My friend is a Moron

I think Dadpad made a good point. I tried to talk to my friend before he did this, tried to get him to see the big picture here.
Evidently, whatever feelings are behind his actions were more powerful than good judgement. I think Dadpad may be close to the truth here.
Therefore, I'll do my best not to rain on my friend's parade.

DOes this include being willing to go out on it?

Tricky, I agree about not drenching him with rain and then kicking him, but it is probably kinder to give him straight up, as you mentioned before, all the possible bad news and expenses and effort involved, and perhaps speaking re the learning curve
Could be that with that info and some effort on his own to get stuff done that he might rethink the situation.

If your friend is buying the pizza, beer and building supplies, then spending a day soaking in the sun and helping him repair his boat doesn't sound like a bad thing to do for a moronic but good friend.

Just finished reading my new issue of "Wooden Boat" and I saw several kits and DIY botas that would be ideal for your friends needs . The pace of putting together a wooden boat (with kevlar or FRP skin) is a treat and an investment .

You can take plans and diddle with them and move **** around like tackle bins or live wells.

However, thats the problem with Mormons, they believe they know everything and are holding four aces.

That, indeed, is the tricky part.
How best to avoid, at least, the first couple of trips.
I just can't convince myself that he will avoid learning the hard way.

If it goes as badly as you fear it will be a bonding experience. I still dont get what your hang up is....are these huge lakes you go on? I would rather do that than spend a week-end working on this hunk of junk, going out you at least get a good story to tell out of it if it goes badly.

I agree, once I put aside my irritation, which I'm doing, slowly but steadily.
I told him that we can get together Saturday and take it to a nearby sandpit, where we can back it in the water and see how the motor starts. It will be an opportunity to test a few things, leave it on the trailer with the plug out, make sure the bilge pump is gonna work ok. Make sure the trailer and tires etc. are ok. Find out what he needs to go buy.
I can even take a rod along, maybe I'll catch something while I'm screwing around with the boat.

Haha, I've had enough bonding experiences to last 2 lifetimes. The lakes aren't huge ( 9,000 acres ) big enough to be miles from the ramp though.
This is Kansas we're talking about too, the wind is always a factor never mind the forecast. Bonding experiences, out here, usually turn into near death experiences.

Now, the question is, should I call him today and tell him he needs to charge the batteries before tomorrow, or let him find that out on his own?
Which is the lesson best remembered?
If I tell him, will I be setting the stage to have to remind him every time?
Do I tell him to bring tools, bring mine, or let him learn on his own?

I've always wanted to build my own canoe, one of those nice wood and canvas models. But man, the cost and time involved, you could build a house.

You can buy the plans from this outfit in Annapolis Md or Port Townsend Wa. Both places sell the entire kits or just plans. Youll never get a sweeter boat than a kevlar sheathed marine plywood baby. You can control all the chining so that the weight distribution fits you personally.
Im building an Irish sailing canoe called a "curragh" and I want to buiold a "Chesapeake Double sea kayak" next.
They cost about 1200 for a complete kit. If you buy the plans and go shopping for the material yourself, itll cost you waaay more.(Unless of course, you have a connection to some 3/16 marine honduras mahogany plywood or cedar stripping.)

I know I'm gonna hafta do that before I die. I've wanted to build one ever since I first saw kits in the Boy's Life magazines when I was a kid.
I like your idea about the kayak too. Those are sweet little boats.
I could probably swing my own cedar. You ever heard of using vinegar to bend your strips?

So as not to be in danger of any TOS's there is a neat website put up by Chesapeake Light Craft in Annapolis . just go and google their name and their website will come up. YOU will have an orgasm over all their designs and kits (well maybe not, Im just judging , maybe Im the only one who gets off looking at boats any kind of boats).

Nope, I once made a steamer for oak. I made it out of some 12" schedule 120 PVC well casing to which I added a series of steam fittings (Got the idea after making some "potato cannons" for the kids and me ).The steamer worked really well but it did begin to leak after a bit so Ive never really gotten more into strip construction. My curragh is only framed up but I will be doing its skin by a "Stitch and glue" technique

I just messed with the chemistry a bit and acetic acid on a wood fibre (lignin) may not regain strength unless you neutralize it and I dont know how to do that in plein air.

I remember reading something long ago about that. I don't know what they did to get it out of there. It seems like that was some sort of old technique.
I really can't remember much about it.
A guy I used to know made rocking chairs using a tank method to bend his wood, don't remember what chemicals he used.
A tank sounds easier for something small like strips, but I'll need to do a bunch of research if I start getting serious about this, which I might.
I like the idea of doing it from scratch. I can get the wood I'd need pretty easily and cut my own strips.

After a bit of research, it looks like a hot tank would do the trick for something as light as strips. That's simple and cheap enough.

You can link to any commercial site you want, farmerman, so long as it isn't something like farmermansrockandminerals.com.

Watch those two hole kayaks, by the way. I've heard they are great for two people, but terrible for one.

farmermansrocksandminerals.com Is always open for business

If you want to sail a tandem kayak by yourself, you should build a "triple" and sit in the middle seat.

The big ones get heavy (more than their advert weights of 80 lb ) Whenever one loads these things up with spar varnishes or boat paints, They take on weight and lose their freeboard when loaded.