Glen-L.com

My neighbor and i took the Belle Isle out for a shakedown cruise today on Winnipesaukee. so much rainy weather and strong thunderstorms had really put a damper on this event... but not today
let the Belle sit at the dock for a little while and checked a few clearances and gauges then took her out for a cruise. the boat handles great! tried it at many speeds and maneuvers and am thrilled with its performance.
...i am not the best cameraman but here is a little bit of the cruise with my neighbor at the helm
http://metrocast.net/~bcheckerberry/
-Billy

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(insert witty phrase here)
Billy's Belle Isle website

Billy

I've been waiting! It's a frightening and exciting event! Congratulations!

Bill

I didn't get the .mov file. But, that's OK!

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Mini -Tug, KH Tahoe 19 & Bartender 24 - There can be no miracle recoveries without first screwing up.
Tahoe 19 Build

Sweet!! But your neighbor was running the boat and no flooding the bilges from spraying stuffing boxes and the likes? Say it ain't so.... You must be still high from the trip. The lake must be a private lake as no one was out. Next time find another boat and I am sure you can persuade someone to take a shot from a distance.

Beautiful!!! Breathtaking!!! What can I say!!

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Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

Oh Baby.

congratulations.

Bruce.

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Bruce.

~~ Do what you love, and love what you do. ~~
~~ To me - only my boat is not yet perfect. Everybody else's is to be admired for I know the path they have walked (Dave Lott, 2010) ~~
Dow's Monaco Project

That is just great. Thanks for sharing.

john

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John Amundsen
Monte Carlo
Winter Haven, FL

Maybe it will be done by G6 and maybe not.

Finally got the video! Shi________! (It's an old Southern Saying!).

Bill

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Mini -Tug, KH Tahoe 19 & Bartender 24 - There can be no miracle recoveries without first screwing up.
Tahoe 19 Build

Oh yeah ! A real nice one....

thanks guys!
yup you have that exactly right! really enjoying this part of the build now that it got done


i had visions of the stuffing box and rudder port spraying all over the place my neighbor (at the helm) who is a Century addict, was amazed how it well handled guess i can put in the seats, paint the waterline exactly where the bottom paint stopped and get some miles under it!... we were only supposed to be out for an hour, but there were no leaks or problems so we spent 3 hours cruising around! i am still smiling! steers great no effort either direction even at speed.
but...
still have a little work to do on the trailer as it looks like forward bunks will be helpful. kinda knew that but we have a good ramp that i could sink the trailer to get the bow to cooperate. Hot Rods trailer build pictures look like a good resource for my welding up a few more brackets. also may end up putting a roller at the bow so the cutwater doesn't get hung at the keel, as it likes to eat up trailer carpet.
will get a few running shots from another boat next time out. glad to have the "private" session on this first one....
-Billy

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(insert witty phrase here)
Billy's Belle Isle website

Awesome. Simply Awesome. Congratulations on your well built, shining example of your craftsmanship! And, it'll be just plain fun to run it and show it off!

Speaking of which, will you be coming out to play at the boat show in Meredith, NH? July 25th I reckon... and it's probably not too late to enter your boat in the show, it'll blow away the others in its class for sure...

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Griffin's Law: Murphy was an optimist.

For some reason I couldn't view the video clip, but I did look at your build pictures - simply AWESOME!

I'm not sure where the Belle Isle name comes from, but there is a large island in the Detroit River (30 miles from Algonac where the classic Chris Crafts got there start) named Belle Isle. I remember as a kid in the 1950's, my dad taking us to Belle Isle where they had rides for a dollar in similar boats.

Congratulations on a great build.

Ray B.

hi Ray-
thanks... hope you are enjoying your new build also...

sorry about the video format. i am learning... it is in quicktime format might be better using something else?

i am sure Ken Hankinson is referring to what you speak of. There was also the Belle Isle Boat and Engine Company, located there which produced the first runabout with two cockpits forward of the engine compartment. One of their well known models is the Belle Isle Bearcat, however, I think the lines that Ken's Belle Isle have run pretty close to the Chris Craft barrels of the era.
-Billy

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(insert witty phrase here)
Billy's Belle Isle website

Video came out fine.

Had to watch it again!!

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

Fantastic WORK !! Stunning, great shots of it running across the lake !!! Beautiful wake left behind a beautiful boat !!

Thanks for the video!

Steve

we had some great above normal November weather here over the weekend. took Glory Days and went out to dinner and maybe the last ride of the season. took some movie clips and pictures so i could have some desktop pictures to get me thru the winter. finally got a few from shore rather than in the boat!
http://metrocast.net/%7Ebcheckerberry/
-Billy

_________________
(insert witty phrase here)
Billy's Belle Isle website