Project StressEliminator Restomod-23 Daytona

[HydroSkreamin]

Man I love running that river in the fall. Do they still have 50 cent tappers at the VFW in New London?

Never been to the VFW there, sounds like an investigative trip is in order! Even if they’re $1.50 I’m in Wait, I’m driving...not happening. But I’m game for a ride...

 

[footer]

Never been to the VFW there, sounds like an investigative trip is in order! Even if they’re $1.50 I’m in Wait, I’m driving...not happening. But I’m game for a ride...

I haven't been on that water in 25 years, back when we lived in GB. The VFW used to be on the north side of the river right downtown, with a dock. According to Google maps that may not be the case anymore. My bachelor party was four boats running from Winneconne up to New London and back. We stayed at the bait shop/"resort" across from the Fin and Feather.

 

[Fonz69]

Hopefully your remodel is about wrapped up and you can get back on it.

If you decide to run from Oshkosh to New London with us, that’s about 100 mile round trip. Hula and I might need to carry fuel for you! We could probably just start out with a trip to Fremont. Hula has done Winneconne to Fremont in 11 minutes during the week when there’s not any no wake zones, skiers, tubers, or fishermen parked crossways in the middle of the river

Probably won’t make it too far on a 10 gallon tank

Might add side tanks at some point, just have to wait and see after a little seat time.

Still might sell the family pontoon and find a 21 daytona with a whacker on it for cruising the river and a little tubing/skiing fun with the family.

 

[HNL2LHC]

I miss up dates on the project.....I hope that all is well with you and the family and life...... Tell Sean that my mother was asking about him the last couple of days. LOL

 

[HydroSkreamin]

I miss up dates on the project.....I hope that all is well with you and the family and life...... Tell Sean that my mother was asking about him the last couple of days. LOL

I miss updates on the project too!

All of the momentum I had rolling on this project came to a screeching halt when I got COVID. Getting life caught back up currently.

Unfortunately when I was down my middle daughter was hit head on, car was totaled and her Mini Australian Shepard was either thrown from the car or freaked out when the driver’s door got peeled off and he took off scared and hasn’t been found in the past two weeks. Obviously I couldn’t go down and help, and she’s 4 hours away attending college.

We’re getting some things handled with insurance and have retained a lawyer. Going to need to get her some new wheels when the dust settles.

The 2018 Trax blew about every airbag it had as she was jammed 3 car-lengths from her direction of travel.

She was traveling from left to right on the road that you can read the street sign

I miss my granddog...but not as much as my daughter does...he was her best bud. We haven’t given up hope but it’s really a sad deal. He’s chipped, so if he’s alive at least he’s identifiable.

I’m getting back after the boat this weekend. Beside the fact that fall is upon us and Ma Nature is threatening to make the water hard for a few months, there’s other developments in Hula’s life that require me to get my ass in gear and get this thing done.

I’m on it...

And I’m not prying about anything between your mother and Hula...

 

[HNL2LHC]

Thanks for the update. Sorry to hear of all the troubles. Keep your head up in these difficult times!!!! Best to you and your family!!!

 

[footer]

Really sorry to hear about the hurdles your family given. Glad you and your daughter are doing well, all things considered. And I sure hope the pup turns up for your daughter.

 

[lenmann]

Damn dude, sorry to hear this news. As the father of three daughters I am feeling for you, hoping she is OK, and pulling for the pup to find her way home.

Family first, boats can wait.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

Glad to hear your daughter is OK. Damn impressive that Trax's driver compartment doesn't look distorted at all, pretty good engineering there.

Hopefully the dog turns up.

 

[02HoWaRd26]

So at what point will this no longer be an Eliminator? As well when complete have you thought to splash the bottom? I mean really it’s only a splash if your own work at that point. Sell them as a “Skreamin Hula 22” “Hydro Hula 22” or a “Hula Hydro 22”

 

[HydroSkreamin]

Thanks for the well wishes, everyone. I was more or less explaining why there hasn’t been updates, but I appreciate your thoughts and well wishes.

Updates soon! Heading over there shortly.

 

[HydroSkreamin]

Since I’ve been busy modifying the StressEliminator boat bottom, I knew I wouldn’t have time to do the boat and modify the trailer, so I enlisted the help of my buddy Crash’s nephew.

He’s a great young welder, and worked welding trailers for generators and light stations at a local manufacturing facility, so he’s a natural for the piddly things I’ve got going on.

I’m having him drop the bunks 2”, because I’ve hated how high this trailer is since I bought the rig in 2014. Also, now that we’ve added a 2” spray rail to each sponson, I’m having him move each bunk in 2” as well. This will allow the boat to fit the bunks in its current form, and it’ll sit lower and possibly launch better as well.

Here’s the current situation. All bunks have been removed and shortened 2”, and the outer guide bunks are welded back on at height already. The uprights are shortened and the crossmembers are ground, ready for the uprights to be welded back on.

The axles are getting moved rearward a foot as well. Then brackets for my new stainless fenders will get welded on, and fenders mounted. I’m switching all the lighting to LED as well, and part of the fender braces will be angled and LED reverse lights mounted in them. I’m sick of backing 200’ up my hill in the dark.

That’s all for now. I did get my head wrapped around where exactly I had left off on the boat today and got some sanding done. Getting all of my momentum back is going to be tough. We’ll get it, we always do...

 

[02HoWaRd26]

Since I’ve been busy modifying the StressEliminator boat bottom, I knew I wouldn’t have time to do the boat and modify the trailer, so I enlisted the help of my buddy Crash’s nephew.

He’s a great young welder, and worked welding trailers for generators and light stations at a local manufacturing facility, so he’s a natural for the piddly things I’ve got going on.

I’m having him drop the bunks 2”, because I’ve hated how high this trailer is since I bought the rig in 2014. Also, now that we’ve added a 2” spray rail to each sponson, I’m having him move each bunk in 2” as well. This will allow the boat to fit the bunks in its current form, and it’ll sit lower and possibly launch better as well.

Here’s the current situation. All bunks have been removed and shortened 2”, and the outer guide bunks are welded back on at height already. The uprights are shortened and the crossmembers are ground, ready for the uprights to be welded back on.

View attachment 935393

The axles are getting moved rearward a foot as well. Then brackets for my new stainless fenders will get welded on, and fenders mounted. I’m switching all the lighting to LED as well, and part of the fender braces will be angled and LED reverse lights mounted in them. I’m sick of backing 200’ up my hill in the dark.

That’s all for now. I did get my head wrapped around where exactly I had left off on the boat today and got some sanding done. Getting all of my momentum back is going to be tough. We’ll get it, we always do...

Be nice to get it down some, wish my new sled was lower on the trailer but can’t. What color you doing the trailer? White

 

[HydroSkreamin]

Be nice to get it down some, wish my new sled was lower on the trailer but can’t. What color you doing the trailer? White

Thinking of making it match the engine...whaddya think?

 

[02HoWaRd26]

Thinking of making it match the engine...whaddya think?

View attachment 935420

I personally wouldn’t say i disliked it, but how well does that blue actually match the gel? Just thinking white will look good no mater what and fades less, and always looks good when boat is off it.

 

[HydroSkreamin]

I personally wouldn’t say i disliked it, but how well does that blue actually match the gel? Just thinking white will look good no mater what and fades less, and always looks good when boat is off it.

Well, sir, I happen to abhor white trailers...

I did think of silver as well, that’s my backup plan, but I get so many compliments on the engine color, I’m pretty sure that’s the direction I’m heading. Besides it being heavily metallic, the hue isn’t terribly far off the pastel-ish gel.

The stainless fenders will pop against the blue. My 400T shortbox Chev taught me that my favorite colors are metallic blue, chrome and smoked glass.

My buddy Crash has this truck now and says I can hook the StressEliminator to it for a photo op.

 

[HydroSkreamin]

Well, so much for working with the door open

Prepped the nose for half capping.

My head isn’t back in the game quite yet, having lost all of my momentum has really made walking in and seeing all the work just overwhelm me.

So, since every time I walk into the shop I have to look at this cap job staring me in the face, I figured I’d do something about it. At least it’s forward progress.

I’ll grind a trough in the seams and cut glass to fill it all tomorrow night.

Feels good to give an update, even though it’s small.

 

[AZMIDLYF]

Sometimes just getting busy is good therapy.

 

[footer]

Blue trailer.

 

[Tunnelfun]

Lots of beautiful work. It warms my heart to see another 23 Daytona moving in the correction direction.
It's asking a lot for a tunnel boat to balance on just the tail as a first class lever at all speeds with no porpoise.
That's why, as you know, most successful designs have stepped sponsons many feet forward of the transom. The idea is to hold the middle of the boat up at 50 to 80 and set the boats running angle of attack through the transition speed from hydro lift to aero lift. Then have a 50/50 weight split between step trailing edge and transom trailing edge till top speed is reached. This allows them to run flatter, faster, with even compression distribution and not flip. They are basically 4 point hydroplanes in ground effect. Makes for a very stable boat. Trim it down to much and it slows down. Up to much and it slows down. And the boat will be far less weight sensitive where porpoise is an issue.
I think your 23 would benefit greatly from them. The question is determining the angle of attack. Because it's got to run at that angel from 50 to the top end and with the prop shaft parallel to the water.
The way I did it with the 23 Daytona v-drive was to bolt on 8 foot long 6 inch wide 2 inch tall Epoxy block skies and moved them back and forth till the boat told me what it wanted. Them left them there.
Hope this is of some use to you. Offered with the best of intentions.
All the best to you and your family. Better days are coming.

 

[lenmann]

Lots of beautiful work. It warms my heart to see another 23 Daytona moving in the correction direction.
It's asking a lot for a tunnel boat to balance on just the tail as a first class lever at all speeds with no porpoise.
That's why, as you know, most successful designs have stepped sponsons many feet forward of the transom. The idea is to hold the middle of the boat up at 50 to 80 and set the boats running angle of attack through the transition speed from hydro lift to aero lift. Then have a 50/50 weight split between step trailing edge and transom trailing edge till top speed is reached. This allows them to run flatter, faster, with even compression distribution and not flip. They are basically 4 point hydroplanes in ground effect. Makes for a very stable boat. Trim it down to much and it slows down. Up to much and it slows down. And the boat will be far less weight sensitive where porpoise is an issue.
I think your 23 would benefit greatly from them. The question is determining the angle of attack. Because it's got to run at that angel from 50 to the top end and with the prop shaft parallel to the water.
The way I did it with the 23 Daytona v-drive was to bolt on 8 foot long 6 inch wide 2 inch tall Epoxy block skies and moved them back and forth till the boat told me what it wanted. Them left them there.
Hope this is of some use to you. Offered with the best of intentions.
All the best to you and your family. Better days are coming.

"The way I did it with the 23 Daytona v-drive was to bolt on 8 foot long 6 inch wide 2 inch tall Epoxy block skies and moved them back and forth till the boat told me what it wanted. Them left them there."

I am having a hard time seeing what you are describing here. Do you have any pictures? This thread fascinates me, and what you are saying sounds pretty interesting, just trying to get my mind wrapped around it.

Thanks

 

[Tunnelfun]

"The way I did it with the 23 Daytona v-drive was to bolt on 8 foot long 6 inch wide 2 inch tall Epoxy block skies and moved them back and forth till the boat told me what it wanted. Them left them there."

I am having a hard time seeing what you are describing here. Do you have any pictures? This thread fascinates me, and what you are saying sounds pretty interesting, just trying to get my mind wrapped around it.

Thanks

I added additional 6 inch wide running surface to the bottom the two main sponsons. This made the boat a stepped hull. The step was about 4 foot forward of the transom. The step was like a transom notch, but 4 feet long and 2 inches deep. I bolted it through the bottom with counter sunk flat heads, no cutting or bonding involved.
Venting was not needed. It's a pressure hull, so self venting. But since the boat ran flatter, it leaked less pressure around the skirt.
Just look at any stepped tunnel hull. I will make since when you see it.

This is a Jim Russell AeroMarine Research explanation as found on his website.

 

[lenmann]

I added additional 6 inch wide running surface to the bottom the two main sponsons. This made the boat a stepped hull. The step was about 4 foot forward of the transom. The step was like a transom notch, but 4 feet long and 2 inches deep. I bolted it through the bottom with counter sunk flat heads, no cutting or bonding involved.
Venting was not needed. It's a pressure hull, so self venting. But since the boat ran flatter, it leaked less pressure around the skirt.
Just look at any stepped tunnel hull. I will make since when you see it.

This is a Jim Russell AeroMarine Research explanation as found on his website.

View attachment 936350

Now I got it, thanks.

 

[HydroSkreamin]

Lots of beautiful work. It warms my heart to see another 23 Daytona moving in the correction direction.
It's asking a lot for a tunnel boat to balance on just the tail as a first class lever at all speeds with no porpoise.
That's why, as you know, most successful designs have stepped sponsons many feet forward of the transom. The idea is to hold the middle of the boat up at 50 to 80 and set the boats running angle of attack through the transition speed from hydro lift to aero lift. Then have a 50/50 weight split between step trailing edge and transom trailing edge till top speed is reached. This allows them to run flatter, faster, with even compression distribution and not flip. They are basically 4 point hydroplanes in ground effect. Makes for a very stable boat. Trim it down to much and it slows down. Up to much and it slows down. And the boat will be far less weight sensitive where porpoise is an issue.
I think your 23 would benefit greatly from them. The question is determining the angle of attack. Because it's got to run at that angel from 50 to the top end and with the prop shaft parallel to the water.
The way I did it with the 23 Daytona v-drive was to bolt on 8 foot long 6 inch wide 2 inch tall Epoxy block skies and moved them back and forth till the boat told me what it wanted. Them left them there.
Hope this is of some use to you. Offered with the best of intentions.
All the best to you and your family. Better days are coming.

@Tunnelfun I see you’ve found me! I’ve read everything you’ve posted on screamandfly, haven’t seen you around in a while. Glad to see you posting.

I’m learning, obviously, but I’m feeling pretty good about the mods we’ve done here achieving what we set out to do: minimize the hop. I rewatched all of my videos tonight and more than ever feel we’re on track. Not expecting a home run, but I’m pretty sure it’ll be more than a base hit.

I told myself I’m not putting steps on this thing, and I’m sticking to that. I’ll be happy with getting the hop tamed. I’ll do a different boat if I’m going further. This one runs well for its weight. I went a little overkill with the stringers in this. I know you don’t believe in stringers, but the panel stiffness and overall stiffness tying the floor to the freeboard, stringers and bulkheads makes for a stiffness you cannot believe. I’d do the stringers with hi-density foam if I had it to do over. As I stated, I’m continually learning.

There’s no doubt this would benefit from steps, but I’m not willing to put the size needed to get the tunnel angle I want on it.

It really is time to finish and use it.

Thanks much for checking it out and your input, I appreciate it.

For the guys here on RDP that don’t know what Tunnelfun has done, he’s focused on overall weight, CG and bottom mods to make 23 Daytonas run hard with less power. I have pics of the single 275 Johnson powered boat with huge self-fabricated setback bracket running at speed in my folders of pics I use for reference.

 

[HydroSkreamin]

Been working late trying to get caught up, so I only had about an hour last night. Got the seams ground out and feathered. I’ll cut glass tonight.

 

[HydroSkreamin]

Got all the glass cut and laminated on tonight. Felt pretty good to accomplish something.

This is a good start on capping the forks and wing. Considering how cratered it was in my previous pics, I’m happy so far.

Working our way around:

Starboard outer sponson tip

Starboard inner sponson

Wing

Port inner sponson

Port outer sponson tip

Trying to get the wing to have a round nose. I’m going to try the PVC trick I did for sanding the spray rail foams. We’ll see...

I’m a little frustrated with how uneven the forks are on this. I cannot get everything arrow straight like I’d prefer, but we’ll make it acceptable.

 

[lenmann]

Looking good.

I would say I miss doing glass work...but I don't. Oddly though, seeing the pictures I can almost smell the polyester resin!

Keep up the great work.

 

[HNL2LHC]

Excited to see the progress!!!

 

[jmeads]

With all the sanding and grinding you are doing, how are you controlling all the dust in your garage. When I look at the floor and surrounding area it looks clean with no dust. Do you have a vacuum system on your sander.

 

[HydroSkreamin]

With all the sanding and grinding you are doing, how are you controlling all the dust in your garage. When I look at the floor and surrounding area it looks clean with no dust. Do you have a vacuum system on your sander.

Very good question! I do not have dust control running right now. I brought my dust collector over but since I’m a guest in Hula’s shop, he suggested not taking up all the space and just run the fans with the door open. Not terribly effective, but he’s got a large backpack style leaf blower and it comes out about once a week and a dust storm is generated. The dust collector isn’t perfect either, so this has been working decently.

I keep boat-specific brooms sitting on the boat that get used for nothing but boat bottom to keep any contaminants the regular floor broom might contain like grease or oil from getting onto surfaces we want to laminate or gel. While grinding, I try to sweep up and keep from tracking the dust everywhere, especially into my truck. It’s not a perfect system but as you mentioned, I try to keep it manageable and presentable. I’m very appreciative of the use of the shop.

Thanks for noticing!

 

[HydroSkreamin]

Grabbed some 2-1/2” PVC conduit from Menards today and sectioned it to hold longboard paper. The paper doesn’t want to conform to this tight of a radius so I had to put decent pressure on it to get the 36 grit paper to conform and to stick to my homemade sanding block. The radius sure matches the wing decently though.

Took the DA with 36 grit to the sponson tips.

Starboard

Wing

Port

Overall I’m pleased with the amount filled. There’s plenty left do but for my first time doing this I’m extremely pleased with the initial results. Obviously I have some filling to do.

 

[Tunnelfun]

@Tunnelfun I see you’ve found me! I’ve read everything you’ve posted on screamandfly, haven’t seen you around in a while. Glad to see you posting.

I’m learning, obviously, but I’m feeling pretty good about the mods we’ve done here achieving what we set out to do: minimize the hop. I rewatched all of my videos tonight and more than ever feel we’re on track. Not expecting a home run, but I’m pretty sure it’ll be more than a base hit.

I told myself I’m not putting steps on this thing, and I’m sticking to that. I’ll be happy with getting the hop tamed. I’ll do a different boat if I’m going further. This one runs well for its weight. I went a little overkill with the stringers in this. I know you don’t believe in stringers, but the panel stiffness and overall stiffness tying the floor to the freeboard, stringers and bulkheads makes for a stiffness you cannot believe. I’d do the stringers with hi-density foam if I had it to do over. As I stated, I’m continually learning.

There’s no doubt this would benefit from steps, but I’m not willing to put the size needed to get the tunnel angle I want on it.

It really is time to finish and use it.

Thanks much for checking it out and your input, I appreciate it.

For the guys here on RDP that don’t know what Tunnelfun has done, he’s focused on overall weight, CG and bottom mods to make 23 Daytonas run hard with less power. I have pics of the single 275 Johnson powered boat with huge self-fabricated setback bracket running at speed in my folders of pics I use for reference.

Another boat? Oh I wouldn't do that. This 23 is the only one I got to go from 30 to 100 at any throttle setting with no trim changes like it was sitting on the trailer. It's well worth perfecting. And it's the best big little boat I've used.
I have extensive experience with
22 Talon.
25 Warlock.
21,22, 24,25, and 27 Daytona.
22 stoker (that's a good boat).
21 and 23 Cougar.
21 and 24 Skater.
21 liberator.
21 Laveycraft.

 

[02HoWaRd26]

I wish i had a photo of what I’m going to talk about, but it’s a box type deal on the nose of the tunnel, not pods solely inside the tunnel on the WPM, and as it was a splash of the WPM the Orion had. @getreal can explain. It leaves about a 1 1/2-2” lip up front, in which creates a pocket that keeps the air from burping out during the transition of partial to full vent.

 

[HNL2LHC]

Grabbed some 2-1/2” PVC conduit from Menards today and sectioned it to hold longboard paper. The paper doesn’t want to conform to this tight of a radius so I had to put decent pressure on it to get the 36 grit paper to conform and to stick to my homemade sanding block. The radius sure matches the wing decently though.

View attachment 937381

View attachment 937382

Took the DA with 36 grit to the sponson tips.

Starboard

View attachment 937383

Wing

View attachment 937384

Port

View attachment 937385

Overall I’m pleased with the amount filled. There’s plenty left do but for my first time doing this I’m extremely pleased with the initial results. Obviously I have some filling to do.

She is going to be SEXY!!!!

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

I miss updates on the project too!

All of the momentum I had rolling on this project came to a screeching halt when I got COVID. Getting life caught back up currently.

Unfortunately when I was down my middle daughter was hit head on, car was totaled and her Mini Australian Shepard was either thrown from the car or freaked out when the driver’s door got peeled off and he took off scared and hasn’t been found in the past two weeks. Obviously I couldn’t go down and help, and she’s 4 hours away attending college.

We’re getting some things handled with insurance and have retained a lawyer. Going to need to get her some new wheels when the dust settles.

The 2018 Trax blew about every airbag it had as she was jammed 3 car-lengths from her direction of travel.

View attachment 934227

She was traveling from left to right on the road that you can read the street sign

I miss my granddog...but not as much as my daughter does...he was her best bud. We haven’t given up hope but it’s really a sad deal. He’s chipped, so if he’s alive at least he’s identifiable.

View attachment 934228

I’m getting back after the boat this weekend. Beside the fact that fall is upon us and Ma Nature is threatening to make the water hard for a few months, there’s other developments in Hula’s life that require me to get my ass in gear and get this thing done.

I’m on it...

And I’m not prying about anything between your mother and Hula...

Just catching up on this thread.. as hula usually keeps me pretty informed.
Man.. I'm really sorry to hear about all the BS. Glad your daughter is ok. And it sounds like you kicked the COVIDS ass, nice work!
Any updates on the pup by chance☹ I'm definitely ready for 2020 to be over, it's been quite the rollercoaster for the wife and I also!

The boat is coming along nicely! Can't wait to hear the results once the water gets soft again!!

 

[HydroSkreamin]

Just catching up on this thread.. as hula usually keeps me pretty informed.
Man.. I'm really sorry to hear about all the BS. Glad your daughter is ok. And it sounds like you kicked the COVIDS ass, nice work!
Any updates on the pup by chance☹ I'm definitely ready for 2020 to be over, it's been quite the rollercoaster for the wife and I also!

The boat is coming along nicely! Can't wait to hear the results once the water gets soft again!!

Someone called my daughter last Friday and said they thought they saw her dog in a town 40 miles away, but nothing else. Really a sad deal.

Car was a total loss and insurance is paying the lease company off. The reality of what I told the girls about leasing cars is setting in, unfortunately. Daughter is physically healing but not emotionally. Working on getting help with that. It’s amazing how someone else’s poor decision affects so many other people for a long time.

If I have life left in me, this boat will be on water somewhere to try these changes out yet this year. I’ll keep driving south until I find water, that’s just how it’s going to be.

Thanks for checking in and thanks for the compliment.

 

[Singleton]

Someone called my daughter last Friday and said they thought they saw her dog in a town 40 miles away, but nothing else. Really a sad deal.

Car was a total loss and insurance is paying the lease company off. The reality of what I told the girls about leasing cars is setting in, unfortunately. Daughter is physically healing but not emotionally. Working on getting help with that. It’s amazing how someone else’s poor decision affects so many other people for a long time.

If I have life left in me, this boat will be on water somewhere to try these changes out yet this year. I’ll keep driving south until I find water, that’s just how it’s going to be.

Thanks for checking in and thanks for the compliment.

I hear FL in December is good.

Glad to hear your daughter is physically healing. The emotional part takes time. When my sister had her accident (Utah / AZ boarder) her dog was found 21 days later, so hoping the same for you guys.

 

[02HoWaRd26]

I wish i had a photo of what I’m going to talk about, but it’s a box type deal on the nose of the tunnel, not pods solely inside the tunnel on the WPM, and as it was a splash of the WPM the Orion had. @getreal can explain. It leaves about a 1 1/2-2” lip up front, in which creates a pocket that keeps the air from burping out during the transition of partial to full vent.

Not the best pics but just remembered i had these photos from when i mounted the little Rigid lights under there. That boat only ran 75 but @wet hull ’s runs into the 90’s with zero porpoise. And according to Tom Stolarz who did the WPM and the design that was the real why.

 

[HydroSkreamin]

The forks are so thin on this thing I can push on the vertical surfaces and move them 3/8”; super thin. So much so that you can’t even sand them because they flex so much.

I’ve been wanting to fix this for a long time, and tonight is the night.

Using my 12” mudknife as a straightedge, I wedged a 2x8 in between the sponsons until I got it where I wanted it. Using the mudknife I marked where the contact points were every inch and laid out where the 1808 needed to be. I cut the piece and glassed it on. This will stiffen that panel, and tomorrow I’ll do the same thing to the other side.

Since I had a batch of resin going, I filled the really low spots on the other side.

Tomorrow I’ll sand these, and then everything is going to be ready for P-14 filler.

It’s coming around nicely. Should be pretty much finished with this task tomorrow, and I’ll get back to finishing running surfaces.

 

[HydroSkreamin]

My friend Remington came over to help this weekend, and I had him lay out the lines for defining the strake reflex location on the pod. He did great on setup and accuracy.

He also made a template for me, as I was working on capping the front, and prefer the sponson tips to match. Nothing fancy, but effective.

Here’s the capping progress currently

starboard tip

starboard inner sponson

port inner sponson

wing

port outer sponson tip

 

[HydroSkreamin]

Well, I’ve been saving the corners for last, as I’ve been dreading them because the radius on the underside is greater than the radius for the deck, and I didn’t know exactly how I was going to deal with that.

Using a LED work light on the floor, I was able to use the light and change my viewing angle and see the consistency of the shape change by eye, and could double check it by feel. All of this was done with an 18” longboard and a 6” sanding block with 80 grit paper on each. Those took care of the flat surfaces, and I used cutoffs by hand to shape the corners. I’m extremely pleased with how they turned out. The only thing left on the cap job is filling porosity, craters, and some gouges from the 36 grit paper.

Got the topside (underside currently) rounded off as well. I can’t wait to see this in white gel; it’s going to be smooth...

 

[HydroSkreamin]

Capping is complete. Finished blending and radiusing the tips.

My friend Remington came to help and I tasked him with filling some voids at the transom. When we pulled the drain plug flanges from the hull the 4200 stuck and pulled gelcoat and some fiberglass with it. There was also a void at one of the spray rail to sponson interface.

Remington crawled inside the boat and taped up the original bow eye holes. It’s too far under the boat and not very accessible, so we plugged the original holes and it’s getting moved forward with new bracing inside

Working toward making this flush with the transom surface. Remington is finding out what a workout Big Wally can be, and how flat it makes things.

 

[lenmann]

Looking really good. Love your attention to detail too, the payoff comes when you sight down the polished white gel and its just pure perfection. Wont be long now.

I don't know about your hull, but on my Schiada nothing was symmetrical side to side or front to back. Drove my OCD nuts, I did what I could to fix it but I had to keep reminding myself that the plug that made the mold that the hull was pulled from was built by a guy back in the 70's using then state of the art boat building tools and materials: plywood, dimensional lumber, maybe a table saw but probably a skil saw, Bondo, and lots of sandpaper.

 

[HydroSkreamin]

I don't know about your hull, but on my Schiada nothing was symmetrical side to side or front to back. Drove my OCD nuts

You and me both!! The sponson tips are both angled about 1/4” to starboard, so one surface is slightly concave and the other is slightly convex, so what your eyes see are two slight curves. You don’t pick it up with your eyes or hands, but a straightedge is a truth-teller.

I’ve learned to try to be detailed about things that matter and figure out how to disguise the stuff we can’t “fix”.

I paid a lot of attention to the cap job because it’s what you see as it’s coming at you, parked on the sandbar, and loaded on the trailer. It’s a pretty focal area and the first spot of scrutiny. I’m quite positive there’s going to no complaints whatsoever on this cap job, unless I somehow screw it up in block sanding.

 

[HydroSkreamin]

My buddy Nick came to the shop and helped sand on one of the sponson verticals. Some bluing and elbow grease and he was making things flat.

I worked on getting the running surfaces defined after bagging the pod on.

Remington came back to smooth off his previous evening’s filling. It came out nice.

Pod is sharpening up well.

A new tool was added to the mix; since I can’t find Little Wally, 2”x3” aluminum extrusion on the right is now Little Wally II, and I actually like it better than the original. It’s easier to hold onto and takes 2 sheets of paper instead of a single. I use it with the paper wrapped around the corners and it does a great job of making sharp lines. It’s what I used to define the inflection point between the pod and reflexes.

Here’s a shot of the reflex definition/sharpening

 

[Duramax]

Amazing job my friend!

 

[Spitfire]

Well done, some serious talent and vision. Thank you for sharing. Awesome thread.

 

[Toffen Gunnufsen]

Pls come to Norway and blueprint the bottom of ol Phantom ! I am sure we then will hit the magic 90 mph Amazing work. Never seen the like. Good karma from us in Lillesand

When you upgrade to the 450R, will you still use your Gorilla jackplate? As you know I have the same jackplate on my boat, and I wonder if should upgrade to Bobs Extreme G3 when buying a 450R

Take care !

 

[HydroSkreamin]

Pls come to Norway and blueprint the bottom of ol Phantom ! I am sure we then will hit the magic 90 mph Amazing work. Never seen the like. Good karma from us in Lillesand

When you upgrade to the 450R, will you still use your Gorilla jackplate? As you know I have the same jackplate on my boat, and I wonder if should upgrade to Bobs Extreme G3 when buying a 450R

Take care !

Toffen-

Always great to hear from you. Your Phantom is one cool ride!

If and when I ever upgrade power, I’ll keep the Stainless Marine Gorilla jackplate. I’ve always felt it and the Detweiler were the best designs on the market. Neither was a cheap plate, and on that piece the cheaper alternatives won out in sales, so both companies stopped making their respective products.

I’ll probably build a setback box next summer, but that’s about it for changes to the jackplate.

 

[HydroSkreamin]

Well done, some serious talent and vision. Thank you for sharing. Awesome thread.

Thanks much! Appreciate it.