Drift Boats as Fine Furniture and Decorative Pieces |
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I have long been interested in
crafting drift boats as furniture. To-date, I have done coffee and display tables,
and rocking boats for the kiddos. To the
extent possible they are built using the same material as went into the
original boat. Fasteners, however, are contemporary: stainless steel, silcone
bronze and brass. Each boat requires three to four months to complete. Oh.
And they float. Imagine that! I usually have one one in the works
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Prices range from $2300 to $2600 Direct inquiries or comments to
me by
email or phone |
Display, Coffee or End Table Description |
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McKenzie double-ender with transom |
Inlay glass can serve as an end or coffee table |
Clear glass option |
One friend's suggestion |
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The Crafting Process |
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I built a jig to scale in order to retrieve the side panel dimensions. Here, I'm comparing frames placements. | Chine log, bottom panel and chine caps installed, and now setting the rails. Used 3/32nd-inch Miranti for this boat. Am using SB and brass fasteners. | As with the full size boat, the devil is in the details -- even more so at this scale. I am striving for both quality and replication. Except for the Okoume panels and table top glass, the wood used is the same as went into the originals | My original intent was to create a scaled mold form for the oarlocks and make them out of brass or bronze. But wood is good and I choose to hand carve the oarlocks. | Slightly bronzed glass nicely accents the interior details. On this particular stand, the boat stands 16-inches at the sheer amidships. Interior is oiled. Exterior paint was my wife, Sue's choice. | ||||
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I choose 4 mm Okoume for the panels. I had to beef up the frames just a dight. | As many of you have discovered, rub rails are a pain in the tail to install correctly unless applied before the bottom panel is laid out. The aesthetics are pleasant, but their function is limited. | Oarlocks are hand carved, epoxied and painted metallic gold paint to replicate the real thing. Oars are also hand crafted and wrapped. The attention to detail is very time-consuming. She's a beauty. | My good friend, Dynamite Payson, exclaimed one time that I didn't have both oars in the water when considering this project. He was a practical, down-to-earth guy. Me? I'm a bit of a romantic. Can't help myself. | Dr. Bill Girsch, and his studio coffee table, the 4-foot version. This boat carries a satin finish inside and out. | |||||
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The Book |
Plans |
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Origins |
Re-Creations |
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McKenzies |
Friends (links) |
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Dories |
Educational Discount Package | |||||||
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