frog spit ? tough enough?

[NorthWestFloridaBoy]

OK fellas, my last post was about the the prices and types of aluminum for a new project, small, light,low power rig for the rivers up here. Looks like I'll have to spend more than I assumed for aluminum so basically it is out of the question so I am now qurious about another idea: If I build a 10 to 12 x 5 out of plywood and have a friend glass it for cost I wonder if I should put some of that frog spit on the bottom? Now remember I won't be running dry up here like you guys do loading and unloading or trail riding. I'll be river riding mainly, but some areas of the rivers have stumps and logs that my hull will come into contact with, I am not talking about 30 mph hard slams into logs, more like idling up to them and driving over slowly. Will a thick layer of frog spit on the bottom be just what the doctor ordered? will the bottom be alot tougher with it than without it enough to warrant purchase? I appreciate all you guys input because this is the only outlet I have to get some info on this hobby of mine.

 

[cntry141iq]

In my opinion for what its worth .. LOL frog spit adds to the slickness a lot but doesn't do much for impact resistance.

 

[SwampMatt]

Glassed over plywood is gonna be HEAVY!

I'm not an expert, but that sounds a little narrow compared to the length too.

I'd go a foot shorter and a foot wider, then take that porportion larger or smaller.

Deep water needs high sides. High sides with that glass'd wood is gonna be heavy.

Cntyr is right, I notice chips in my Frog Spit from little impacts like you mention.

Have you got a vice you could give up for a month or two to get the extra money for aluminum? That's the way to go for sure. Got some nephews/neices or grandkids that you could "claim" they were bad little boys & girls and you won't have to give them Christmas & birthday gifts for just one season? (ooooh, that was evil!) :twisted:

good luck!!! Don't let that weight rob you of power. Power that may get you out of a jam and keep you on top of the water.

matt.

 

[5genflcracker]

MY DAD MADE ME A LITTLE BOAT WHEN I WAS KID IT HAD A WOOD FRAME AND ALUMINUM SKIN WITH A 32 CID CONTINENTAL MOTOR . IT WAS GOOD FOR ONE GROWN MAN OR TWO KIDS IT DIDNT RUN DRY BUT IT WAS GOOD FOR ME WHEN I WAS 8.

 

[5genflcracker]

HEY ARE YOU IN THE NAVY OR KNOW ANY BODY IN THE NAVY IF SO TALK TO THE AIRFRAMERS AND SEE IF YOU IF THEY HAVE ANY EXTRA ALUMINUM I KNOW WE ALWAYS HAVE WAY TOMUCHAND THROW IT AWAY I KNOW IT SOUNDS CRAZY .

 

[BoHawg]

Hey man, don't waste your time and money with that. Just go ahead and buy an inexpensive rig like a $5000.00 turn key four cylinder like you find in the classifieds here or on airboattrader.com. Otherwise, you'll do like the old Shovelhead Harleys and ride it for an hour and fix it for three.

 

[K-mac]

Build your boat and get out there, we'd all like somthing bigger and better
but for the power you run, a 10x5 or 12x6 willbe great for one maybe
even two for puttering around in the river. You know about small boats,
just be carefull and have fun. and if you aint runnin the hill, a layer
of cloth and glass will be fine the cloth will help keep the resin from
cracking. Good luck!
PS. Your the poor mans hero.

 

[bondsman]

polymer is the only way to go i believe now. i ran steelflex on mine and smacked a rock on the withalacoochee and had to patch my hull.now it is going to get polymer on it. but this is just my belief .

 

[NorthWestFloridaBoy]

It looks like I am going to have to bite the bullet and get some Aluminum. In order to save money I probably won't be able to deck it as I wanted originally, I'll just make the sides higher. How high should the sides be? 18 inches or so? It'll have a 2 cyl 2 stroke, 35-45 hp snowmobile engine on it. I have a metal lathe and a milling machine here at my house so I'll run a homemade 3 to 1 (or so) belt drive set up on it with the motor mounted low. How does a 10 x 6 hull sound for this? Now that I think about it those big road signs on the side of the interstate are aluminum aren't they, oops did I say that out loud. :twisted: