Revival Boat Base – Step-by-Step
Want to join the Rivertown Revival Boat Regatta, but aren’t sure you have the construction chops to put your own water
craft together? This How-to guide will walk you through the steps we used to build a simple, inexpensive boat that feels
stable on the water, and is easy to construct.
These instructions will guide you through building a boat that comfortably holds two people, but can accommodate
three. The finished boat base will also allow lots of customization and flexibility. Although this guide shows the steps to
build the specific boat pictured, our hope is that you’ll take this as a starting place and let your creative juices spill all
over the place as you make this design your own.
Each of the following numbered steps has a corresponding step in the picture guide.
1. The materials shown were all purchased at Friedman Brothers, but are widely available. If you can replace any of
the materials on this list with things that you already have in your garage or shed, then you can save a bunch of
money. Pallets can be sourced from home improvement stores, and the management is typically happy to give a
couple away for free to customers who are making purchases.
The reason we suggest two pallets, even though only one is used as the boat body, is that you can use the slats
from a second pallet to fill the gaps to make a more complete deck for your boat. We highly recommend Torx
screws which have a star pattern instead of the typical Philips type. Usually the screws come with a matching
drill bit driver. The Philips heads tend to strip after several assemblies and dis-assemblies.
The storage bins that we use for floatation come in many shapes and sizes, but we recommend the ones shown.
They are the most rigid and won’t collapse under pressure. Unfortunately, they are also a bit brittle. If they are
dropped or handled roughly, they will break. Be sure to check the ones that you buy while still in the store. I’ve
seen them broken on display.
2. Per the end of Step 1., prepare the body pallet by adding any needed slats to the deck so it will be easy to walk
on. These can be pulled (carefully, so they don’t break apart too much) from a second pallet. Use the 1.5”
screws, but make sure there are no screws, nails or giant splinters sticking out before continuing. Insert two 10’
2x4s into the right-side up pallet as pictured. Align the end of each 2x4 with the end of the pallet. Put a 2.5”
screw through each pallet slat into the 2x4s. You may need a friend to hold each 2x4 against the pallet slat so
they are firmly screwed in place.
3. Flip the body over so the underside of the pallet is facing up.
4. Grab the 10’ 2x6 and lay it across, and in the notches of the pallet. Attach it so that the 2.5” screws penetrate
the thicker wood of the pallet.
5. Use two 3.5” screws to attach the 2x6 cross beam to the outrigger 2x4’s on the left and right.
6. Reference the pic: the outrigger 2x4’s should be essentially flush with the end of the pallet.
7. Cut two 3’ pieces off the last 10’ 2x4 and cut the 6’ 2x6 in half so you have two 3’ pieces. These four 3’ pieces
make the left and right flotation struts for the cross beam. Align the left or right side according to the pictures
and attach securely to the cross beam using the 2.5” screws, ensuring the 2x6 is attached closest to the pallet.
8. Attach the remaining two 3’ pieces to the other side of the cross beam, ensuring the 2x6 is attached closest to
the pallet.
9. Reference the pic.
10. Flip over the boat to attach the nose floats.
11. Grab the 8’ 2x4 and cut it in half so you have two 4’ 2x4s. Grab the 4’ 2x4 left over from an earlier cut, and align
all three boards evenly at the end of the outrigger per the pic.
12. Using the lids as a guide, align the boards so that the screws will go through the lids and firmly into wood.
Remove lids and attach boards using the 2.5” screws. We re-used some shelving for this step, so the pic doesn’t
match exactly.
13. Flip the boat again, and attach the floats per the pics. Six 1.5” screws per float should be sufficient.
14. When attaching the cross floats, be sure both floats are in full contact with wood at the screw points.
15. Again, place and align the bin lids so that the screws will go firmly into the pallet wood.
16. Set the bins into the lids and screw in using the 1.5” screws.
17. Place and align the floats for the nose. Attached using 1.5” screws.
18. Flip the boat over by lifting the nose in the air and leaving the rear of the boat on the ground. Be careful not to
drop the nose or cause any sharp blows to the floats. Work on a soft grass surface if possible.
19. Congratulations! Your boat base is DONE!
At this point, there are several directions you can go with the project:
- You could add plywood to the deck, or build seat backs, or add slats across the outrigger from the second
pallet, or add a simple mast, or paint, or fabric, or railings, or…, or..., or…
- You could remove the floats and remove the outrigger from the body, and then transport the nose section
and body section to water’s edge for some float time. This will give you an opportunity to make sure it fits in
your vehicle, as well as giving you the practice of partially re-assembling it on the dock.
- You could create a pedal powered motor using old bicycle parts from your garage or the dump.
- You could decide to get a larger group involved and build a bigger version of this same design.
- You could bring this little beast into your home, bathe it and tuck it into your bed real cozy like.
Whatever next steps you decide to take, please snap a pic and post it to Instagram #RivertownRevival, a Facebook page,
or email it to [email protected]. And remember, if you get in a bind or feel stuck at any point in the process,
shoot an email to the above address and we’ll break out our unsticking bar to unstuck you! Happy building!