Bespoke Burley Bucket

While waiting for the boat kit, today I decided to put the cart before the horse and assemble together a quick burley bucket for the new boat. Just one less thing to worry about building later. It's an odd design but for good reason, the raked inner side allows for access to the bucket chomper without having to bend your back. It's a decent size too, I find that standard burley buckets are always too small for that large tuna head to fit into or a full frozen block of WA pillies :-) Next I will drill the holes and build the chomper, once the boat is ready I will decide how the bracket will work.

Quick sketch of the burley bucket mounted to boat transom. Because of the funky transom design, there is a fair reach to get to the burley bucket but the angled face resolves the issue of reach.

A few sequence photos of the bucket being built;

Setting out for cutting

Trusty Bosch Drop saw with carbide tipped Irwin Aluminium Blade, just add Inox or WD40 to the blade and job before you cut the plate.

Lining up for the cut - Drop saws are great

Cut pieces ready for bevelling

Getting ready for tacking

You can never have too many clamps

Bevelling edges prior to welding

Checking alignment of plates

And checking again

First lot of tacks on this side

Finished tacking

Other tacked side

Outside welds

Finished and water tested for leaks :-D

Serious aperture!

Still no leaks....Not that it matters really...

Just needs holes on sides, back and bottom and a nice long burley munching stick in aluminium.

Drilling the 10.5mm dia holes with a drill press

Finished holes, three sides & bottom. The front or face that mounts to the transom won't have any holes until the boat transom mounting is sorted.