Andy's Zip build

Andy Garrett · **Posted:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:28 pm

Well, The process is begining. I have what I need to get started.

My wife has named the boat 'Morning Wood'. :roll:

I'll just kick it off with a few pics...

This is the lumber I've aquired. I got to hand pick some awesome mahagany from a local dealer. It's all quarter sawn stock--very nice grain. I don't know what species it is. Niether do they (at least the guy at the counter).

This is where I will bolt down the form (which will be made from the lumber on the left). I estimate that I'll have 2.5 feet on the wall side after I clear all that crap out of there. It's gonne be tight, but I have to be able to get the bikes in and out.

This is the donor boat. It's a '77 BeeCraft. I'll use the trailer, motor, steering (will replace the wheel), cleats, anchor, battery box, eyes, etc, etc. Once I've canibalized it, I'll probably cut it up with a chainsaw and haul it off.

This is the broken throttle I need to replace. If anyone knows where I can find one like it or one that will work, please..., any help is appreciated!

Andy Garrett · **Posted:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:40 pm

This is the motor I'll be using. It's pretty clean inside and runs well. I just need to get the controls fixed so I can really run it through its paces in a bucket.

I think it's a '77.

This is the mount. Maybe one of you experts out there can tell me about power tilt/trim options. Right now I'm looking at CMC, but if Merc makes a set-up...

[imghttp://img826.imageshack.us/img826/6765/21911mercanddonorboat.jpg][/img]

Well, that's it for now. Now, I just need to find time to work on it!

Running cost total minus all the dang tools: Aprox: $1500
Time to order some epoxy!

Bill Edmundson · **Posted:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:47 pm

Andy

Hold on to the wheel! You may just decide to use it! :lol:

Good luck!

Bill

Andy Garrett · **Posted:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:48 pm

Let's try these two again.
[imghttp://img534.imageshack.us/img534/1280/21911rightsideofmercmou.jpg][/img]

Andy Garrett · **Posted:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:50 pm

Oh well, having a few pic issues. I think you get the idea.

Andy Garrett · **Posted:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:51 pm

Yea Bill, I may need a back-up anchor!

Iggy · **Posted:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:14 pm

Looks like you are off to a great start. I used a donor boat as well, only ended up keeping the trailer but I did sell the motor for about as much as I paid for the whole thing in the first place.

The mahogany you got looks pretty nice.. might be Sapelle based on what I can see, but then again it could be another variety as well.

upspirate · **Posted:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 9:02 pm

Andy,nice donor set-up.

Here is what you need to convert to power trim(I think it'd be best to find a donor motor)

These are reprints from my Merc manual....there are brackets that bolt on either side of the clamp bracket (not sure if the clamp bracket is different for PT models) and bolt to the transom.Power trim cylinders,hoses, inside the boat trim pump unit,and the harness that goes from the trim pump to the control switch

Attachment:

power trim 1.jpg [ 767.47 KiB | Viewed 4912 times ]

This pic, fig 6, shows the cylinders that would replace the shocks

Attachment:

powertrim2.jpg [ 2.1 MiB | Viewed 4912 times ]

There is a large bolt "c"and a smaller one "D" that bolt the brackets on the clamp bracket,and two additional bolts "a" that bolt the brackets to the transom

I believe any of the inline motors with this set-up 50-150 HP will work,but I'm not sure of that, Galamb could tell you more about this

vupilot · **Posted:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 9:27 pm

I hope you have some covers for the those motorcycles! :shock:

Or youll never get the dust out of all those motor fins and other crannies, ask me how I know :roll:

Great donor parts. That trailer looks perfect, keep that roller under the bow, wish I had one. Any idea what the Merc weights?

Andy Garrett · **Posted:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:36 pm

Thanks for the info Pirate! I'm wanting to avoid walking into my local marine dealer and being a complete 'rube', but I'm guessing that they can order these parts if I can't find them. I'd rather find them cheap though. The CMC unit is $600 new and looks a hell of a lot simpler, so I'll set the benchmark at $500 for factory parts I think.

Chris,
I hear you on the bikes and dust. Before I built my knife workshop, I made them in the garage. Imagine everything in a garage covered in a fine layer of steel dust. :cry:

Bill Edmundson · **Posted:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:38 pm

Quote:

Yea Bill, I may need a back-up anchor!

You never know... You may decide you want that look. Or, one of us may want it! :wink:

Bill

slug · **Posted:** Sun Feb 20, 2011 2:45 am

Andy; A little off topic here, but last year I cut up a 30" sailboat using my angle grinder with a carbide tipped trim saw blade mounted. I got the whole boat done with one blade. FYI, I used a chainsaw to cut up the lead keel.
Doug

Roberta Hegy · **Posted:** Sun Feb 20, 2011 6:19 am

You're lucky to have the newer 500 with the shocks. Makes retroing the trim nice. Great pics!

Andy Garrett · **Posted:** Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:30 am

Yea, I need to go talk to someone about costs on the retrofit--we'll see...
B-reak O-ut A-nother T-housand
I'mn hoping for under $500 though.

As for the throttle... solved. Just bought a used one on Ebay for $50

galamb · **Posted:** Sun Feb 20, 2011 10:03 am

Andy, the motor is a hair newer than you thought - it's definately a 78 or 79 model (that little red stripes at the end of the blue bands is the indicator).

As to adding power trim/tilt, unless you can find a donor motor I would really be tempted to go with the CMC set-up (it could be reused if you repower at some point, or sold if no longer required). I couldn't find anything in the original parts list to show that this particular model had OEM T/T in that model year (but the lists are getting a little disjointed - many discontinued parts are simply no longer listed at all).

I would personally be inclined to take another approach - forget the power trim, it really has limited benefit on motors below about 90 horses and instead invest in some powered trim tabs (electric or hydraulic - cheaper than most T/T options). The tabs will not only give you "trim" control, they will also allow for balancing the boat side to side (and at different rates of lift). Piddle a bit with the mounted motor to find the best "pin position" on bracket then use the tabs to control the overall trim of the boat. Tabs would yield far greater benefits at potentially lower cost.

Something to keep in the back of your mind should one of your coils ever go on you. Those "orange" coils retail at about 75 bucks a pop. Merc's more modern high intensity coils (about 45 bucks) can be used in their place if you replace all 4 of them. The original plugs would have been AC Delco V40FFK's. If their replacements have been cross-ref'd to NGK BUHW-2's the motor will not be running at it's potential. If it has Champions in there get them out, throw them away and go with the Delco's or the NGK's - whichever you can get ahold of.

The NGK's coupled with the (newer) coils will result in a much smoother idle and a better top end with a better overall "burn", so it will save a (tiny) bit of gas all the time (would pay for the coils over the remaining life of the engine).

Glen-L.com

Andy's Zip build

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