Tiny Speedboat Build

Boats up to 15' for oars, power or sail. Please include the boat type in your question.
Jetdriver69
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2022 2:51 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: Tiny Speedboat Build

Post by Jetdriver69 »

Might stick my wife in it poolside to check everything.

She is 4'11 and about 95 lbs.

Jetdriver69
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2022 2:51 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: Tiny Speedboat Build

Post by Jetdriver69 »

Dry fitting the engine mounting plate with the jet drive
IMG_1796.jpg
IMG_1796.jpg (105.63 KiB) Viewed 27023 times
Mocking up the space needed for the engine
IMG_1797.jpg
IMG_1797.jpg (84.68 KiB) Viewed 27023 times
Mocking up the seating and flooring
IMG_1798.jpg
IMG_1798.jpg (97.16 KiB) Viewed 27023 times
Glued in a wood header for screwing down the decking, windshield frame and the cleat
IMG_1800.jpg
IMG_1800.jpg (110.11 KiB) Viewed 27023 times

Jetdriver69
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2022 2:51 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: Tiny Speedboat Build

Post by Jetdriver69 »

Not sure if it will help getting the boat on plane, but adding lifting strakes to the hull.
IMG_1803.jpg
IMG_1803.jpg (101.1 KiB) Viewed 27005 times
After a bit of research and considering the simplicity, I just used half round wood moulding pieces.
I drilled through the foam hull and block glued them in place.
IMG_1804.jpg
IMG_1804.jpg (106.8 KiB) Viewed 27005 times
Will seal the holes with thickened epoxy resin and the outer hull will have 3 layers of boat cloth with epoxy resin.
IMG_1805.jpg
IMG_1805.jpg (98.81 KiB) Viewed 27005 times

Jetdriver69
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2022 2:51 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: Tiny Speedboat Build

Post by Jetdriver69 »

Dry fitting the deck after cutting out the engine access and cockpit opening.
IMG_1807.jpg
IMG_1807.jpg (102.31 KiB) Viewed 26991 times
IMG_1808.jpg
IMG_1808.jpg (128.77 KiB) Viewed 26991 times

Jetdriver69
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2022 2:51 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: Tiny Speedboat Build

Post by Jetdriver69 »

Dry fitting the engine and jet drive
IMG_1815.jpg
IMG_1815.jpg (93.56 KiB) Viewed 26971 times
With the very long two stroke racing exhaust included.
I added a wooden frame so I would have a hardpoint for screws when I installed the decking
IMG_1816.jpg
IMG_1816.jpg (126.71 KiB) Viewed 26971 times
Checking clearance with the decking in place.
Surprising it all works
IMG_1819.jpg
IMG_1819.jpg (109.16 KiB) Viewed 26971 times

User avatar
VT_Jeff
* Bateau Builder *
* Bateau Builder *
Posts: 1857
Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2019 6:32 pm
Location: vermont

Re: Tiny Speedboat Build

Post by VT_Jeff »

Legend!
There are only two seasons in Vermont: boating season, and boat-building season.

Completed Paul Butler 14' Clark Fork Drifter
Completed Jacques Mertens FS14LS + 10%, Build Thread
Started Iain Oughtred Tammie Norrie

Jetdriver69
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2022 2:51 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: Tiny Speedboat Build

Post by Jetdriver69 »

Temporarily block scewed down the deck and dry fitted the windscreen and side rails.
IMG_1820.jpg
IMG_1820.jpg (109.97 KiB) Viewed 26950 times
I eventually made the windscreen a bit taller
IMG_1821.jpg
IMG_1821.jpg (127.49 KiB) Viewed 26950 times
I cut out retractable spring handles into the battens for easier lifting.
IMG_1822.jpg
IMG_1822.jpg (110.19 KiB) Viewed 26950 times

Jetdriver69
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2022 2:51 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: Tiny Speedboat Build

Post by Jetdriver69 »

Mocking up the steering assembly.
I eventually used a 1/4 steel cable inside clear plastic tubing filled with lube and eyelets pressed into the ends.
IMG_1825.jpg
IMG_1825.jpg (110.59 KiB) Viewed 26937 times
Attached that to some RC boat push/pull hardware so when you move the handle bars left and right the cable moves the jet drive steering.
IMG_1826.jpg
IMG_1826.jpg (107.07 KiB) Viewed 26937 times
Eventually cut down the handle bars smaller and painted blue to match the boat color.
The wooden housing forward of the handle bars was supposed to be the location for a digital 2 stroke tach.
But the cable wasnt long enough and it was impossible to splice. So I removed the housing and mounted the tach in the engine bay.
IMG_1845.jpg
IMG_1845.jpg (94.87 KiB) Viewed 26937 times
Dry fitting the larger windscreeen which I eventually used.
IMG_1847.jpg
IMG_1847.jpg (93.39 KiB) Viewed 26937 times

User avatar
VT_Jeff
* Bateau Builder *
* Bateau Builder *
Posts: 1857
Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2019 6:32 pm
Location: vermont

Re: Tiny Speedboat Build

Post by VT_Jeff »

Any thoughts of popping a quick mold off of that hull/deck?
There are only two seasons in Vermont: boating season, and boat-building season.

Completed Paul Butler 14' Clark Fork Drifter
Completed Jacques Mertens FS14LS + 10%, Build Thread
Started Iain Oughtred Tammie Norrie

Dougster
* Bateau Builder *
* Bateau Builder *
Posts: 3296
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:05 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Tiny Speedboat Build

Post by Dougster »

This is a fascinating build and I check it daily. Thanks for sharing.

Dougster

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests