OK I have got my 5x12 build finished enough so I was able to test it out. So here is some pictures and info.
Attachment 4090Side view, 12' x 5' with 6 wide top, 18" sides 1/8" aluminum, Gator Glide bottom
Boat is heavy 560 lbs dry and with me and my 240 lbs of fat ass on it, it was barely able to plane out. I will be adding so extra HP care of Perfrormance 670. Should end up being 35 hp
Attachment 4091Front view, converted 1988 Shorelander Trailer with new led lights, shortened 30"
Attachment 4092twin 6.5 gal gas tanks and 2 - 12 volt batteries
Motor and drivers frame is 3/4" EMT with 1/2" bracing. I used polymer bushings to attach it and the front of frame is adjustable for leveling motor.
Drivers platform is 6" higher than front deck so I will be able to spot fish easier.
Attachment 40936" raised Front deck with rail for 20 - 20 watt Led lights
Attachment 4094Predator 670 motor 59" Ultra prop
Attachment 4095Rudders 2 @ 18/10 x 48
cage is 3/4 EMT with 1/2 bracing
Attachment 40961.9 to 1 Reduction Drive from Lonestar Hovercraft and alternator conversion to run lights for bowfishing.
Started out with 2 - 5x10 and 1 - 4x8 1/8" sheets of aluminum, 20 pcs 1/2" conduit, 10 pcs 3/4" conduit, some 1/8" angle aluminum, over 10 - 1 lb rolls of .035" aluminum mig wire 2 sheets of 3/8" plywood and a lot of other material. Combined with many hours of sweat.
I built it out of 1/8" so I did not have to worry about it getting ruined when my kids and grandkids used it. It is only designed to take 2 people fishing in the flooded backwaters of Lake Champlain here in Vermont. My 5 children years ago went with me bowfishing on another boat I built, they were as young as 8 years old back then and they all shot carp and gar with their bows even my 8 year old daughter. Now 25+ years later I have a Pontoon that they can shoot from but we wanted a mini airboat to get to the places we can't get to with the pontoon. My second born son who loved bowfishing always talked about putting together a mini airboat died last year. I decided we should not wait any longer to build the mini so this year was it, next spring we will hit the backwaters with it, bringing the Grandchildren with us and introducing them to the joys of bowfishing before I am just a memory.
