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I can't believe it...I started building on May 27, 2003. Now, today - May 7, 2006, the "Inshallah" has seen the waters I built it for!

A friend of mine, who has a vehicle w/a hitch (I had to sell mine last year and haven't put a hitch on the new car yet), was nice enough to offer up his car to tow it down to Fort St. Marks boat ramp. For testing, I went up the Wakulla river..then down the river again, perhaps a mile or two beyond the boat ramp. Just 'putsed' around in the water.

Well, I'm amazed, happy, 'n dazed! I put her in the water, the engine (a used '87 Johnson 40hp I had only tested in a barrel) after some fooling around with the choke and getting it warm, ran like a champ. So, much so - that after running it almost to empty from the 4 gallons I had in there, we tanked up another 5 gallons at Shields Marina (at $3.30/gallon!!!) and went out again!

I'm glad I put the Doel Fins hydrofoil on. I did that after several builders recommended that. The Inshallah jumps out of the water to plane in no time and handles just great. The GPS read 23mph, and later on, when the engine was run warm, I'm sure I reached 25/26mph with it. Fast enough for my taste! I didn't have any problems w/porpoising, although at full speed the boat is 'tender' in the sense that you have to make sure your weight is distributed evenly, as otherwise the spray will hit you. We were four in the boat - my son, my buddy and his girlfriend, and myself of course

As to the scuppers (simple flapper valves), yes, some water comes in...but nothing that worries me actually. I'm going to have to caulk/seal the underside of the rubber rubrail that goes around the bow though. It was funny how the spray squirted between it and the wooden rubrail, right through and into the boat when you are getting on plane!

Only slight 'downside' was when I pulled the boat back on the trailer: I hit the damn dock w/a heartwrenching crunch, and then I hit one of my guide poles, that just have PVC elbows glued to the trailer frame. That, of course broke off! LOL - I knew that was to happen sooner or later. I guess it's sooner now - I also had to back the trailer back in the water to get the boat on evenly. I'm going to have to come up w/side guides/rollers to get it on evenly on the first go.

Turns out the crunch to the starboard side, towards the bow, happened right where the panels join..and it 'dented' the panel about 1/8" in - The way it sounded, I was looking for a hole on the inside! Either way, it didn't bother me as much as my friends who just gasped. I knew that anything is repairable! Nothing that a little epoxy, fiberglass and elbowwax can't heal!

The most nerve wracking thing though was getting the boat on the trailer, I can tell you that. The next time, I'm just going to line it up straight 30' off, gun it and kill the engine and hope for the best. The damn drifting, slow speed, and then stalled engine was what did me in. I figured the boat was so light that I could pull it on the trailer, just didn't count weaving side to side, and hitting the damn dock in the end!

Oh yeah...we caught the rain on the way back. I guess that helped wash some of the saltwater off the boat. I still need to flush the engine, but I'll do that tomorrow..or if the rain ceases today before it gets dark.

Well, I'm happy!

..oh yea, boat also got some fish scales, blood and ...err 'crap' from a damn lady fish my buddy caught! - That was about it. I didn't do much fishing..I was just happy

Yes, yes...I'll also post the pics as soon as my buddy sends them to me!

Great job Doc!!! I know you must be real proud to finally get her in the water.
Don't worry about the dings, I've already hit the dock while getting back on the trailer myself. I went to West Marine and bought a set of PVC guide poles to help get it on the trailer. They really help alot.

Looking forward to seeing the pics. Congrats on a job well done!!!


Chris
OD18

Nice to hear you finally hit the water. I've got plenty of dings and scratches on my GF18. About 2 months ago I put a REAL NICE scratch down 3 quarters of my port side. I was coming in between some islands when it was pitch dark and hit a tree that Wilma had blown in the water.

But better a boat that's used than one that isn't.

Of course, we can't wait to see some pictures...

Jason

Congrats.
The St Marks can get quite a little current running on an outgoing tide.
Battle scars, blood, guts, thunderstorm. Sounds like a good day

Thanks guys!

Here the pics...



That's me putting the Inshallah in the water...w/my hat still on.





Cruising to shore to get the crew



Lost the hat



My buddy who let me use his Fourrunner to tow the Inshallah, his girlfriend and my son!

Doc, glad to see you completed the boat. I have been thinking of a dole fin as the front runs higher than I would have liked and am runing out of other options. Let me know how the boat runs with the fin under different conditions.
Mark

Congratulations Doc!

I'm glad you're enjoying your new boat.

Looking forward to the pictures.

...oh, yeah: THANKS Jacques! U da' MAN!!!

..yeah, I know I had the front weighted down nicely. It's going to be interesting to see how she handles w/o that weight..or less weight. I don't think it will be much different though. I don't know much about boats, but going on plane, she never felt like she wanted to go nose up. It was more of a righting her stern ...sort of like adjusting one's pants

Congratulations Doc! Well done. It is a great feeling that you will not forget.

Doc I envy you, I hope that my boat comes out as nice as yours

DOC MAN GOOD JOB! she looks great wet

CONGRATULATIONS DOC! Nice work, she looks great. Sufficient grins all around, that's what you like to see.

Nice Work Bones, glad you got her finished

Hey Doc. Thought you were going to call when you launched her? She sure is beautiful. I know after all this time you were finally glad to get her wet. Your son looks like he just got a little taller since I last saw him. The grins on ya'lls faces say everything. If you want to call me, I had to set my trailer up with some side runners to help loading the boat much easier. It will be so simple and cheap you will kill yourself for not thinking of it. My home number is 352-369-9674. Again congratulations. John :

Nice Work Doc

Ernie

Awesome job Dr. Bones.

Bout time Doc. Gotta feel good, hey?

Take your time loading on that trailer. You will get the hang of it.

Now get out there and get some fish.

Gratz man

Hunch

Thanks loads guys! - And thanks for keeping an eye out for me Hunch! I knew you were hanging out there in the background.

Dunno what happened to EvilD. - Haven't heard from him in ages! - He also made a point of cheering me on and sending me stuff to keep plugging away when I was at the end of my rope..lol. Thanks brother!

Either way...without this great community around a great and practical designer team...I would have never gotten this far!

Remember: I'm one of those guys that never even held a circular saw until the day the plywood was in my driveway! Hahahaha..who would've thought! - And most of my friends now admit that they were betting on the boat becoming a planter in my back yard! HAHAHAHA!

..oh, btw...I checked the place where I hit the dock and it made a fierce crunch...but you can barely see it..didn't even take any of the paint off!

Now, I just need to get a trolling motor (saw one 30lbs for $100 at boatersworld) as an emergency kicker. You guys think that would do as a 'backup'?

..and here another pic for more grins:



My son with me. He actually was my second hand when fiberglassing the bottom..a full 5 hours or so!

Looks great Bones. Congrats on floating her!

Take care,
Tim

DrBones wrote:Thanks loads guys! - And thanks for keeping an eye out for me Hunch! I knew you were hanging out there in the background.

Now, I just need to get a trolling motor (saw one 30lbs for $100 at boatersworld) as an emergency kicker. You guys think that would do as a 'backup'?

Take care of the small jobs as they come up and all of a sudden that huge project is complete.

That motor sounds like a bargain. Just be sure you have a deep cycle or combo battery for it and not just your main starting battery.

You two guys look happy out there. Have a blast

Hunch

Congrats on the splash Doc! That's a great looking OD, be proud man, she looks awesome on the water.

I've been following your progress with all the trials and tribulations you overcame, I'm sure you thought this day would never come.

Enjoy your summer!

Thanks again...and of course the tale grows as time passes:



..courtesy of another buddy and came with "Careful out there!"

...all sorts'a things to consider :::

Ya know, when I was cruising right through there one time last summer, I saw a huge echo on the fishfinder. Now I see what was up with that.

For a first time saw man you did an excellent job. My new Captains hat off to ya.

Great job Doc!!!!! I didn't hit the dock hard until the second time out, the only damage I saw was a stress crack in the paint on the inside. The OD,s are a tuff boat. When puting the boat on the trailer I have found it is easier to have the trailer bunks only half submerged and then drive the boat onto the trailer. But make sure that the bunks are wet so the boat will slide.

Thanks again! I'm all tickled

I saw your launch photos Bermudian...and now that I think of it, I'm amazed that you are so brave to go that fast with that little boat. At 25mph with four people in the boat, I already thought that that was about as fast as I'd feel comfortable going.

..btw, it was your comment that convinced me to install the DoelFin on the engine before I even put her in the water. I got the two piece 'cheapo' for $19 - lol.

I'll check how it runs w/less crew in the boat next time out. As to the trailer, I think I'm going to install some bunks that come up alongside the lower hull panels. I don't dare not submerge the bunks completely, as the U-bolt nuts that hold the struts in place at the trailer frame could potentially scrape up the chines if I come in wrong. If the boat doesn't float above them...they stick out just about enough now to possibly hit them. When I first put the boat on the trailer they were just about right, i.e. just a tad lower than the bottom of the boat...but I guess the weight of the boat has brought the whole thing down about 1/4" or so over the year it's been sitting on the trailer.

Oh...and before I forget it: When I beached her, I got a couple of scratches in my paint (down to the primer). Nothing I'm going to deal with now..but it did make me think that possibly this whole graphite/epoxy thing on the bottom of a boat is a good idea

congrats !,it all looks good, , I am stalled at steering and control cables, maybe one day we can meet up on the water !