Roberta's Torpedo

[Roberta]

Typically, if a boat isn't spending more than a week or so on the water, the Polyurethanes are fine. The Epifanes epoxy primer I'm using is good for below the waterline and polyurethanes are very tough paints. Most bottom paints aren't good for trailering and some need to be in water all the time. The trailerable bottom paints are limited and the lack of gloss or color choices did not appeal to me. I have a water based poly-u (System Three) on the Zip and it has been just fine. And I like using the Epifanes products.

Roberta

[Joris]

Thank you Roberta!
With the paint ordered i'm getting really close to flipping the hull, i might even catch up with you

Joris

[Roberta]

What are you building??? Inquiring minds need to know!!!

Roberta

[Joris]

I'm building "Gladys" a 20 foot Hacker runabout from the runabout book.

Joris

[Roberta]

We're currently in Kansas, heading to Arkansas to visit my parents. Then home tomorrow.

Been negotiating for a 6.2 Mercruiser Horizon motor with a Hurth 63A transmission. The transmission has a 1.5 ratio so I will need to replace that with a Velvet Drive Liberty A with a 1 : 1 ratio and electric shift. The motor is a new one but it was built in 2009 and never installed. It is new in the crate. Mercury will extend the warranty so it would be great.

[Bill Edmundson]

Roberta

Enjoy your family. But! I'm ready to see more of this boat!

That's a lot of engine. I have the 63A with 1.23 ratio. They click at idle in a LH rotation. The Torpedo will fly with that engine and a 1:1 gear. You're going to have 50 MPH++.

I've enjoyed the trip pictures. Thanks.

Bill

[Roberta]

Thanks, Bill! I'm at the folks now.

I'm working with a transmission company in IL that can supply the velvet drive with electric shift. Hopefully I can get everything together next week.

[Roberta]

Back on the boat again this week after getting caught up with all my duties that were neglected during the trip out west.

I am ready for painting and needed to mark the waterline to deliniated the bottom from the sides. After many attempts to get a level line that was both even and as close to the natural line as possible, I went back to my original plan to use a laser level to accurately mark the line. It worked out very well and I am now ready to paint. What was nice about using the laser is it casts a beam over the hull where the water will touch it. The sides weren't too hard to do with the level line, but I had trouble where the water line crosses over the chines and heads to the stem. The curve of that area makes getting a true line accurrate very difficult. The laser makes it easy. I picked up a cheap rotary laser level at Home Depot.

The bottom will be blue and, above the waterline, the sides will be white. I will place a boot stripe over the juncture of the two colors. One more good cleaning of the hull bottom and I will be ready to put the first coat of blue on this afternoon.

Roberta

[DrBryanJ]

Roberta:

I am surprised how far back the waterline crosses the chine. Did you find the same thing with the zip? I was planning on transitioning from ply to planks somewhere between frame 3 and 4 on my malahini to have a bright finish on the sides. Maybe I need to transition that more aft.

Bryan

[Bill Edmundson]

The line across the chine/bottom/stem. never look right to me until the boat is turned.

Waiting for more Pictures.

Bill

[Roberta]

The water line on Glens drawing crosses the chine at frame 4 and the boot stripe is at frame 5. It follows the bottom of the motor stringers. It probably look's further than it is. Anyway it appears to be correct.

I know what you mean, Bill!! Mine look's a little wierd when looked from above, but is straight as an arrow when viewed in plane.

Lunch and then PAINT!!!!

Roberta

[DrBryanJ]

I wasn't suggesting that your mark was wrong. I am concerned that when I paint the bottom of my boat that all of the plywood is painted and not showing in the bright work on the bow. I guess the best thing to do for me is set up a laser level to check the water line before I start attaching the plywood.

Bryan

[Roberta]

Well, the first coat went on nicely yesterday. Today I long boarded with 400 and scuffed it with scotch brite. After a good cleaning with DuPont Final Kleen, coat #2 was applied. The Epifanes two part Poly-U is very easy to work with and does not reek as bad as I feared. I used about 5-7% brushing thinner and rolled it on. The paint levels very nicely with nary a roller mark in sight.

Roberta

[jenko]

Very nice Roberta. I wish the Aqua cote that i used went on that well

[Bill Edmundson]

Roberta

Looks great! That baby is BLUE! I like it!

Bryan

No one was offended. I promise.

Bill