1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

[Sea Stomper]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

Hi, the canopy is held on by two ropes (soon to be 4) that are jam cleated to the hull. Jam cleats are a sailboat thing. Quick release and application. The canopy has no issues about staying put even when not secured, but I want to clamp it down with some pressure so that it doesn't make noise on a hard hit against a wave which I can do now except I would like more down pressure. To make it even easier to apply more down pressure, I want to change the ropes to a block setup for more down leverage. You can see the ropes in the videos. They are at the forward end of the canopy on each side.

No standing head room, but it is a few inches higher than the aluminum frame windshield and cloth canopy that it had before.

Visibility is not quite as good but plenty good enough. The shelter is worth every bit of viewing loss. I can get more visibility by sliding the whole thing back.

 

[Sea Stomper]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

More pictures and videos in action as requested.

Landed three 25 pound albacore last Sunday 18 miles off the Humboldt Bay jetties, and a solo trip at that. Nice day. It started as a junky windblown day halibut drifting 9 miles offshore with some difficulty keeping 3 pounds of lead on the bottom at 300 feet deep. I was listening to the albacore guys just 6 and 7 miles out beyond where I was and couldn't take it anymore so I rigged for albacore trolling and went out there. Conditions improved throughout the day until it was flat calm and a beautiful hot day out there. The video below gives an idea of the windy chop conditions on the run out at about 5 miles offshore headed out while still in the dawn's light looking back at the mountains where the sun would rise a little later. Looking down south you can see Cape Mendocino, the furthest west point in the 48 states.

If you look carefully, you will see my tow vehicle, a 1982 diesel vanagon converted to EFI VW Jetta power. It's a great combination for lake camping.

One was 26 pounds, the other two were 24.5 pounds each.

 

[zool]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

Nice score on the Albies.....and only 18m off is a sweet deal..

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

Nice conversion sir! I would give anything to have some fresh tuna steaks again. GrrrrRRR, I really need to move back to the coast. When I was younger, My dad and I use to fish a 19 foot mako that was rigged like a sport fisherman, had a full inclosure from bow to stern when needed. People use to give us funny looks, but they would also follow us around because we knew where the fish were. One thing about a tri-hull, is it is a solid fishing platform, very stable. Good to see your enjoying the fruits of your labor. Have fun and be safe. Budd

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

Thanks for taking and sharing the videos...almost felt as if I was along for the ride...
Boat seems to ride the surf nicely and the canopy looks to be nice and warm and dry...
The Tuna don't look too shabby, either...

 

[Sea Stomper]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

Junky flip phone images of the other side of the boat in the water. Might edit these out later when better ones are available. This was after a Pacific Halibut adventure. I'm working on the radar scanner mount going on the front top of the canopy, still capable of going into the standard opening garage. I'll probably mount it up in about 2 weeks.

 

[jc55]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

That is the coolest thing ever!!!

 

[saginawbayboater]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

Very Nice Sea Stomper!!!:thumb: Love the custom work!!!!

 

[Sea Stomper]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

Thanks saginabay.

RADAR TIME

Checking radar placement. It still clears the garage door by plenty.

Next step, installing radar. I got this JRC LCD unit for 300 dollars, it works great. Mounting over the top of the center cross rib, and then I'm going to be reinforcing a little bit on the underside. Tri hull pounding in the ocean should make it interesting.

You can see a patch I already did on the left top corner of the wind shield where a small split happened at a wood joint. I was running at about 18 knots which was a little fast for the chop conditions, coming back in from the tuna trip above. I guess I was having a little too much fun but it's good because the weaker parts of the build have shown and resulting in some beef ups.

 

[laurentide]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

I just jumped over from that houseboat thread when I saw your pic there...this thing is super amazing cool. Great job! I love the vids too...

 

[1979checkmate]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

okay this is probably the coolest thing i have seen for a while! I have to admit, i have always thought those 70s tri-hulls were the most ugly and worthless boats ever built.. no offense intended for you tri-hull fans. However, this looks fantastic! nice work - i may have a new respect for these tri-hulls. They are so dang cheap to buy...

 

[jvanhees]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

okay this is probably the coolest thing i have seen for a while! I have to admit, i have always thought those 70s tri-hulls were the most ugly and worthless boats ever built.. no offense intended for you tri-hull fans. However, this looks fantastic! nice work - i may have a new respect for these tri-hulls. They are so dang cheap to buy...

I am going to have to agree, but I think you have converted me! Your boat is sweet! and the fact that you take it out fishing solo 10+ miles out, really cool. Great job, more action & fish pics!

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

Merry Christmas!

 

[Sea Stomper]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

okay this is probably the coolest thing i have seen for a while! I have to admit, i have always thought those 70s tri-hulls were the most ugly and worthless boats ever built..

OH, I totally agree. When I got this thing I thought "what's the fastest way I can unload this thing?" Ha Ha.

 

[Sea Stomper]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

This winter my projects will mostly be electronic. Maybe I'll add the Bennet trim tabs that Yoshi gave me.

I want to finish up this radar install this weekend. Maybe if I post it, I'll actually get up off my dead tail end and do it.

It's a little wood radar scanner mount.

The base was glassed to the roof to add strength and spread out the load presented by the weight of the scanner.

 

[Sea Stomper]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

Continuing,

Tomorrow is the day I will glass this whole thing up and finish it. After that, I'll lift the whole canopy off and finish painting the outside and interior.

 

[Sea Stomper]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

I got a call the other day from my fishing buddy. He asked me what I was doing. I said I was still working on my radar mount. He asked me if "working on my boat" meant that I was walking around in my garage drinking coffee and looking at the boat. I said "yes, that's exactly what it means".

So the next two days, I drank coffee and looked at the boat some more.

Then, on the third day I rigged a light rafter hoist using 1/4 inch rope and two twin block pulleys to lift off the canopy of the boat now that it has glass windows in it. I don't want any accidents pulling it off by hand lifting it like I did before the windows were installed. Then I used one of my soft surfboard rack straps usually used on top of a car, as a lift sling and removed the canopy. It's a little more complicated with the wiring attached to the canopy now, but all I have to do is unplug everything and all the wiring goes with the canopy.

I need to fill those small holes in the corners of the laminate reinforcement with resin / fiberglass. Those holes were used to bolt the laminate down during the time the resin was setting up. There's one layer of 6oz glass cloth between the canopy roof and the laminate piece. All of that is directly over the top of the front canopy rib.

So I'm putting the finishing touches, like feathering in the two mount struts to the canopy laminate. Then I'll finish painting the whole canopy including the mount and the rest of the interior which I never finished painting.

This is going to take about 2 more months of caffeine doses to get done. Lots of staring at the boat to do. Now you can stare at it with me. May 1st is going to be here faster than we think. Projects and more projects.

My list:
Install the Bennett trim tabs that Yoshi gave me
Finish the 15 inch monitor install
Track ball mouse arm rest for the chart plotter
Seat boxes with 1 additional 12 volt battery inside
Finish updating the bilge pumps (3 pumps, one auto, 2000 gpm capacity total)
Send out the Standard Horizon Matrix AIS GX2100 tranceiver for firmware updating
Install the 3rd and 4th VHF radios, Yaesu FT2900R, 75 watt transmit
Install the 3rd vhf antenna
Install the Doppler VHF DF'ing antenna
Install the Doppler unit
Service the kicker lower unit
Trailer bearing replacement
Bow winch and post replacement

That should about do it. If I get half of this stuff done before then, I'll be good.

 

[coolbri70]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

looks good:thumb:

 

[Sea Stomper]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

PLANNING FOR ANTENNAS AND OTHER ADVENTURES

I used two vhf antennas last season when I got the boat useable. The 8 foot glass colinear like so many of us have, and the small 1/4 wave spike sticking out the top of the boat. The spike is actually a 1/2 wave vertical dipole because instead of a ground plane array underneath of it, I used a 1/4 wave counterpoise extending down the side of the canopy inside. For the time being I will use that one for the AIS transponder output along with a Furuno gps antenna for the transponder's gps receiver. I need to fit 2 more marine vhf antennas and a 2 meter vhf ham antenna on top here. The entire port side of the roof will be vacant for the surfboard.

More views..

I didn't have a stainless rocket launcher when I was in a panic to get the boat in the water when I finished the canopy, so I mounted a Scotty Striker there to hold my net and whatever else I wanted out of the way. I'm going to remove it and put something better there.

 

[Teamster]

Re: 1977 Orrion becoming an ocean animal

I can't help but like this boat,.............

Looks great,..............