Tom's FS14

[Uncle D]

I think I need some new forester bits to replace the couple I have which are worn out.

You can take a good flat file and sharpen your bits. I did it all the time to mine. I've drilled thousands of holes for deadbolts and knob locks in door and have always used only the two original bits I started out with. D.

[gk108]

Tom, since your motor won't charge your battery, you might be better off considering a larger battery for the extra capacity. How many amps does the baitwell pump draw and how many hours will you run it between charges?

[thb]

Hi GK,
Thanks for the input. My occasional bait well pump is basically a Rule 360 gph bilge pump which draws 2.1 amp at 12 v according to rule's web site. It is a clip on wiring arrangement with suction feet on the bottom so you put it in your bucket or baitwell and run it a little every 15 or 20 minutes. Good enough to keep live shrimp for several hours until the fish have eaten up your supply. I generally keep a little bucket handy and add some fresh water every hour or so.

I also plan on hard wiring up a bilge pump and float switch so when I keep the boat in the water for a few days at a time, the rainwater will be taken care of. Will probably also use a rule 360 gph for this bilge pump as the current draw is low. I have a little 12v solar charger which I could hook up when leaving the boat in the water. So I am thinking 300 to 400 amp hour little battery might give me plenty of power.

Was thinking about putting battery in outboard area of mid seat. So now I need to figure out how to run wiring back to rear seat bilge area for the bilge pump and switch. Of course I could always make the bilge pump and switch sit on a moveable platform which I place in the bilge area between the mid and rear seats when needed and boat left in the water.

Trying to keep this boat super simple so that the weight is kept low and not complicate it with systems, such as lights, horn, gps, vhf.

What you think?

Regards
Tom in Steinhatchee

[gk108]

The U1 battery size typically used for riding mowers will run that baitwell pump for 10 - 12 hours.

[Cracker Larry]

The U1 battery size typically used for riding mowers will run that baitwell pump for 10 - 12 hours.

That's what I used in the GF16 and it would actually run the same bait pump that Tom has for a lot longer than that. The boat had a small Humminbird color fish finder/gps combo unit, a bilge pump and a bait pump. In normal use it could run for days on a riding mower battery. It has run as long as 4 days without recharging. One days use, no problem.

[thb]

Yeh CL that makes more sense as AH rating of 300 AH lawn mower battery should give you over 100 hours between charges when drawing 2.5 amps continuously. I will not use bait pump continuously but intermittently over a 4 or 5 hour period. Bilge pump may run continuously during a heavy rain storm but they never last for more than several hours. I ordered a rule 360 gph bilge pump and switch the other day off e-bay.

I also decided to add a round hatch and opening at the forward center part of the aft seat for the round igloo cooler I have had for 25 years. Mrs B said she wanted it as well. It can serve as the live well. The center seat cooler will keep drinks, lunch and fish. Having the bait well back there means wiring issues are simplified as bilge pump and switch will be back there and battery will put of starboard side platform near the seat bulkhead. Gee could even add some switches and fuse panel on the bulkhead to cover these two items and any other future electronic items. Some photos to prove I have been doing something on the build.






The two port and starboard hatches will be hinged at their outboard sides with some recently acquired SS hinges. Have not yet decided if I need to hinge this round hatch or just have it as a lift out.

At this stage of the build things seem to go slowly as you try to figure out the little details as you go. I did drill out the eye bolts holes much larger and filled with wood flour/ epoxy to give me more edge margin with final hole size. I also coated the center seat insides with a layer of white tinted epoxy and then glued down the center seat top.

All for now
Tom in Steinhatchee

[gstanfield]

Any progress Tom?

[thb]

George,
Not much progress to report lately. I have been working kind of sporatically on it. Built a little battery box the other day and still have to put several coats of epoxy on it. Got a small electrical switch panel from the great folks at Duckworks along with some nice 5 inch brass cleats. The OWMBO said the 3 inch brass cleats looked too small for the stern locations. Cut a hole in the rear seat forward bulkhead ( frame ) for the electrical switch panel close to where the lawnmower battery will be located.

Decided the anchor well needed some internal protection from the anchor banging around so decided to put a layer of kevlar inside on the hull sides and bottom sides. Then I mixed up some dark blue epoxy tint with some white tint and made a lighter blue exopy color and coated the kevlar with a second coat. Have the nylon strapping which I will use to hold down the fuel tank. Need to drill and fill the hole locations for the ss screws to hold down the nylon strapping. Once this is done, I can epoxy the front deck onto the boat and put biaxial tape all around.

Made a plywood pad to mount the bilge pump and float switch ( rule 360 gph ). Need to drill and fill the screw mounting holes in this pad for these two items and run the wiring back to the electrical panel. Need to figure out the bilge pump discharge hose routing and discharge point. Was thinking a 3/4" thru hull somewhere below the deck level.
When all this is in place, I can go ahead and epoxy the rear deck and put biaxial tape all around.

Then I will be onto some fairing and sanding of the insides which I do not relish. Then I need to flip again and cover the sides with 6 oz cloth and fair again and then paint.

Oh, Biggie is I ordered a new Magic Tilt trailer for her after deciding that the trailer I bought for $100 and fixed up was too small for her. Sold that trailer last week to a guy down near St pete who drove up here for 3 hours to pick it up. Should get the new trailer before the end of this week. Getting a MTV16W-1250 with extra keel rollers on the cross members.

Now lets see if I can download a few more pictures.







Oh, I got another project dumped on me the other day in the form of 5 each late 60's early 70's Johnson/evinrude 4 hp motors. Get 2 of them running and the rest for parts. Chance to make a little extra money as the chainsaw business has been kind of slow lately,


Not much gets done around Steinhatchee during scalloping season.
Regards
Tom in Steinhatchee

[gstanfield]

Still looks like progress

Those old outboards should be pretty simple to spruce up and turn a fwe bucks on them. If I weren't saving every penny for the move I'd probably be real interested in one.

[thb]

George,
Where are you moving to and when do you plan on moving? I have a great running 1968 evinrude 3 hp which I could make you a heck of a deal on. I also have two 1965 evinrude 3 hp duck twins which both run but not as well as the 1968. I have another 1963 3 hp rude but haven't got it running right yet. It seems like I am collecting these things as I also have a 1961 sea king 5 hp and a 1961 johnson 10 hp.
Regards
Tom in Steinhatchee