Building your own aluminum boat may seem to be a daunting task however, the process is fairly simple and easy to accomplish. By utilizing the wooden frame to support the boat and then adding the aluminum on the outside of the frame, you can quickly and easily build your own aluminum boat. Then you will have a solid boat for fishing, camping, or just enjoying on the water.
There are a few basic materials you’re going to need when it comes to making a do-it-yourself aluminum boat. The first set of things you will need are three sawhorses, four 8 foot long 1-by-2’s, two 4 foot long 1-by-4’s, two 3 foot long 1-by-4’s, four 2 foot long 1-by-4’s, a 1 1/2 foot long 2-by-4, and some galvanized 2 inch screws. Next you will need a 4 foot by 8 foot sheet of 1/8 inch thick aluminum, two 2 foot by 8 foot sheets of 1/8 inch thick aluminum, and a 2 foot by 4 foot sheet of 1/8 inch thick aluminum. Finally you will need some epoxy putty, some 1/2 inch galvanized screws, a pair of metal snips, a drill, a 1/8 inch drill bit, some C clamps, some spray paint, and a screwdriver bit. With these things gathered together, you can begin construction on your own aluminum boat.
The first step in constructing an aluminum boat is to create to trapezoidal shaped frames from the 1-by-4 lumber measuring 3 foot long the bottom, 2 foot long on the sides, and 4 foot long on the top. When creating these trapezoidal frames, make certain that the 3 foot long bottoms are centered 6 inches in from either side of the top 4 foot long piece. You can use the drill, screwdriver bit, and 2 inch galvanized screws to build these.
The second step is set two of your sawhorses 8 feet apart from one another and parallel to each other. Then place your third sawhorse in the center between these two sawhorses, but make sure that it is also parallel to the other two. Now use the drill, screwdriver bit, and 2 inch galvanized screws to attach the 1 1/2 foot long 2-by-4 to one of the outside sawhorses. Then attach the two trapezoidal frames with the 3 foot long sides facing up to the remaining two sawhorses that are in the center and on the end of your 8 foot length. This sets the boat’s frames in place for the boat to be built upside down and the side support rails to be attached.
The third step in constructing your own aluminum boat is to take the for 8 foot long 1-by-2’s and attach them parallel to one another to the two trapezoidal frames that will form the transom and center of the boat. Then attach them to the 2-by-4 bow of the boat. This sets the side support frames for the boat into position.
The fourth step for the aluminum boat’s construction is to lay the 4 foot by 8 foot 1/8 inch thick aluminum sheet over what will become the bottom of the boat. Now use the drill and 1/8 inch drill bit, along with the tape measure to place holes in the aluminum sheet along the line of the boat’s side support rails that run along what will become the bottom of the boat at a position of 1 hole for every 6 inches of length. Then use the drill and screwdriver bit, along with the 1/2 inch galvanized screws to attach the aluminum sheet to the frame the boat by driving the screws through these holes. Finally, use the metal snips to cut off any portion of the aluminum sheet that is hanging over the boat’s frame. This is needed to make the aluminum sheet align with the bottom of the boat’s frame.
The fifth step in constructing an aluminum boat is to take the two 2 foot long by 8 foot long 1/8 inch aluminum sheets and clamp them to the sides of the boat’s frame. Then use the drill, 1/8 inch drill bit, and tape measure to place holes in the aluminum sheet in line with the side support rails at a position of 1 hole for every 6 inches of length. Now use the drill and screwdriver bit, along with the 1/2 inch galvanized screws to attach the aluminum sheets to the sides of the boat by driving the screws through these holes. Next use the metal snips to cut off any portion of the aluminum sheets that are hanging over the boat’s frame.
The six step to construct aluminum boat is to attach the transom plate to the boat’s frame. This is done by clamping the 2 foot by 4 foot aluminum 1/8 inch thick sheet to the transom frame of the boat. Then you will need to take the drill and 1/8 inch drill bit along with the tape measure and place holes in the aluminum sheet in line with the transom frame at a position of 1 hole for every 6 inches of length. Next you will use the drill, screwdriver bit, and 1/2 inch galvanized screws to attach this aluminum sheet to the transom by driving the screws through the holes you just drilled. Now use the metal snips to cut off any portion of this aluminum sheet that is hanging over the boat’s frame. At this point, all sides of the boat have been encased aluminum.
The seventh step in the boat’s construction is to use the epoxy putty to seal up the seams where the aluminum plates meet. This is done by mixing the epoxy putty and then placing it into each of the seams. By doing this you are in effect cold welding the aluminum plates together and waterproofing the boat.
The final step in constructing the boat is to use the spray paint to completely paint the inside and outside of the boat. Before doing this remove the boat from the sawhorses. Then use spray paint to completely cover the boat’s inside. Once the inside of the boat has dried, flip it over and then paint the outside of the boat with the spray paint. This ensures that the boat and its frame are protected from the weather. At this point the boat is completely constructed.
By simply following the above steps one can quickly and easily build their own aluminum boat in the course of one to two days. Once completed this boat will provide many years of reliable use.
Sources
“Boatbuilding Methods — Steel and Aluminum,” Glen-L
Personal Experience
Reule Parker, “The Sharpie Book,” International Marine
