It's happened!

[Feckless]

Grimace aptly named for the purple color, wifey wife's idea, Has found fresh water. Started December 2nd putting 10-15 hours per week. That does not count the unknown amount of hours reading and worrying how the next step will turn out. Cost was roughly $3100 to build. That figure does not include motor trailer and various hardware. Also a few tools because come on a new boat requires oh say a jig saw, clamps, circular saw, other fun tools. A few details, used mostly CVG douglas fir. Keel is oak, skeg and part of outer deck is redwood, with aromatic cedar inner planking. Motor is a 1978 70 H.P. Merc, tends to be touchy about flooding, But pushes the boat along nicely. I am really impressed with the ride and how easily it planes. Painted with Rustoleum Marine Topsides, the grey turned out nice. The purple turned out pretty soft, that is the risk one takes when they have it tinted. So unfortunately no running shots, in due time. As for carpentry experience, I once made a couple things in high school. Thanks to this forum building my boat was easy. Simply said it's amazing what one can do when they quit playing video games!

[DaveLott]

Congratulations. Now comes all the fine tuning . You know that a boat is NEVER finished, we just slow down on the day to day work and enjoy the boat a little more

[upspirate]

Yea!!! What a feeling.

Performance report is next when you get the motor ironed out.

Nice Bimini top!!!

[Roberta]

Congratulations and Have Fun!!!

Roberta

[jeffh]

Congratulations! It's great to see one of the Malahini's finally hit the water. I'll be wet as soon as I work out my steering linkage. Let us know how she runs with the 70HP and I'm always interested in hearing about any steering linkage issues back in the splash well.

[Andy Garrett]

kudos! Enjoy it while the weathe holds out.

[rbrandenstein]

Nice job! It must be exciting to launch it for the first time. You started shortly after me and beat me to the water. I still have a long way to go.

[Feckless]

Thanks everyone, the boat is well worth all the work. Here's one more shot!

[upspirate]

Pretty shot!

[Feckless]

So it has been a year! Figured it would be a great time to post an update. I've been watching a few other builds absolutely beautiful boats keep up the great work! So with roughly 400 pounds payload a 70 hp 1978 Merc. pushes my Malahini at 32 m.p.h., or so says the GPS. I might be able to put a different prop on, motor seems to run higher rpm then needed. Further thoughts, I went cheap on paint job, had to repaint it after boat cover straps wore through to the epoxy (what's the saying the sweetness of saving a buck is quickly replaced by the bitterness of redoing) someone correct me on that if I butchered it. I will definately use two part on my next boat. The Epoxy and graphite bottom has held up quite well, this includes many rocky shore beachings.
One thing I've been chewing on lately;
From the transom to end of skeg is roughly 18 inches. I believe this distance should be more ( perhaps 24 inches). Motor cavitates when I try to turn at 3/4 throttle, have experimented with several trim pitches same problem just not as bad. I am open to any thoughts or suggestions. The boat gets up on a plane and handles moderate chop well, for all the misgivings about it's shallow Vee hull, the Malahini is a suprisingly comfortable and very stable boat. Also I am impressed with how well the spray rail keeps us dry.
Finally, This project has been so rewarding, with the amazing results, the comments and talk at the boat ramp. I will be building another boat very soon!

[vupilot]

Thanks for the update and great job on the boat, somehow I missed this launch. I'm suprised you get cavitation. My skeg is much closer to the transom than recommened also because I forgot to re-check the instructions before gluing it on where I thought I remembered it was supposed to be. Luckily I get no cavitation at all so I am suprised to hear you do. Of the Glen-l boats I have ridden in only one cavitated and only in very sharp turns.

[Iggy]

I hope to be giving my 1 year update a year from now as well. Thanks for posting how things are going. I only had mine out for 1 day so far, and didn't pay much attention to cavitation during cornering, however I will look for it when I am on the lake again in a few days.

I added 5 degree's to my transom slope, and it runs really smoothly at full speed. Other than that, my skeg is 'per plans' and I also agree that my spray rails work like a charm to keep everyone dryer.

[ttownshaw]

Great to hear back from you...I was wondering about your build!