# building a Cat frame



## shappattack (Jul 17, 2008)

Aluminations said:


> Decided to build my own frame. I purchased 2 12' Maxxon tubes. The frame is 80"X40" inside of tube. Frame is 1.25 shed. 40 aluminum. Frame is to be welded. My question is seat location. My plan is to have a front seat on a dry box. Oar seat will be a cooler. The bottom frame extends 17" front and back beyond top frame. What is the best distance from front of top frame for front seat, oar lock location and row seat. Rear row seat. Also plan on a small outboard. I have built power boats, drift boats and thought I would try this. Thanks in advance.


I had some 12' maxxon tubes for a work cat. 40" between the tubes is way huge for a 12' cat. I think mine was 34 inches. Sounds like you are planning 2 seats, so 2 people with a cooler and dry box. If you have 2 people, a dry box full of stuff and a full cooler that thing will be over critical mass, especially if you are talking a big cooler and a big dry box for the 40" width. It sounds like for what you want the frame to be, you need 14 foot long tubes. If you have 12' maxxon tubes, 2 regular sized 6' tall dudes, a small cooler (say 50 quart) and a guy sitting on an action seat, and a little bit of gear, you are fully loaded for a day trip. My 12' maxxon was setup with the rower on an action seat and a passenger up front sitting on a 50 quart gott cooler. Some fishing gear and a couple big salmon in the cooler, about 400 pounds of man meat, and it was at max capacity. What ever you do, don't weld the seat bar. Have a couple moveable cross bars because if you ever have just 1 person in a 12' boat you will want to be in a different rowing location than if you have 2 people.


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## Aluminations (Mar 10, 2015)

*frame*

My plan was for 1-2 fishing, 3 for a day on the water. Small cooler. Moveable seat great idea. It seems as thought balance is the real issue? Moveable seat with moveable oarlocks?
Thanks


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## shappattack (Jul 17, 2008)

3 regular dudes no 12' maxxon tubes is too much.


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## jamesthomas (Sep 12, 2010)

I'm with shappattack on this one. Three guys on 12 foot tubes? How do you spell overloaded?


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## Osseous (Jan 13, 2012)

2 guys on a 12 is pushing it- you'd be way overloaded with three. It'll row like a pig with 2. Get bigger tubes!

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