SHig's Pram Build Thread

[SHigSpeed]

Okay, well here goes. I need some place to document the process. From beginning to (hopefully) end. Who knows, I may pour 6 months into this and end up buying one, or maybe just sticking to inflatables?

Anyway, so far I've had my hands and tape on a Redwood boat. I'm hoping to get some time with a Metalhead this weekend, and others if the PramFest 2010 comes together as planned.

I've drafted up something close and a few revisions and made 1:12 scale paper models. Here're some photos so far...










As of now, I'm thinking I'll be doing some sort of Carbon/Glass/Kevlar composite with maybe thin plywood or foam core. Single seater, car topper, target weight of 40 lbs. Haven't done the math on the areas yet, but I think that I may be able to go lower while having the required rigidity and strength. We'll see.

I want to be able to row stillwater easily but outright speed isn't necessary. Stand with better than average stability, and be able to run some small moving water. Maybe a small electric or gas motor.

Some rocker but not so much as to sacrifice standing stability. If it doesn't glide on the river as well as a "mini-drifter" I'll live with that. Flat bottom for ease of build and stability, kevlar bottom for durability.

Does anyone out there build a high tech composite pram? I can't possibly be the first nutcase to consider it right? I know Spring Creek makes a fiberglass/kevlar jobber, but isn't it at its core a chopper gun "plus"? Not feather light by any means...

Anyway, feel free to chime it. Follow along. Point fingers and laugh. Just don't tell my wife about this or her suspicions of my madness will be confirmed and I'll never get to go fishing again!

_SHig

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Very exciting.......

Ray Jensen of Endure Boats in Medford, OR mocked up my 17' jet boat hull first about a foot long from aluminum. It was pretty cool.....

[Scott V]

Let me know if you want an extra hand in building Shig, I would like to learn how to build one myself. Because if you don't teach me you know I will be asking for one.

I know I have plans for a plywood boat somewhere, I will look for them and if I find them I will get a copy made and give you a set.

[Jgoding]

Good luck Shig. Reminds me of the boat we made in highschool physics class out of cardboard and paper maché coating. We molded the front using a paper maché molding from our canoe and built on from there. Put on a nice enamel paint and a parafin wax coating on the bottom/sides and it floated all afternoon and we almost took the speed contest. It held two people easily.

[Black Cloud]

SHig, here is the one I built with 1/4" mahogany marine ply. I used an epoxy kevlar on the bottom.

James

[SHigSpeed]

Oh damn that's pretty! So how does she handle? Coming out for Prama-Palooza this Saturday?

What would you like to do differently next time?

What's it weigh?

How's standing and casting?

The coating on the bottom - is it the Duplicolor stuff? Or actual fabric and epoxy?

Thanks for the input!

_SHig

[michaeln]

I know Spring Creek makes a fiberglass/kevlar jobber, but isn't it at its core a chopper gun "plus"?

Dunno what that means, but the Spring Creek prams are hand laid, not chopper gun.

Not feather light by any means...

The Stillwater Classic "Lite" is 59lbs. Remember that those boats have full USCG flotation, sturdy solid oak gunwales and a pedestal swivel seat built-in and included in that weight.

[SHigSpeed]

Dunno what that means, but the Spring Creek prams are hand laid, not chopper gun.



The Stillwater Classic "Lite" is 59lbs. Remember that those boats have full USCG flotation, sturdy solid oak gunwales and a pedestal swivel seat built-in and included in that weight.

Hand laid can mean fabric and glue over chopper though. Does SC use any sort of core material? Or perhaps a thick roving or mat between fabric? Because fabric alone would make for a thinner, flexy layup. Thick enough to be rigid would be heavier.

On your Hopper II can you guess how thick the walls were? Did they have plywood/foam/anything embedded in the 'glass?

59 lbs ain't bad, but it's not a feather - though the seat probably weighs 5 pounds alone.

I like all the "if I were to do things different" comments BTW. Keep 'em coming!

So, does anyone stand on the seat bench? Folding boat seat that much better than sitting on a flotation throw?

_SHig

[pgw]

So, does anyone stand on the seat bench? Folding boat seat that much better than sitting on a flotation throw?

_SHig

At 6-4/255, my center of gravity would be over 5' above the waterline (and the balance point) if I stood on the bench of the Redwood Welding Drifter...my mom fed all the dumb babies to the hogs when their bones were still soft...so I am disinclined to stand on the bench for any reason.

I do stand up on the deck (which some may call the floor) when necessary to see fish when I fish lakes but have never found it necessary to stand for casting...I installed a swiveling folding seat on the bench (slides on and off)...can still use "just" the floatation cushion if necessary but having the backrest/support provided by the seat...priceless!

Paul

[michaeln]

When I had my Hopper II I seldom stood up to cast.

My main reason to stand up in that pram was to pee into a bottle. I didn't feel comfortable standing anywhere but dead center in the boat, and I can't really count on being able to pee accurately and forcefully enough to get it all past the gunwale, so I kept a (large mouth) plastic bottle in the battery compartment and would pee into that, then dump it and rinse it.

Maybe TMI, but I keep reading about people standing in prams, and peeing out of them, and at least on the Hopper II, I was never really comfortable doing either.