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How to Make a Keel for a Duck Boat

So you've built your own duck boat and it's now time to give it the finishing touches. Duck boats -- small, lightweight and not longer than 14-feet -- are used by foul hunters targeting ducks. These boats are best suited for shallow water expeditions fitting one to two people - though most only comfortably fit one. Adding a simple keel to your boat will help to stabilize it and direct the boat when tolling through the water.

Things You'll Need

Sheet of marine plywood
Small hand drill
Drill bits
3 clamps
Table saw
Fiberglass hardening epoxy
Sandpaper
Self-tapping galvanized screws

Instructions

- 1
  Cut two 3/4-inch-by-11/4-inch strip of marine plywood running the length of your boat. Coat the edge of the boat's hull with a generous application of fiberglass epoxy. Join the plywood strip to the epoxy.
- 2
  Apply epoxy to the flange -- outer edge -- at the seam. Place the second plywood strip along the seam. Clamp the plywood strip in place at the front, middle and rear of the boat.
- 3
  Cut piece of plywood 4-foot-by-6-inches, rounding the edges with sandpaper.
- 4
  Apply generous application of hardening epoxy each end of the plywood. Affix it to the bottom edge of the boat.
- 5
  Screw a self-tapping galvanized screw into each end of the plywood at the point of connection to the hull's edge. Coat each screw with the epoxy. Allow the epoxy a day to cure.

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