posted 04-08-2013 02:57 PM ET (US)            

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The dark hull color looks very nice. The finish needs to be perfect as a dark hull will show every little imperfection. I think that is why most production boat builders use white hulls.

I like the console and the custom gauge housing. It is a very interesting mix of wood and metal, and the styles are both very modern and very retro at the same time.

The fuel tank is really a conversation piece. That is a very interesting design.

In all, you have taken a classic boat and added your own interpretation and design to it, and I really like the result. The style seems to me like something you might have seen in the 1930's which was said to be modern.

I would like to see larger images. Have you any of these views, especially the cockpit console and gauges, in higher resolution?

posted 04-08-2013 03:45 PM ET (US)            

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I have seen the tube style gauge mounts in jet boats and v-drives in the go-fast community.

-Peter

posted 04-08-2013 03:51 PM ET (US)            

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This is the link to the large photos in no particular order

http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/jamesgt727/library/?page=1

posted 04-08-2013 10:24 PM ET (US)            

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Wow, truly amazing!

to jimh: although i'm not a trends specialist, I think that style is what they call retro chic.

to Jamesgt727: in addition to what has already been said, what caught my attention was the engine. That thing should fly! Did it sometimes touch the water or is it just zipping along in the air?

posted 04-09-2013 09:06 AM ET (US)            

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http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/jamesgt727/library/

2nd attempt on photo link.

posted 04-09-2013 11:03 AM ET (US)            

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Great looking job, and of course the mahogany rub rail is the crowning touch. There a not many folks that can build one of those. Not sure, though if I care for the steering wheel and tach in a tube. It looks to me as they belong on a go-fast boat like a Donzi Sweet Sixteen. But to each his own. I think Micks boat is a bit too radical with a 135 Yamaha, that boat must be a bear to handle. Fifteen foot Whalers are not designed for high speeds and can get real unstable when pushed over fifty, with the round keel and the high chines. Mick modified the keel with a pad, not sure how that worked out though, I don't remember him mentioning it.
Again, I love your fifteen footer, I'll probably run into you at some point. I'm just north of Tampa. My fifteen footer should be done in a month or so, Today I'm AwlGripping the interior. Actually, I'm waiting for the first coat to flash off.

rich

posted 04-09-2013 01:22 PM ET (US)            

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I would like to see a video of your 1 footer running at speed. I would think it would be good for 60+. What changes did you make in the hull to stabilize it? I'll probably put a 50 on my 15 footer. I love to go fast but I'm not getting any younger. I sold my raceboat (14' Desilva Racing Runabout with a 105 Chrysler race motor) a couple of years ago when after a couple of years of messing with the engine, set up and props, I finally got the speed to exceed my age at the time (72). My family figured I wouldn't survive a crash. So now at the AOMCI meets I run a antique 14' runabout with a 61' Evinrude 75
http://s27.photobucket.com/user/floridaboy2053/media/boats2/ RaceboatatSuwaneeRiverpg.html

Have fun while your young.

rich

posted 04-09-2013 01:27 PM ET (US)            

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typo--15 footer

http://s27.photobucket.com/user/floridaboy2053/media/boats2/ RaceboatatSuwaneeRiver.jpg.html

posted 04-09-2013 01:53 PM ET (US)            

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Rich,
I think this picture shows best what we did to stabilize the hull. We stretched the lower strakes to the back and instead of building a pad we put to runners in the center that work as a virtual pad without effecting the ride depth.
http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/jamesgt727/media/IMG_7182_zps90b1cc14.jpg.html?sort=3&o=100

The numbers are still out but we have confidence (knock on wood) that the design will work without a hitch. James had it out this weekend and said it felt very stable yet it has not been put through the rigorous paces yet.

posted 04-09-2013 02:07 PM ET (US)            

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Here is the walk-a-round video that Eric (The boats builder) made yesterday.

http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/jamesgt727/media/ WP_20130408_009_zps19ca6a38.mp4.html

I love Mick's boat, and I noticed some of the posts on this site during the build. Is he still around on this site?

posted 04-09-2013 02:57 PM ET (US)            

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Nautical Lumber made the interior with varnish & Case Boat works added a clear Acrylic over the top to achieve an automotive durable finish.

Mike

posted 04-09-2013 04:01 PM ET (US)            

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now the link for the bottom pic is live.

http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/jamesgt727/media/IMG_7182_zps90b1cc14. jpg.html?sort=3&o=100

Love to know how it works.
Mike
You should prefab some mahogany rubrails for those of us who don't own a big bandsaw.

rich

posted 04-10-2013 01:03 PM ET (US)            

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quote:

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We stretched the lower strakes to the back and instead of building a pad we put to runners in the center that work as a virtual pad without effecting the ride depth.

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That's pretty much now my 16' Sportster MFG. Co. Sportline boat, (Tahiti/Baja/Sidewinder clone), has it. A rounded keel bottom like the classic 15', but two extra strakes tightly placed on either side of the keel. On mine, they _look_ like they are spaced about right to start "padding" in the mid-50's.

BTW, just because a pad is flat, it does not mean that it prevents chine walking or poor handling. The flat surface is not for stability, it's for speed. Think of riveting a water ski to the bottom of your keel. If you are riding on that ski, you will go faster. That's what a pad is, and how it works. I also have a proper pad hull boat, a Hydrostream Viper, for the record. The Viper was mentioned as inspiration for the guy Binks mentioned, who put a pad on his classic 15.

-Peter

posted 04-10-2013 03:25 PM ET (US)            

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Let us know how it goes. Based on 135 prop rated horsepower and a guesstimate of the hull weight, that's probably about where I would have put the strakes, too.

-Peter

posted 04-11-2013 09:30 AM ET (US)            

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Back in 1976 when Bob Dougherty designed the Classic 15 footer, the bottom design was somewhat radical. The somewhat large lower strakes were terminated about 33 inches ahead of the stern. It seams illogical that it was designed this way, as continuing the srake almost to the stern would create more straightline stability. But I'm sure it was done for some reason. boats were not designed by computers back then, but there was hydrodynamic reasoning behind what they designed. The only thing I can think of for cutting the strake short was to eliminate cavitation in turns. The radiased rounded keel was designed to make a softer ride, which reduced top speed unfortinuatly. this was proven years before. The Moppie type Offshore powerboats designed by Ray Hunt for Dick Bertram in the late fifties had the same type of rounded keel with a 24 degree deadrise. It was done to smooth the ride out at high speed. In 1960 when Jim Wynne(inventor of the IO) designed his 17 foot Wynnemill he more or less copied Hunts deep vee design to the letter, except he built the plug from plywood and had no way to reproduce the rounded keel. So the keel turned out to be a sharp edge created by the plywood. Well this turned out to be the fastest way to go, and when Wynne got together with Don Aronow to design the Donzi Sweet Sixteen, as smaller copy of the Wynnemill, they used the same sharp edge keel. All go-fast boats followed this design. I believe that Dougherty should have followed suit with that type of keel, and also run that strake to the transom, and then the 15 footer would be a much better handling boat. No problem for me though I'm only looking for a 50 for mine. I have another boat to go fairly fast in.

rich

posted 04-28-2013 08:36 AM ET (US)            

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Binkster,

How is the 15 coming along? Any pictures posted yet?

posted 05-01-2013 02:06 PM ET (US)            

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2Many,

Thanks for the comment, I was really impressed with your video you posted in the performance section. That is a beautiful place you live and work. You really have me going crazy after that video!!!! If you want to see my top speed achieved so far (on video, LOL) check out the "Trips and Rendezvous" section of this site, see "Homosassa" and at the bottom there is a video link: skip to 2:33 or search youtube "Whaler Homosassa" (Its a joke BTW)

I've been talking with Tom Clark about my boat and the hull changes I made. I have tried to compare the specs to yours. I still can't figure out why my performance so far does not align with yours.

So far I have put a highly modified 14" x 22" Laser II surface prop over 6,000 RPM (by accident), Problem is I do not know what the prop really is best guess is that it behaves like a 24" pitch, just a lot lighter.

I figure the weight of the rigs are very similar. The only thing really different is the hull shapes and running surface.

I would love to see a picture or video of your boat running at full speed from the side, to see what the running surface looks like do you maybe have a photo like that? If so could you post or email to me?

posted 05-01-2013 09:50 PM ET (US)            

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In the video of your boat when they went to the underwater shot I think I saw your reason for slow speed, your prop was not turning.

My jack plate is fixed and the motor is back 4" and up 5". When cruising say 35mph the spray off the side of the boat is coming out about 10" forward of the transom. At 45+ no water comes off the side, all out the back or at least it looks that way from the helm. This makes me think very little of the bottom is in the water.
I really have to trim it up to get those last couple of mph. At wot the boat will not porpoise no mater how high I trim, it will start to lose grip. Now if I slow down without trimming down it will porpoise.

I read you were running flat or bow down and while that is a good ride in a chop, my boat needs to come on up to go fast.

If it ain't scary it ain't fast.

Weather has been crappy here so no more pics, but plan to video off the stern next time out.

posted 05-01-2013 11:16 PM ET (US)            

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James,

If you can take a day off during the week, bring your Whaler up to Moon Lake in Hudson. (look it up). Great concrete ramp, no one to bother you, no speed limit. Its a small lake, so we run laps around the perimeter. The water is always calm. This is a test bed for many local small race boats. We took my antique 1959 Sea Fury powered by a 1961 Evinrude Starflite 75hp V4, for some test runs last Tuesday. I haven't run that boat in over a year. Wanted to shake out any bugs before the next AOMCI meet at Lake Shipp on 5/18. I've installed homemade adjustable trim boats to make the boat more controllable. Best speed so far is 44mph. Hoping for about 50 with the right prop. This is a very early fiberglass boat built in the mid fifties that used a hull built in the 1940s for a plug. It runs very flat, and will beat you to death in a chop.
BTW you can't test on weekends at the lake its full of bass fishermen.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c191/floridaboy2053/ 000_0024_zps8f9e447b.jpg

rich

posted 05-05-2013 10:56 AM ET (US)            

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Not as close as I expected, the 70 Nissan I expected to buy didn't work out, read my post on my 15' Whaler.

rich

posted 05-06-2013 07:49 PM ET (US)            

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Am looking for a 50-70hp 2 stroke freshwater outboard. 2000 or newer, low hours. Next to impossible to find around here but they're available in the Great Lakes area. After my experience last week end I'm gun shy about buying site unseen. Most likely a trip up there is in the near future.

rich

posted 07-14-2013 10:53 AM ET (US)            

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James, By now, two months later, you must have some performance data on your 15 footer, and maybe even a Youtube video. Am interested in how extending the two strakes to the transom cured the chinewalk problem inherent in 15 foot Whalers. Maybe I missed this info somewhere, but doing a search I can't find anything. So what is the best top speed in testing different props. Would love to see the video.

rich

posted 07-15-2013 11:06 PM ET (US)            

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Bink,

52.6 mph at ~6,100 RPM with the Small-ear Mercury Chopper. I did an unofficial run at 56 with a custom prop but, I haven't retried that prop again. It was the first one I tried. The GPS I'm using is an iPhone App called "SpeedBox" but I really am not sure how accurate it is. It has a simple display and records peak speed. I'm still searching for a four-blade trophy plus or a 26" small ear chopper. I am amazed at how differently the boat behaves with the different prop types. I have almost mastered surfacing the prop and running on the keel pad with the hull in the air. It truly is a different type of "boating". The bottom modifications we made work flawlessly. I am of the opinion, that extending the strakes is an absolute must, even if you are running a 40HP. Running pad is optional. The extended strakes makes the hull run flat, with the proper amount of air entering the smirk. It allows the hull to ride higher out of the water, and gives the hull the ability to stabilize air pressure evenly under the hull. The dreaded "chine-walk" has never been experienced by me with this boat, and as I read the old stories, it appeared that most thought it was the fluid behavior that caused it, we on the other hand, knew it was an aerodynamic issue, so that's how we approached the solution. We made the hull modifications, before I ever ran it as the original design was intended. I watched the youtube videos, to see and the shape of the hull in the water while running. In studying the shape we saw it was a cylindrical wedge (hardly ideal or stable). I will get a video, I am determined to, but time and weather have been my issue. I need to get some good speed equipment, this boat is fast, I'm running with Hot Rod PWC's and passing them. I ran it side by side with my 1750 Wahoo, which has a Smartcraft GPS speedo @ just under 45 mph, and I dusted it like she was standing still. I need more prop. So if I can't find a used 26" Trophy Plus or Chopper to try, I am going to have the 26" Laser II labbed, and see if I can't get the WOT RPMs down to 5,700, while getting rid of the high slip %. I am in Pontoon Boat mode right now, and we are in the midst of scalloping and fishing season up there, so for now the boats gotta sit and wait. I still love it, and haven't lost interest! Plus, I'm starting to see some custom 15's and it's exciting.

posted 07-22-2013 10:34 PM ET (US)            

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Thought you guys might find the humor in this, my wife didn't! I said, "we'll, at least it's not a tattoo, and my boy said its the next best thing! He's 9.

http://i1320.photobucket.com/albums/u525/jamesgt727/null_zps81ab4ba9.jpg

posted 07-23-2013 09:48 AM ET (US)            

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Russ 13,

I sent you Eric Bowser's contact info. Send him an email first. The tank, is from EMPI. I would persuade you to purchase an IMCO if its in your budget. The EMPI tank seems to be holding up well, but its in climate controlled storage, and it is polished with stainless preservers like mothers.

posted 07-23-2013 12:25 PM ET (US)            

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Hi Russ, how far along is your 15 footer? I have the hull finished in mine, rigging tunnel, interior is Awlgrip Desert Tan, the exterior is sanded and polished original gelcoat. I built a plug and a mold for a custom, fiberglass and mahogany center console, but this rainy damp, humid weather is driving me crazy. When I painted the orange tooling gelcoat on the plug, it was pretty humid and some alligatoring appeared when the gelcoat set. I laid up the mold anyway, no problem with that, but I had to break up the plug to get it free from the mold. Then I sanded the tooling gelcoat smooth, so now I have to re-gel the interior of the mold. This time I'll shoot it, then sand it smooth and polish till its glossy. Then I can lay up a couple of consoles, one for my 15 footer (center console) and one for daughters 13 footer (side console), and maybe for others if it works out.
It will have a mahogany base and front seat and can be adjusted in height for either a stand up or sit down, center or side console. Also lost my contact for sapele mahogany in Homosassa, the recession killed that specialty lumber yard off, so now I have to hunt for a new contact.
Thing is I should have done this mold thing last winter when the weather was right. I'll bring the boat down to Ft. Myers, when/if its ever done, miss the boating around Sanibel, and even the River.

Sorry for rambling on, but I was planning on shooting the gelcoat today, but its raining----again.

rich

posted 07-23-2013 12:47 PM ET (US)            

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Rich,
Did you ever find a suitable motor for your rig yet?

JT

posted 07-23-2013 11:30 PM ET (US)            

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Russ,

The 15 hull is so much fun. The only suggestion that I say is an absolute must, is the extension to the strakes on the hull bottom. If you click the link I attatched above for my son's cast, and search the library, you will see the easy way to do the mods properly. Eric will guide you. He can probably make those mods in two or three days to a bare, flip-able hull. You won't believe the difference in the ride, or the boats behavior. If most knew the difference, it would be the first mod a 15 hull owner would make.

posted 07-23-2013 11:43 PM ET (US)            

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Russ, it's in this group of photos:

http://m1320.photobucket.com/albumview/albums/jamesgt727/ Black%20Max%20Hull%20Modifications/18_zps97315506.jpg.html?o=133

The basic results are, less bow lift, and at higher speeds, more predictable behaviors due to stable air pressure under the hull. I have a pretty fast setup, and have never experienced "chine-walking".

posted 07-24-2013 12:10 PM ET (US)            

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Hey Zot!

I'm driving north on US 19 right now to go get my 26 inch trophy plus propeller I'll be up in weeki for the next couple of weekends so definitely looking forward to seeing you there brother. If I'm not there, one of my brothers will be... beware one of them looks just like me. Send me a text when you are in town.

JT

posted 07-29-2013 01:35 PM ET (US)            

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In perpetuating this thread, I took the boat out with my oldest son to get him some seat time piloting the river. We got to have a little fun testing the new four-blade propeller, but the motor was not running right. The tach needle went to nil and the motor idled rough and would not make full power. Luckily Doug at the local Merc shop works Saturday morning and he was able to diagnose and treat the problem(s).
http://i1320.photobucket.com/albums/u525/jamesgt727/null_zpsc866644a.jpg and rebuild the little fuel pump, tuned the carbs

But I never got a real opportunity to get back out and run it hard. Best we saw was the 26" Trophy Plus at about 5,500 RPM before the Tach went dead and the motor started misbehaving. I have an unmolested small eared 26" chopper on the way from CA and I plan on tearing up the four day weekend starting this Thursday. I plan on getting some good HD video, but for now all I got is this little moment (HD) idleing out for the run with my boy http://youtu.be/PvghQZQILp0 So until next weekend! I'll be back at the river...me and my six props, keep tuned I will be dumping some pretty cherry props in the coming months.