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Here's what it looked like on Monday when I pulled it out of the shed and stuck it in the shop.




I decided to cut out the center console, so now it's just one big deck. I've got one bulkhead cut open for your feet and Bowman is supposed to show up in the next couple of days with the job of building a new console on the side.

And my other problem. #4 piston is toasted. But she's gonna fly when it's fixed!

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Lookin good there Mark.

Boy, that engine looks like a project and a half.
( It IS an engine, right? )

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And I thought working on my lower unit was bad. Remind me never to even thinkabout attemptingto fix an upper unit if that's what they look like.

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I like the old hand crank corn sheller in the background...too cool.

Did you get to float test the hull?

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Markthat's lookin good! ...Any Idea when themaidenvoyage will be?????

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I have 2 rails to put together and a crap-load of sanding to do, then it's back home to load up and head out. I should be up there before dark.

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sweet! looks like you have got your hands full!! will be a sweet rig though

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It's looking much better without the center console. You can see the bulkhead I cut out for your feet. I think I'll feel much more comfortable sitting a little lower doing 65. :D





Anyone know how to put this thing back together?





This is what happens when you don't replace the water pump:

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65??? the pucker factor will set in at about 20. ;)

Wow that piston doesn't look as bad as I would have expected.

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No, the piston wasn't that bad at all. Those chunks on top were stopping the motor from spinning over. So I think it stopped itself before it could do any real damage. I finished honing out the cylinder last night and I think it will be just fine. The scratches weren't deep at all. The biggest problem was a few pieces of aluminum melted onto the cylinder wall. I did also find out that oversized pistons (you can go up to .030 on this motor) are all the same weight, so you can bore only one cylinder and it will still be balanced. Everything else looked real good. It was kind of funny in that I found the long plastic spray tip from an aerosol can in one of the intake passages. It kind of pissed me off too because I'm sure it was from fogging the motor to winterize it. Some lazy mechanic looked down and noticed his tip was missing but didn't bother to go find it. So the motor is ready to go back together, if only my piston and gaskets would show up!

I'm still going round and round on lights. I've got an 1800w generator that would actually fit inside a compartment. If I could keep it running cool that would be pretty neat. I'd have to run 150 HPS then. Imight be able to barely run 6 on capacitors. Otherwise I'll just run the old trusty and light weight 500 halogens with my Generac tank.

Good observation on the corn sheller Kendall! It's even fun to use....... for the first 5 ears. I didn't get a chance to float test the boat. It was during our recent hurricane that I moved it and the deck was still bare wood.

I've been working on this thing for a year now Ken. Right now my goal is to finish it sometime this year. I've got a good jump on it, so maybe Rend. But I said that last year.

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just for fun, look here, I'm not to certain that piston damage is from the water pump. Looks like the carb was plugged, but I'm only seeinf one piston.
http://www.smellofdeath.com/lloydy/piston_diag_guide.htm

This is a good site if you get stuck
http://www.themarinedoctor.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
see the vidios bottom right

and for parts breakdown if you need it
http://www.crowleymarine.com/parts.cfm
by year or serial #

keep up the good work

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Ah! so that's how they do it. Tricky those darned mechanic types.

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#4 was the one burnt up, and #3 which shares the same carb was just fine, so I'm not too sure it was a fuel problem just yet. If it really was the water pump, #1 should have gone first. But I can't rule out the middle cylinders since they naturally run hotter. I'm willing to bet it was a timing problem. First guess would be the low idle timing advance went out, which can throw off timing at higher rpm's. I'll be disconnecting that piece of junk. I noticed before I started taking everything apart, all the return springs were pretty stiff on the carb and timing linkage. It's going to take some time to get everything loosened up again. I'd hate to have the throttle stick running wide open in the dark!

Steve was here for 2 days and with my uncle's help today we got the whole top side glassed. I'm hoping tomorrow I can put one more thick coat of epoxy on and then she's ready for sanding and paint.

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Better you than me. I'm having a hard enough time adding some wiring for a horn and putting the converters on in a "safe" place. I got the breaker installed yesterday. But that was about it.

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You know, if you get that motor running again, I'll be most impressed. Even slightly more impressed than when Steve took that brokenup pile of aluminum and turned it back into a boat. Slightly more impressed than whenGrider actuallysstarted winning money at the shoots andmore impressed than whendeer predator actually started hitting fish. (all of these arevery impressive)

I guess I shouldn't doubt a farmer/carpenter/Army Ranger tho'. :D

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Well, I guess she's feeling better if she's startin' to give Ken crap again. :D

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Still too sick to go bowfishing. :(:(:(:(

I'd have to be about dead to not give Ken grief. ;)

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For how bad the piston looks, the cylinder is in great shape.I've honed a few cylinders back when andI was suprised.

I can't wait for you guys to see this thing. I'm on another computer right now, otherwise I'd load up a picture or two. It looks like an aircraft carrier without the console. I measured it and it's 18' 8" long and 77 1/2" wide. With that 115 on it,when the water's like glass like it gets at night,we'll hit 60. There won't be no turning it, but it'll be fun on the straight-a-ways. And with the platform that's going on it it'll give the front end some lift. I bet we don't have much more than the lower unit in the water!

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Why Why Why Why Why
Why
Why
Why
Why
Why
Why
Why
Why
Why
Why
Why
Why
Why
Why


What did I do?????????You always have a way of making me sad.....:(

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Christine:
"Slightly more impressed than whenGrider actuallysstarted winning money"

Hey, I resemble that remark.

And what's withs the actuallys? You've been downstate too long, in fact I bet you're now telling K, "Hey K, I'm goin' in to town and git myself toKmarts" :D

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Impressed that I get the motor running? Really?! That's all it takes to impress you? The idea that I'm going to go screaming across the lake on a pile of constructionlumber held together with the cheapest epoxy I could find on ebay and which I brought home in the back of my truck from Menards one Saturday morning is less impressive than getting a once running outboard to run again? I guess I went to all that work for nothing.

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So far just an idea. [:-] I will be happy to see it when it happens.

Heck, I was impressed when you got it out of my driveway. LOL Thanks again BTW. :)

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Well, I'll be really, reallyimpresssed to see it operating on the water. ;)

But if you off yourself in the process, I'll give you points for creativity and effort, but remember, I work for different emergency rooms... I see lots of 'good ideas gone bad'. That's not so impressive.

So first, I'll be impressed by the running motor. :D

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This sure has been a lot of work just to off myself! I did get my new piston and gasket kit in the mail today. I should have it all back together in a couple of days. I also orderd some Tuff Coat from Cabelas which I'm going to try on the deck of the boat. Hopefully I'll get that on this weekend.

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Alright, the motor is all back together. I've got compression, carbs are spotlessly clean, and I've got spark on all but #6. Coil is good, trigger is good, so new ignition switch box is on the way. No reason why it shouldn't purr.

The boat is completely glassed. I tried a spot of Cabelas Tuff Coat on it today to see how it sticks. Once I'm satisfied, it's ready for that and paint.

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Mark just was wondering what kind of KEEL do you have on it or how many. I know on my Jon boat i got a center keel and two more side keels. Cant wait to see the finished project. so far it looks great compared to the pick up full of lumber that you started with.

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Johnny, right now I have no keels. Just a completely flat bottom. I'll see how bad it is running and I can always add something later.

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Popped the motor off this afternoon on bad gas, old plugs, and no throttle control. Seems like it should run so that's a big relief. My buddies at Bedford Sales, the Ranger boat shop in Morris who are used to running 80 mph down the river, don't want to ride in my boat after hearing about it. I'm starting to wonder myself.

Bowman starting cutting steel for the platform. I'm hoping to get the final coats of deck coating and paint on tomorrow.

Hey Steve, where's the pictures?

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Here they are;

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isnt that going to be a little dangerous without sides on it ?? How are you going to keep it from taking on Water if there are waves? Will it be at Rend I need to see this thing. It will certainly turn heads.

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It's likea big ship. It's a big sealed box. A wave could roll right over the top of it and be just fine. Do you have any keels or strakes on your boat Luke? And how does it handle on the water? I don't think I'll make it to Rend. It's a 6 hour drive for me.

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You could make the fun shoot next Saturday. We all would love to see the maiden voyage. Steve could hold a spot light for you while you shot..lol

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Mark;
The boat is looking fine. I am a little concerned about you welding just a few feet away from a gas tank. Can you move the gas tank a little farther away from your welding. Don't want to loose a club member.

My plate boat is a true flat bottom with no keel and it handles just fine. You should have no problems IMO.

Dave R

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mine is a true slick flatbottom and it handels good you just have to watch it at high speed turns or when you hit a big wave at high speeds. If you go to make a tight turn it wants to slide sideways then you are running 40 sideways with very little control same with big waves you tend to bounce around. It is one of those things that could be dangerous if you are not paying attention to what you are doing

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We've already done that once this year. Funny you would suggest it.







You know Dave,there were3 of us in the shop while he was doing it and none of us even noticed the gas tank till we looked at the pictures. And we had gas leaking a little bit too! I don't know how it didn't ignite.

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I was kind of chuckling to myself about the gas tank after looking at the pictures. That wouldn't have been the first time I accidently ignited a gas tank!

I'm not sure the boat will be ready by this weekend. I might go mount the outboard tonight though.

Thanks Luke and Dave for the reassurance of running a flat bottom. I've been wondering.

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That thing is lookin really slick guys.

You gonna have fish barrels up on the deck, or is there something else in the works?

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Right now just fish barrels on the deck. Anybody have any other ideas? I thought about cutting open the boat and making some boxes that fit into the hull.

The outboard is now on the boat. The platform is welded and painted. I'll try to set it on tomorrow and perhaps throw up a picture. It's getting so close now that I'm ignoring all other responsibilities of life in order to finish it. I'm also selling any other toy I can think of to pay for this thing. My wife might be kicking me out soon. Anybody got a couch to crash on?

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Yep you can crash on my couch. I have been there dont worry push forward and finish the boat it will never leave you or kick you out.

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Okay, she's starting to look like something now!