Aluminum 12' twin sponson boat

[Doug Doty]

I am building a 12' twin sponson boat and here is the 1st of two of the sponsons to be welded up. It is made of 5053 aluminum and welding with 5356 filler. It gets a 40 hp. mercury. Will look kind of like a www.craigcat.com boat with 3 wide seating when it is done. The top is still loose as there is stuff going on inside still to come. This is my first major aluminum project other than some small tanks and tabs and such. It did not go with out problems as I learned how plasma cutting leaves an oxidated edge and i made it hard on myself by getting it all tacked up from the inside and not being able to adequatly clean after I realized I needed to dress all the edges that were done on the HD plasma table. The 2nd. one should go much better and only take 1/3 of the time.

Using a Miller Dynasty 300DX TigRunner

[Winger Ed.]

Cool project.
I hope it comes out well. Something you might consider is to pour it full of that 2lb/sqft foam stuff. It'll make it almost indestructible, as well as unsinkable.

After I got off into Alum. boats back in the 80's.....
I'll never go back or build one out of resins or termite bait.

Here's a couple pictures of the 2nd boat I built in Al...
Its a work in progress. I still can't get it over 90mph with the stock Merc. 150.

With a few trips to the scrap yard, and a TIG----
you can make your dreams come true.

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...76082519ymNNLn


..

[fun4now]

thats going to be a realy cool lil boat when you get it finished up. be shore to post us more pic's as it progresses.
Winger Ed.
thats a nice looking boat too, what is the long tube section for??? looks like you were planing on putting in a jet engen. that thing has got to be fun.

do you guys have to get a builders title for them so you can get a boat licence # or some thing like that or can you just use it as a home made boat without any one messing with you ??

[Doug Doty]

I'm in Indiana and it is next to nothing, same as a homemade trailer. Get it inspected, they issue a #, you affix the # to the hull, get it re-inspected and go backe to the DMV for your registration #s

Ed Winger. I feel the same way, I have always dug building stuff, My welder brings me a ton of enjoyment.

Here is a few of the projects I have done in the last 3 years.

[fun4now]

Doug Doty
ok you are oficaly haveing too much fun in that shop.

[Doug Doty]

I have always spent most of my time in my shop but for some reason the last couple of years I have got bound and determined to improve my welding skills. I have a buddy that is an ace welder and that is probably what is driving me to be better. I asked him to come down this evening and he helped me a bunch. i am working with clean raw edges now and things are a ton better. Got another half of a pontoon welded up this eve while I was getting lessons from Vernon House my mentor. This aluminum stuff really makes you buckle down and seperates the men from the boys, I am just coming out of puberty I think.

Doug...

[Winger Ed.]

Winger Ed.
, what is the long tube section for???
do you guys have to get a builders title for them so you can get a boat licence # or some thing like that or can you just use it as a home made boat without any one messing with you ??

I don't want to steal Doug's thread, but its just a cowling that covers a frame to help reinforce the hull's ability to resist a twisting motion.

To title a homemade boat** here you take all the reciets for your materials to the Game Warden/Parks & Wildlife office and they inspect it, make a value judgment that it is what you claim it to be,,,, then issue a title with the manufacturer's box stating 'homemade'.


**
Its the same with a homemade car, you just go to the DMV/license plate office instead.

.

[fun4now]

heck if its that simple i might just make me a car & amd boat, gotta hall it to the watter right.
thanks

[Doug Doty]

Here is the two sponsons set up on horses with the tops just tacked on. I am going to start doing the tubing work in the morning that will tie everything together, create a foundation for the deck, seat mounts and motor mount. The deck will ride 1/2 an inch above the top of the sponsons and I think I will raise the seat pedestles 3-4 inches further above the deck. Low profile is the theme here. It is supposed to be more of a get wet and play toy than a pontoon boat idea.





Doug...

[fun4now]

that thing is looking great, are you just winging it, or did you get a set of plans??
also did you or are you going to fill th pontoons with pore in foam ??
i'm realy wishing i had the $$ for some aluminum more and more every time i see this post.