These instructions are for creating a duck boat, a vessel used for hunting ducks. Before building a boat, keep in mind that this is suited for a single person and for crossing rivers.
Required Tools and Materials
6 oz of 423 graphite (for mixing epoxy)
2 gallons of epoxy resin with 205 hardener
Marine plywood (three sheets, 1/4-inch thick)
Furniture scraper
Drill
Putty knife
Wire
Saw
An assistant (optional)
Step 1
Create the hull. Cut four side sections and two bottom sections of the marine plywood. Put epoxy on the sections using the paintbrush. Use the scraper to smooth the coating. When it has been smoothed out, apply another epoxy coating.
Step 2
To continue building a boat, join the sides and hull bottom to a block (known as a butt block). Make sure the block has epoxy all over it before joining it to the sections. Put this on the rear of the boat where the sections join up. Put the block in the sections.
Step 3
Connect all the sections. Drill the sides and bottom together. Drill six inches between every hole by the panel edges.
Step 4
Use the wire to stitch pieces to create the shape of the boat. Place epoxy dabs on the inner seams with the putty knife. Allow the epoxy to dry. Allow it to dry before proceeding.
Step 5
Get the wire out. Put another strip of epoxy by the seams. Turn the vessel upside down. Put the fiberglass tape on the outer seams. Apply only two tape layers.
Step 6
Join the 3/4-inch x 11/4-inch marine plywood to the end along the hull’s top edges. Put another plywood strip on the boat’s outer edge. Put epoxy on the seams.
Step 7
To make the keel, cut marine plywood so it is 4 ft long. Round the plywood and sand it. Make 2 inch diameter holes close to the rear of the boat. Flip the vessel over. Put some thick epoxy on the ends of the keel. Let it dry for 24 hours or even 48 hours.
Step 8
Scrub the vessel with water and soap. Apply varnish or paint it when it dries. Put on graphite and epoxy. This will be a great help if the vessel has to be crossed over rough terrains.
Be prepared to spend a few days building a boat. Again, this model is for river use only. Do not use it in ocean water; it cannot deal with that kind of current. Building a boat a boat requires knowledge of carpentry, but with the right approach one or two people can do it. To build a boat properly, you must design the hull correctly. You must also create the keel and put the pieces together.
