Pedal Cat: A Pontoon Pedal Boat Plan With Outboard Option
A catamaran-style pedal boat on about 10 ft plywood pontoons, driven by a paddle wheel or a small 3 hp outboard.
Pedal Cat takes the catamaran idea and gives it a bike's soul. Two exterior fir plywood pontoons, each about 10 ft (3 m) long, carry a pedal-driven paddle wheel, with cranks and a handlebar made from pipe fittings. If you would rather sit back, the plan also allows a small 3 hp outboard. It is a stable, friendly craft for lazy lake days, and a fun project for anyone comfortable with both woodworking and a bit of plumbing hardware.
Pedal Cat at a glance
| Detail | Pedal Cat |
|---|---|
| Type | Paddle boat |
| Length | About 10 ft (pontoons) (3.05 m) |
| Construction | Exterior fir plywood pontoons; pipe-fitting cranks and handlebar |
| Power | Pedal paddle wheel, or a small outboard (3 hp) |
| Designer | William D. Jackson |
| First published | Boat Builder's Handbook, p. 105 |
| Craft Print | No. 221 |
| Plan sheets | 9 |
Stable and sociable
Twin pontoons spread the load across a wide footprint, so the deck feels settled even when riders shift their weight. That stability makes it relaxing for beginners and good for slow cruising along a shoreline. Adding the 3 hp outboard option turns a pedal toy into a small ferry for longer trips across the lake.
Pipe-fitting cranks and a handlebar are a resourceful choice: the parts are sold at any hardware store and are easy to assemble with basic tools. If a part wears out, a replacement costs little and fits in minutes, which keeps the boat running season after season. That flexibility means the same craft can serve both the kids' afternoon play and a grown-up's slow evening tour of the lake.
The original plan sheets
These are the 9 original sheets, scanned from the magazine. For building, use the full-size PDF in the download section below.
Who designed it
William D. Jackson drew Pedal Cat for the Boat Builder's Handbook, page 105, as Craft Print 221. Jackson designed many of the series' small plywood craft, and this one shows his knack for mixing woodwork with hardware-store parts.
Before you build
- Seal the plywood pontoons inside and out and test them for leaks before attaching the deck.
- Stick with the 3 hp outboard limit stated on the plan, which suits a light pontoon platform.
- Tighten and grease the pipe-fitting crank joints regularly, because threaded fittings loosen with constant pedalling.
Download the plan
Pedal Cat's nine original sheets are gathered in one file, printable at full size or easy to follow on a workshop tablet.
Download the complete plan (PDF, 9 sheets, 7.7 MB)
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