I was just wondering if anyone here makes their own boats, wether it be plastic, wooden, etc.? I've seen a few boats online from images and different websites and they all seem nice, but the wooden boats you see, they easily rot, swell and get holes. I went to Lake Anna this weekend (got sunburnt by the way) and I noticed boats that were for rent, which were powered by a bike rig. It had two plastic flotational tubes on the side, and it was powered by a bike which you can pedal and it was hooked up some way to pedal paddles or something. It was almost like a bike-pedal-boat, and that got me thinking, "You know if designs like that are pretty simple and not too complex such as that, I am sure I could come up with something myself". Well here I am being a computer nerd, so to speak, and checking out different designs on the internet, and comming up with my own plans.

I am just curious if anyone else seen or knows any unique designs that would be good for boating or fishing. I figured if you take the design with the bike powered boat and add some modifications to it such as a platform with livewell, etc. that would be nifty, ride or pedal your way to your favorite fishing spot, catch fish and put them in your livewell and pedal back, it would be a way to get somewhere and for those who are energetic and who want to get excersise, it would certainly be an idea!

Sitting here I would like to come up with my own unique designs, I am posting this to get suggestions or feedbacks if neccessary. Thanks all!  8-)

God bless  

For you young guys, bike power might seem like a great idea, for us old folks that like to relax and take it easy while fishing, that idea kinda sucks.

Actaully, it would be way too noisey and make too much disturbance in the water to make an effective fishing boat.   Years (and I mean years) long before you were a thought, I used to make my own pond boats.  About three sheets of 1/4 A/C plywood and some 1x2 poplar strips brass screw, waterproof glue and could have a failry cheap 12 - 14' jon knocked out in a couple of days.  Several heavy coats of varnish and a coat or two of paint and they would last several years as long as you turned them over, and didn't leave them on the ground or in the water.  Todays small aluminum jons are sooooooooooo much lighter and fairly reasonable in price, it's not worth building them any more.

This is a homemade boat I have seen around. I am sure it is very easy to build and is quite easy to move around. There is not a lot of storage though.