Jungleboat
Petty Officer 3rd Class
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2010
- Messages
- 78
Hi, first post *waves*
My situation is somewhat unusual...
Never had a boat before in my life, love fishing, moved to the tropical paradise of Borneo, then discovered it's pretty much impossible to fish here without a boat.
So got a boat..
It's a bit of wreck, in that it looks awful, in desperate need of a re-paint.
Unfortunately it's extremely difficult to find the kind of boat that I wanted here, so settled on this thing. Most local boats are basically over-grown canoes or luxury stuff beyond my reach.
It's 20ft long, 7ft wide, fiberglass, with a small cabin (too small) and a pretty deep V hull.
Has chines or whatever they're called running along the V.
Motor is a Johnson 90HP V4 2-stroke, of unknown year or model.
The guy I'm getting it from doesn't speak good English, my wife who speaks Malay has zero knowledge of boats and communication is very poor. Talking to him on the phone is a waste of time and he lives a long distance away, so difficult to ask follow-up questions.
So, here's my nooby questions...
1. The throttle control, also a gear lever for reverse I think, seems extremely stiff. Seller seems to claim that when the engine is running it is smooth and easy. Is that correct or is it just somewhat seized or rusted up inside or something?
2. Also, next to the throttle is some long lever or flap thing. I'm told that when throttle open I can do something with it. Quite what I've no idea? Is it some kind of lock to hold the throttle at a fixed position? As far as I could tell it could only be operated at full throttle. Surely one doesn't wish to lock it at full throttle? That just seems.... bizarre?
3. Inside the cabin, at the front, there is a large bulkhead type thing with 3 big round holes in it, at the top. The holes are approximately 5 inches in diameter. This is blocking a lot of potential storage space and makes the cabin too small to sleep in. I'm presuming this is some vital structural component - but could I get away with cutting a medium size hatch in the thing for stowing stuff? There's a hatch on the roof of the cabin that gives access but too small to climb in.
I ask as I've never seen such a thing before, all boats and plans I've looked at seem to be able to make use of 2 berths in a V, this thing is making the cabin very short.
I'm not talking about removing it altogether, just joining 2 of the holes and extending down near the cabin floor and fitting a hatch. I could reinforce around it again to add structural strength?
Make the hole/hatch circular?
4. As well as being very short, the cabin roof is very low. It really is just a little pit in there. I'm seriously considering cutting the roof off, extending the sides and sticking it back on again. Am I completely crazy or is that a practical idea? It would still be sitting room only, not standing room, but I'd like to add something like 8 inches or so.
5. Still on the subject of hacking up the cabin... the side profile to the rear (stern?) is sharply angled, kinnda sweeps up towards the roof. I'd like to make that a lot more upright, as part of the cabin extension, maybe extend it back a bit too, before adding a lockable door.
If I use plywood and fiberglass it, is this going to add too much weight and wind resistance?
All I want is it to be more like the cabins I've seen on similar boats. For example I'd like to place a little pump toilet in there (for family) but at the current size you wouldn't be able to sit on the thing...
6. I have no idea how much this thing weighs. I'm pretty sure it's beyond the ability of my little dinky 1300cc 90hp locally-built 4x4.
There's nothing around here in the way of a weighbridge or anything so fancy. I'll probably need a new vehicle but some vague guesses at weight would be appreciated! I don't want to get some huge great truck if I only need something a little bigger than my current one.
I'd LOVE to have a nice alloy trailer with electric brakes - but I don't think I'll be able to buy such a thing here and postage would be ludicrous...
An easier alternative would be leaving it moored in the water around a friend's house. Presuming I take it out once in awhile for a good scrubbing and waxing, is there some specific limit to how long a fiberglass boat can be left floating?
7. Engine - When we saw the thing, the engine could not be started due to the starter motor being sent off for reconditioning. The owner tried starting it manually with a pull string - but gave up after half an hour. I suspect he flooded it, as he kept playing with some little red thing, which I presume is some kind of choke?
When he first tried it did catch a bit, then nothing. He removed the plugs and changed them for some other equally old ones - again it spluttered for a moment and then nothing, despite repeated attempts.
My impression was he had very little experience at starting manually and if he quit flooding the thing it might be OK. He assures me it does normally run fine.
The spark plugs that came out were black, with deposits. If a 4 stroke I'd be thinking engine wear but being a 2 stroke could this just be too much oil in the mix?
I'm sure I have a lot of other questions but this is already a very long post
Sorry about that - but here's the problem: I need to make a decision, in the next few days. He'll be towing it miles through the jungle, on the arrangement if the engine works and sounds reasonable we'll buy it.
Or am I missing something awful?
The paintwork is extremely tatty but as best I can tell the fiberglass seems solid enough but bear in mind I haven't heard it running yet - or seen it float...
The obvious answer is 'buy a better boat' but isn't it always? It's so hard to find an affordable cabin boat around here I was literally thinking of building one myself. I'm a pretty busy guy and don't have a workshop, so I don't think I could handle more than some 'adjustments'.
Oh, I can do pictures? I'll add a pic...
Yes, it desperately needs a new trailer - that's one of the reasons I insisted he deliver it, as there' no way I'm driving with that thing! I can get a steel trailer made, possibly an alloy one but not so sure about brakes.
Thanks for any help!
My situation is somewhat unusual...
Never had a boat before in my life, love fishing, moved to the tropical paradise of Borneo, then discovered it's pretty much impossible to fish here without a boat.
So got a boat..
It's a bit of wreck, in that it looks awful, in desperate need of a re-paint.
Unfortunately it's extremely difficult to find the kind of boat that I wanted here, so settled on this thing. Most local boats are basically over-grown canoes or luxury stuff beyond my reach.
It's 20ft long, 7ft wide, fiberglass, with a small cabin (too small) and a pretty deep V hull.
Has chines or whatever they're called running along the V.
Motor is a Johnson 90HP V4 2-stroke, of unknown year or model.
The guy I'm getting it from doesn't speak good English, my wife who speaks Malay has zero knowledge of boats and communication is very poor. Talking to him on the phone is a waste of time and he lives a long distance away, so difficult to ask follow-up questions.
So, here's my nooby questions...
1. The throttle control, also a gear lever for reverse I think, seems extremely stiff. Seller seems to claim that when the engine is running it is smooth and easy. Is that correct or is it just somewhat seized or rusted up inside or something?
2. Also, next to the throttle is some long lever or flap thing. I'm told that when throttle open I can do something with it. Quite what I've no idea? Is it some kind of lock to hold the throttle at a fixed position? As far as I could tell it could only be operated at full throttle. Surely one doesn't wish to lock it at full throttle? That just seems.... bizarre?
3. Inside the cabin, at the front, there is a large bulkhead type thing with 3 big round holes in it, at the top. The holes are approximately 5 inches in diameter. This is blocking a lot of potential storage space and makes the cabin too small to sleep in. I'm presuming this is some vital structural component - but could I get away with cutting a medium size hatch in the thing for stowing stuff? There's a hatch on the roof of the cabin that gives access but too small to climb in.
I ask as I've never seen such a thing before, all boats and plans I've looked at seem to be able to make use of 2 berths in a V, this thing is making the cabin very short.
I'm not talking about removing it altogether, just joining 2 of the holes and extending down near the cabin floor and fitting a hatch. I could reinforce around it again to add structural strength?
Make the hole/hatch circular?
4. As well as being very short, the cabin roof is very low. It really is just a little pit in there. I'm seriously considering cutting the roof off, extending the sides and sticking it back on again. Am I completely crazy or is that a practical idea? It would still be sitting room only, not standing room, but I'd like to add something like 8 inches or so.
5. Still on the subject of hacking up the cabin... the side profile to the rear (stern?) is sharply angled, kinnda sweeps up towards the roof. I'd like to make that a lot more upright, as part of the cabin extension, maybe extend it back a bit too, before adding a lockable door.
If I use plywood and fiberglass it, is this going to add too much weight and wind resistance?
All I want is it to be more like the cabins I've seen on similar boats. For example I'd like to place a little pump toilet in there (for family) but at the current size you wouldn't be able to sit on the thing...
6. I have no idea how much this thing weighs. I'm pretty sure it's beyond the ability of my little dinky 1300cc 90hp locally-built 4x4.
There's nothing around here in the way of a weighbridge or anything so fancy. I'll probably need a new vehicle but some vague guesses at weight would be appreciated! I don't want to get some huge great truck if I only need something a little bigger than my current one.
I'd LOVE to have a nice alloy trailer with electric brakes - but I don't think I'll be able to buy such a thing here and postage would be ludicrous...
An easier alternative would be leaving it moored in the water around a friend's house. Presuming I take it out once in awhile for a good scrubbing and waxing, is there some specific limit to how long a fiberglass boat can be left floating?
7. Engine - When we saw the thing, the engine could not be started due to the starter motor being sent off for reconditioning. The owner tried starting it manually with a pull string - but gave up after half an hour. I suspect he flooded it, as he kept playing with some little red thing, which I presume is some kind of choke?
When he first tried it did catch a bit, then nothing. He removed the plugs and changed them for some other equally old ones - again it spluttered for a moment and then nothing, despite repeated attempts.
My impression was he had very little experience at starting manually and if he quit flooding the thing it might be OK. He assures me it does normally run fine.
The spark plugs that came out were black, with deposits. If a 4 stroke I'd be thinking engine wear but being a 2 stroke could this just be too much oil in the mix?
I'm sure I have a lot of other questions but this is already a very long post
Sorry about that - but here's the problem: I need to make a decision, in the next few days. He'll be towing it miles through the jungle, on the arrangement if the engine works and sounds reasonable we'll buy it.
Or am I missing something awful?
The paintwork is extremely tatty but as best I can tell the fiberglass seems solid enough but bear in mind I haven't heard it running yet - or seen it float...
The obvious answer is 'buy a better boat' but isn't it always? It's so hard to find an affordable cabin boat around here I was literally thinking of building one myself. I'm a pretty busy guy and don't have a workshop, so I don't think I could handle more than some 'adjustments'.
Oh, I can do pictures? I'll add a pic...
Yes, it desperately needs a new trailer - that's one of the reasons I insisted he deliver it, as there' no way I'm driving with that thing! I can get a steel trailer made, possibly an alloy one but not so sure about brakes.
Thanks for any help!
