Classic wooden speedboat build , sink, search for, recovery and rebuild.

fergal.b · 09-07-2010 7:48am #1

Hi all, first post and I am looking for some help,I am doing a bit of boatbuilding and I am looking for a V6 or V8 inboard engine. The boat I am building is a 1954 crackerbox power boat.here is a link were you can see the build.I will also consider a donor boat with a prop shaft and gearbox instead of an outdrive.Thanks for any help.
http://s753.photobucket.com/albums/xx179/fergalbutler/crackerbox/

And this is the last boat I built Sean-nós.
http://s753.photobucket.com/albums/xx179/fergalbutler/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uDVzcVpdhc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoP_2AERUQo

fergal.b · 19-07-2010 6:26pm

Got my donor boat, she is a sportique with a GM 5.7 V8.:D

moonshadow · 19-07-2010 9:22pm

Good man Fergal no stopping you now (ralf)

scaldybelt · 19-07-2010 11:03pm

Top man Fergal!

See you at the next meet (knarl.)

fergal.b · 19-07-2010 11:13pm

Is there nowhere to hide :eek:

At Least I am not the only boat mad man.:D

Hifive · 20-07-2010 4:41pm

I think this is the point where boards boats, takes off. Fergal is here!:D

fergal.b · 24-02-2011 8:52pm

Well after stripping down the donor engine I found this :eek:

So today after much saving I got a new 5.7 v8 long block

Now to get some nice chrome parts to dress her up.:)

fergal.b · 25-03-2011 11:07am

I got some new chrome bits for the engine:D and a new stand.

I also cleaned up the gearbox and rebuilt the carb.

fergal.b · 06-05-2011 9:15pm

Here you go DOTHEDOG just to show I am still at it.:D

DOTHEDOG · 07-05-2011 12:22am

lol holy **** man thats some engine,you live here anyways

dnme · 07-05-2011 2:12am

Its like watching art. Its unbelievable

fergal.b · 18-06-2011 8:05pm

The planking on the hull is finished, now for a few weeks of sanding to get it as smooth as possible. I only used the mahogany up to what I think will be the water line as bellow that will be painted and mahogany aint cheep looks like I have to do a bit of a clean up too

johnr1 · 20-06-2011 1:25am

Lovely boat Fergal, and one fine engine, but Jesus ! will she float that lump ?

fergal.b · 20-06-2011 6:46am

That is the question, she should look like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcXchrQDVH4

And go like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyyNu3OT6yI

ScabbyLeg · 20-06-2011 5:47pm

That's incredible - how fast should a thing like that go? Do you intend to race too?

fergal.b · 20-06-2011 6:06pm

ScabbyLeg wrote: »

That's incredible - how fast should a thing like that go? Do you intend to race too?

As it will be the only one in the country I might just go racing and be in with a shot of winning

.
I will be pushing 350 hp and should do 60-80 mph, the race boats are a lot lighter and have much more powerful engines bringing them well over 100mph :eek: I don't think I'd have the kahunas for that in a little wooden boat.:D

A bit more sanding today.

ScabbyLeg · 20-06-2011 6:32pm

That looks excellent. I would love to build one some day - I think the Zip from Glen L is a fantastic looking boat... I first came across the Glen L boats after I saw a picture you posted of your Malahini.

So it's ok to tear around choppy Irish waters with them, you don't need a calm lake?

dnme · 20-06-2011 6:47pm

fergal.b wrote: »

The planking on the hull is finished, now for a few weeks of sanding to get it as smooth as possible. I only used the mahogany up to what I think will be the water line as bellow that will be painted and mahogany aint cheep looks like I have to do a bit of a clean up too

I'm lost now. I thought you were building a new boat, but the hull here has old blue paint, so is this a restoration or a new build?

Also, there seems to be many parts to the hull, is that ply going back under the tarp? (there is no board or grain that I can see)

Also, is this the first or second one of these boats you have built as this thread is quite old I think and I have seen videos of you in a boat already?

What's the story Fergal, give us the chronology

fergal.b · 20-06-2011 7:07pm

This is a video of my other build a Malahini.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd6vkPjEy4U

And this is a link to the boat I am building at the moment a crackerbox.
http://s753.photobucket.com/albums/xx179/fergalbutler/crackerbox/

The blue is masking tape to keep the black epoxy that I am using as chalking off the wood. The bottom of the boat will be painted so I only used mahogany up to the waterline to save money and the too layers of 1/4" ply are a lot stronger.

Scabbyleg : I do use it a bit off Skerries but not when it's too rough as the bottom is quite flat and you do get a bit of a pounding.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uDVzcVpdhc

fergal.b · 28-06-2011 6:14pm

This jig is a copy of the hull I made it up to help me find the angle to drill the prop shaft hole . Next step is to put the engine and gearbox on it and line it up with some 1" tubing then I will hopefully know what length prop shaft I need and if the gearbox will fit If I cant get it to sit low enough I will just have to run it off the flywheel as a direct drive "start and go" :eek:
I think I'd better do a bit of dusting too

fergal.b · 12-07-2011 11:20pm

Engine is rebuilt now and on the mockup:) If I get a chance I hope to start it up for the first time

dnme · 12-07-2011 11:47pm

Are you or were you ever a mechanic?

fergal.b · 13-07-2011 2:33pm

I have always played with engines from stock car racing,restoring a few old cars and boats

more of a hobby but never got paid for it in fact whenever I go near an engine it cost me money:) A friend is letting me use his work shop to rebuild the engine as I need the heavy lifting gear.

dnme · 13-07-2011 10:21pm

Jesus Fergal you are a talented person, It's like watching Pimp my Ride except with class, humility and decency.

fergal.b · 13-07-2011 11:05pm

My only fear is that when I die the wife will sell the boat and engine for half of what she thinks I paid in to it.:eek:

fergal.b · 28-07-2011 8:50pm

A few ebay finds.

I got my windshield brackets after a year of bidding with no luck. I set my limit at $100 and was not going above that no mater how much wine I had as the bidding came to an end, also got a a 1950's foot throttle.

Today the postman brought me my exhaust tips $4 plus $15 to post. I thought these would look better than the ones I got with the ski boat, I started polishing out the pitting on one today and it come up ok.

Next is my set of faria gauges I splashed out on these $61 as I think they look the part even though the speedo only goes up to 50 MPH

dnme · 28-07-2011 10:20pm

YOU! my friend.......MAKE ME SICK!

ScabbyLeg · 30-07-2011 7:53pm

Hi Fergal,

Those exhaust tips look like aluminium, just wondering if you treat them with anything after you polish? I'd imagine they'll oxidise really quickly exposed to salt water.

fergal.b · 30-07-2011 8:14pm

I could coat them in lacquer but I think I'll leave them as they are and just give them a wash and clean if they have been in salt water. My outboard has some polished aluminium on the cowling lid and around the sides and has held up well so far. Every thing gets a good wash even the trailer after a dip in the salt.

ScabbyLeg · 30-07-2011 8:34pm

Very nice and shiney... love those old decals

I think though that's probably been polished and chemically or electrolytically treated (maybe then a clear coat on top).

I think the prob you'll have with the exhaust tips is that any protective coating is gone and the raw exposed aluminium will oxidise over again pretty quickly, with alu it's always this white powderey oxide you get.

One electrolytic process to protect alu is anodising which builds up a harder coating on the outside (actually it's an oxide too like what naturally forms). Apple do it for their iPods

You can add dye to the process and get various colours too, you see it on various fittings on the motor.

A chemical treatment used in the aircraft industry is with a product called Alodine, it's probably a much easier way to go about it, worth a quick google in any case

Keep the pics flowing, it's hard to believe these windscreen brackets cost so much :eek: You think a machine shop would whip a few up in no time..

fergal.b · 30-07-2011 8:59pm

It was all painted when I got it and I sanded it down to the aluminium then working with 800-1000-1500-2000 wet paper to bring up the polished finish.
I will have a look at that Alodine as the exhaust tips will be getting wet a lot and will also have heat to deal with.
Thanks.

ScabbyLeg · 30-07-2011 9:41pm

fergal.b wrote: »

It was all painted when I got it and I sanded it down to the aluminium then working with 800-1000-1500-2000 wet paper to bring up the polished finish.
I will have a look at that Alodine as the exhaust tips will be getting wet a lot and will also have heat to deal with.
Thanks.

Wow that's impressive, if that's the case I say so with your gut feeling it's probably gonna be grand

That's interesting though, maybe when you get a highly polished finish like that it closes over all the pores and isn't inclined to corrode away. I must look into it

fergal.b · 30-07-2011 10:57pm

ScabbyLeg wrote: »

Wow that's impressive, if that's the case I say so with your gut feeling it's probably gonna be grand

That's interesting though, maybe when you get a highly polished finish like that it closes over all the pores and isn't inclined to corrode away. I must look into it

I also give it a wax so that would help to seal it up too.

fergal.b · 23-08-2011 8:33pm

I gave the engine it's first run since the rebuild it just needs a bit of a tuneup when I fit the breather pipes and flame arrester but all in all I was just happy it started

Here a little vid.

breghall · 24-08-2011 10:07am

That sounds so sweet... it'll be a beast of a craft, can't wait to see the complete package...:)

dnme · 24-08-2011 12:53pm

Fergal, where is the water coming from?

The sound is stunning. Its like a beast on a big chain waiting to be unleashed.

fergal.b · 24-08-2011 2:46pm

As you can see in the photo I had a hose going to it but it sucked so much water that it flattened it so I had to fill a tank and let it drink from that.

She's a beast alright, just not sure how she will like living in a 15 foot floating rabbit hutch.

vicwatson · 19-09-2011 11:44pm

Great thread, lovely stuff Fergalb

fergal.b · 29-09-2011 9:36am

As the weather looks good I decided to do the fiberglassing, I first lay out the cloth and and let it settle over night

Just doing one side at a time I am able to get 4 coats of resin on in a day with a 3 hour gap between each coat, when the boat is done it will be washed and sanded and given another filler coat or two before I paint and varnish it.

dnme · 29-09-2011 12:15pm

What cloth are you using? And why does it disappear from image #3 onwards?

fergal.b · 29-09-2011 3:15pm

I am using 4oz woven cloth on the sides and 6oz on the bottom, the 4oz will go invisible leaving the sides with a natural wood finish.:D

dnme · 29-09-2011 3:44pm

fergal.b wrote: »

I am using 4oz woven cloth on the sides and 6oz on the bottom, the 4oz will go invisible leaving the sides with a natural wood finish.:D

What 4oz in gsm?

fergal.b · 29-09-2011 4:04pm

dnme wrote: »

What 4oz in gsm?

4oz = 125 grm

I got it from these guys.
http://www.shorebreaksurfboards.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3&zenid=37c520d9bd8874ce79aeb810efa8852e

oscarBravo · 29-09-2011 5:16pm

Remember the cloth is literally made of glass, dnme. It looks white when it's dry because the refractive index of glass is very different from that of air, but similar to that of the resin, so the light doesn't change direction as it passes from the resin to the glass - ergo the glass is invisible once it's encapsulated in the resin.

moonshadow · 29-09-2011 9:33pm

Looks great fergal,love the photos keep em coming,dont be afraid to give me a shout when you need to turn her im just down the road

.

fergal.b · 29-09-2011 9:47pm

moonshadow wrote: »

Looks great fergal,love the photos keep em coming,dont be afraid to give me a shout when you need to turn her im just down the road .

Cheers, any chance you could lift a V8 and gearbox in as well

ScabbyLeg · 29-09-2011 10:21pm

That's one fine piece of furniture you're building

fergal.b · 29-09-2011 10:32pm

It's just somewhere to rest your drinks with a v8 cocktail shaker

fergal.b · 05-10-2011 5:08pm

Well thats the fiberglassing on the hull done, I used a laser level to mark out where I think the water line might be on the bow and put masking tape along it and lay the cloth over it then when the first coat of resin set I cut along the tape with a blade giving me a clean line to paint to, the true water line can't be marked out till she gets wet but it should not be too far off level "I hope"

When this sets it will get sanded down and then another filler coat of resin sand that down and add the primer then another fine sanding and paint and sand and paint and so on same with the sides except with schooner gold varnish this is one part of boat building I hate but the finish is all in the preparation so it has to be done.

fergal.b · 18-11-2011 8:17pm

First coat of primer I will sand this down with 600 paper and do two more coats and sand again.

First coat of paint "roll and tipped" I will do another 3 or 4 coats with a light sanding in between then on the last coat I will sand it with 800, 1000, 1500, 2000, wet and then rubbing compound. There is a white waterline around where I think it should be but it may need adjusting when I get her in the water.

breghall · 20-11-2011 7:00pm

great work fergal, what brand of paint are you using on it if you don't mind me asking

Classic wooden speedboat build , sink, search for, recovery and rebuild.

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