They say Kiwis have a "number 8 wire" 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 afriend 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.
"We just wanted to get it built before Crate Day."
They say Kiwis have a "number 8 wire" do-it-yourself attitude. Photo / Supplied
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.
The raft can be transported by trailer or ute and is reasonably easy to assemble. Photo / Supplied
The raft comes with couches, a chilly bin, a table and a barbeque. Photo / Supplied
Button's raft is fast enough to pull inflatables and sea biscuits along the water. Photo / Supplied
"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."
The lads' design comes after a DIY caravan owner was pictured sailing his converted vehicle on Lake Tarawera near Rotorua in 2018.
Anglers enjoying the opening of the fishing season on Lake Tarawera near Rotorua today spotted this unusual craft trolling for fish! One of the flags says For Sale. Photo / Supplied
A photographer captured the moment the DIYer-turned-boat-owner was out on the water enjoying the opening of the fishing season, casting a line out the front of his caravan.
A fishing line and fishing net can be seen off the front of the caravan ready to hook the next catch, with the caravan's windows stripped out completely.
One of the flags flying on the caravan says "for sale", sparking locals' interest in buying the unique creation.
The Waiuku men behind the caraboat — Matthew Douglas, Darrin Burns and Willy Timmins — created the hybrid vehicle in 2016 after they found a caravan rotting in a paddock.
Burns, who is a mechanic by trade, teamed up with his friends to make sure the caravan was seaworthy, taking six weeks to convert it into a boat.
The boat can reach speeds of 15 knots, can be launched from the back of a car and is steered from a wheelset in the central table on the inside of the caravan.
Polystyrene foam was added to the caraboat to ensure positive buoyancy.
According to Douglas, who is a welder and fitter, the seagoing caravan is safer on sea than it is on the road, he told Seven Sharp in 2016.
