Roberta's Torpedo

[jenko]

I just fitted a Bimini to the riviera I shall post a pic on my thread when I take one

[slug]

Nice move on the seats Roberta. I'm sure it will also affect judging.
I'm envious of your shop. I don't know how many items that I've bought twice 'cause I lost the first one somewhere in the mess!

Doug

[Roberta]

Thanks, Guys!!! Hey Doug!! I'm still cleaning and organizing and finding triplicates and more of stuff I forgot I had. Not sure how I will cope with everything in a proper place.

Did a little looking over to new Bimini top this afternoon. I think I'm gonna like it. It has all stainless parts and front stanchions with rear lanyards. It should fold forward easy for entry and exit and easy to lash down in back. I'll post pics tomorrow as it shouldn't be very hard to mount and won't need any mods. Anyway, it will look way better than sunburn and skin cancer.

Roberta

[Roberta]

Bimini is pretty much on. Very easy to R&R. I need to get some stainless loops to secure the lanyards to. The ones I ordered were a bit small. Four pins and the whole thing lifts right off. Folds forward easily for entry. Not as awful as I feared.

Roberta

[jenko]

looks good Roberta

[Roberta]

The Bimini top proved to be a good addition on long trips. Being easily removed is also a good feature for shows.

The Lenco trim tabs were also the right choice for taming rough water and high speed stability. Very happy with the performance and versatility of being able to adjust to changing conditions both on the water and on board.

Roberta

[Hercdrvr]

Just curious, why is this topic always at the top of board in the power boats section?
Matt B

[Roberta]

I think Gayle pinned it there to make it easier for prospective Torpedo builders to find. My thread for building the Torpedo is included in the plans due to the unusual nature of the build and because it is the only example currently out there.

Roberta

[Roberta]

Here is a pic of the Lenco trim tabs I used on the Torpedo. Also is a pic of the ledge and spacer I used to set the tabs at the proper height. The instructions say to place the tabs 3/8" above the hull bottom, so a piece of wood was jacked up against the hull bottom and a 3/8" spacer placed on the wood. The tabs are very heavy and this method provided a secure ledge to set them on while holes were drilled. I like the heavy duty backing plate incorporated on these tabs. Stainless washers were used to shim the backing plates on the outboard edge due to the curve of the transom. Normally the tabs would be mounted further outboard to provide more lift on one side or the other, but this is not an issue for the Torpedo. Plus the height of the transom and the location of the exhaust dictated where they could be mounted.

I set the tabs to be about 2 degrees below the plane of the bottom when fully extended. This proved to be very close to perfect as the boat will now handle speeds well beyond 45 mph and is very stable at high speeds in rough water. The St. John's River Run in Florida was the perfect test for the tabs. After returning home, I move the actuator in one hole to allow slightly more down force. I will be testing this new location during the next outing up in northern Wisconsin in May. I am very happy with the results of the tabs and feel they are more versatile than just changing the prop rake. This enables me to adjust the tabs for changing conditions, such as rougher water, higher speeds and changes in balance as fuel is used up in the aft mounted tank. They look a bit ominous with the boat on the trailer, but in the water, they are barely noticeable.

Roberta

[ToddM]

What is the purpose of the caulk and deck seams? On the hull it seems the planks are joined flush to one another. Why aren't the deck planks joined flush to one another? And why the large, (1/4" or 3/8"), space between the deck planks? And why caulking? Why not white epoxy? If the answers to the above questions seem stupidly obvious, I don't know anything about boats, just woodworking, specifically furniture.

[Bill Edmundson]

Todd

Here is a full discussion of that question. http://glenlforum.com/deckseams.pdf there is not just one answer.

Bill

[Roberta]

Typically the space between the caulk is 1/4" or less. The Torpedo is spaced and 3/16". Why is it done that way typically and not butted like the sides? I really don't know except it looks nice. I have used epoxy tinted white and caulk that is white. Both work, but need UV protection. The 3M 4000 UV I used on the Torpedo has UV blockers in it. Wood can be used in place of caulk. I guess it's a matter of preference. I have also seen boats with the deck boards butted like the sides. Again, a matter of preference.

Roberta

[ToddM]

"I really don't know except it looks nice." I get this. It does look nice. The contrast with the mahogany planking is gorgeous.

[Bill Edmundson]

Todd

I like caulk. Not just for the look. Here in the south the dark deck can get really hot relative to the sub-deck. Caulk allows for expansion and contraction of the deck. Several of our builders, that did solid decks, have had their decks check/crack. Some have gone to caulk now.

Bill

[PeterG]

I seem to recall an explanation from I think it was Don Danenberg's book or one of his magazine articles. That style deck was a quick and easy method that boat builders of the early 1900's used for forming the deck, much like barrel staves, to fit the curvature. To keep the insides dry, they used a caulking putty in the seams to keep rain or splashed water from leaking in between the strips. White was the easiest color to get, if not the only color at that time. The earliest decks were individual strips with the caulking in the joints, then Chris Craft and other builders found they could make the decks more efficiently using wider boards. Except everyone liked and expected the look of the strips and caulk lines. So the builders used the wide boards and made fake caulk joints in them. Chris craft typically made all the caulk joints about 1/8" wide. In the 1930's and 1940's other colors of caulking became available. For instance you could order a Chris Craft with deck caulk in white, orange, brown, even black. My favorite look is the two-tone red/brown stain for topsides and covering boards an with orange caulk, orange boot stripe and bronze bottom paint. Especially with the tan/pigskin upholstery. Don Danenberg's web site and books are a treasure trove of info for restoration and traditional styling for all of the mahogany craft of the day.