![]() As far as driving and handling, Flash is quite well-mannered. The Boat Book describes that exact ride experience as an inherent part of the design. This design isn't wrong, but boat builders have learned a thing or two in the past 75 years. If you stuff it into a wave, you're going to put water over the deck. On this boat, the bow is basically vertical. Due to the fresh engine, I haven't pushed it hard to the top end yet. But over 40, you would have your hands full. With the 18-inch pitch on the propeller-allowing for 15 percent propeller slippage-and the engine turning 3200 rpms, the math says the boat should have a top speed of around 46 mph. These components are accessible by removing a floor hatch. This photo shows the back of the Borg Warner transmission, driveshaft coupling, and stuffing box. It’ll never be a fast boat by modern standards because of the old-school hydrodynamics and engineering-new boats have designs that lift the boat out of the water at speed, and this one just can’t achieve any of that lift. It can be dead in the water and reach full plane in just under two seconds. Testing Its Performanceįor the standards of the day, this would have been a really fast boat. ![]() When the boat was finally launched, it floated within a half-inch of what my mathematical calculations had predicted. By calculating the cubic footage of the hull, I was able to establish how deep the boat would sit in the water. With all the modifications, I had to calculate the displacement of the boat to verify balance and water-line height. Other local Amish companies crafted the stainless steel hardware on the deck and sides, and installed the gold leaf lettering. The windshield and brackets were made by a speciality shop, and an Amish cabinet shop local to my home in Indiana did some of the complex wood-cutting. The plans called for leather, but the ride of this boat produces a lot of spray, so the interior was guaranteed to be wet. An upholstery shop in Salina, Ohio sewed the vinyl upholstery for the boat. Some of my dealership connections came in handy for aesthetics and accessories. 10 Weird Boats Weirding It Up Across the Sea. ![]() I added another frame at the back to support the extra length, so the boat ended up considerably stronger than the original plans. You can’t just run a straight line from frame to frame, because the side curves more toward the back, and the deck narrows at an ever-increasing rate the more aft you go. I wanted to accentuate the tumblehome - the inward curve of the sides towards the aft-so I called my son and we developed an equation to make sure the geometries worked out. Because I was extending the length of the boat, it was important to keep the curve of the deck consistent and seamless. The different engine caused a few ripple effects in how I had to alter the Popular Mechanics design. On the dash, the tachometer, water temp, oil pressure, fuel, and battery gauges are all era-correct Stuart Warners-but I did a few things "incorrect." There's a dead man's switch under the dash and a modern blower system to ventilate the bilge, plus a few other safety items, such as a modern marine fuel tank and a triple-layer epoxy-encapsulated hull for extra strength and durability. I did this prior to finishing the deck for easier access to connect wiring, cooling system components, and the exhaust system. ![]() The completed engine being installed in the boat. ![]()
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