IT IS INTERESTING THAT PHYSICALLY THE BOAT WAS NEARLY COMPLETE BUY THE END OF THE YEAR, BUT ABOUT HALF OF THE TIME TO COMPLETE THE BOAT WAS STILL AHEAD! I NOTICED THAT VISUALLY NOT MUCH PROGRESS COULD BE SEEN AS LITTLE DETAILS TOOK UP GREAT BLOCKS OF TIME. OH THE WOES OF A BOATBUIILDER! 

BECAUSE OF WINTER WEATHER AND THE DESIRE TO KEEP THE CARS IN THE GARAGE UNTIL THE WEATHER IMPROVED, I WAS ONLY ABLE TO WORK ON THE BOAT A FEW SATURDAYS IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY BY BRINGING THE BOAT INTO THE GARAGE FOR A DAY AT A TIME. AS MARCH ARRIVED I MOVED THE CARS OUT AND MOVED THE BOAT IN UNTIL IT WAS FINISHED. 

DETAILS

THE NEXT PROJECT I TACKLED WAS TO FINISH THE FLOOR OF THE COCKPIT WHERE I HAD FRAMED THE CUTOUTS FOR THE BASE OF THE SEATS. THE SEATS INSERT INTO THE CUTOUTS SO THEY WILL BE SECURE BUT REMOVABLE. I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO REVERSE THE FRONT SEATS SO FOUR FOLKS COULD FACE EACH OTHER TO EAT AND SOCIALIZE WHILE AT ANCHOR AND DOCKED. THE SEATING AREA THEN HAS A FLOOR ONE INCH HIGHER THAN THE BOTTOM PANEL. IT MAKES FOR A NICE NEAT FLOOR AREA ON WHICH TO WALK ABOUT THE COCKPIT. 

ONCE THE FLOOR WAS COMPLETE I INSTALLED THE STEERING GEAR (TELEFLEX) AND THE THROTTLE/SHIFTER ASSEMBLY (MERCURY COMMAND 2000). I THEN FINISHED PRIMING AND PAINTING INSIDE AND OUT. I PUT THE RACING STRIPES AND WATERLINE ON WHICH MADE FOR A COMPLETED LOOK. IN THE MOTOR COMPARTMENT AFT I FRAMED IN SUPPORTS FOR THE FUEL TANK (SIX GALLONS) AND THE BATTERY. THE ELECTRICAL WIRING WAS RUN TO A CONNECTION BLOCK UNDER THE DASHBOARD FORWARD. I CONNECTED ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL FEEDS TO THE BLOCK. IT MADE FOR A NICE NEAT JOB. 

NEXT CAME THE FINAL DETAILS. I CUT THE HOLE FOR THE COMPASS IN THE DASH. THEN MOUNTED THE TRUMPET HORN (ELECTRIC) ON THE FORWARD DECK, INSTALLED THE WINDSHIELD HOLD DOWN, REMEMBER I BUILT THE WINDSHIELD FLAT SO I COULD LOWER IT FOR WIND IN MY FACE. THE FORWARD NAVIGATION LIGHTS WERE INSTALLED FORWARD AND AFT. THE MAIN CLEAT AND CHOCK WERE INSTALLED FORWARD, BOTH WITH BACKUP PLATES UNDER THE DECK AND THRU BOLTED WITH STAINLESS STEEL BOLTS AND FIBER NUTS SO THEY WOULDN’T LOOSEN. THE TWO AFT CLEATS WERE INSTALLED ON THE DRAKE TAILS WITH BACKUP PLATES AND STAINLESS BOLTS.

I MOUNTED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER IN THE MOTOR COMPARTMENT AND PUT THE SIX LIFE JACKET HOLDER CASE BEHIND THE REAR SEAT. THE FLARES WERE PUT IN THE WATERTIGHT TOOL BOX, THE TEMPORARY REGISTRATION STICKERS WERE APPLIED TO THE BOW, AND SHE WAS READY FOR THE WATER.

BEFORE LAUNCH DAY I NEEDED TO FINISH THE TRAILER. I INSTALLED GUIDES ON THE REAR OF THE TRAILER TO MAKE TAKING HER OUT OF THE WATER EASIER. I PADDED THE BEDS WITH CARPET TO SAVE THE PAINT ON THE BOTTOM. NEXT BOW SIDE SUPPORTS WERE INSTALLED FOR THE BOW TO NESTLE INTO SO SHE WOULD BE BALANCED ON THE TRAILER AND NOT GO TOO FAR FORWARD. I MADE AN INTERESTING RIG FOR THE TRAILER LIGHTS. I MOUNTED THE LIGHTS AND REGISTRATION PLATE ON A PVC FRAME. THE UPRIGHTS OF THE FRAME ARE ROUND AND FITTED INTO BRACKETS ON ENGINE COMPARTMENT FRAME OF THE BOAT. THE LIGHT MOUNT IS REMOVABLE WHEN LAUNCHING. I DON’T LIKE THE TRAILER LIGHTS ALWAYS GETTING WET, LEADING TO CORROSION AND RUST.

LAUNCH DAY!!!!

THE LONG AWAITED DAY ARRIVED! APRIL 20, 2002, 10:00 AM. IT WAS SO EARLY IN THE SEASON THE FLOATS FOR THE RAMP WERE NOT IN. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PHOTOS I WAS IN THE BOAT WHEN SHE WAS LAUNCHED. I STARTED THE MOTOR AND BACKED HER OFF THE TRAILER. SHE FLOATED AND WITH NOT A LEAK ANYWHERE! TRIUMPH!!!. THE PLAN WAS TO CROSS THE HARBOR TO THE PUBLIC LANDING, WHICH HAD A FLOAT, TO PICK UP MY FRIEND PAUL SLOCUMB. ON THE WAY I NOTICED THAT THE BOW SEEMED TO BE PLOWING. I REMEMBERED THAT I HAD SET THE TILT ON THE MOTOR SO THE PROPELLER WAS FORWARD. I STOPPED THE BOAT AND ADJUSTED THE TILT ALL THE WAY AFT SO THE BOW WOULD BE OUT OF THE WATER AT SPEED. IT WORKED WELL AND I PROCEEDED TO THE FLOAT. ANOTHER THING THAT NEEDED ADJUSTMENT WAS THE IDLE ON THE MOTOR. WHILE I WAITED FOR PAUL TO ARRIVE I ADJUSTED THE IDLE TO THE CORRECT SETTING.

WE THEN SPENT THE NEXT 3 HOURS CRUISING UP AND DOWN THE FORE RIVER, WHICH MAKES UP THE INNER HARBOR AT PORTLAND, MAINE. THE BOAT PERFORMED SUPERBLY AND I COULDN’T HAVE BEEN MORE PLEASED! SHE TRAVERSED WAVES AS PHIL BOLGER SAID, WITHOUT BANGING. SHE IS SO LONG THAT SHE HITS THE NEXT WAVE BEFORE FALLING TO THE TROUGH. WE TESTED THE BOAT IN THE ENTIRE SPEED RANGE AND FOUND HER TO BE SMOOTH AND STABLE. ONE THING THAT HAPPENED WHILE DOING THE TEST IS THAT WHEN I PUT THE THROTTLE FULL OPEN SHE COUGHS AND STALLS. I DON’T KNOW WHY BUT IT MAY A SIMPLE ADJUSTMENT. WITH THE THROTTLE 90% OPEN I GOT A GPS SPEED OF 12.5 KNOTS. THAT IS QUITE ACCEPTABLE FOR AN OLDER MERCURY 15 HP. WE CONSUMED ABOUT 2.5 GALLONS OF FUEL WHICH SEEMS LIKE PRETTY GOOD FUEL ECONOMY.

AS WITH ALL MY ARTICLES I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO BUILD A BOAT, IF YOU HAVEN’T YET. YOU CAN BUILD A BOAT, SURE YOU CAN!!!