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Idea for Flooded Timber Boat

Nutterbuster

Nutterbuster

Well-Known Member
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Joined
Oct 12, 2017
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Location
Where the skys are so blue!
I have an area near me that has an excellent gravel road system that floods during December and January. When this happens they close the gate to the roads.

Up to a certain point, you can walk the roads with waders and get to good duck hunting. Past about a foot of water, it becomes difficult to slog 2-3 miles back one way.

I have an old, lightweight 1232 jon. I have a jetski trailer. I have a 3.5hp outboard. I'm kicking around buying a set of these:

www.railblaza.com

C-Tug Dinghy Wheels | RAILBLAZA

| C-Tug Dinghy Wheels | RAILBLAZA
www.railblaza.com www.railblaza.com

Raising the transom of the boat, installing an anti-ventilation plate on the outboard, and making a boat that's only purpose is for running in a foot or two of water over a gravel road with either me and my dog or me and a buddy. The wheels would be to help launch it and to get it over a couple of bridges and high spots on the gravel road.

I'm mainly interested to know if anybody has guidelines on how high you can raise an outboard. I'm assuming that if I only want to run hull speed and install a cav plate, I should be able to mark the waterline on the transom with me in the back and run the plate just below the surface and still get water in the intake and have "bite" for the prop.

Thoughts?
 
First thought is a hard impact with those wheels could rip them right off the boat. I would make sure the wheel breaks off before it rips a hole in the boat.
For the motor, can you see the intake for the water? Is it ahead of the prop? Or I think some of them took water from just above it. So getting water should be okay. But depending on the speed you go, seems like the cavitation from the boat could reduce the bite. I ran a short shaft kicked on my boat a few time that didn't get all the way under the boat. Steering sucked and bigger waves made it come out of the water some. Not that those should be a big issue for you it seems. But if your gently rolling along seems like it should be fine.
Not sure if it's in the budget, but what about just using a river guard plate?
For a plate they make a kicker bracket that raises and lowers. If you make it, maybe try to replicate it. Screenshot_20230413-222241-580.pngScreenshot_20230413-222055~2.png
 
I'm not willing to put much into this tbh. Getting the boat patched (it has a few cracks I'd have to braze) will take a few bucks, and then I'll have to have to have a homemade registration number. Add in registration and lights and it's already turning into a thing even though I own the boat, motor, and trailer already.

The wheels do fold up when underway. If memory serves (motor is at a buddy's) the water intake is right above the prop.

It wouldn't be a true timber situation really. I don't plan on running it off the road, which is basically a shallow creek when flooded.

If I was gonna drop money, I'd spend $500 and build a little 3hp Thai kit longtail.
 
Yep, longtail may be the answer. Bust a lower unit on a outboard you will be out serious money. Bust a prop on a longtail, no big deal. But you are a very intelligent person. I am sure you will make the right choice.
 
@razorsharptokill sent me a link for some wheels a while back that were much cheaper than the ctug ones, I think they are still holding up well for him. Agreed that this sounds like a job for a jet drive or a long tail motor but either is $$
 
thedutchtouch said:
@razorsharptokill sent me a link for some wheels a while back that were much cheaper than the ctug ones, I think they are still holding up well for him. Agreed that this sounds like a job for a jet drive or a long tail motor but either is $$
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If you've got a link to the wheels I'm open to different ones.

I'm not particularly worried about busting a unit. The motor tilts when it hits stuff and doesn't weight 30lbs. I'd be running maybe 5mph. What I'm most worried about is being able to trim the motor high enough to keep it from dragging bottom but still feed the water intake.
 
Turn that thing into a tunnel hull. The serious river rats around here have those things, they are pretty incredible. I intend to get one in a few years. Or just take a canoe?
 
Nutterbuster said:
If you've got a link to the wheels I'm open to different ones.

I'm not particularly worried about busting a unit. The motor tilts when it hits stuff and doesn't weight 30lbs. I'd be running maybe 5mph. What I'm most worried about is being able to trim the motor high enough to keep it from dragging bottom but still feed the water intake.
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The specific ones he sent don't look like they are available any longer though there's a few others that appear to be using the exact same photo. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BZSJQLZ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
 
GeoFish said:
PS: You don't have to spend big $ for a transom extension. Easy to make out of wood. Do not use treated wood. It will corrode aluminum and steel.

View attachment 83776
Click to expand...
Yep. Definitely not buying one. The transom looks OKish, but I'm kinda thinking rebuilding it and making it high, then cutting it down bit by bit until I like the height.

I want it deep enough to feed water and get purchase at hull speed. That's it.
 
The further away from the transom you mount the motor the higher you can go with it. 3.5hp……the sky’s the limit on cheap methods of making the necessary mount. I dare say you could easily get the prop above anything the boat will float in.
 
dalton916 said:
The further away from the transom you mount the motor the higher you can go with it. 3.5hp……the sky’s the limit on cheap methods of making the necessary mount. I dare say you could easily get the prop above anything the boat will float in.
Click to expand...
Now we're talking...what are your recommendations for getting there? 6" back? A foot?

I'm willing to goober-up this boat for this very specific purpose.
 
I wouldn’t hesitate to BEGIN at 12” back. That 3.5 isn’t going to stress anything so I would mock up something adjustable with scrap material to find the sweet spot then make something more permanent. If you can get the bottom of the prop above the bottom of the hull and still get the necessary water coverage then you’re golden.
 
dalton916 said:
I wouldn’t hesitate to BEGIN at 12” back. That 3.5 isn’t going to stress anything so I would mock up something adjustable with scrap material to find the sweet spot then make something more permanent. If you can get the bottom of the prop above the bottom of the hull and still get the necessary water coverage then you’re golden.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you've done this before? If so, any advice on the water pickup? Will the stock cave plate suffice to maintain pickup or should I look at building a bigger one? Or look into a modified low water pickup?
 
Nutterbuster said:
Sounds like you've done this before? If so, any advice on the water pickup? Will the stock cave plate suffice to maintain pickup or should I look at building a bigger one? Or look into a modified low water pickup?
Click to expand...
Nutter, here is a link to a fellow that fooled around with a shallow water setup and wound up patenting his idea last year. There are several conversations about this idea of supplying external water to the impeller by various means.

Or- you could look for a cheap air-cooled outboard (I’ve seen a 4-stroke 7hp under 30lbs.)
Good luck!
 
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At the speeds you’ll be moving I think you’ll find that there’s plenty of water available.
 
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