Thread: Anyone ever build their own pontoon?

Well, I believe I just squashed another dream

In my 1st post, I stated 14" Sch 40 weighs-in at 5 lbs/foot. WRONG! It's closer to 12 lb/ft I was sure I'd read the #5/ft...but after doing some more looking tonight, I learned that was incorrect.

Yes, I could go smaller/multiple tubes, but that more than I want to fool with seeing as I'd need 1600 pounds of flotation (Actual required x 2).

Well, I could always buy this (I wish)

http://www.customgheenoe.com/wp-cont...reen-Stick.pdf

I don't know how large non-pressure piping comes, but I know 6" thin wall is way tougher than a fishing boat hull ever dreamed of being. I've pulled it out of the ground with a backhoe, and it just folds in half.

I haven't spent a ton of time looking CF, but didn't see much anything over 8". I've got a buddy who runs a plumbing wholesale, and may just go talk to him when I get back to IN. I just have the sneaking suspicion I'm not gonna find what I need (moreso in the weight I need).

Bah! Not gonna fret over it, my good time will end when I have to go back north.....what's a little more once I get back.

OK....I may not be outta the game just yet

I'd sworn I'd seen weight per foot in the 5 pound range, and I did. It was in Duct Style PVC: 16 x .187 Wall Gray PVC Duct Pipe Type 1 Grade 1 : PEP Plastic, Specializing in Plastic Engineered Products and is still in the 3/16" wall thickness range.

Now the good thing about that is, that was the business I was in (HVAC), and still have contacts I could check with about purchase

Here's the weight/foot chart:



And after doing a bit of recalculating load, I'd decided I'd up the size to 16" diameter. 15" diameter was the largest diameter shown on the flotation chart (I posted earlier) and says 2-10' floats have a capacity of 1530 pounds (again, requiring twice the actual load so the floats would be half above waterline, and I figured around 800 pound load, and I over-estimated, but would get a better actual weight, if/when it ever got to that point. If I could get by with 14" logs, all the better. Still puts a 16" x 10' log around 60 pounds (when capped on both ends), and loading on top the trailer could be done easily, given the round shape rolling over a larger V-shaped boat roller (keel or bow stop).

Back in the game!

Alright, after having some breakfast, I couldn't leave this alone now that I know I've not been shot out of the water just yet (pun intended).

I listed everything I'd have on the pontoon, from me, TM, Dual Batteries, Livewell w/ice, smaller cooler, minnow bucket w/water and bait, gear, seat and hardware, 3/4" deck, gear (rods and tackle), electronics, rodholders, blah-blah-blah, including the weight of the logs. I even added an "extra" 25 pounds.

My total came to 750 pounds. As mentioned, I need double that amount of flotation to keep at least 1/2 the logs above water, so I need 1500 pounds total flotation. The flotation chart I linked doesn't give stats on 14" pipe, so I did some math, and figured 14" diameter logs in 10' length would provide about 1260 pounds of flotation, not enough for what I need.

So, I re-figured based on a 16" diameter (at 10') and came-up with 1680 pounds of flotation. Bingo! Now I could consider longer but smaller diameter logs, but I'd rather keep the length short as possible (but not under 10' since that's a standard length), and not have to fool with cutting-down 20' sections with large drops that would basically be wasted. Actually due to the larger diameter of stepping-up to 16", that would come with a 20 pound weight increase, but I've got "extra capacity" left-over, plus I'd already added-in 25 pounds extra/just-in-case weight.

All that said, I'd redrawn my plans closer to scale:



And you can see the seat sets much closer to centerline now that things are more in proportion. I'd figured too that I don't need a "console" for the steer-stick, and bu simply pivoting a taller stick from a deck-mounted bracket, it will give me a much better stick-to-motor rotation ratio. In addition, all the bracketry and cable (which can run under the deck, and mount to the TM shaft under deck-level as well) can be easily removed for the knock-down process.





Since the TM would be center-mounted, as would my seat, the cables could "probably" run on a slight angle (allowing the stick to be mounted slightly off-center to clear the seat), but worse-case would be an additional set of pulleys.

Don't forget your pot for speed and (Fwd-Off-Rev) switch / mounting harware / cabling for the TM

Originally Posted by Chasing Ghosts

Don't forget your pot for speed and (Fwd-Off-Rev) switch / mounting harware / cabling for the TM

Forgot to mention, I may be getting a MinnKota Maximizer which I was told has the control mounted on a coiled cord. So I'm leaving that kind-of "open" for now. That would save from relocating the guts of the TM, and it could be left alone for now (aside from steering). Worse case would be I could modify the motor the same way (as the Maximizer), and just have a lead with a hand-mounted control lay across the deck when in use. Not like I'm going to be up wandering around, or having anyone else onboard to have an issue with it, plus just one less thing to unhook when it was time to pack it up. An option would be to weld a stud on the steer stick and attach the speed control with a wingnut. I actually don't know that the TM may not be able to make a complete 360* turn, or close to it.

Here's how I'd attach the decking to the logs. The 2 angles (per log) would run the length of the deck (8' being inset on each 10' log by 1' per end), and the angle on the deck edges would simply drop into the slot to align things, and 6 hand-tightened plastic knobbed bolts (per side) would hold things together. Will likely require the addition of some supports under the sheeting to help stiffen it.

Sorry, should have used larger text.