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Rectifier
05-08-2011, 04:31 PM
Has anyone ever built or used a boat like these?

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/03/articles/ian/manley.htm
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mouseboats/

These "mouse boats" are made from a single sheet of plywood, stable, light and draw very little draft. Free plans and a yahoo group devoted to building them leads me to believe they are quite popular, though I've never seen one on the water.

Don't know how they would be for a shooting platform, more for retrieving birds and fishing small lakes. I've never built a boat, always wanted to, and these look like a good place to start. And at a cost of under $50 it's OK to screw it up.
I don't think it's a good idea to bring one near the Fraser though, too small and no motor capability.

Bucks&Ducks
05-08-2011, 04:52 PM
I haven't but it looks like it could be a good summer project though!

M.Dean
05-08-2011, 04:53 PM
Sure be handy to have one on top of my Quad Trailer. There's lots of lakes up here that we just fish from shore because it's a pain to get a boat into them. Might be worth it to try and build one.

mjmbc
05-08-2011, 05:41 PM
i made one years ago it worked great on the small lakes for fishing and stuff fairly stable it took me about a day to build and a few hours watching the paint dry

martyonthewater
05-08-2011, 09:19 PM
Ive been interested in builing up a small plywood boat for a while. There are a few very nice boats and plans available on that sight. Thanks for the link. That mouse boat looks like it would make a great duck boat .

rbduck
05-09-2011, 01:40 PM
My bud and I googled "Öne Sheet Skiff" and wound up with this....
Took us a day to build
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/Boat_in_water_June_20_09_0041.jpg

If you are interested in some larger hunting/fishing boats, try www.Gatorboats.com (http://www.gatorboats.com/).

Ron

Johnnybear
05-09-2011, 01:44 PM
I build a small 1.5 sheet rowing pram a few years ago. Never did get it into the water so I can't tell you how it worked.

Here are a few more links to these little boats.

http://www.simplicityboats.com/OSchallengeresults.html
http://www3.sympatico.ca/herbert.mcleod/skiff.htm
http://home.clara.net/gmatkin/freedes.htm

Rectifier
05-10-2011, 02:30 PM
Thanks for the feedback guys, 1 day project, I think I will build one when I get back in town and will post pics when it hits the water.
Then I just have to figure out how to do a good camo paint job...

pappy
05-10-2011, 04:45 PM
I'm in the process of building a two sheet boat right now, its taking longer than a day though. I looked at plans for a light two person boat and mixed them with plans for a heavy three person boat that can take a 9.9 out on the calm ocean waters. When I'm done it should be good to take two guys, my dog, lunch and a small outboard duck hunting or two people with gear out fishing. Between work and getting ready for some vacation time, helping friends move, its had some time sitting in the yard. After these two weeks go by I'll be back out in the yard to finish it, hopefully this time without interuption.

swamper
05-10-2011, 05:05 PM
I built a "one sheet skiff" this past winter just for duck and decoy retrieval. Took us about 6 hours to build and cost about $60 with all the hardware.

Ogopogo
05-10-2011, 05:07 PM
definitely building one of these!!!!

rbduck
05-10-2011, 05:46 PM
Ogo.....PM sent

Ron

Rectifier
06-03-2011, 12:20 PM
Joined the mouseboats yahoo group, and found some other plans.
This is the one I'm looking at now, the 'micro mouse' which is even smaller and easier to build (no epoxy). 6' long, 180lbs max draft. Perfect for a skinny guy like me.

This guys' turned out just beautiful for a small boat, slightly modified from the plans I think:
http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/05/projects/bumblebee/free.cfm

I'd like to try to mount a lightweight motor on one of these, it would just be too much fun! Trolling electric or if I could find an old 1HP gasser that was light enough.

Just 2 more weeks and I will be back and hard at work on this and some other projects