McKenzie River Drift Boat questions

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McKenzie River Drift Boat questions

Post by bateau-webmaster »

Regarding the redesign of the boat in the title, and picture below, for our building method, the following questions came up from a customer. At the moment, he has not yet joined our forum:

Image
McBoatface wrote:I like the idea of a complete CNC kit. My biggest concern is keeping strength up in the stem and keelson. In the original specs, the stem is 2x4 and the keelson 2x6. What would you use?

McBoatface
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Re: McKenzie River Drift Boat questions

Post by McBoatface »

I'm here now! Really looking forward to hammering out the best design with you all and getting to work. Definitely need to know about the keelson and stem material.

Jeff
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Re: McKenzie River Drift Boat questions

Post by Jeff »

Welcome to the Builders Forum. I will get Jacques briefed by Monday and this is the perfect means of communication with both Jacques and other builders!! Again, welcome and we very much look forward to your build of the McKenzie River Drift Boat!! Jeff

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Re: McKenzie River Drift Boat questions

Post by bateau-webmaster »

Loving the Username. Explained its relevance here at the office.

Tungsten
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Re: McKenzie River Drift Boat questions

Post by Tungsten »

The stem is normally a piece of hardwood thats beveled in which the sides are attached using ring shank nails.This is normally the start point in assembly,you then bend the sides in adding in the frames one at a time.
Before modern glues came about the stem was was quite big so you could have a larger area to attach nails, often you would see 30+ nails used.
Pending your design plans the stem can be of varying size,some just fillet and tape.
I'm not sure what you mean by a Keelson? Typically drift boats dont have one.I have seen some usually because the bottom was more then 48" wide so they used 1 by material notched into the frames.A 2x6 would be very hard to bend to match the rocker.

Theres a book about these kind of boats and there history.IIRC Rodger Fletcher Mackenzie drift boats,google will find it.

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Re: McKenzie River Drift Boat questions

Post by Fuzz »

Are you guys thinking of making up a set of plans for a drift boat? And if so would it be stitch and glue without all the ribs?

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Re: McKenzie River Drift Boat questionsicating

Post by Jeff »

Fuzz, really not sure yet but we do have a new potential customer and Builders Forum member, McBoatface, who has initiated a discussion about a McKenzie River Drift Boat design to be slightly modified to fit one of our CNC kits and yes following the stitch & glue method of building. Jacques will be reviewing the existing plan and communicating with McBoatface starting early next week!!! Jeff

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Re: McKenzie River Drift Boat questions

Post by terrulian »

You folks may be interested in a book called The Emerald Mile. It is a true story about the related Grand Canyon Dory and the amazing men who rowed one down the Grand Canyon in an illegal and legendary trip, still the fastest one ever recorded. This book is the most heroic and lyrical account of a wilderness experience in the American West that I've ever read. You'll be amazed you've never heard of it. It is also a story about the building of the Glen Canyon Dam and the flood that almost destroyed it, complete with all the major players.
https://www.amazon.com/Emerald-Mile-Fas ... 1439159866

If you have not yet taken a raft trip down the canyon, put it on your bucket list. I took the trip just a half-dozen years after the run described in the book. But do not take one of the powered trips. Those are for tourists.
Tony
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Re: McKenzie River Drift Boat questions

Post by jacquesmm »

I am still thinking about it.
The idea is to take an existing design and adapt it to our material.
Unless it is a free plan, the builder will have to buy the original pans and then buy y building drawings with new specs and notes for composite plywood epoxy.
I already do that for some Atkins plans.
Jacques Mertens - Designer
http://boatbuildercentral.com

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Re: McKenzie River Drift Boat questions

Post by Fuzz »

I have been around two of them that look just like the one pictured here. One was bought and the other was built in my shop. Both were pretty and got lots of admiring comments at the dock. The problem is after just a few years they started to look pretty shabby. And with all the framing in them it would have been a nightmare to refinish them. I think that is why you see lots of them run down and cast aside. If you do make plans for one I hope it would not have all the framing in it. Just my 2 cents worth :D

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