Thread: Anyone ever build their own pontoon?

thinking of pink foam, canvas and glass coating ( all around the foam), even a foam floor, shoulb be really light and easy to launch. ala Tear drop foam camper trailers.

lol...sounds like too much work. By the time you 'glassed everything it'd probably weigh more than you might think. With PVC it's "done" other than capping the ends. I'd have more structural faith in PVC than foam. I mean I'm sure it'd work (and been done before), but I need something to take a bit more abuse....especially when I launch an assault on Reelfoot next year

I'd shot-off an email to a buddy of my who works for a Wholesaler, and he's going to check on pipe availability and cost for me, plus I probably wouldn't have any shipping costs (he'd deliver it for me). Keeping my fingers crossed

Why are you keeping the side deck edge in the center of the toons, versus having the deck even with the outside edge of them. Would think that the other way, would better support the deck. Your plans were for 6 wide and 8 long on the deck?

Originally Posted by S10CHEVY

Why are you keeping the side deck edge in the center of the toons, versus having the deck even with the outside edge of them. Would think that the other way, would better support the deck. Your plans were for 6 wide and 8 long on the deck?

Will make it much easier to assemble instead of trying to fight the float with the deck mount offset on the side (think trying to balance them during assembly). It will also allow the float rails (which the deck angle attaches to/between) to be shorter, and causing less stress on thing in the process. If I offset them, one leg of the float rail would have to be over-broke (formed past 90*), and the outer rail would need to be much taller since it would be mounted lower on the radius of the float. Not understanding how that would make it better? On top of all that, it gives me an additional 16" of "stance" (width) on the floats. Correct on deck dimension.

You gonna wait till you go north to work on this, I am gonna need one for spring time fishin here..

Originally Posted by Rees Guide

You gonna wait till you go north to work on this, I am gonna need one for spring time fishin here..

Yeah Rees, gonna wait 'til I have the room, tools, lol...and money. You want to build one, holler, I'll help 'ya. But it's gonna cost 'ya some more of the wife's cookin'

I'd almost rather you wait until I built one, just to be sure there weren't any design flaws, and things usually go smoother on the 2nd project of this type, but you wanna build one and have a line on materials, I can be back down there licikity-split

ETA- I also stayed-up late last night reading-up on Hot Air Welders (for PVC), and may buy one to weld the plugs into the Floats.

Gonna need it by spring

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Originally Posted by Rees Guide

Gonna need it by spring

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Well, when ya' wanna start? Let me run-out my 2 weeks here, and I can come back to Grenada.

Been doing some thinking about steering, trying to make it a bit less complicated, and less parts to fool with (and buy) when knocking-down/setting-up. I thought "Air Boat", since they steer a Rudder(s) with a stick, so after about 5 minutes of looking, I figured just a piece of linkage (1/4" rod) from the stick to the motor, a clevis and pin on each end and only 2 attachments to fool with, and it won't be but 5-6' long.