I'm back...Bimini top and many upgrades

[81venture]

Dave..that blue hull looks gorgeous, I hope both you and the omnipotent sainted Admiral are proud of your work ...

What about the rest of the boat you jerky?

Anyone impressed I have two separate rigging setups and can seamlessly transfer from Lake life to Salt life

More pics coming later....wiring right now

Cheers

Dave

[Catigale]

No more compliments until the hull gets wet, sorry.......

[81venture]

I'm hoping to splash her this weekend!

Got the Trailer Guides on today...Drilling through Galvanized Steel with a 3/8 bore bit = no fun.







Am toying with the idea of installing my 900k Mini generator on it...using piping and a bilge pump to build a water cooled riser...but this is still in the musing phase

As you can see in the photo my boat mover is an old Honda 250 3 wheeler..moves the venture without any problems.

Radio's and Stereo is done....solar panel I installed on the front hatch underneath...we lake cruise most of the time, and usually have the hatch open to absorb a breeze and rays to charge the dual switchable Batteries I am installing..
Also need to do interior lights tomorrow

Funny note, on the switch panel forward there is a switch labled "Wipers" and I cannot find them..was it possible each window had a mini-wiper (like on mercedes headlights) and I am missing this wonderful device?
Cheers
Dave

[81venture]

Busy Day

Running and Steaming lights = Check



Blue mood lights = Check



interior lights = Check




used LED lighting for low amp draw...ran the lights and the stereo all day and the solar panel kept up


Cheers

Dave

[81venture]

Got her Wet yesterday!



Stayed out all day....people kept coming up to check it out

Cheers

Dave

[Steve K]

Dave,

Beautiful

Got the Trailer Guides on today...Drilling through Galvanized Steel with a 3/8 bore bit = no fun.

Try a stepped bit, it easier

Best Breezes,
Steve K.
Mac 26D "Three Sheets"

[81venture]

Thanks!

I think the little sunfish mast/sail for the lake looks good...

In a good breeze it lets you do a "controlled" drift (wasn't much wind yesterday) but it is mostly for looks at Falls Lake...

We actually put the sail up for the photo mostly... Most of the day a 3x5 Jolly Roger was hanging from the top

I am waiting for friends who were with to post more of the photos they took of the outing and I ill post more shots of the boat here.

we cruised for 20 minutes to a tiny island with 8 people and a sh~t of coolers/beer/food

The new little 6hp pushed about 6-7 miles an hour at 1/2 throttle and all that weight

Couldn't have asked for a better day...and got lots of stares and compliments

Cheers

Dave

[Russ]

Very nice!

The LEDs look very bright.

[mastreb]

Got her Wet yesterday!



Stayed out all day....people kept coming up to check it out

Cheers

Dave

Great job on a great project! Well deserved congratulations for bringing this classic back to life!

matt

[81venture]

We took it out again yesterday. This time just My wife and son and I.

The wind was blowing pretty well off and on so yesterday we steamed up to the Dam into the wind. Then anchored up and put the sail up and tried it out going back (down wind)

I was quite impressed with the little lake setup. We cruised most of the way back under nothing but wind until it died down. We were going about as fast under the wind power as we did with the 6hp chugging at 1/2 throttle Not to mention this is my FIRST TIME ever using a sail ever. It was quite surreal to be moving along with a tight sail and no motor noise. My 6hp is very quiet, but this was quite amazing. We can't wait to try it again.

Here are a few pics from the Saturday Outing with friends.



In the Evening before we chugged home



A little music during the day... (yes this is me)





Yesterday when we tried sailing I did lower the Keel some for the first time. But I don't think very far. I'm still not sure how to work it exactly. How far down should it be lowered? I have also heard people mention "locking" it down but I don't see how you do that. All I see is a crank winch.

Another question regarding the Keel is mine seems to "thunk" a lot inside the boat. The keel moves side to side some with waves...it seemed when I lowered it it was worse. I did check the Bolt and it looks new. But the thunking made me nervous so I pulled it back up.

[81venture]

Here are a couple more pics from yesterday









The single Sunfish Mainsail doesn't look so bad...and it actually works

[Tomfoolery]

I think that's the first small production boat I've seen where the red and green sidelights are, well, actually sidelights, rather than a combo bow light.

That's such a salty looking boat I just can't get over it.

[Russ]

[/url]
The single Sunfish Mainsail doesn't look so bad...and it actually works

It works and you are getting your feet wet to sailing. That's fantastic. You see the appeal of sailing, being powered by the wind alone silently.
That sail may work somewhat, I can't imagine it providing very good performance. It's WAY too small and you have no headsail. The bowprit was made to facilitate 2 headsails.


I think you will find that boat performs very well with the correct sails. Also the clunking is probably the keel flopping around. You will NEED it lowered to sail into/cross wind. The keel essentially keeps the boat from blowing sideways.

Great work on bringing that nice looking boat back to life.

--Russ

[Catigale]

To clarify Dave..

If you are going downwind or even perpendicular to the wind, that sail will work ok.

If you try to head upwind you might be sailing but will find your boat gong sidewise instead of upwind

...but don't let that stop you having fun..

If you come across the crack boat on the lake you can serenade them with "Deliverance" no doubt...

[81venture]

To clarify Dave..

If you are going downwind or even perpendicular to the wind, that sail will work ok.

Thats the only way I go brother...where the wind takes me