'63 Reinell

[MarkySparky]

Hello, I have an old 1963 Reinell 17 (measured) foot runabout- not the kind with the fins on the back, just your basic high-sided runabout, that came with an old school curved plastic windwhield. I replaced that with a step through windshield from a newer Reinell. I'm not sure what the actual model name of this boat is though. I did find a sticker that was glassed over but I think it is actually a hull ID number (or maybe a model number). It says "Boat No. 1686" Trying to figure that out! But I also have 2 questions: 1) Do these things ever get waterlogged and rotten? Mine seems very solid, and no obvious way for water to get below deck because it appears to be well fiberglassed from the factory, and there are no seams between the floor and sides of the boat. How would I check for issues? The boat has a long, foot-wide storage compartment along the keel, which is also well-fiberglassed. Question 2) What size engine would these boats have probably come with when they were new? This one has a 1990 Force 150, which I believe has too long a lower end, I think it's about 25" and looks like should be a 20" based on where the anti-cavitation plate hangs below the keel. I'm thinking I need jacking plates, and to move my two plastic portable 8(?) gallon tanks forward, perhaps to boxes I would build under the front seats. Anyone? Beuller? Beuller?

 

[southkogs]

There are a few ways to check for rot. If the deck feels soft, or you can see a lot of flex in the transom when raising or lowering the motor, that's a bad sign. The most reliable way to check is to drill core samples from the transom and stringer wood.

How is it performing when you have it on the water?

 

[MarkySparky]

There are a few ways to check for rot. If the deck feels soft, or you can see a lot of flex in the transom when raising or lowering the motor, that's a bad sign. The most reliable way to check is to drill core samples from the transom and stringer wood.

How is it performing when you have it on the water?

Floor and transom seem very solid. I hate having to drill core samples. Perhaps I'll drill a few small holes and insert my USB bore scope, and look closely at the sawdust on the drill bit. It performs ok other than torque steer caused by the engine being mounted too low by about 4 or 5 inches, as best I can tell, measuring the anti-cavitation plate vs bottom of keel. At 25knots the boat tilts to one side pretty hard and if I push it much faster it breaks into chine walking. ( I can't remember which direction it tilts- haven't driven it this year, but it makes sense to me that torque is causing that due to the engine being too low). Apparently I also need to work on some carburetor adjustments too, because it wants to die when I put it in gear on the water, even though it shifts fine on the ear muffs in my driveway, but that's another story for another day...

 

[southkogs]

Personally, if you're boating on inland lakes and the water isn't typically that rough, I'd not make the assumption you've got a bad hull or bones at this point. Some samples perhaps will ease your mind, but I think I'd look for reasons the boat might be water logged before I drilled too many. It can happen, but generally if it is holding water ... pulling the plug and raising the bow way up will produce some unexplainable "dripping" through the drain.

I agree with your assessment of the engine and motor performance. Fast guess is that boat would be about 100HP boat, but that's a guess. There are calculators online to help figure some of that stuff out.

 

[MarkySparky]

Personally, if you're boating on inland lakes and the water isn't typically that rough, I'd not make the assumption you've got a bad hull or bones at this point. Some samples perhaps will ease your mind, but I think I'd look for reasons the boat might be water logged before I drilled too many. It can happen, but generally if it is holding water ... pulling the plug and raising the bow way up will produce some unexplainable "dripping" through the drain.

I agree with your assessment of the engine and motor performance. Fast guess is that boat would be about 100HP boat, but that's a guess. There are calculators online to help figure some of that stuff out.

I boat mainly on the Columbia River and it can get pretty choppy sometimes. I usually don't go out when the wind is forecast above about 10mph, as that will be about 2 foot waves at times, and higher winds can bring 3 to 4 foot waves at times, depending on my exact location on the river (usually I'm somewhere below the John Day dam to the Deschutes River mouth most of the time). I don't really think this boat is waterlogged, I think it's just too heavy at the stern due to too big an outboard engine. Of course there are also the two 8ish gallon fuel tanks and the battery at the stern as well. I plan to relocated all those forward to balance the boat out a little better. I would like to add trim tabs as well some time, but want to find some used ones, as this "hole-in-the-water" doesn't get much allotment from my Chief Financial Officer, aka wife

 

[MarkySparky]

Oh, another thing, a question regarding a kicker motor for this boat. I have a Nissan 2.5hp engine with built in fuel tank sitting in my shed, wondering if that would be enough to push this 17' boat for trolling, or if I really need a bigger engine like 9.9hp or bigger? Any idea how big I really need?

 

[Scott Danforth]

you can move a 37' sail boat with a 2hp suzuki on a calm day.

the kicker size is solely dependent on wind load

 

[MarkySparky]

Well, not quite... There's the Columbia River current too. 2 to 5mph current, typically. And since I'm not a very good fisherman, not sure what trolling speed should be.