How to Build Your Own Rowing Boat
There are many reasons to build a small rowing boat. Some people like the idea of rowing on calm waters to view undisturbed wildlife. Others want a rowing boat to explore lakes or ponds that prohibit the use of motorized watercraft. Still others enjoy the idea of rowing a boat for sport or exercise. No matter the reason, building a small rowing boat is well within the scope of most weekend woodworkers. Rowing boats can be built with tools and materials available at most home improvement stores or marinas.
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Things You'll Need
- Marine plywood
- Sawhorses (2)
- Boat plans
- Marking pen
- Electric jigsaw
- Cordless drill
- Copper wire
- Pliers
- Marine epoxy glue
- Sawdust
- Mixing bowls
- Spatula
- Wire cutters
- Fiberglass cloth (4 inches wide)
- Paintbrushes
- Sandpaper
- Paint/varnish
- Fairing compound
Instructions
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1
Order plans online or from boat designers that advertise in the back of boating magazines. Clear a space on a large work area that has doors large enough to allow the boat to be removed once completed. Place marine plywood panels on sawhorses and use a pen to trace the outline of the plans onto the panels.
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2
Cut the boat pieces from the plywood panel using an electric jigsaw. When complete, there should be pieces for the sides, bottom, bow and stern of the boat. Additionally, there should be pieces for the seats and seat supports.
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3
Use a cordless drill and a 1/8-inch drill bit to drill holes in the sides of the plywood pieces that will touch. The holes should be 2 inches apart and approximately 1/2 inch from the edge of each piece.
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4
Adjust the side pieces so they are next to each other with the front and rear edges aligned. Slide the bow piece between the side pieces at the front of the boat and stitch them into place with copper wire. Slide the stern piece between the side pieces at the rear of the boat and stitch them into place with copper wire. Each piece of copper wire should be 2 inches long. Use each piece of copper wire to stitch the holes together into each adjacent boat piece. Use pliers to twist the wire tight at each stitch. Place the seat support pieces into the boat and attach them to the sides by drilling holes and using copper wire in the same manner.
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5
Flip the boat over and attach the bottom piece to the side pieces with copper wire. Return the boat to an upright position and attach the tops of the seats with copper wire. The project will now have the appearance of a boat with metal stitches.
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6
Mix one quart of marine epoxy glue according to manufacturer's directions and place the glue in a plastic bowl. Add sawdust to the bowl and mix with the epoxy glue/sawdust until it is the consistency of peanut butter. Use a spatula to spread the epoxy glue/sawdust mixture onto each seam to form a fillet. Each fillet should be approximately 2 inches wide and 1 inch deep at the center. Allow to dry overnight.
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7
Use wire cutters to cut each copper wire stitch. Use pliers to pull the wire pieces from the boat.
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8
Mix one additional quart of marine epoxy glue according to directions and place the glue in another plastic bowl. Cut 3-foot strips of fiberglass cloth and lay the strips end to end along each fillet. Use a paintbrush to apply the marine epoxy glue to each piece of fiberglass cloth until it is thoroughly wet. Allow to dry overnight.
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9
Use sandpaper to thoroughly sand down the boat until all seams and both the interior and exterior are smooth. Fill any holes, depressions or imperfections with fairing compound. Allow the faring compound to dry according to the manufacturer's directions. Use the sandpaper to sand the fairing compound until smooth. Repeat this process until the boat is entirely smooth.
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10
Paint or varnish the boat as desired. Attach cleats, oar locks, sliding seats or any other equipment needed. Launch the boat and check for leaks. Fill any leaks with marine epoxy and allow to dry overnight.
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Tips & Warnings
Always wear work gloves when using marine epoxy glue.
Wear protective glasses when cutting wood with a power saw.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit rowing image by Snezana Skundric from Fotolia.com
