asdasc
Senior Chief Petty Officer
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2008
- Messages
- 680
I have a unique set of requirements. I have a cottage on a small private island out in a bay a couple hundred feet. Not far, but far enough to make things challenging. The water flows thru there, as it is on a river delta so the ice is sometimes there and sometimes melts very quickly throughout the winter. Due to the threat of ice, I can't leave my pontoon boat in.
I came up with this contraption. It is a floating dock in the summer, and in winter I can pull up a small area on the back and mount a small outboard. It doesn't need to be fast, just stable enough to not dump the wife. It had to be cheap enough that if it gets crushed in the ice, I don't care. I built it for about $150, but easily could replicate it for $200 worst case. The plans allowed me to cut EVERY board with no waste. In the end, I had zero left over. When I get a chance, I will try to lay out the plans, and post a picture with the motor on it. I bought the materials in the morning, cut them at home, hauled them an hour to the cottage, and had it floating by 5pm. It was cold, and just two of us, so I am sure I could do it again in 1/2 the time.
Materials list:
7) 2x6x12' ($7 each=$49)
13) 5/4x6x12' ($5 each=$65)
6) barrels from the local car wash ($7 each=$42)
55' of plumbers tape ($8)
5# of exterior 1 3/4" screws ($15)
2# of exterior 3" screws ($4)
handful of galvanized roofing nails to secure the plumbers tape
It is 6' x 12' and quite stable. The barrels keep it up high enough that it will rise as the ice freezes in around it.
I came up with this contraption. It is a floating dock in the summer, and in winter I can pull up a small area on the back and mount a small outboard. It doesn't need to be fast, just stable enough to not dump the wife. It had to be cheap enough that if it gets crushed in the ice, I don't care. I built it for about $150, but easily could replicate it for $200 worst case. The plans allowed me to cut EVERY board with no waste. In the end, I had zero left over. When I get a chance, I will try to lay out the plans, and post a picture with the motor on it. I bought the materials in the morning, cut them at home, hauled them an hour to the cottage, and had it floating by 5pm. It was cold, and just two of us, so I am sure I could do it again in 1/2 the time.
Materials list:
7) 2x6x12' ($7 each=$49)
13) 5/4x6x12' ($5 each=$65)
6) barrels from the local car wash ($7 each=$42)
55' of plumbers tape ($8)
5# of exterior 1 3/4" screws ($15)
2# of exterior 3" screws ($4)
handful of galvanized roofing nails to secure the plumbers tape
It is 6' x 12' and quite stable. The barrels keep it up high enough that it will rise as the ice freezes in around it.
