearance products, but also on your own safety and reliability. The first thing you need to pay special attention to is the room in which the work will be carried out. If it was decided to build a boat in winter or in early spring, then you need to exclude drafts and high humidity.

The second thing you need to pay special attention to is the material and tools. Plywood must be selected without knots, glue, paint and drying oil only from a trusted manufacturer. The tool must be in in perfect order. The jigsaw is equipped with a file with small teeth.

If you are planning a motor boat, special attention should be paid to the transom. To make it, it is better to take a whole oak board. Plywood glued together in several layers will also work, but the board will be more reliable.

You should also strictly monitor the symmetry of the bottom and the uniformity of the sides. Incorrect bending of one side on a boat or on a dinghy, depending on what is being built, will lead to the fact that it will scour the water or pull to one side.

And lastly: there is no need to rush under any circumstances. If the instructions for the glue indicate that it should dry for three days, then further work you need to start only on the fourth. The same principles apply with paint and drying oil.

Building a plywood boat yourself is not an easy task. But there’s nothing particularly complicated about it. You just need to spend some time and apply maximum knowledge and skills, which can be easily gleaned both on the Internet and from more knowledgeable people. But after completing this interesting and creative work you will be able to safely go to the reservoir on a unique watercraft built with your own hands.

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