DE25 Ownership Log

[Matt Gent]

I have no experience with either design or fabrication of boats in aluminum. I would like to build a small alloy boat as an exercise to learn, was thinking about Lillistone's Fleet. But the dance card is full for the moment.

An AL DE25 would be pretty cool. I see no reason to want to go faster than mid-30s mph in one; 150hp should be plenty. And I like to go fast, this just isn't the boat for that. A bare aluminum semi-displacement cruiser (like a poor man's FPB) would be my dream retirement rig.

And you could be sure not to have to repair any more rotten parts. I've got the bow sprit rebuilt, have a stainless bollard for the anchor, with a midnight quality paint job on it (runs, patchy spots, and mosquitos). Heading to the Tortugas in a couple days, will fix the cosmetics when I repaint the boat. Some day...

[Matt Gent]

Found a new job for the old Samson post:


Rebuilt bowsprit...cosmetically far from perfect. I think structurally sound. It's built from scrap ply I had from earlier projects, 3/8" meranti, and wrapped in 12oz biax. 4 ply layers on deck, 5 on the extension. Needed that thickness to make the hawse pipes work. Wanted big hawse pipes for the anchor shackle to pass through, and to have a healthy radius for pulling in the rode. Boat sails hard to each side under anchor, after I pull in the drift sock. Wrapped the glass down over the rubrail and taped to the stem to close up that delamination.



The bollard is a $27 piece off of Amazon. Seems impossible to source materials, fabricate, weld, polish, ship, and sell this piece for that price. Crazy world we live in. But of course it was shipped without the listed "extra base plate" as a backer. So I report this to Amazon, who promptly sends me another one...also without the backing plate. For a moment I considered installing the 2nd one upside-down inside the anchor locker as a joke, but it wouldn't fit. So I improvised:



Next task is to figure out where the remaining bollard parts get installed around my dock in the west lawn as decor.

This weekend was a guys trip to the Dry Tortugas from Key West. My dad rode with me, and two buddies on their boat. Same itinerary as last time, works well: launch late Thursday, overnight at KW, head west for two nights at the fort, then the long trip back on Sunday. Perfect weather, downhill both ways, calm on Saturday. Beautiful place to be:






^^^Boats rafted together then held on station by the spot-lock on my friend's trolling motor. There is no anchoring in the park (outside of the anchorage) and this spectacular reef had no mooring balls. Super cool capability on those things, we also chummed up some yellowtail.

Cocktail hour





Good thing we have a cabin as it makes a ton of spray. We cruised between 19-22mph. Mileage wasn't great as we were loaded down on the way there....2.4mpg trended up to 3.3 or so towards the end of the trip. The boat would load up against the back of the wave it ran into, but at least with a little tab we could avoid any slamming. It was small enough on the way home, no tab and trim up so it could run a little more freely. Will post some video soon.

I mounted the transducer way too low and it was constantly picking up sargassum and turtle grass. I need to find a better way to fasten into the G10 block I glued on. Maybe try drill & tap for machine screws.



I've been neglecting some trailer maintenance and it nearly came to bite me. Bought an entire new brake setup about a year and a half ago, but got busy with selling/buying/moving/renovating house. Heard a ping/rattle on the way home, and was luckily able to see the caliper coming loose from the driver's side mirror. Bracket completely rusted through. Trailer rebuild now on the docket.




Highly recommend a trip to the fort if you can swing it. Pretty unique place. Amazing stars at night (if you get away from the anchorage). Glow of Havana on the horizon. That is my next bucket destination if/when it opens back up.

[fallguy1000]

Awesome post Matt. Thanks for sharing.

[Jeff]

Beautiful place and a really nice trip!!! Jeff

[OrangeQuest]

Thank you for the trip! Even if we wasn't there!

[cape man]

Spent a week at the fort when I was 16 with the Youth Conservation Corps. Have never made it back. It was magical, especially at night. Helped a Park Service researcher tag lobsters and when he learned we were eating surplus C Rations he got reckless while opening the tail from the carapace and broke enough of them for a feast that night.

[TomW1]

Great trip Matt. Thanks for sharing.

Tom

[Matt Gent]

Not much going on with the boat. Since I've moved a couple years ago, the tiki toon is in the water and gets used much more often. Salty has been relegated mostly to camping and other big trips, a few times a year.

I've been wanting to make a logo for it, for stickers and shirts for guests. Marinas and bars around the islands are plastered with stickers from boats.

Took an image of the boat at a gas station on the trailer and traced over in CAD to make this:



Future Salty projects:
-remove carpet, put in foam flooring in cabin
-refurbish or rebuild the fuel tank boxes and transom hatch doors
-needs full repaint
-trailer rebuild
-some form of screening for bugs