Home-made Pram for less than $100

[Hairstacker]

Hey fellas, a member on another board recently built a light-weight, small but very stable pram for less than a $100 using basically no more than a jigsaw and hammer. Moreover, he has tested it and it seems to perform really well. I think it's really cool and am now considering building one too, as I can see getting a lot of satisfaction out of fishing from something home-built (you know, kind of like tying your own flies?).

Anyway, here's a link to his post that describes the steps he took to build it, along with pictures along the way, as well as photos of him testing it and his observations. The thread discussion also reveals some of his thinking and experience with it, so you'll want to read the whole thread if you get interested. Well worth checking out in my opinion if you have been considering this sort of thing:

http://www.warmfly.com/smf/index.php?topic=4182.0

[SHigSpeed]

That's pretty cool! Glad it does what he wanted it to do. I wonder if it'd be easier to paddle it sitting up on the rear deck instead of on the floor?

I'll bet with some proper oars it's scoot pretty well given it's width, but I don't think standing and FFing would be recommended...

Now to add a small outboard!

_SHig

[Hairstacker]

On the 2nd page of the thread, he comments that it's pretty fast and a fellow kayaker that was with him was apparently very surprised at how fast it is. It also has a very shallow draft and can navigate water that is only 6" deep.

[michaeln]

I thought this was going to be one of Shig's paper prams.

[fishngy]

I have been following the progress of Harold's build also. I think I will be picking up some plywood and start building one in the next few months. Maybe we can have a festival of home built prams in the next few months! Bill

[Woodman]

Thanks for posting this. I am definitely interested in taking on this project. Looks like even I could do it. If anyone starts one keep posting.

[wjorg]

It always depends on what you plan on doing...

BUT, this looks like you can plan on falling out of the boat, or falling through the floor...I can see it now, "Angler falls through boat floor on backcast. Blames the "double haul.""

For wee trout and your American "halfpounders" you could use a inflatable sunning-raft. A salmon or real steelhead could easily flip you in this.

[pgw]

Just for grins, before you build your < $100 prams, read the story in the current issue of Fly Fisherman Magazine (on the last page) about a homemade pram on the Chetco...

Paul