EXTRA WIDE 17' Custom Welded Boat Build

EXTRA WIDE 17' Custom Welded Boat Build - Part 3 of 3

Рет қаралды 72,152

Күн бұрын

In part 3 of this boat build we are wrapping up all of the welding and getting to the interior finishes like paint and flooring...all leading up to getting the boat out on the water! We will be sharing a "Part 4" of this video following up with the finer details of the build, accessories, and how it's performing once we get everything dialed in. So be sure to subscribe and get notified when our videos are shared! Take a look at our channel supporters and discounts for their products below.
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Пікірлер: 297

@steventrostle1825 10 ай бұрын

Obviously your SO is behind you and this amazing project, without that support you'd be a single guy! Great Job!

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

You nailed it there. She knows that welding and fabricating is my creative outlet and that it brings me joy. She’s 100% behind me no matter how crazy these projects get!

@kevinkelly5430 10 ай бұрын

Very impressive set up! As a welder myself I've always thought that building my own boat would be a fun project.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you! It’s incredibly rewarding to bring something like this to life from sketches to a fully functioning fishing machine

@anthonypalmer4788 4 ай бұрын

Definitely learn alot from your episodes, thanks!

@tomspontoons 4 ай бұрын

Great! Thanks for watching. Hope to have some more boat builds in the future on the channel

@keithmishler4095 9 ай бұрын

Wow what a super duty boat . Love the overkill you have incorporated into this boat build. I would love to have one .

@tomspontoons 9 ай бұрын

Thanks!! It’s been a great boat to fish out of already, and I’m glad too that I overbuilt it.

@davidfarley145 11 ай бұрын

Without a doubt, one of my favorite channels! Your exact details from cutting bracing and welding to painting and finishing your vinyl on the floor are amazing. Wow 99% of us will never build one you captured our attention and we are building with you. Looking forward to Fishing videos in the rivers out of the boat?

@tomspontoons 11 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for following along with the process of the build, and for the kind words. I built it for us to use and enjoy, but it’s great to know that others watching get something out of the build too. Absolutely, if you want to see how we fish from it I think we should definitely make some fishing videos!!!

@tobywhitney4798 2 ай бұрын

Super nice build. That boat is a fat boys dream boats.

@tomspontoons 2 ай бұрын

Most stable fishing boat I’ve ever fished from. Bias but true!

@glenziegler6953 10 ай бұрын

Excellent job both of you ,what a cool project ,now get out there and enjoy it while there’s still some summer left to do so. I enjoy all of your videos.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you! Not to worry, our type of river fishing here in West Michigan starts in September and goes all the way through the winter and into late spring. Then believe it or not, I don't fish much in the summer months!

@PeterLee-zn3jl 10 ай бұрын

Twelve miles of weld seams joints and BOY OH BOY...SCRUB A DUB DUB...YER PAINTIN THE TUB..! Hooray...!

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Well, there's 3X 18' of TIG alone on the seams...plus the transom...and plus all the inside full welds. Worth it though!

@raylowry1265 10 ай бұрын

Love watching you two together!

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you! We have a great time with all the crazy projects we take on

@larryrohatsch4892 10 ай бұрын

Wow what a rig. I could put a whole lot of decoys in that and maybe a triple digit blue cat over here in western Iowa on the mighty mo. Your wife asking if you were happy was great, it;s like hell I was happy and it's not even my boat.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Someone at a local launch said it looked like a boat that belongs on the Mississippi! I plan to build a duck boat too at some point, so stay tuned for that one! I’m beyond happy the more I get to use it. Finally finished all the little touches and details, so time to really put it to use!! Thanks for watching

@rickmervine9952 10 ай бұрын

Very nice, Tom and Cory! The new boat looks great and seems to perform well, better when you drop the motor a 'peg.' Nice project boat and I suspect an even better river boat for fishing and river cruising.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you! Dropping the motor fixed it right up. I’ll walk through those details in a wrap up video in the coming weeks.

@unsaltedlife5998 10 ай бұрын

From a bunch of tin he turned it into one hell of a tin boat. Congratulations it looks really stable & comfortable

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@scotty362100 10 ай бұрын

Except there isn't an ounce of "tin" in it! LMFAO

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

@@scotty362100 hope not!

@brosenb11 10 ай бұрын

It's an aluminum boat. Smh

@unsaltedlife5998 10 ай бұрын

@@tomspontoons tin boats is a group of aluminum boats restoration form. Funny how you can’t use slang unless everyone understands it.

@sssrp80 10 ай бұрын

What a build!!! Been following every episode. Great to see it work so well!! GREAT WORK

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for following along! It's been a great project and now to see it on the water doing what it's built to do it's incredibly rewarding!

@ibrahimkocaalioglu 10 ай бұрын

Great final. The boat is so smooth. Piece of art 👏👍

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you. We've come to realize that boat building is my artistic outlet...it lets me put thing I can dream up in my mind onto the water!

@PeterLee-zn3jl 10 ай бұрын

Looks like riverboats used in Alaska... small, but very robust...BRAVO....

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

This would probably be a great big water boat out there, but some of their creeks get really skinny which is where those 16' narrower jon boats come in handy.

@LouwrensvanderMerwe 10 ай бұрын

Brilliant! I take my hat off to you. Excellent work.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you!! And thank you for watching!

@warrenlanham9088 10 ай бұрын

Hvac tech in Miami Florida. I direct sunlight i use a wide brim sun hat. For the heat in general i use tons on cold water internally of course but also externally. Using a cooling neck rag or gaiter soaked in cold water works wonders for me. I freeze 24 (cuz that's what my cooler holds) 12 ounce Bottles of water in a chest freezer. Whenever needed i douse the gaiter in the cold water and it helps keep me cool. In extend situations i also douse my arms, neck, head, etc.

@meetoo50 6 ай бұрын

Awesome project! I'd only question putting the fuel line in with electrical wires??? KA-BOOM!!!

@tomspontoons 6 ай бұрын

No way around it on 99.9% of fishing style hulls. Heck, take a peek at the stern storage of a bass boat...they've got fuel cells and hoses, batteries, wiring, battery switches, etc. all in that compartment. Plus that's what fuses/breakers are for on the electrical side of things!!

@k9blood01 10 ай бұрын

Great Job!! I know you will enjoy your boat. Be Safe

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thanks! Already putting it to work on catching fish and loving every second of it

@nickoneill1323 11 ай бұрын

Love the boat, looking to build one of my own soon. Thanks for not only the good entertainment but also for teaching me a thing or two with your build process!

@tomspontoons 11 ай бұрын

Thank you! It’s a really rewarding process and project. If you can weld and have the time to do it you will love it! Glad we were entertaining and helpful too!

@faronmastin8683 10 ай бұрын

That is so awesome you guy's did a great job not to many people can say they built a boat like that one.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you! Someone asked at the launch "why would you build your own boat" (instead of just buying one from a dealer), and I said "because no one makes a boat with these features and dimensions...AND if they did I wouldn't be able to afford it!!!" Stay tuned for a follow up to how it performs and functions with the motor adjustment and other items...plus hopefully some fishing footage from our upcoming trip!

@ronnieolsson7284 10 ай бұрын

Super awsome build, what a great Boat.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you!!

@countryfriedent 11 ай бұрын

Great looking boat. Seems to be a smooth ride. Congrats!

@tomspontoons 11 ай бұрын

Thank you. My buddy described it as “a Cadillac ride” the other day when we took it out. Huge compliment for me coming from a fellow river boat owner!

@aquasaltyfishing4933 10 ай бұрын

Howdy from South Texas, I have an aluminum boat myself and let me say you have to do a lot more to it than what you did say @ around 11:58. these boats are tuffer than tuff and your boat is one of the better built of the tuffest, no sweat there my friend. Good job! Keep looking up!

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

I saw a video where Sea Ark dropped one of their big welded hulls from a crane and it barely did anything to it...looks like my build is on par with their hulls!! Thanks for watching and the kind words!

@TRICKEDTINS 10 ай бұрын

Whats up man. I must say i enjoyed this series. Boat looks good! Makes me want to build one from scratch. Its crazy how similar our video layout is. I felt like I was watching one of my own videos. Keep up the good work brotha!

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Awesome. I've been a big fan of your channel for a while now. We started as a how-to pontoon restoration channel so the talking through and explaining is a huge part of how I film. Then gotta have the time lapse to show things coming together. If you liked watching it then I know lots of folks will enjoy it! Thanks!!

@112462112 10 ай бұрын

I did what you did with the flotation loose and under the floorboards on a small 13 foot sailboat. When we tipped it over and were trying to get it back upright to bale it out….. the flotation put so much upward pressure against the floor boards that they all pulled loose. We then had floor boards AND flotation floating all over the place. Fortunately the boat was made of wood so it didn’t sink. PLEASE make sure that you really over fasten those floorboards. Otherwise, if you swamp the boat it will go to the bottom and all you will have left is floorboards and Pink Panther foam. LOVE your boat though. Awesome work!

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Wow!! I've never even thought about that. I'm pretty sure we've got close to 100 stainless screws in total all going into 1/8" thick aluminum to fasten the floor. I'm confident that it wouldn't push out, and mostly just hope to never have to find out!

@allanhamilton2178 10 ай бұрын

Love your boat build and the boat looks lovely.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you, and thanks for watching!

@hoists1829 10 ай бұрын

Nice job! LOVE THIS BOAT👍👍👍👍

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thanks! I'm loving it too so far!

@hoists1829 10 ай бұрын

How could we contact you? Thank you.@@tomspontoons

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

TomsPontoons@gmail.com is the best way to contact me

@tomtrenter3208 10 ай бұрын

Big difference between ventilation and cavitation. I believe you have a ventilation issue rather than a cavitation issue. Cavitation is a propeller issue, ventilation is when the propeller sucks air from the surface and over revs. This is usually caused if the propeller is not deep enough in relation the the transom. Good job building a really nice boat, good luck.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

We have tons of fun with “cavitation” on the channel, and you are correct, it’s ventilation when it’s poor water flow to the intake or propeller. It’s running great now though!! Thanks for watching!

@chipslater3729 10 ай бұрын

That boat looks Awesome!!

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@chrislangdell117 10 ай бұрын

Nice build. Looks great. Very interested to hear how it performs. Boat top speed. All the goodies. Most important thing is now you get to have fun.

@chrislangdell117 10 ай бұрын

Should also see if you can break down costs. Materials as far as aluminum cost. Trailer cost, and so on.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! We will definitely break down the costs and walk through the finished boat along with performance and stuff....and obviously show how we fish out of it with some fishing action!

@pinkladybikermamma3603 10 ай бұрын

WELL DESERVED ON YOUR OWN BOAT. NOW LET'S CATCH SOME FISH!

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thanks! It's going to get all sorts of fish slime in it coming up this fall in the rivers!

@stevebertram2184 10 ай бұрын

Awesome build,,in 2021 i bought a new Suzuki 20hp with electric start for my 1542 jon boat,,was 10 hours break in period,,very nice motor and so quite and great on gas, hope you guys catch many many fish with that beautiful boat

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Yes, this was 140 is also 10 hours total. The first 2-3 are the most critical in terms of not going wide open throttle and such. Heck, we’re still breaking it in when we fish (let it warm up extra long and no wide open for extended periods of time). I have the materials for a 1542 Jon boat, good to know a 20 hp could push it!!! Thanks so much for watching.

@eabiisme 10 ай бұрын

Such a clean setup! I love it. That's a boat for life

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you! All of my friends, and even my wife, say I'm going to sell it within a year...but they don't realize how long I've wanted a boat like this! To their credit I do have a habit of selling boats after short term ownership though

@eabiisme 10 ай бұрын

Haha! Well if you can help it, I think it's a lifer. Easy to maintain, made for your area, built from scratch like a tank. That is the boat that won't go away. @@tomspontoons

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

@@eabiisme I love knowing that something I built could still be on the rivers in Michigan long after I’m gone…another 100 years from now even!

@tube8533 10 ай бұрын

Great!

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@robertweisskopf 11 ай бұрын

beautiful boat well done

@tomspontoons 11 ай бұрын

Thank you, and thanks for watching the build!

@jonsteiny 10 ай бұрын

Awesome boat

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@harrykt6846 10 ай бұрын

Sweet boat!

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thanks, and thanks for watching!

@davidcross2021 11 ай бұрын

You all did a very nice job, a lot of work and engineering going on in that project, I definitely enjoyed watching it come all together !

@tomspontoons 11 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching yet another one of my crazy projects!! Hope your boat has been a joy again this summer!

@davidcross2021 11 ай бұрын

It's been great but I gotta pull it out get it winterized and shrink wrapped next week and then get the rv ready to close as we are leaving for Florida Oct. 1st ...

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

@@davidcross2021 I don’t feel bad for you and the retired life!! Except that you miss out on the great river fishing that’s just getting started here in Michigan!!

@TheBubagrunt 11 ай бұрын

Love the video!

@tomspontoons 11 ай бұрын

Thanks so much!!

@jacksonbeverly3250 10 ай бұрын

Such a nice boat to have used wood in the floor

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

I totally get that. Its 100% a personal preference. I love the soft and quiet feel of wood under my feet while fishing long days. Weight wasn’t a huge concern either. My 12’ build was meant to stay super light, so that got 0.100” aluminum floors…it’s got more flex and more noise than the wood floors of this big boat. I’m all for either option!!

@sonofafisherman743 10 ай бұрын

Awesome great job 👍

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thanks!! And thank you for watching!

@shannoncrane838 10 ай бұрын

I put the tuff bunk runners on my dads boat and he likes them a lot !

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

I had slicks laying around that just so happened to be for 2X6 bunk boards. They're super nice for loading and unloading especially if it's shallow...boat slides right off.

@kevinfelty2209 10 ай бұрын

Looks good to me 😊

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@Mike-hb4pc 10 ай бұрын

That’s one heck of a build you did! I’m surprised you used plywood for the floor instead of a composite material. That plywood will eventually rot out. And yes, I’d like to see a follow up after you’ve got some time on it and any adjustments/changes you might have made. Cheers!

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

The plywood debate will always be there. I love the comfort and quiet of plywood under my feet. If I have to replace the wood in 10 years I’ll be ok with that. If it rots sooner than that (I’ll be surprised if it did) I’d replace it with aluminum or composite. I will definitely do an update in a couple weeks when we get more fish slime in it!!

@jamesbrussels5776 10 ай бұрын

Excellent job well done CHEERS

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@gabeofalltrades0770 10 ай бұрын

This may just be the coolest Jon boat build on the internet. If you can call it a Jon boat😂

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

It’s a Jon boat I think….just massive. Maybe a “utility” boat?

@gabeofalltrades0770 10 ай бұрын

@@tomspontoons whatever it is is awesome 😂🔥great job

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

@@gabeofalltrades0770 Thank you!

@JayHutchG 10 ай бұрын

Hey Tom. Wondered what you would put under the floor. I know the trade offs, but spray foam under ultra high grade marine flooring makes the boat ride and feel amazing. Needless to say, 100% waterproof, full floatation & amazing stability. I know it makes the floor semi permanent, but do it right and that's OK. I laid in two 4" PVC pipe conduits so it would be easy to run any future wiring. Two openings midship each side and then of course front & rear. I didn't find out until after, but learned you can coat the inside of the flooring with PVC sheeting or even heavy ground cover plastic, mount floor, then spray in the foam. That way floor can still be removed. (Foam won't bond to the floor). Wish I'd have done that.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Yep, we just did foam sheeting to keep it removable and dry. It allows for air to move under the floor and between spaces under the floor which should keep it dryer and fresher. I’ve heard of folks filling plastic bags with two part foam too in order to keep the foam from sticking to the floor and/or bottom of the boat.

@waynep343 10 ай бұрын

I always wanted to take a diesel outboard powerhead. Build a fire hydrant as a jet pump housing. Mounted to the bottom. 8 outlets. 2 big outlets to the transom. 2 to each side and 2 aiming forward now i have full internal thruster system. The power head and impeller are on a quick release. So i can pull them to drop in a spare, clean or service the impeller without having to pull out of the water as the top of the column is above the water line.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

I like where your heads at, but that’s way beyond my scope of knowledge and even imagination!

@randymiller1604 10 ай бұрын

Please clip your lanyard to you stay safe great job on everything

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

You're spot on...I wondered if anyone would catch that when I put that part in the video! I have a handy little bracelet now that I bought for the clip to make it easier to slip on and off when we move spots. Thanks for looking out for me!

@lennewallace2596 10 ай бұрын

Great job --Nice

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you, and thanks for watching!

@bricehale6593 10 ай бұрын

Man thats cool

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you, it's been a super fun project!

@SRTPCC 10 ай бұрын

"Brown out..." Green energy makes SOOO much sense right?

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

We’ve rented there for almost a decade and that area has SO MANY brown outs…we’re not surprised anymore!

@edwinmoore4560 10 ай бұрын

I will buy you a case if you will build me a boat. Lol. Make that 16-18 footer like that or in the shape of a Boston Wailer shape but aluminum.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Haha! I'm not sure how they'd go about forming that shape of a whaler in aluminum. I'm sticking to modified V's and flat bottoms for the most part.

@stevebertram2184 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for the reply back tom,,and i use that motor duck hunting,, with my blind on the boat and all the gear and 2 guys it still go about 17 mph,,i did have on my 12 v-boat fishing was a clam day and got going 25 mph ,,if i ever have the money would love for you to build a nice duck boat like that beautiful fishing boat of yours,,not sure what the jon boat will go empty never did that yet lol,,iam from Michigan also we did are salman fishing in late June,July, August in 60-100 feet of water ,,ate to many when i was a kid lol like my walleye and perch nowadays

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

That’s perfect for that size boat and all that gear. Well, hopefully someday I’m building boats on a regular basis and you can look me up to build your dream boat!!

@joeherndon5815 10 ай бұрын

Very nice build the comment of using wood over aluminum I'm with you that marine grade plywood will last a long time especially kept inside and for you would be very doable to replace if time ever came any way

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Good point…it’ll always come back inside and will stay dry 99.9% of the time. It sits so high off the bottom of the boat with the floor framing that it should never really come in contact with water.

@chrisdaniel1339 Күн бұрын

That is one heck of a nice boat! I think people underestimate the ease and value of having an open floor in a boat, so many people spend thousands and thousands of dollars to have dozens of aluminum boxes manufactured for the inside of the boat cluttering it up. I love the lawn chairs instead of fixed benches or half boxes/seats. I am curious why the longitudinal stringer are not one continuous extruded tube that runs from the bow to the stern and having the front bent for the bow. Also 5086 H32 aluminum sheet is available in 120" x 300" sheets so that you your hull could be one piece of aluminum, with a 76" bottom it would still be wide enough to have 22" sides and then you just have to seam weld an 8" wide strip above the waterline to get the 30" sides you wanted, everything below the waterline is seam free. How much did all the aluminum cost for this boat project? Thank you

@tomspontoons Күн бұрын

I love having all that open space, and the way I fish it makes it convenient to be in the back of the boat all the time. I've toyed with the idea guiding river fishing trips part time, and this boat would be perfect as a captain. The only downfall is when it's 35 degrees out the tiller isn't so fun. Someday I'll probably build something with a windshield and enclosure when I can't handle the cold anymore. I would love to know where that size sheet can be sourced?? The biggest that I'd heard of from my supplier is 84" wide, and they can run around 240" or so, but it's at a different facility than the one local to us so that adds a huge issue logistics-wise. I am pretty sure the two model boats I will build in the future will be 20' overall length with a 72" bottom and a 14' with a 60" bottom. 20' gets me over needing any flotation from the USCG requirements, and 14x60 seems to be a desired niche boat, perfect for two people and gear. And a 14x60 would be easy to design and incorporate foam for level flotation. I will probably run full length stringers in the future, but just sort of attacked this one as I went for those types of details. If I run them full length I can slit them to bend them up at a certain point. I full welded them in either way, so they're adding as much support as a partially welded full stringer as far as I'm concerned. I think I had close to $10K into the aluminum for this boat, which is incredibly over-built. I could probably take out 30% of the extrusions and be just as solid!

@chrisdaniel1339 Күн бұрын

@@tomspontoons The supplier is TW Metals, I will put the web address for that exact sheet and size in a separate comment as sometimes YT or the settings people have on their channel will delete any comment with a web address. If you do not receive the link let me know. I appreciate that you take the time to leave a detailed reply. Thank you

@tomspontoons Күн бұрын

@@chrisdaniel1339 Got the link, thank you!

@chrisdaniel1339 19 сағат бұрын

@@tomspontoons No Worries

@cbudginas 10 ай бұрын

Nice rig yo

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@ThomasShue 10 ай бұрын

Wrap the sixes of the boat with a cool pattern and logo

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

We kept it simple for now, but have considered a full wrap for the future.

@Fran-aventura 2 ай бұрын

lidooo projeto

@edwinmoore4560 10 ай бұрын

Who can I talk to to make me one of you shrimp and crab boats. I like the ones with the aluminum captain cabs up front that you show on your new pontoon boat’s video.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

If you're running in saltwater I'd tell you to talk to a local builder who's used to building saltwater aluminum boats. Personally, I'd always run fiberglass in the salt to avoid the corrosion issues with aluminum.

@jasongrinnell1986 11 ай бұрын

This build turned out awesome. I was shocked to hear how much H.P you lose with that setup.

@tomspontoons 11 ай бұрын

Yep, and fuel economy drops because of that…probably also 30% if you’re running it hard. BUT the shallow water performance makes it 110% worth it. I haven’t tested just how shallow it’ll run, but I’m thinking 4-6” on plane.

@jasongrinnell1986 10 ай бұрын

We just use surface drives/mudmotors. We can get 25 to 30 mph depending on how loaded down we are.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

@@jasongrinnell1986 there are a few guys who run mud motors on the rivers here, but they’re so darn loud. For duck hunting it just gets you to the spot and you stay there set up for the whole hunt. We’re constantly moving on the river and running the motor constantly…so we love our jet drives

@ThomasShue 10 ай бұрын

You need to make a tail and nose jig to rotate/flip the boat

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Agreed!!! If I build more boats I will be doing things differently for flipping!!!

@willsfire 10 ай бұрын

There is a product called shark skin you can use to seal that aluminum.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

We've used that on Pontoons. The only trouble with it is that you have to sand it ALL off if you ever want to work on the aluminum, weld, or recoat it. I considered it, but for what this boat is I'm ok with the aluminum oxidizing and having a water line.

@edwinmoore4560 10 ай бұрын

Open it easy with a pair of catfish skinners

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

I don't have any of those laying around!! But good to know they'll get the job done.

@awakenedtotruth8419 10 ай бұрын

Greetings Tom. Impressive build, she's a thing of beauty. Please tell us the origin of FIRST LIGHT. Why no livewell? I like the placement of the fuel tank. I'm gonna do the same on the restore of my 14ft. tiller to punch through the waves better. The forward weight should keep the bow down on solo rides. I tuff coated the interior sides of my boat the same way; however, I might bring the foam flooring up the sides this time. Fun watching, thx for bringing us along.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

We had to give the boats I build some sort of name, so landed on First Light...it's often the time anglers and hunters are aiming for to get out on the water. It's also a time of the morning that speaks to me because of the beauty of the sky, and the peacefulness of being on the water. I'm a morning person, so first light and a sunrise is the greatest moment of the day. Hanging 530 lbs of motors on the back I knew I needed to counter the weight with more than just batteries up front, and glad I did! It's a 17 gallon tank, so adds 100 lbs most of the time in addition to the two deep cycles on there for the trolling motor. No livewell because I don't use live bait ever and if I keep something it gets bled out on a stringer and then straight on ice. The Tuff Coat is incredible so far. I should have done the lighter grit option, but this stuff has been scratched with wrenches and all sorts of stuff during the finish process and it looks great. Happy I chose their product!

@JayHutchG 10 ай бұрын

Tom - great series and a super fine wide boat. ou couldn't buy one built that strong. Man that took a lot of aluminum. You comfortable saying how much you spent on materials alone?

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

That’s mainly why I built it. If I could buy one this size I couldn’t afford it anyway! I’m pretty sure there’s right around $10K in aluminum in this boat…roughly 1300 lbs worth!

@iainhetherington4608 10 ай бұрын

Great video guys very entertaining and informative, nice salmon, does the anchor have a place while you are driving around ? Ours fits in to the roller fairlead when you wind it up so it’s always ready to deploy Anyhow nice boat love the idea of that jet Cheers from Aus

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!! The anchor hangs from the tower when running…that’s why the tower sticks up and out, to keep it above the water and away from the hull.

@edwinmoore4560 10 ай бұрын

I tell you what it will be better to make mine wide extra wide but 16-18 foot long

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

I'll be building some more boats in the future. Next one will either be a 16' with a 60" bottom or a 15' duck boat. Not sure which I'll tackle next.

@COYO-T 10 ай бұрын

You never want to weld when wearing a white or bright color shirt unless it's thick. The light reflex inside the shirt burning you. I remember years ago wearing a yellow t-shirt and the next day my whole chest was burned. Wear dark color shirt if not wearing a welding jacket.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you!!! No one has ever told me that before. I’ve had some funky sun burns from being sweaty in a white shirt welding. Thought my sleeves would protect me…learned the hard way!!!

@MarkKudlualik 5 күн бұрын

Or coveralls

@Amians-yf8um 4 ай бұрын

nice job thanks to share all this helpful detels just have question is the aluminum boat works good for sea ( salt water ) or just good for river ( sweet water )

@tomspontoons 4 ай бұрын

Glad to help. Personally, I would stick to a fiberglass hull in saltwater. Aluminum boats are run a lot in saltwater, but a lot of things have to be done to prevent corrosion. For freshwater I prefer aluminum because it's lighter and easier to customize or repair.

@edwinmoore4560 10 ай бұрын

I need a 20 footer like that

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

That would be a BIG COMFORTABLE boat!

@kirtnewton4108 10 ай бұрын

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@wtfch 10 ай бұрын

Nice set up, clean lines and beautiful work done. Question for ya. Why did you not cut and weld in a tunnel haul for the jet? Also not sure if you know or not, that they make scoops that mount onto the foot of the jet unit. We use them in Alaska. Once again beautiful build. I would to have a custom build one time.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you! Great question...tunnels have advantages and disadvantages. I want this boat to run clean on rivers and lakes (tunnels tend to get air to the jet in chop) plus tunnels are a pain in the neck in the fall here in Michigan with leaves because they feed straight to the intake and plug it up. I've used the fins on different boats (usually tunnels to get more water to the intake), but I don't think this one needs them. Water flow is super clean now that we dropped the motor.

@rachelwheatley3510 7 ай бұрын

Nice boat great job. I bet you coild easily make a landing craft. You wont.

@tomspontoons 7 ай бұрын

Thanks! I would love someday for my channel to grow so that I can afford build custom boats of all types and document them, maybe even including a landing craft. I'd certainly be up for the challenge down the road, but I just can't afford to purchase all the materials to build a boat like that.

@rachelwheatley3510 7 ай бұрын

Your channel is vary consistent. You well be successful. Keep up the good work.

@tomspontoons 7 ай бұрын

@@rachelwheatley3510 Thanks so much for the kind words! I'll have a 16' boat build video coming up in a month or so. Just started the project this week!

@ronbuckner8179 10 ай бұрын

You gotta flat-bottom boat, dents will happen. Does that Suzuki have enough fuel pump to handle a 12ft run?

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Indeed they will! Yes, I cleared it by my local Suzuki dealer and mechanic friend. Ran 3/8” fuel line from tank to rear to be safe… which apparently was overkill!

@mbyrd6580 10 ай бұрын

I love the videos and the dedication you have to all that you do, and a question, how much would it be roughly, to have you build another boat like this one?

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Thank you! It’s a lot of work, but tons of fun and rewarding to share too with others intrigued by the same stuff I am. If I got into building boats something like this would be about the biggest I’d ever go…it would probably sell for $50K after all the materials, time and MOTORS…the motors add up so fast in price!

@captainchrisfishing 10 ай бұрын

@@tomspontoons people need to stop buying them motors for 30,000 a piece

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

@@captainchrisfishing Luckily for me a 140 hp is less than half of that!! But when you get into the 250 hp and up the price sky rockets.

@edwinmoore4560 10 ай бұрын

Question would it be better to put a light weight aluminum floor and not a plywood floor? My old boat had plywood but it soaked up water and made it heavier

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

A lot of folks have commented disapproving of the wood floor. Weight wasn't really an issue here as the 1/2" plywood barely added 100 lbs to the whole boat, and it's so high above the foam and boat bottom that I don't think it could ever get water logged...especially with the vinyl instead of carpet. I love the quietness and the feel of plywood under my feet. My 12' custom build got an aluminum floor and it's great, but that boat was built to be light and not designed to be the big comfy barge this boat is. It's all personal preference!

@thebuonocore9818 10 ай бұрын

If a hot day leads to a brown out. What will happen in the near future when it's hot day and all our EV's nead to charge?

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Well, I won’t be welding and a bunch of folks won’t be driving anywhere!!!

@hotchihuahua1546 11 ай бұрын

Maybe I missed it , what was the weight of just the hull ? Nice job , she looks pretty sturdy ! It will be interesting to see how fast shengoes and handles rough water .

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Super sturdy, high and dry ride. I just weighed it and it’s approximately 1300 lbs of aluminum. 2300 lbs with motors, fuel, batteries and gear. Heavier than I thought it would be, but floats super high and scoots. Hit 31 mph wide open with 3 people.

@kevinhennessy6193 10 ай бұрын

How much was all the aluminum ? Looks great, I want to do something like this on a smaller scale. I built two wooden cedar strip canoes in my younger days and I always wanted to do a fishing boat like this someday. 😊

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

I’m thinking it was close to $8K in aluminum…1300 lbs worth. I have some smaller builds that were MUCH less expensive. My last one was probably $1500 in aluminum, a 12’ long flat bottom with a 52” bottom. Great little boat!

@chriss5549 3 ай бұрын

If you don't mind my asking, what did the materials cost for the hull? I'm considering a similar project. Thanks!

@tomspontoons 3 ай бұрын

I didn’t keep as good of track as I should have due to tons of trips for one or two pieces at a time (metal shop is 2 miles away). I’d guess $10K to $12K in aluminum.

@wesyoung91 10 ай бұрын

Hi Tom! You may have already covered it somewhere, but would you go over your welding setup? I'm looking to get back into welding (aluminum specifically) and am very interested to see what all you use. I see the Titaniums from harbor freight in the video, what models are you using and have you been happy with them?

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

I briefly cover it in part one of the series. I’m going to cover it in more detail in the follow up part and even lay some welds so folks can see what some of the less expensive machines are capable of.

@wesyoung91 10 ай бұрын

@@tomspontoonsawesome! I took a welding course in high school but that was quite a while ago now. I'm considering the multi function titanium welder from harbor freight as one to start out re-learning everything.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

@@wesyoung91 I’ve been happy with my Titanium’s, and the replacement plan is well worth it as you can get a new machine or spool gun if anything starts acting funny. I have used them once for the spool gun and the new one works a million times better. I have the two separate machines to keep from switching everything back and forth, MIG170 and TIG200. It’s super helpful when I can tack quick with the spool gun and then fill in pretty with the TIG

@TheBubagrunt 11 ай бұрын

Can you recommend a link for some sturdy aftermarket seats and pedestals? I’m a fatty and I tend to bend and break them lol

@tomspontoons 11 ай бұрын

These millennium seats are outstanding. They were recommended by a local guide who swore by them and how any size client could sit comfortably and stable all day. I’d recommend having a local welder build you a nice wide and stable seat base for one. Something moveable with a hood wide (20”x20”) base to keep it sturdy.

@turnerrandolph4256 10 ай бұрын

How do you like those portable seat bases? Are they pretty stable?

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

I do really like them. They aren’t a perfect square base so one side can be a little tippier if facing the wrong way, but in normal circumstances (not punching the throttle unexpectedly on your passengers) they’re plenty stable!

@cliffcampbell8827 10 ай бұрын

Jet drives suffer a 30% loss of power to an equivalent prop drive?!?! I was told there's a loss of HP with jet drives but I had no idea it was that bad.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

It is that bad!! The best bet is to go to a bigger HP for planing purposes and then back way off to cruise at lower RPMs to save fuel. This 140 actually does great on fuel…it’s surprised me big time so far!!

@fishenbyfaithoutdoors2589 6 ай бұрын

How much did you have in it. And how thick was the metal. Thank uou.

@tomspontoons 6 ай бұрын

The bottom and side walls were all 0.125", most of the bracing and extrusions were 0.125" too. Transom was 3/16" plate and some transom bracing was up to 0.25". I didn't keep perfect track, but after the boat, trailer, motors, batteries, anchor system, and electrical it was around $30K in materials. Somewhere around 200 hours into it.

@reynoldsautorepair173 10 ай бұрын

Hello Sir I need help I’ve looked everywhere and my pontoon is a 1994 Lowe and it has 3 1/4 speedometer and tach the other gauges are 2 inches and I’ve already got my holes drilled out. Today I found out two of my gauges needles are broken. I’m putting the speedometer, tach, water, fuel and trim in and I can’t find a matching set of gauges the size I need. Can you help me please

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

All gauges that I've worked with are the same size in terms of 3" and 2" (the 3" are slightly larger holes as you mentioned). It can be hard to find exact replacements for older gauges. When restoring pontoons I always just replace the whole set of gauges. There are some great Faria brand kits out there!

@craigr.2755 3 ай бұрын

What mig welder are you using, it looked like a titanium Mig, but couldn't see which one.

@tomspontoons 3 ай бұрын

It is the Titanium MIG170. Good starter welder, but the YesWelder YWM 211P is a way more capable machine for a similar price point. I’ve got some videos using that machine. It’s got single and double pulse, and no need to run a spool gun which makes it way more comfortable and easier to get into tight spots. I’ll be showing that machine in my next build video of the 1660 I’m working on right now

@williamwicks7949 10 ай бұрын

Did you weld it with a plse or ordinary mig? Great boat.

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Regular old MIG spool gun. I’ll do a breakdown of my welding setup in the follow up episode. I show my machines in part 1 of the build. I MIG all the structural stuff under the floor, and TIG all the water line connections and anything that’s aesthetic or visible above the floor

@rosswitte 2 ай бұрын

Just discovered your channel. Great job! How much does it weigh in this video when you keep flipping it over? Just curious. Enjoy!

@tomspontoons 2 ай бұрын

Thanks! I am guessing it's around 800 pounds of just aluminum before adding the floor and motor, etc. I think the hull is 1300 lbs with the floor and everything in. I honestly don't remember the exact numbers. I know it's about 3000 lbs of boat, motor, and trailer though!

@loganemery2524 4 ай бұрын

Hey Tom, I’m getting ready to build my first jet sled. I really love that Suzuki 140. I’m from Michigan and just curious where I could find the motor and the jet pump. Thanks for your time.

@tomspontoons 4 ай бұрын

Nice! What are you building? I buy all my motors through Vans Sport Center here in Grand Rapids. Call Drew in motor sales (and tell him Tom’s Toons sent you). 616-364-0666 He’s usually got 140’s and pumps on order at all times, so he can tell you when the next will be available so you can get a deposit in and get your name on one!! I wouldn’t want any other motor on my boat, it’s hugely heavy and overbuilt and that 140 rips.

@loganemery2524 4 ай бұрын

@@tomspontoons I’m building a 2072 1/8” sides 3/16s bottom jet sled. So I feel like that Suzuki will be perfect to power it. I’m not trying to drag race! lol thanks for the reference ill definitely give them a call. If there was anything different you could have done on this boat what would it be?

@tomspontoons 4 ай бұрын

@@loganemery2524Nice! Where’d you end up sourcing your 3/16” sheet from? One piece bottom or two like mine? I would have probably lightened things up a little with the cross-bracing floor supports. Could have done them on 16” centers instead of 12”. Other little things like making the battery area in the stern taller for easier access. Biggest change would have been making it a less aggressive V in the bow. I love the 3 degrees in the stern, but it wants to dig a little with a bow heavy load. You just don’t get the trim response with a jet to lift the bow. Minor issue, and I’m sure when I run some lakes with it I’ll appreciate it being deeper.

@loganemery2524 4 ай бұрын

*decided he wasn’t going to build it*

@loganemery2524 4 ай бұрын

It is a 1 piece sheet of aluminum.

@dennisshemory4859 6 ай бұрын

How much did the build cost. Would you make one for me

@tomspontoons 6 ай бұрын

Materials were well over $30,000 after factoring in the three motors, battery systems, trailer, and more. This boat might be for sale soon for $45,000. It has around 50 hours on the big motor, probably 10 hours on the 9.9hp. If I build more new like this one to sell they'll be 20' overall length versus this 17.5'. You can find my info at my website www.tomstoons.com

@PopPopJoe 10 ай бұрын

How much of the gallon of Tough Coat did you have let when you guys were done??

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

Maybe 1/8 if the gallon. Just enough to save for touch ups and some small accessory parts.

@kevinhennessy6193 10 ай бұрын

Do you or do you know anyone that sells plans for something like this? Thanks

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

I don’t. I started with tons of drawings on graph paper, but honestly things evolved and changed as the hull came together. Hand cut and measured every piece to fit as it shaped up and became a boat. There might be things I’d tweak on another build, but all in all super happy.

@jakejacobson2999 10 ай бұрын

One thing the two part foam does is really dampen the ride! I really wish I documented my complete refit of my jet boat. I put train tubes all through the hull so there’s zero spots for water to get trapped by the foam..

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

I 100% agree with you there about the two part foam. I think that between the foam we used and the wood floors we’ve got it darn near as quiet. I have flashbacks of digging saturated foam out of one of my river boats for hours and hours…I never want to do that or make anyone else do that ever again!!

@fireguy7004 10 ай бұрын

You would be very surprised where it will get trapped!

@fireguy7004 10 ай бұрын

@@tomspontoons The foam board is a far better choice than the spray in,. just remember it will dissolve before your eyes if it gets contact with fuel! Nice build!!!!

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

@@fireguy7004 yep!! Keep that fuel away!! Luckily 99.9% of it is tucked away under the floor and under aluminum sheet where any chance of fuel could come in contact. It’s all a bit of trial and error, learning one boat at a time

@fireguy7004 10 ай бұрын

@@tomspontoons I think what you done is very reasonable. Should last years. Did you calculate how much foam went into the boat to see if it provided enough flotation?

@bradgee2059 10 ай бұрын

What are your favorite beers?

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

I'm the least picky beer drinker out there...but I do love a cold IPA after a long day of work in the summer.

@xfoxtrotwiskeykilo995 10 ай бұрын

Are ther plans available ?

@tomspontoons 10 ай бұрын

No detailed plans. I sketched it up on grid paper to get a rough idea and then fine tuned it during the build

@arthurtompkins4386 9 ай бұрын

Can this boat be built with a center console?

@tomspontoons 9 ай бұрын

Absolutely. I originally was going to build it as a full walk through windshield, but was afraid it would make it too heavy and restrict the openness that I love. I plan to build some standard layouts and customize them from their basic design in terms of consoles and details.