EXTRA WIDE 17' Custom Welded Boat Build - Part 3 of 3
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- Опубликовано: 2 дек 2024
- In part 3 of this boat build we are wrapping up all of the welding and getting to the interior finishes like paint and flooring...all leading up to getting the boat out on the water! We will be sharing a "Part 4" of this video following up with the finer details of the build, accessories, and how it's performing once we get everything dialed in. So be sure to subscribe and get notified when our videos are shared! Take a look at our channel supporters and discounts for their products below.
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Obviously your SO is behind you and this amazing project, without that support you'd be a single guy! Great Job!
You nailed it there. She knows that welding and fabricating is my creative outlet and that it brings me joy. She’s 100% behind me no matter how crazy these projects get!
Definitely learn alot from your episodes, thanks!
Great! Thanks for watching. Hope to have some more boat builds in the future on the channel
Wow what a super duty boat . Love the overkill you have incorporated into this boat build. I would love to have one .
Thanks!! It’s been a great boat to fish out of already, and I’m glad too that I overbuilt it.
You two are truly an amazing, I do aluminum fabrication and boat repair and I’ll say you made some great choices good effort all around. Thanks for the great video.
Thanks so much for the kind words and taking time to leave a comment. We're loving the boat so much. Only problem is of course I want to build another one with some slight changes!
Very impressive set up! As a welder myself I've always thought that building my own boat would be a fun project.
Thank you! It’s incredibly rewarding to bring something like this to life from sketches to a fully functioning fishing machine
Without a doubt, one of my favorite channels! Your exact details from cutting bracing and welding to painting and finishing your vinyl on the floor are amazing. Wow 99% of us will never build one you captured our attention and we are building with you. Looking forward to Fishing videos in the rivers out of the boat?
Thank you so much for following along with the process of the build, and for the kind words. I built it for us to use and enjoy, but it’s great to know that others watching get something out of the build too. Absolutely, if you want to see how we fish from it I think we should definitely make some fishing videos!!!
To check for leaks quick and accurately. Mix talcum powder with water and paint on joints. Let it dry, spray paraffin from inside and wait. it will show damp marks on areas where it leaks. We use this method to check for leaks on fuel manufactured tanks. Safes a lot of time and much more effective.
Good to know there's another way to check! I knew there was a spray that helps show cracks or leaks, but hadn't heard of that one. Thanks!
Love watching you two together!
Thank you! We have a great time with all the crazy projects we take on
Bravo🎉❤ from algeria
Thanks!!!
Excellent job both of you ,what a cool project ,now get out there and enjoy it while there’s still some summer left to do so. I enjoy all of your videos.
Thank you! Not to worry, our type of river fishing here in West Michigan starts in September and goes all the way through the winter and into late spring. Then believe it or not, I don't fish much in the summer months!
From a bunch of tin he turned it into one hell of a tin boat. Congratulations it looks really stable & comfortable
Thank you!
Except there isn't an ounce of "tin" in it! LMFAO
@@scotty362100 hope not!
It's an aluminum boat. Smh
@@tomspontoons tin boats is a group of aluminum boats restoration form. Funny how you can’t use slang unless everyone understands it.
Great final. The boat is so smooth. Piece of art 👏👍
Thank you. We've come to realize that boat building is my artistic outlet...it lets me put thing I can dream up in my mind onto the water!
Brilliant! I take my hat off to you. Excellent work.
Thank you!! And thank you for watching!
Nice job! LOVE THIS BOAT👍👍👍👍
Thanks! I'm loving it too so far!
How could we contact you? Thank you.@@tomspontoons
TomsPontoons@gmail.com is the best way to contact me
What a build!!! Been following every episode. Great to see it work so well!! GREAT WORK
Thanks for following along! It's been a great project and now to see it on the water doing what it's built to do it's incredibly rewarding!
Super awsome build, what a great Boat.
Thank you!!
Great Job!! I know you will enjoy your boat. Be Safe
Thanks! Already putting it to work on catching fish and loving every second of it
That boat looks Awesome!!
Thank you!
Such a clean setup! I love it. That's a boat for life
Thank you! All of my friends, and even my wife, say I'm going to sell it within a year...but they don't realize how long I've wanted a boat like this! To their credit I do have a habit of selling boats after short term ownership though
Haha! Well if you can help it, I think it's a lifer. Easy to maintain, made for your area, built from scratch like a tank. That is the boat that won't go away. @@tomspontoons
@@eabiisme I love knowing that something I built could still be on the rivers in Michigan long after I’m gone…another 100 years from now even!
Very nice, Tom and Cory! The new boat looks great and seems to perform well, better when you drop the motor a 'peg.' Nice project boat and I suspect an even better river boat for fishing and river cruising.
Thank you! Dropping the motor fixed it right up. I’ll walk through those details in a wrap up video in the coming weeks.
Howdy from South Texas, I have an aluminum boat myself and let me say you have to do a lot more to it than what you did say @ around 11:58. these boats are tuffer than tuff and your boat is one of the better built of the tuffest, no sweat there my friend. Good job! Keep looking up!
I saw a video where Sea Ark dropped one of their big welded hulls from a crane and it barely did anything to it...looks like my build is on par with their hulls!! Thanks for watching and the kind words!
Awesome boat
Thank you!
Awesome build,,in 2021 i bought a new Suzuki 20hp with electric start for my 1542 jon boat,,was 10 hours break in period,,very nice motor and so quite and great on gas, hope you guys catch many many fish with that beautiful boat
Yes, this was 140 is also 10 hours total. The first 2-3 are the most critical in terms of not going wide open throttle and such. Heck, we’re still breaking it in when we fish (let it warm up extra long and no wide open for extended periods of time). I have the materials for a 1542 Jon boat, good to know a 20 hp could push it!!! Thanks so much for watching.
Sweet boat!
Thanks, and thanks for watching!
Love the boat, looking to build one of my own soon. Thanks for not only the good entertainment but also for teaching me a thing or two with your build process!
Thank you! It’s a really rewarding process and project. If you can weld and have the time to do it you will love it! Glad we were entertaining and helpful too!
Looks like riverboats used in Alaska... small, but very robust...BRAVO....
This would probably be a great big water boat out there, but some of their creeks get really skinny which is where those 16' narrower jon boats come in handy.
Hvac tech in Miami Florida.
I direct sunlight i use a wide brim sun hat.
For the heat in general i use tons on cold water internally of course but also externally.
Using a cooling neck rag or gaiter soaked in cold water works wonders for me.
I freeze 24 (cuz that's what my cooler holds) 12 ounce Bottles of water in a chest freezer.
Whenever needed i douse the gaiter in the cold water and it helps keep me cool.
In extend situations i also douse my arms, neck, head, etc.
Twelve miles of weld seams joints and BOY OH BOY...SCRUB A DUB DUB...YER PAINTIN THE TUB..!
Hooray...!
Well, there's 3X 18' of TIG alone on the seams...plus the transom...and plus all the inside full welds. Worth it though!
You all did a very nice job, a lot of work and engineering going on in that project, I definitely enjoyed watching it come all together !
Thanks for watching yet another one of my crazy projects!! Hope your boat has been a joy again this summer!
It's been great but I gotta pull it out get it winterized and shrink wrapped next week and then get the rv ready to close as we are leaving for Florida Oct. 1st ...
@@davidcross2021 I don’t feel bad for you and the retired life!! Except that you miss out on the great river fishing that’s just getting started here in Michigan!!
beautiful boat well done
Thank you, and thanks for watching the build!
Great looking boat. Seems to be a smooth ride. Congrats!
Thank you. My buddy described it as “a Cadillac ride” the other day when we took it out. Huge compliment for me coming from a fellow river boat owner!
Looks good to me 😊
Thank you!
Nice build. Looks great. Very interested to hear how it performs. Boat top speed. All the goodies. Most important thing is now you get to have fun.
Should also see if you can break down costs. Materials as far as aluminum cost. Trailer cost, and so on.
Thanks for watching! We will definitely break down the costs and walk through the finished boat along with performance and stuff....and obviously show how we fish out of it with some fishing action!
Love the video!
Thanks so much!!
Wow what a rig. I could put a whole lot of decoys in that and maybe a triple digit blue cat over here in western Iowa on the mighty mo. Your wife asking if you were happy was great, it;s like hell I was happy and it's not even my boat.
Someone at a local launch said it looked like a boat that belongs on the Mississippi! I plan to build a duck boat too at some point, so stay tuned for that one! I’m beyond happy the more I get to use it. Finally finished all the little touches and details, so time to really put it to use!! Thanks for watching
Great!
Thank you!
Hey Tom. Wondered what you would put under the floor. I know the trade offs, but spray foam under ultra high grade marine flooring makes the boat ride and feel amazing. Needless to say, 100% waterproof, full floatation & amazing stability. I know it makes the floor semi permanent, but do it right and that's OK. I laid in two 4" PVC pipe conduits so it would be easy to run any future wiring. Two openings midship each side and then of course front & rear. I didn't find out until after, but learned you can coat the inside of the flooring with PVC sheeting or even heavy ground cover plastic, mount floor, then spray in the foam. That way floor can still be removed. (Foam won't bond to the floor). Wish I'd have done that.
Yep, we just did foam sheeting to keep it removable and dry. It allows for air to move under the floor and between spaces under the floor which should keep it dryer and fresher. I’ve heard of folks filling plastic bags with two part foam too in order to keep the foam from sticking to the floor and/or bottom of the boat.
Excellent job well done CHEERS
Thanks for watching!
Love your boat build and the boat looks lovely.
Thank you, and thanks for watching!
Whats up man. I must say i enjoyed this series. Boat looks good! Makes me want to build one from scratch. Its crazy how similar our video layout is. I felt like I was watching one of my own videos. Keep up the good work brotha!
Awesome. I've been a big fan of your channel for a while now. We started as a how-to pontoon restoration channel so the talking through and explaining is a huge part of how I film. Then gotta have the time lapse to show things coming together. If you liked watching it then I know lots of folks will enjoy it! Thanks!!
That is so awesome you guy's did a great job not to many people can say they built a boat like that one.
Thank you! Someone asked at the launch "why would you build your own boat" (instead of just buying one from a dealer), and I said "because no one makes a boat with these features and dimensions...AND if they did I wouldn't be able to afford it!!!"
Stay tuned for a follow up to how it performs and functions with the motor adjustment and other items...plus hopefully some fishing footage from our upcoming trip!
Awesome great job 👍
Thanks!! And thank you for watching!
I did what you did with the flotation loose and under the floorboards on a small 13 foot sailboat. When we tipped it over and were trying to get it back upright to bale it out….. the flotation put so much upward pressure against the floor boards that they all pulled loose. We then had floor boards AND flotation floating all over the place. Fortunately the boat was made of wood so it didn’t sink.
PLEASE make sure that you really over fasten those floorboards. Otherwise, if you swamp the boat it will go to the bottom and all you will have left is floorboards and Pink Panther foam. LOVE your boat though. Awesome work!
Wow!! I've never even thought about that. I'm pretty sure we've got close to 100 stainless screws in total all going into 1/8" thick aluminum to fasten the floor. I'm confident that it wouldn't push out, and mostly just hope to never have to find out!
Big difference between ventilation and cavitation. I believe you have a ventilation issue rather than a cavitation issue. Cavitation is a propeller issue, ventilation is when the propeller sucks air from the surface and over revs. This is usually caused if the propeller is not deep enough in relation the the transom. Good job building a really nice boat, good luck.
We have tons of fun with “cavitation” on the channel, and you are correct, it’s ventilation when it’s poor water flow to the intake or propeller. It’s running great now though!! Thanks for watching!
Awesome project! I'd only question putting the fuel line in with electrical wires??? KA-BOOM!!!
No way around it on 99.9% of fishing style hulls. Heck, take a peek at the stern storage of a bass boat...they've got fuel cells and hoses, batteries, wiring, battery switches, etc. all in that compartment. Plus that's what fuses/breakers are for on the electrical side of things!!
Super nice build. That boat is a fat boys dream boats.
Most stable fishing boat I’ve ever fished from. Bias but true!
Man thats cool
Thank you, it's been a super fun project!
Great job --Nice
Thank you, and thanks for watching!
Such a nice boat to have used wood in the floor
I totally get that. Its 100% a personal preference. I love the soft and quiet feel of wood under my feet while fishing long days. Weight wasn’t a huge concern either. My 12’ build was meant to stay super light, so that got 0.100” aluminum floors…it’s got more flex and more noise than the wood floors of this big boat. I’m all for either option!!
I always wanted to take a diesel outboard powerhead. Build a fire hydrant as a jet pump housing. Mounted to the bottom. 8 outlets. 2 big outlets to the transom. 2 to each side and 2 aiming forward now i have full internal thruster system. The power head and impeller are on a quick release. So i can pull them to drop in a spare, clean or service the impeller without having to pull out of the water as the top of the column is above the water line.
I like where your heads at, but that’s way beyond my scope of knowledge and even imagination!
WELL DESERVED ON YOUR OWN BOAT. NOW LET'S CATCH SOME FISH!
Thanks! It's going to get all sorts of fish slime in it coming up this fall in the rivers!
This may just be the coolest Jon boat build on the internet. If you can call it a Jon boat😂
It’s a Jon boat I think….just massive. Maybe a “utility” boat?
@@tomspontoons whatever it is is awesome 😂🔥great job
@@gabeofalltrades0770 Thank you!
That’s one heck of a build you did! I’m surprised you used plywood for the floor instead of a composite material. That plywood will eventually rot out. And yes, I’d like to see a follow up after you’ve got some time on it and any adjustments/changes you might have made. Cheers!
The plywood debate will always be there. I love the comfort and quiet of plywood under my feet. If I have to replace the wood in 10 years I’ll be ok with that. If it rots sooner than that (I’ll be surprised if it did) I’d replace it with aluminum or composite.
I will definitely do an update in a couple weeks when we get more fish slime in it!!
Greetings Tom. Impressive build, she's a thing of beauty. Please tell us the origin of FIRST LIGHT. Why no livewell?
I like the placement of the fuel tank. I'm gonna do the same on the restore of my 14ft. tiller to punch through the waves better. The forward weight should keep the bow down on solo rides. I tuff coated the interior sides of my boat the same way; however, I might bring the foam flooring up the sides this time. Fun watching, thx for bringing us along.
We had to give the boats I build some sort of name, so landed on First Light...it's often the time anglers and hunters are aiming for to get out on the water. It's also a time of the morning that speaks to me because of the beauty of the sky, and the peacefulness of being on the water. I'm a morning person, so first light and a sunrise is the greatest moment of the day.
Hanging 530 lbs of motors on the back I knew I needed to counter the weight with more than just batteries up front, and glad I did! It's a 17 gallon tank, so adds 100 lbs most of the time in addition to the two deep cycles on there for the trolling motor. No livewell because I don't use live bait ever and if I keep something it gets bled out on a stringer and then straight on ice. The Tuff Coat is incredible so far. I should have done the lighter grit option, but this stuff has been scratched with wrenches and all sorts of stuff during the finish process and it looks great. Happy I chose their product!
Tom, I hadn’t bothered watching your fishing boat build cuz there’s no connection to my houseboat build, so I watched the series today and to say I’m in awe would be an understatement. Nice job!
Am I correct in assuming the brother in law’s boat is a variation of this build?
Thanks for checking these ones out too! Yes, my brother in law's boat is basically a miniature version of this one. We will show more details later, but we ran out of money rather quickly going towards that 1660 model we were building. I had aluminum purchased for a 15' boat and he actually helped me with a lot of the build so he got to be part of the process. And it allowed him to give input on where he wanted things for storage and fishing setup. The funds we raised from that campaign (from awesome people like you) helped cover the cost of the brand new 20 hp outboard and a really nice used trailer for it. He's super happy because this boat will be a great one for him to learn with and easy to tow with his jeep.
@@tomspontoons, glad my donation helped!
Yeah, building a boat eats up cash real fast. My printer can hardly keep up. (jk) I know I’m CDN $50,000 in on just the new Merc, the new 27 ft tritoon chassis and the salvaged RV and other cabin infrastructure stuff.
The complete solar system arrived a month ago and is in storage. It was on sale… The motor arrived a week ago, and the chassis is supposed to be here in 3 - 4 weeks. The cabin build hasn’t been started yet cuz I needed windows and doors in-hand to finalize the design and those are now in storage.
It’s a LOT of planning! My brain hurts and it’s all your fault!! 🤪
@@luisaraujo4708 It was a huge help! Boats are just expensive it general, BUT build it right the first time and it'll be much more worry-free operation for the long haul. If you take the cheap way now you will pay for it later...that should be the motto in boats (and most everything in life I think).
What mig welder are you using, it looked like a titanium Mig, but couldn't see which one.
It is the Titanium MIG170. Good starter welder, but the YesWelder YWM 211P is a way more capable machine for a similar price point. I’ve got some videos using that machine. It’s got single and double pulse, and no need to run a spool gun which makes it way more comfortable and easier to get into tight spots. I’ll be showing that machine in my next build video of the 1660 I’m working on right now
Thanks for the reply back tom,,and i use that motor duck hunting,, with my blind on the boat and all the gear and 2 guys it still go about 17 mph,,i did have on my 12 v-boat fishing was a clam day and got going 25 mph ,,if i ever have the money would love for you to build a nice duck boat like that beautiful fishing boat of yours,,not sure what the jon boat will go empty never did that yet lol,,iam from Michigan also we did are salman fishing in late June,July, August in 60-100 feet of water ,,ate to many when i was a kid lol like my walleye and perch nowadays
That’s perfect for that size boat and all that gear. Well, hopefully someday I’m building boats on a regular basis and you can look me up to build your dream boat!!
I put the tuff bunk runners on my dads boat and he likes them a lot !
I had slicks laying around that just so happened to be for 2X6 bunk boards. They're super nice for loading and unloading especially if it's shallow...boat slides right off.
nice job thanks to share all this helpful detels
just have question
is the aluminum boat works good for sea ( salt water ) or just good for river ( sweet water )
Glad to help. Personally, I would stick to a fiberglass hull in saltwater. Aluminum boats are run a lot in saltwater, but a lot of things have to be done to prevent corrosion. For freshwater I prefer aluminum because it's lighter and easier to customize or repair.
Hey Tom, where do you get your sheet aluminum long enough for this boat? Everywhere around me only has 12ft long.
I sourced mine through a local Metals USA facility. I believe Ryerson metal will get you longer sheets. A couple of the folks I’ve seen build aluminum boats on RUclips had to drive pretty far for their materials because it was hard to source it. Luckily we have a facility right here in town.
Question would it be better to put a light weight aluminum floor and not a plywood floor? My old boat had plywood but it soaked up water and made it heavier
A lot of folks have commented disapproving of the wood floor. Weight wasn't really an issue here as the 1/2" plywood barely added 100 lbs to the whole boat, and it's so high above the foam and boat bottom that I don't think it could ever get water logged...especially with the vinyl instead of carpet. I love the quietness and the feel of plywood under my feet. My 12' custom build got an aluminum floor and it's great, but that boat was built to be light and not designed to be the big comfy barge this boat is. It's all personal preference!
Hey Tom, I’m getting ready to build my first jet sled. I really love that Suzuki 140. I’m from Michigan and just curious where I could find the motor and the jet pump. Thanks for your time.
Nice! What are you building?
I buy all my motors through Vans Sport Center here in Grand Rapids. Call Drew in motor sales (and tell him Tom’s Toons sent you). 616-364-0666
He’s usually got 140’s and pumps on order at all times, so he can tell you when the next will be available so you can get a deposit in and get your name on one!! I wouldn’t want any other motor on my boat, it’s hugely heavy and overbuilt and that 140 rips.
@@tomspontoons I’m building a 2072 1/8” sides 3/16s bottom jet sled. So I feel like that Suzuki will be perfect to power it. I’m not trying to drag race! lol thanks for the reference ill definitely give them a call. If there was anything different you could have done on this boat what would it be?
@@loganemery2524Nice! Where’d you end up sourcing your 3/16” sheet from? One piece bottom or two like mine?
I would have probably lightened things up a little with the cross-bracing floor supports. Could have done them on 16” centers instead of 12”. Other little things like making the battery area in the stern taller for easier access. Biggest change would have been making it a less aggressive V in the bow. I love the 3 degrees in the stern, but it wants to dig a little with a bow heavy load. You just don’t get the trim response with a jet to lift the bow. Minor issue, and I’m sure when I run some lakes with it I’ll appreciate it being deeper.
*decided he wasn’t going to build it*
It is a 1 piece sheet of aluminum.
That is one heck of a nice boat! I think people underestimate the ease and value of having an open floor in a boat, so many people spend thousands and thousands of dollars to have dozens of aluminum boxes manufactured for the inside of the boat cluttering it up. I love the lawn chairs instead of fixed benches or half boxes/seats. I am curious why the longitudinal stringer are not one continuous extruded tube that runs from the bow to the stern and having the front bent for the bow. Also 5086 H32 aluminum sheet is available in 120" x 300" sheets so that you your hull could be one piece of aluminum, with a 76" bottom it would still be wide enough to have 22" sides and then you just have to seam weld an 8" wide strip above the waterline to get the 30" sides you wanted, everything below the waterline is seam free. How much did all the aluminum cost for this boat project? Thank you
I love having all that open space, and the way I fish it makes it convenient to be in the back of the boat all the time. I've toyed with the idea guiding river fishing trips part time, and this boat would be perfect as a captain. The only downfall is when it's 35 degrees out the tiller isn't so fun. Someday I'll probably build something with a windshield and enclosure when I can't handle the cold anymore.
I would love to know where that size sheet can be sourced?? The biggest that I'd heard of from my supplier is 84" wide, and they can run around 240" or so, but it's at a different facility than the one local to us so that adds a huge issue logistics-wise. I am pretty sure the two model boats I will build in the future will be 20' overall length with a 72" bottom and a 14' with a 60" bottom. 20' gets me over needing any flotation from the USCG requirements, and 14x60 seems to be a desired niche boat, perfect for two people and gear. And a 14x60 would be easy to design and incorporate foam for level flotation.
I will probably run full length stringers in the future, but just sort of attacked this one as I went for those types of details. If I run them full length I can slit them to bend them up at a certain point. I full welded them in either way, so they're adding as much support as a partially welded full stringer as far as I'm concerned.
I think I had close to $10K into the aluminum for this boat, which is incredibly over-built. I could probably take out 30% of the extrusions and be just as solid!
@@tomspontoons The supplier is TW Metals, I will put the web address for that exact sheet and size in a separate comment as sometimes YT or the settings people have on their channel will delete any comment with a web address. If you do not receive the link let me know. I appreciate that you take the time to leave a detailed reply. Thank you
@@chrisdaniel1339 Got the link, thank you!
@@tomspontoons No Worries
If you don't mind my asking, what did the materials cost for the hull? I'm considering a similar project. Thanks!
I didn’t keep as good of track as I should have due to tons of trips for one or two pieces at a time (metal shop is 2 miles away). I’d guess $10K to $12K in aluminum.
Don’t know if you went over this and I missed it, but what did this whole build cost you at the time of production? Also how many man hours went into this?
I think it’s around $30K all in with all motors, batteries, accessories, trailer, etc, not counting labor. Bout 180 hours I think!
Very nice build the comment of using wood over aluminum I'm with you that marine grade plywood will last a long time especially kept inside and for you would be very doable to replace if time ever came any way
Good point…it’ll always come back inside and will stay dry 99.9% of the time. It sits so high off the bottom of the boat with the floor framing that it should never really come in contact with water.
Nice rig yo
Thank you!
You gotta flat-bottom boat, dents will happen. Does that Suzuki have enough fuel pump to handle a 12ft run?
Indeed they will!
Yes, I cleared it by my local Suzuki dealer and mechanic friend. Ran 3/8” fuel line from tank to rear to be safe… which apparently was overkill!
How much did you have in it. And how thick was the metal. Thank uou.
The bottom and side walls were all 0.125", most of the bracing and extrusions were 0.125" too. Transom was 3/16" plate and some transom bracing was up to 0.25". I didn't keep perfect track, but after the boat, trailer, motors, batteries, anchor system, and electrical it was around $30K in materials. Somewhere around 200 hours into it.
Maybe I missed it , what was the weight of just the hull ?
Nice job , she looks pretty sturdy !
It will be interesting to see how fast shengoes and handles rough water .
Super sturdy, high and dry ride. I just weighed it and it’s approximately 1300 lbs of aluminum. 2300 lbs with motors, fuel, batteries and gear. Heavier than I thought it would be, but floats super high and scoots. Hit 31 mph wide open with 3 people.
Hi Tom! You may have already covered it somewhere, but would you go over your welding setup? I'm looking to get back into welding (aluminum specifically) and am very interested to see what all you use. I see the Titaniums from harbor freight in the video, what models are you using and have you been happy with them?
I briefly cover it in part one of the series. I’m going to cover it in more detail in the follow up part and even lay some welds so folks can see what some of the less expensive machines are capable of.
@@tomspontoonsawesome! I took a welding course in high school but that was quite a while ago now. I'm considering the multi function titanium welder from harbor freight as one to start out re-learning everything.
@@wesyoung91 I’ve been happy with my Titanium’s, and the replacement plan is well worth it as you can get a new machine or spool gun if anything starts acting funny. I have used them once for the spool gun and the new one works a million times better. I have the two separate machines to keep from switching everything back and forth, MIG170 and TIG200. It’s super helpful when I can tack quick with the spool gun and then fill in pretty with the TIG
How much of the gallon of Tough Coat did you have let when you guys were done??
Maybe 1/8 if the gallon. Just enough to save for touch ups and some small accessory parts.
Nice set up, clean lines and beautiful work done.
Question for ya.
Why did you not cut and weld in a tunnel haul for the jet?
Also not sure if you know or not, that they make scoops that mount onto the foot of the jet unit. We use them in Alaska.
Once again beautiful build. I would to have a custom build one time.
Thank you! Great question...tunnels have advantages and disadvantages. I want this boat to run clean on rivers and lakes (tunnels tend to get air to the jet in chop) plus tunnels are a pain in the neck in the fall here in Michigan with leaves because they feed straight to the intake and plug it up. I've used the fins on different boats (usually tunnels to get more water to the intake), but I don't think this one needs them. Water flow is super clean now that we dropped the motor.
Tom - great series and a super fine wide boat. ou couldn't buy one built that strong. Man that took a lot of aluminum. You comfortable saying how much you spent on materials alone?
That’s mainly why I built it. If I could buy one this size I couldn’t afford it anyway! I’m pretty sure there’s right around $10K in aluminum in this boat…roughly 1300 lbs worth!
How do you like those portable seat bases? Are they pretty stable?
I do really like them. They aren’t a perfect square base so one side can be a little tippier if facing the wrong way, but in normal circumstances (not punching the throttle unexpectedly on your passengers) they’re plenty stable!
Do you sell just the hull built? Basically full welded, no paint wiring etc...?
This boat is going to be for sale in the near future. I can build a bare hull with floatation foam (removable) and a USCG tag to meet what you’re looking to do. If it’s 20’ there does not need to be any foam.
@@tomspontoons I was looking for a basic built hull. All floor supports installed. Prefer a flat bottom (front to back) No V-Mod. Needing a transom that would hold at least a 150hp standard style lower.
@@rodatkinson1417 That would be a pretty straight forward build. I would push it to 20' overall length (with a swim step) to get beyond where flotation is needed. Plus with a 150 on the back you'd want the extra length for improved handling. Send me an email and I can get you some more information.
tomspontoons@gmail.com
Can you recommend a link for some sturdy aftermarket seats and pedestals?
I’m a fatty and I tend to bend and break them lol
These millennium seats are outstanding. They were recommended by a local guide who swore by them and how any size client could sit comfortably and stable all day. I’d recommend having a local welder build you a nice wide and stable seat base for one. Something moveable with a hood wide (20”x20”) base to keep it sturdy.
Great video guys very entertaining and informative, nice salmon, does the anchor have a place while you are driving around ?
Ours fits in to the roller fairlead when you wind it up so it’s always ready to deploy
Anyhow nice boat love the idea of that jet
Cheers from Aus
Thanks for watching!! The anchor hangs from the tower when running…that’s why the tower sticks up and out, to keep it above the water and away from the hull.
Are ther plans available ?
No detailed plans. I sketched it up on grid paper to get a rough idea and then fine tuned it during the build
lidooo projeto
Do you or do you know anyone that sells plans for something like this? Thanks
I don’t. I started with tons of drawings on graph paper, but honestly things evolved and changed as the hull came together. Hand cut and measured every piece to fit as it shaped up and became a boat. There might be things I’d tweak on another build, but all in all super happy.
what kind of chairs are you use in the end of the video?
They're Millennium brand. I'm going to share a Part 4 of the series that walks through the finished project and talks a little more about details like the seats.
@@tomspontoons Awesome build. Thanks for the info.
@@bphenwood thanks for watching and the kind words. We love this boat!!
"Brown out..." Green energy makes SOOO much sense right?
We’ve rented there for almost a decade and that area has SO MANY brown outs…we’re not surprised anymore!
Beautiful boat such a awesome job watched while build and run just one thing you did whole boat in aluminum and put wood floor in scratching head ? Why ? Not put aluminum floor in ? It's going to rot after so many years of not fiber glasses in but still will then .but you did a awesome job .
That’s been a popular comment and question. To be honest, it was 100% my personal preference because it’s stored inside and will take 15-20 years for that floor to soften. In the meantime it’s super quiet and comfortable to stand on to fish long days.
Thanks so much for the kind words and questions too!!
@tomspontoons yeah your right as long as your happy that's all that matters you did such a great job I want to build a 21 foot bass boat could you help me figure out the dead rise I need I want to weld one like a ranger or Xpress I can tig and mig weld . IAM just not sure on dead rise if you could help me would be so awesome . Thank you so much and your boats beautiful great job .
@@tomspontoons and what the best aluminum to use 5052 or what would you say ?
@@davidgibson8292 I use 5052 H-32 which is the most common aluminum in the boat industry. However, a lot of folks swear by using 5086 as the bottom material as it's a little harder. Here in Michigan we're running rivers with a lot of logs and gravel compared to the boulders of the Pacific Northwest, so the 5052 does just fine. I'm pretty sure that if you hit something that hard you're going to hurt either alloy!
@@davidgibson8292 At this point I don't calculate anything for the deadrise. For a two piece bottom I tack the sheets about 2/3 of the way forward and then I lift and overlap the bow until I have the shape that I like. For a one piece bottom I cut a line down the middle about 1/3 of the way back from the bow and overlap those two halves to find the shape I like. Then I trace where the sheets overlap, cut that off one side, use the offcut as a stencil for the other side, and cut that too. Then when you pull the bow up you'll have that shape you formed prior to the cut.
You need to make a tail and nose jig to rotate/flip the boat
Agreed!!! If I build more boats I will be doing things differently for flipping!!!
What was the cost to build the hull?
Somewhere in the $10K ballpark in aluminum. I still need to go back and add everything up
Wrap the sixes of the boat with a cool pattern and logo
We kept it simple for now, but have considered a full wrap for the future.
This build turned out awesome. I was shocked to hear how much H.P you lose with that setup.
Yep, and fuel economy drops because of that…probably also 30% if you’re running it hard. BUT the shallow water performance makes it 110% worth it. I haven’t tested just how shallow it’ll run, but I’m thinking 4-6” on plane.
We just use surface drives/mudmotors. We can get 25 to 30 mph depending on how loaded down we are.
@@jasongrinnell1986 there are a few guys who run mud motors on the rivers here, but they’re so darn loud. For duck hunting it just gets you to the spot and you stay there set up for the whole hunt. We’re constantly moving on the river and running the motor constantly…so we love our jet drives
I love the videos and the dedication you have to all that you do, and a question, how much would it be roughly, to have you build another boat like this one?
Thank you! It’s a lot of work, but tons of fun and rewarding to share too with others intrigued by the same stuff I am. If I got into building boats something like this would be about the biggest I’d ever go…it would probably sell for $50K after all the materials, time and MOTORS…the motors add up so fast in price!
@@tomspontoons people need to stop buying them motors for 30,000 a piece
@@captainchrisfishing Luckily for me a 140 hp is less than half of that!! But when you get into the 250 hp and up the price sky rockets.
What did it cost you to build that boat?
It's somewhere around $10K in aluminum. Another $20K +/- in motors, accessories, and finishes. I figure it was somewhere around $30K-$35K all said and done....about half of what a new one would cost me to buy.
what size suzuki is that one?
140 hp at the powerhead, 100 hp at the jet pump due to the 30% loss from the jet conversion. It’s powered perfectly if you ask me, pops right up on plane and boogies!
I tell you what it will be better to make mine wide extra wide but 16-18 foot long
I'll be building some more boats in the future. Next one will either be a 16' with a 60" bottom or a 15' duck boat. Not sure which I'll tackle next.
With building your own boat how does it work for register it for use with a engine in your state? I'm very interested in building my own boat to use down here in fla tried of fiberglass boats I'm from New York originally and that's all we had was aluminum and steel boats.... Thanks for the great content enjoy watching you work.... 😊😊😊
Seems to be different in every state. Here in Michigan I can register home made boats as an “assembled hull” and the state assigns it a HIN and numbers. Just have to provide information and/or receipts for purchased materials.
@@tomspontoons ok definitely appreciate it definitely going to oook at my local law for building a home made boat.. love how your 17' boat came out perfect size for me in the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay...
@@danielsplayhouse3804check out how the guys in Australia build their aluminum boats for saltwater. Personally I’d always stick with a fiberglass center console or skiff in the salt. Just easier to maintain and prevent issues with corrosion.
@@tomspontoons I would think a good epoxy paint would provide protection of the corrosion of the aluminum. I will check it out and see what they do as far as building them I have the skills of welding and Tig welding definitely want to venture out of the box and build a boat and use a power plant for Honda element as the engine and a jet drive.
@@danielsplayhouse3804Sounds awesome!
Why did you choose a wood floor instead of aluminum?
I like how quiet it is and it seems to be easier on the feet and back standing on it all day versus aluminum. Totally personal preference…so figured if I’m building it from scratch for myself I might as well make it the way I want it
@tomspontoons i understand building it the way that YOU want it. I was just curious. I have several boats that i am going to rebuild to MY preference. I hope that you enjoy it.
@@LaughingCattFishing totally. My 12’ jet boat has all aluminum floors to keep it lighter. And the duck boat I’m building coming up will be aluminum floors too just because of the scuzz and muck that is constantly coming into the boat on waders and duck dogs. I’m not against them at all, just different scenarios for each I think. Best of luck on your projects!!
Did you weld it with a plse or ordinary mig? Great boat.
Regular old MIG spool gun. I’ll do a breakdown of my welding setup in the follow up episode. I show my machines in part 1 of the build. I MIG all the structural stuff under the floor, and TIG all the water line connections and anything that’s aesthetic or visible above the floor
How much was all the aluminum ? Looks great, I want to do something like this on a smaller scale. I built two wooden cedar strip canoes in my younger days and I always wanted to do a fishing boat like this someday. 😊
I’m thinking it was close to $8K in aluminum…1300 lbs worth. I have some smaller builds that were MUCH less expensive. My last one was probably $1500 in aluminum, a 12’ long flat bottom with a 52” bottom. Great little boat!
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks!
Hola
There is a product called shark skin you can use to seal that aluminum.
We've used that on Pontoons. The only trouble with it is that you have to sand it ALL off if you ever want to work on the aluminum, weld, or recoat it. I considered it, but for what this boat is I'm ok with the aluminum oxidizing and having a water line.
Who can I talk to to make me one of you shrimp and crab boats. I like the ones with the aluminum captain cabs up front that you show on your new pontoon boat’s video.
If you're running in saltwater I'd tell you to talk to a local builder who's used to building saltwater aluminum boats. Personally, I'd always run fiberglass in the salt to avoid the corrosion issues with aluminum.