Verrrry interesting - DIY Gator boat kits

[fenderbender]

http://www.gatorboats.com/

Have any of you guys ever tried or seen these? I've been thinking about a Bullfrog for backwater solo action. Think they'd be stable enough?

The specs on each boat gives you the material costs normally around $150 - $250 and the plans are around $25. Material costs might be a bit outdated, but for 300 - 400 you could have yourself a nice little pond or small lake boat.

Question is, are they death traps? What do you guys think? I think I'd probably end up reinforcing it with aluminum here and there.

[uberfish]

I have looked at their plans with interest, too. I built a boat off Dynamite Paysan's plans (http://www.instantboats.com/). The one I built was the Gypsy without the sail rig. It is really stable and handles well with oars or an electric motor. A smaller version of the same design is the Cartopper. I photocopied the plans for the Gypsy from his book (got it from the library) and it worked out fine, hard to read some bits but in the she floats.

[PerchPredator]

I've got a pretty good feeling that if I built this thing it would sink like a rock. Pretty interesting idea though