Canterbury lads build epic "bloke's dream" boat

They say Kiwis have a "number 8 wired" do-it-yourself attitude.

And that's the case for two Canterbury men whose boredom sparked an almighty project, leading to what some describe as the best "Kiwi as" boat creation of the summer.

In the build-up to Christmas, Leeroy Button and a friend were bored on a rainy day and decided they wanted to put their building skills to the test.

Instead of creating outdoor furniture for their backyard, they decided they wanted to take it one step further and build a "bloke's dream" on a homemade raft.

"All the timber and barrels were for free," Button said.

"We took all the offcuts and pieces from our worksites that were going to be chucked out and we went back home and built the platform and seats and welded everything together.

"We didn't want our feet in the water because the rivers around here aren't that nice, so we got some barrels to raise us up a bit and whacked a platform on top.

After creating the foundations of the raft, the lads added two couches, a table with homemade beer holders and a chilly bin to the raft - which is powered with a small outboard motor.

After taking it out for a test run, Button and his friends decided to add a barbeque.

While the raft isn't one for thrill-seekers, Button says there's lots of good fun to have on their homemade creation and often get people taking photos and videos.

"We often attach some inflatables and a sea biscuit to the back and have a cruise along while the others have a few bevvies and a cheeky snag. It's not the fastest boat in the world but it's a really good cruise speed.

"We looked up the drinking laws and we always have a sober driver onboard and some life jackets to make sure we're safe.

"We designed the raft for cruising around lakes and rivers and we often fish and swim off it. We've thrown the odd party onboard. It's a bloke's dream.

"Heaps of people love to take snapchats and give us a wave. We go past people fishing and they're always pretty buzzed out by it. It's always a good time, just the packing it up is the sad thing."

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission.