Ahoy!!

Skypirate

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 28, 2016
Messages
45
New to the forum , ready to go fishing:)
12'long 6'10" wide mini pontoon, has built in trailer, flip a switch and wheels retract completely above water line, hitch retracts under deck, built for shallow river fishing, drafts 3" tried to post pic, no luck
 

HotTommy

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Mar 15, 2013
Messages
1,025
I have a strong hunch its this one:
107397d1461790514-ready-2016-season-image.jpg
 

lncoop

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
5,147
Ahoy and welcome aboard! Sounds (and looks if that's the one) like a neat little rig! Slime 'er up good and don't be a stranger.
 

Skypirate

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 28, 2016
Messages
45
That be the plan this coming week end, got the firt mate and the cooky all legal and ready to get some lines wet!
 

Skypirate

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 28, 2016
Messages
45
A little story behind the "River Pirate"

I use to use a Jon boat to escape the perils of dry land, well it got to the point I couldnt manhandle the 12' jon boat in and out of the truck by me self any longer, so after sippin some rum spiked joe, I dreamt this little wave beater up,. With the help of some friends ( and 8 months later) she was christened the " RiverPirate" and we took her to the state for inspection, turns out the inspector was in a quandary, couldnt make up his mind wether I would have to register is as a boat or a trailer,.. After some serious thought, and some deliberation, it was announced to be a boat with tail lights! Har har
Anyways ,.. We rejoiced! And commenced to creating memories.
Along the way,. A Bass Pro rep got wind of this strange little boat with tail lights, and requested an audience,.. So with the flip of a switch the land transport devices protruded from its withers and it stuck its tongue out, we hooked her to the truck for a road trip to Bass Pro head quarters , met up with "Steve"
Steve was impressed and requested photo's , I declined on the photo op and rather offered him the title for a nominal fee, he declined with a statement " if you get a patent, we might.... Consider" that " might" kin to " if" rung in my ears,
So i checked into the patent process, checked with me lawyer and well long story shortened, I'm still the proud owner of the " RiverPirate" :)
 

Cat nip

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 25, 2015
Messages
288
Ahoy! Thats a cool looking rig. Any pictures of the landing gear? Sounds interesting and awesome.
 

Skypirate

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 28, 2016
Messages
45
No photos of the landing gear, but I can tell you it travels 30.5" and can pick up a truck :)
 

Skypirate

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 28, 2016
Messages
45
Yes sir, full length keel on a 3 degree hull with a skag on the bottom for running up on the beach, bottom is 5052 T-3 top of log is 6061 T-3 , 4 bays in each log, charged with 15lbs of air ( has a valve stem mid way under deck) why? .. Why not? :)
 
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Skypirate

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 28, 2016
Messages
45
The goal was minimal displacement for shallow river fishing, if I come to a shoal, i drop the wheels and roll over the shoal then retract the wheels, with myself 220 lbs the wife and daughter 200 lbs combined, she drafts about 3 inches
 

Skypirate

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 28, 2016
Messages
45
If I were to do anything different, i would get 2 pumps off of a couple small jet ski's and incorperated them Into the logs
 

Cat nip

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 25, 2015
Messages
288
Thats very cool! I hope to some day have the skill and equipment to be able to do that. I have been told of a guy up here in mn that has done just that. Supposed to go like hell and turn like a barge. Yours looks like it will get on plane just off idle. If ya wanna build more I could use a couple 20 footers hahaha! Let us know how the wet test goes. It would make a sweet catfishing rig.
 

Skypirate

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 28, 2016
Messages
45
Wet test was ... 2010? Maybe 09 she has a few miles on her :) been towed at 100 mph to test tow stability, passed that testđź‘Ť Even had a deer try to run between truck and boat in tow(60 mph) and survived the deer test , wasnt so good for the deer
 

HotTommy

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Mar 15, 2013
Messages
1,025
I like the inverted U shaped of the logs. Like the builder said, it displaces more water at less depth than a round bottom log. The front could also provide some planing action on a boat intended for higher speeds. ... Nice job.
 

Skypirate

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 28, 2016
Messages
45
Thank you sir for the praiseđź‘Ť This was my first boat build ( if I don't count the 20' oil barrel pontoon built at age 13 out of 2x4's and bailing wire to hold the 55 gal. Drums lol ) built 15 airplanes though, and allot of trailers, trucks, etc in a previous life I was a certified welder/fabricator/mechanical engineer
 
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