New Boat For Christmas

[wooky30014]

An update of sorts here . . . . . . I did a couple more adjustments a couple of weeks ago and THEN, it hit, a bout of Cellulitis in the form of a PAINFUL spot of infection on my leg. Not to worry fellow Mariners, I'm under an MDs care (no, not my son, I'll let him know soon enough), it's getting better but everything fun and hobby around here is on hold for the time being

 

[wooky30014]

Thanks stalker, she will be perfect for our needs here though the Admiral would have preferred a 'toon boat. She says that a V-hull is only going to throw her out into the water LOL

Still trying to finger out these posts where what I posted is copied yet no additional response is made

 

[cptbill]

A bit perplexing

 

[Willyclay]

Take care of yourself and stay on the green side of the grass!

 

[wooky30014]

Take care of yourself and stay on the green side of the grass!

Thanks Willy, I'ma doin' like the Doc said and my LAST concern at this minute is splashing ol' Riff Raft. (don't wanna end up as a peg-leg pirate for real) It is a lot better looking than when I went to Urgent Care but still hurts like hell, all part of this 'betes I ended up with.

 

[wooky30014]

I know it's been a while since an update, well here goes. My leg is much better but anyone with or that knows about Diabetes knows that one MUST be careful with wound care, still not exactly sure why this spot happened but a set of hip waders are on the short list for launching and retrieving. Also been working on parts of the trailer, I noticed that Riff Raft's arse is hanging a foot past the bunks (not good) plus a slight "wig-wag" at low speeds on the highway after installing the tilt which moved the engine back by 6 inches or so (I've watched the videos), would only get worse as speed increased. I've got a local welding shop working on an extension of the trailer drawbar, hitch bar, whatever it's called. The idea is to move the winch pole forward by a foot and then add another 2 feet to get the trailer that much farther into the water (deeper). Moving the hull forward would add a bit more tongue weight and help prevent the wig-wag.

I pulled the shifter, an ancient but completely working and complete Morse single stick model after I poked around on the 'net. Seems that I had the spring part installed / connected backwards, all is well now and the idle speed is set where it should be

I got some lobster buoy paint and gave the engine bracket a couple of good coats, an extra coat on the 3/4" steel brace bolts (I don't know why stainless wasn't used)

All of this has been done betwixt the excruciatingly HOT July and August weather (typical) and the rainy days on end, usually we get an afternoon / evening thunder boomer and the muggy, stick to everything after rain storms. Nope, not this year, went a week with drizzly or soaking rain with a day or so to dry out the more rain plus cooler temps. I live on TOP of a hill so I'm ready for any Noah's Ark floods

 

[cptbill]

Well I'm glade to here your leg is doing better, always a couple of dozen little things that need to be tweaked, adj or redone Iguess it's just a way of life owning boats

 

[MRS]

I know it's been a while since an update, well here goes. My leg is much better but anyone with or that knows about Diabetes knows that one MUST be careful with wound care, still not exactly sure why this spot happened but a set of hip waders are on the short list for launching and retrieving. Also been working on parts of the trailer, I noticed that Riff Raft's arse is hanging a foot past the bunks (not good) plus a slight "wig-wag" at low speeds on the highway after installing the tilt which moved the engine back by 6 inches or so (I've watched the videos), would only get worse as speed increased. I've got a local welding shop working on an extension of the trailer drawbar, hitch bar, whatever it's called. The idea is to move the winch pole forward by a foot and then add another 2 feet to get the trailer that much farther into the water (deeper). Moving the hull forward would add a bit more tongue weight and help prevent the wig-wag.

I pulled the shifter, an ancient but completely working and complete Morse single stick model after I poked around on the 'net. Seems that I had the spring part installed / connected backwards, all is well now and the idle speed is set where it should be

I got some lobster buoy paint and gave the engine bracket a couple of good coats, an extra coat on the 3/4" steel brace bolts (I don't know why stainless wasn't used)

All of this has been done betwixt the excruciatingly HOT July and August weather (typical) and the rainy days on end, usually we get an afternoon / evening thunder boomer and the muggy, stick to everything after rain storms. Nope, not this year, went a week with drizzly or soaking rain with a day or so to dry out the more rain plus cooler temps. I live on TOP of a hill so I'm ready for any Noah's Ark floods

Glad you doing better brother take care of yourself first then you will be on the water cruising and fishing soon.

 

[Willyclay]

Great hearing from you! We need you for the long-haul with Riff-Raft.

 

[wooky30014]

Thanks guys, yeah it's been rather aggravating sitting here and not doing much of anything while my leg slowly weeps. But seeing that I'm retar'd I has plenty of time for cruising, drownin' worms, and 'kini watchin' (a spectator sport fer shur)
Here is a pic I found on the webs of my shifter, VERY close and you can see the springy gizmo that I had turned backwards, what it does is keeps the engine at idle until it's in gear, then it's off to the races

This one is even closer but doesn't have the cable connections


cptbill, funny you mentioning tweaking and redoing LOL, I've been gathering circuit breakers, new switches, 14ga wire, 18ga wire to redo the redo this fall / winter. Originally I got a CB board with switches, good idea that I don't have to keep track of fuses but all the bright red lights on the dash. The new setup (after thinking it through) having a central power point at the helm, everything goes through a central set of breakers then individual switches with their own built in LED pilot light to know its on, plus any and all wiring will be going through a dedicated conduit making it look neater and more "professional" installation. Now also to get rid of the resident mousey rat, found some poo in the cabin plus a bag containing a tarp was eaten on though the tarp itself is untouched

The carpet has mold growing (all the rain) so I pulled it back. The deck was damp but still solid, this winter I'll unscrew and take it into the garage to dry completely the hit the ply with CPES. I've got a sheet of ply back at my burn pit that had CPES applied and used as a table, it just won't rot. At that time the bilge will get a good scrubbing and a coat of paint before the decking gets put back

 

[wooky30014]

Great hearing from you! We need you for the long-haul with Riff-Raft.

I was pondering yesterday and thought about the lyrics of Riff Raff by AC/DC, in part it goes . . . . . . . I ain't doin' nothin' wrong, I'm just havin' fun . . . . . Maybe smaller letters across the top of the stern LOL

I DO have my sign mounted above the cabin door, no pic of its location yet

translation upon request LOL

 

[wooky30014]

Great hearing from you! We need you for the long-haul with Riff-Raft.

Oh, and what were you needing to be hauled ??

 

[wooky30014]

Was a fairly long day here, juss thought about the last thing I did outside. Finished moving a 2nd set of handrails from the cabin roof to the hardtop (I don't feel like falling off or splashing in the lake. I also filled the screw holes with short bolts (stainless of course) with a dab of 4200, the nuts will go on tomorrow. I also fixed (I hope) a leak at the lower corner of the sliding window frame. I cleaned out the joint and applied a good sized dollop of 4200 there too. Sadly some of the interior wood has given way and eventually will need to be replaced. I still don't know what kind of wood is inside but guessing mahogany. I'm gonna get another splash and some runnings done (itching to cruise) and do more work as time goes on, wood of the windshields need scraped and varnished instead of paint, also the "glass" will need removed and resealed. Hey, its a 62 yo boat that is still in very good condition, I just need to do some needed upkeep, think of it as a dry-dock while using her. Longer term idea is a new more modern bracket and a 4 stroke outboard, tilt unit is rated for 130hp, I'm figuring a 110-120 should be plenty but that is on down the line

 

[wooky30014]

OHH boy, I went for a helluva ride today in Riff Raft, all unexpected too (and still "cleaning up" IYKWIM). Yesterday I made a set of wheel chocks that fit betwixt the tyres on both sides. She also sits on a pair of 2X8 planks to keep her from settling in the mud. Anyway I was getting ready to climb out and something shifted , the stern dropped a little and she started to roll . I was thinking "OHHH SHYTE, the trees will stop me but also take out the stern, the bracket, and the engine. The chocks ended up jammed between the tyres (had to get my trusty BFH and hammer them out AFTER hitching the truck back up). I'm presently working on moving the winch post forward by at least a foot, running out of sunshine at the moment. I'm guessing that I had even less tongue weight than I thought I had especially since the engine setback was about 6 inches with the addition of the tilt mechanism

 

[Willyclay]

The most important thing is that you are okay. Be careful out there!

 

[wooky30014]

Oh yeah, always try to be careful here, this would have been one of those "freaky" incidents, wasn't worried so much about me, but the boat OTOH, woulda been a loud gut wrenching "crunch"

 

[wooky30014]

I've been piddling along on Riff Raft, in the works is cleaning up and having a neater wiring install. I've been working on a new helm panel (pics to come soon) with rocker switches and more specific breakers located in the helm enclosure. I believe I've been getting ahead of myself on several aspects of wanting to get this vessel on the water and cruising, SO . . . . . I've got the trailer tongue extension (3 ft longer with 2 ft inside the original hitch tube) finished except for the electric plug attached (give me a break lol it's just me here and working in the full sun ain't fun) I've pulled and stripped the windshield frames, ready for some spar varnish. Started on the frames on the boat itself today, metal trim to be cleaned up to reset the new sealant (OH, not to worry, I've got a large enough tarp to cover should the outskirts of the Himicane come through, rain and wind) Jitterbug sander and shop-vac to make short work of the paint removal and all new stainless screws (have I said yet that I HATE flat tip screws ?)
Plexi will be pulled for refurb, new caulk on all windows

I will make some sort of filler for the hardtop similar to the filler panel on the cabin windshield

I've sprayed some wood sealer on these and they are ready for varnish


I just wish I knew what kind of wood this is, Mahogany ?? Teak ?? Cypress ?? Swamp Wood ?? dunno but for it being 61 years old it sure is remarkably solid, there was one spot on one frame that had a little rotted away, but it was fixed with a spot of wood putty. The wood where it attaches to the hull and the cabin top is also surprisingly solid considering that the paint is and has been flaking off

 

[wooky30014]

Oh and on these frames I had one fall to pieces due to the tiny little screws holding it together. Two of the others wobbled at the corners, same reason and only one stayed together. I cleaned up all the corners and using the original screw holes I enlarged one at a time and fastened with waterproof wood glue and stainless bolts with locknuts (wanted acorn nuts but not enough available)

I think this is going to be (again) one sharp looking boat when I take her out. The nearest lakes to me are Jackson Lake, Lake Oconee, and Lake Sinclair, all in Middle Ga

 

[wooky30014]

This evening I got the first of 4 coats of varnish applied to the windshield frames, gonna let it set a bit and put the 2nd on (if done before 24 hours then no sanding is required). I also piddled a bit with labeling the rocker switches, experiment was a success. So here it is, new tach, kill switch (not required on this vintage vessel but BSTS), bilge pump switch that will mostly be set on auto, and the various use rocker switches with pilot lights when powered up. I think this will look better than the bank of switches that the entire rocker lights up plus I'm not limited to just the breakers that came on the other panel, I got the sized breakers I need and have some spares to add any later circuits like a fish hoist . . . . J/K LOL

Oh and the tach DOES drop to zero when powered before start up

 

[cptbill]

That's gonna add a nice touch to the appearance