Hey guys,
Anybody ever make their own push pole? Or ever seen a homemade one? After Tuesday I want one but am not willing to spend a few hundred dollars on one.
I took a friend out Tuesday (when it was suppose to 5-10 and 70 degrees and it was more like 15-20 and 60)
Anyway I have a small 16 ft Jon Boat with a platform and when I went to pick my buddy up he Had a surprise for me. In his yard was a 15 ft PVC pipe that had a tip on it. He just moved into the house and found it and figured we could give it a shot. And to my surprise it worked well for a while. We got super skinny and the boat being so light it was easy to push around. But of course it was way to flexible and after a few hours it snapped it two then we just let the gale winds blow and we drifted the flats.
But after that adventure I’d really like to have one but I can’t justify to my wife or myself spending the money on a Stiffy or a skinny water one.
Any ideas?? Or anyone know someone selling one??
Thanxs
There’s a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot. ~Steven Wright
For a Jon boat you can use a dowel(closet( rod. At lumber places, buck lumber ext they have them in up to 16’ lengths. Normally people want their poles a few feet longer than the boat but I think it’ll do. If you want a duck foot for it use a PVC Y extension and fast foam it up! I also have a diwel rod that I cut the bottom at a 45 angle on both sides to use as an anchor pole.
I know hoofarded on here has s “big ugly blue homeade pole” you could get with him…
I build aluminum bleachers for football stadiums, etc, and have a few 1 1/4" extruded aluminum handrails in the shop. They are open ended, so you’d have to figure out tips for it. I think 1 is 14’ and a couple are 16’ or thereabouts. Only problem is, I live in Camden, and not sure when we’re heading back there again in the near future. If you plan a trip to the midlands, you can have one. I know they wouldn’t break for your application, and the 16 footers I can easily carry around 1 handed.
Haddrell’s in West Ashely sells the duck foots. They are painted metal and will eventually rust away, but their only about $15. I had one on the end of a 21’ bamboo pole for years until I got a proper push pole. Worked well.
I’d love a bamboo pole. I hear they work well. When I get a second I may call Charleston Palm and Bamboo and see of they will see me one branch,stalk, whatever its called. If they would I can’t think it would cost too much
There’s a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot. ~Steven Wright
If you keep your eyes open, there are stands of bamboo all over. I use cut bamboo in my garden, and I have never had anyone turn down a request to cut a few stalks.