You Can Call Me "Huck" - My Barrel Raft Project

[novaboy009]

Well, I had some left over materials from a dock building project, some free time and a little ingenuity. I live on the Saluda River down in South Carolina (it's good fishing and good floating). Instead of laying down a couple thousand for a "real" boat and it's associated upkeep and maintenance, I built a barrel raft!

First - finished 24 x 12 dock -



Frame with barrels:



Decking, ladder, motor mounted, barrels filled and sealed:



Lettering:



Floating on the river, docked to the dock:



Total cost - $160. Includes old trailer hitch used as an anchor. I need a 2-5 horsepower outboard to get this thing really moving. The electric trolling motor works really hard to push it upstream with four of us on it. Anybody have one sitting around they want to sell me?

Kev

[MrMajestyk]

Excellent Idea

[smokey3215]

that is something i would do i love it

[cdeal28078]

Great job. What size trolling motor are you using? Been many years since I owned a Bsss boat but a 50 lb trolling motor back then would put you in the water if you were not paying attention so I am sure they are much better these days. Batteries are pricey though. Just thinking a gas engine will cost more than a used bigger trolling motor unless you catch a used one on a deal.
Plus not sure there but here if you put an engine on a boat it has to be registered but with an electric motor it doesn't.
You built a better safer float boat.
Clint

[basketcase0302]

Kev

Got some pretty bad news for ya' buddy, (this is coming from a USN veteran that know seaworthy when he sees it).
The USCG aint' gonna' give you a title for that thing! Four people huh?

[Mancar1]

Looks great. Since I have retired I have built a few resort docks. Just don't try and take it out to sea. Just kidding.... from a ret. CPO.......Huck.

[novaboy009]

I've put 10 people on it without it taking on water. Those barrels support 450 lbs a piece. I can jump up and down all day long on the corner of it without it dunking me. I've checked over the South Carolina DNR rules closely and I think I fit neatly in the "loop hole" part of the rules haha.

S.C. Law prohibits the sale or purchase of watercraft without a valid title issued in the seller's name to assign over to the purchaser at the time of sale.

The following are required to have current title and registration:

All motorized boats and watercraft; except *exempted vessels;
All sailboats are required to be titled
All outboard motors five (5) horsepower and greater are required to be titled since July 1, 1974.

*Exempted Vessels - documented vessels, windsurfers, watercraft (canoes, kayak, etc.) propelled only by human power with oars, paddles or similar devices.

So, I'm essentially going to sell this thing as a paddle watercraft (like a canoe) with a trolling motor. The outboard I'm looking at is a 3 hp unit. I don't know how much trouble I'm going to get in with that thing. I'm also WAAAYYYY out there, so a DNR guy is going to have to be hunting pretty far up river to nab me. Worst he can do is slap me with a fine and make me go home. I'll have life preservers for everyone and hope they leave me alone.

[fordman]

now you just need some dynamite to catch fish with. just like burt reynolds did in that movie. was that movie sam whiskey?

[novaboy009]

Action photos from today's 6 hour float on the river:











Caught two BIG largemouth Bass and ate them for dinner. Yum yum yum.

[cdeal28078]

Looks like a lot of fun. Makes me miss all of the boats I have owned. Makes me want another even though owing a boat usually has two very special days. The day you buy it and the day you sell it. A boat can be a big hole in the water you throw money down. Yours seems to be the exception though.
clint