The Least Practical Boat You Can Buy

Thanks for all the interest folks. 
Here is where I'm currently at with the motor. All assembled minus one woodruff key I need to get for the starter plate. The only reason it's not yet mated to the lower unit is because I'm waiting on a friend to help me build a die so I can make a replacement exhaust megaphone. 
Also in this picture the motor has carbon core wires, but I have since been informed to go metal core and resistorless caps to give the points all the help they can get. 
They are sitting on the bench currently waiting to be installed.

A few days later there was this.

What do you do when you finish the bottom? Well you flip it over and begin cutting rough panels to cover up the top. 
 

Next step on the boat was fitting the deck work. Obviously fit needs to be perfect here's a shot from the first mock up.

That's amazingly cool.  I was looking at a house decades ago and a boat like these was sitting in the basement.  Even the real estate agent was surprised to see it.  I passed on the house but I've always thought of that boat.

In reply to jimbob_racing :

Apparently the sport really peaked in the 60s and 70s. 
The boats themselves seem quite easy to find, it's the motors that are the challenge. 

So After a many many hours of work all the wood was fitted, then removed. Then coated with marine epoxy inside. Then refitted. then glued and stapled down in preparation for the exterior coats of epoxy. 

In reply to 1SlowVW :

That’s really looking good. 

It looks even better with a coat of epoxy, really brings out the wood grain. Still lots of work to do. But this is pretty much its current state. Man oh man does it look good. 

That is seriously sexy! Just how big is it though? Minds out of the gutter boys, I'm guessing 18' maybe?

1Slow, that's beautiful!  Are there class rules or regs that prevent you from using the West Epoxy System?  That would prevent rot and keep it shiny.

Dan

WANT!!!

Something about a bare wooden speedboat appeals to my inner money burner. Only be better if it was teak and hemi powered!

In reply to 2Girlsracing :

It's a hair over 5ft wide and a little over 10ft long. 
Just big enough not to flip over at 60-65mph.

914Driver said:

1Slow, that's beautiful!  Are there class rules or regs that prevent you from using the West Epoxy System?  That would prevent rot and keep it shiny.

Dan

The boat is coated with west systems inside and out. 
Only rules in this class on the boat are around weight and width of the tunel underneath. 

Last coat of epoxy on the back half of the boat, this area needs to be perfectly flat. Between the builder and I we've block sanded it back 3 times. Each time burned through to wood. So you gotta built it back up and start again. 
Mixed the paint for it yesterday morning while at work. Cant wait to paint the stripes and name on it!

In reply to 1SlowVW :

Awesome, really coming together now. 

In reply to 11GTCS :

It sure is. It's going to be a long winter. 

So pretty! +1 for leaving it woodtone aside from clearcoat and obligatory go faster racing stripes.

1SlowVW said:

 

 

Last coat of epoxy on the back half of the boat, this area needs to be perfectly flat. Between the builder and I we've block sanded it back 3 times. Each time burned through to wood. So you gotta built it back up and start again. 
Mixed the paint for it yesterday morning while at work. Cant wait to paint the stripes and name on it!

These look so cool mounted on the wall with numbers. 

Gotta be quite a ride at 65. I thought our 18ft Skater was a little boat going fast....

In reply to elhartspeedshop :

It's the fastest 65mph I've ever experienced. 
 

And yes they do look awesome don't they! 

This thread is amazing.  What's the combined weight of one of these suckers?  I've owned several 150+hp snowmobiles and at about 450lb wet, that's the fastest feeling thing I've ever ridden.  Not into sportbikes, so im sure it's not the alpha or omega, but it was quick enough for me, haha. 

I do live on a big-ish lake though, so this sorta tickles my nethers... 

In reply to golfduke :

With steering gear and motor and fuel it should be right around 225lbs. But the motor only makes 30hp and is direct drive so you are fixed to a single gear. 
They really get from 30-60mph pretty quick, but it's still all about momentum in the corners. 
I grew up on snowmobiles, nothing matches that acceleration. But these are such a unique driving experience I would recommend it to anyone who has a chance to try. 

Thursday night we picked the boat up from my friends place. The work is nothing short of superb. 
The boat is basically sanding and paint away from being ready to bolt hardware and the motor on. 

Had half an hour today so went out and did a quick mock-up. Still missing a few parts but we're going to try and fire this up for the first time over Christmas. 
 

The best part of this project is it shows another project that was literally pushed to the side. 

this thing is so cool....   I am glad they don't exist in so cal or i would have to start looking for one.