How To Build a FOAM Boat/Kayak: Homemade Micro Skiff Mini Flats Boat Kayak Build - Key West Florida

OK...so I had this crazy idea... I wanted to build a boat, but I've never built one before and I didn't really know what I was doing. I watched a lot of Youtube videos and drooled over pictures of Flats boats in Key West fishing for Tarpon in the backcountry of the Florida Keys.

VIEW PICTURES OF THE BOAT IN THE WATER: The “SALT!” Boat on the Water: Homemade Micro Skiff Mini Flats Boat - https://www.saltfishingmagazine.com/the-salt-boat-on-the-water-homemade-micro-skiff-mini-flats-boat/

I grew up in northern Florida on the St Johns river so fishing is my first and biggest passion and I love boating. So it only made sense to build a boat myself since I couldn't afford to buy a $20k flats boat that I really wanted and knew I needed to get out there to the backcountry and fish!

So I read online that you could build a boat out of foam insulation. WHAT!? Yeah. I had the same thought at first, but it made sense if you think about it. I mean. Foam insulation is impermeable to water and it has excellent buoyancy! (DOW Styrofoam™ has about 55lbs of buoyancy per cubic foot). So I knew my boat would have a good 500 to 800lbs of capacity which was more than enough to hold my fat ass and all my gear.

So I put everything I had into building this boat. She's not finished yet, but total cost so far is about $900 (only because I bought too many tools and adhesives that either didn't work or I did use or I didn't need.)

When everything is said and done and I finish sanding and painting her Total cost to build will be around $1200. That includes high quality fiberglass, epoxy resin and gelcoat.

All in all I think I could have built her for about $800 total if I wouldn't have made a few mistake with the adhesives and tools.

I built this boat solely for fishing in the Keys. It's built for the flats and even at $1200 is a very economical way to build a custom micro skiff, mini flats boat.

It's got aspects of a paddleboard, a kayak, a micro skiff and a flats boat all rolled into one.

She's very stable and is very light at 54 pounds. Once I sand her down again, put another layer of glass down and gelcoat her, with clear coat over that she'll weigh less than 100 pounds, somewhere I'm guessing around 75 to 80 pounds total.

I'm building a removable transom made of aluminum tubing, aluminum framing and wood. The holes will double as rod holders when the transom is not installed.

It'll hold a 9hp outboard engine, though that's probably way too much power for a boat this light. I'm thinking a little 6hp should do the job just fine.

If you have any questions let me know!

Thanks for watching!

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FULL TOOLS AND MATERIALS LIST HERE: https://www.saltfishingmagazine.com/how-to-build-a-foam-boat-kayak-homemade-micro-skiff-mini-flats-boat-kayak-build-key-west-florida-part-2/

SPECS:
Length = 13.5' feet
Width (beam) = 42"
Height/Thickness = ~9"-10" (12" at the bow due to the rise/shape)
Weight = ~54 pounds (when finished it will weigh around 75 to 80 pounds)

TOOLS LIST:

Norton® 80-Grit Dual Angle Sanding Sponge (Menard's PRICE = $2.99 )
Masterforce® 15" Resin Handle Hand Saw (Menard's PRICE = $8.99 )
Tool Shop® Insulation Cutter (knife) (Menard's PRICE = $4.99 )
7 In. Rafter Angle Square (Harbor Freight PRICE = $3.49 )
10 In Two-Way Combination Rasp Plane (Harbor Freight PRICE = $5.99)
5-1/2 In Multirasp Pocket Plane (Harbor Freight PRICE = $4.99)
No. 4 Jack And Mini Plane Set 2 Pc (Harbor Freight PRICE = $14.99 JUNK DON'T BUY IT! You don't need it)
25 Ft. X 1 In. QuikFind Tape Measure With ABS Casing (Harbor Freight PRICE = $3.99)
36" Wooden Yard Stick (straight edge; won't ding or cut the foam while measuring/using) (Menard's PRICE = $0.98 )
2 Packs - The Safety Zone 10-Count One Size Fits All Nitrile Cleaning Gloves (Lowes PRICE = $2.68 each x 2 = $5.96)
Dust And Particle Mask 5 Pk. (Harbor Freight PRICE = $1.99)

TOOLS COST = $59.35

MATERIALS:

11 Sheets - DOW™ 0.55-in x 4-ft x 8-ft Residential Sheathing R3 Faced Polystyrene Foam Board Insulation with Sound Barrier (Lowe's = $11.98 each x 11 = $131.78)
(WARNING: be sure to remove the clear plastic moisture/sound barrier from both sides of the foam sheet BEFORE YOU GLUE THEM TOGETHER or the adhesive will not stick!)
15 CANS ADHESIVE (SPRAY FOAM) - Dow GREAT STUFF Gaps and Cracks 12-oz Spray Foam Insulation RED CAN (Lowe's Cost = $3.65 each x 15 cans = $54.75)
5 - 1/4" x 36" Oak Round Dowel (for holding the foam pieces together while you work. I left them in for added support) (Menard's Cost = $0.98 each x 5 = $4.90)
~20 Yards 6oz FiberGlass - (Cost = ~$150)
~1.25 Gallons Epoxy Resin - (Cost = ~$100)

MATERIALS COST = $441.43

TOTAL COST TO (ACTUALLY) BUILD
$500.78

Видео How To Build a FOAM Boat/Kayak: Homemade Micro Skiff Mini Flats Boat Kayak Build - Key West Florida канала Eric Wichman