Boat Builders?

Darren Wright

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Location
Springfield, Missouri
So anyone built their own boat(s)?

I was watching the show "Salvage Dogs" a few nights back, and in the basement of one of their picks they came across this old racing boat. Upon closing before the commercial, the host said "if anyone wants to buy a boat made by the Neal Boat and Motor Company of Kansas City, MO..." which caught my attention.

Not hearing of Neal Boat and Motor Company I had to do a little research, which lead down the rabbit hole...of course. :doh:

Turns out Dick Neal used to build and race these small hydro plane boats. His shop was just blocks from my work, but has long since sold the company. Seeing the boat also triggered some memories that I had a book with some plans for building one of these small water rockets (depending on the motor). So last night I spent some time browsing the for the plans and found them, did a quick Google of the Author (Hal Kelly) and found the same plans online here (see Wetback plans, also lots of resources on the main page of the site).

Here is one of the Hal Kelly style of boats in action...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJA2I4OtEPw

So between buying a Jeep, Ned getting me hooked on the Teardrop trailer site (http://tnttt.com), and these boats, I must be going through an outdoor activity phase right now. ;)
 
They use to race those little hydros around my area when I was a kid. I use to have the plan for building one years ago. I think it came from Popular Mechanics. Would be fun, but the motor would be a problem for me. Pretty expensive.
 
Problem with getting my wife to go camping in one, is no bathroom in it. I'll have to do my research to find the right camp grounds with spiderless bathrooms. ;)

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Yeah that's a deal breaker for me too probably. But a guy has to get out all by himself sometimes too! :)
 
I'm more of a kitchen table kind of guy myself...

table-boat.jpg
 
Ohhhhh...not the teardrop trailers...I love those things! Stacey is up for a Class C and when school is done thats the ride! We have lots of drag/race boats around here...Eastman lake is a favorite for fast boaters...like 90 or there abouts. Lots of hulls and parts in the surrounding areas.
 
now guys... don't forget that the entire title of tnttt.com is teardrops & tiny travel trailers... there are numerous 'small trailers' that you can build that have ahem... 'facilities' in them.

ps. you're welcome!


oh, and check out the 'foamstream' project in the 'foamies' sub forum...
 
Guys please I don't need this :rofl:

I have a half done schoolie that's been sitting in the car port for seven years.. It probably just needs to find a new home at this point, loml gives it the evil eye every so often :whistling:
 
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