My Project Boat

[largecar91]

THIS BOAT IS A PROJECT I WANTED TO DO FOR A WHILE. I WANTED TO GET BACK INTO RACING AND BOUGHT AN OLD SEEBOLD HULL. TURNED OUT IT NEEDED TOO MANY UPDATED AND WOULD HAVE BEEN WAY TOO HEAVY BY THE TIME WE GOT IT DONE. I WANTED TO HAVE A COMPETITVE HULL(NOT AN AlSO RAN). SO I STARTED DOING RESEARCH AND DECIDED TO BUILD MY OWN HULL. I HAD BUILT A FEW SMALL BOATS( WHEN I WAS A KID) AND I HAD COMPLETELY GUTTED AND REBUILT A 24' EXCALIBUR(COMPLETE WITH ROLLER 468' BIG BLOCK AND #3 SPEEDMASTER DRIVE)AND NUMEROUS OTHER SMALL BOATS. I SEE ALOT OF VERY TALENTED PEOPLE ON THIS SIGHT DOING SIMILAR THINGS. BUT THE NEW HULL WAS A BIGGER UNDERTAKING THAN I THOUGHT. I SOLD THE SEEBOLD AND BOUGHT A NEW CAPSULE FROM TODD LAMB AT LAMB BOATS(OLD CANIFF MOLDS). TODD ALLOWED ME TO VIEW HIS BOATS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND GAVE ME A LOT OF ADVICE AS TO BUILDING TECHNIQUES. FOR THE DESIGN, I TALKED TO JIM AT AEROMARINE RESEARCH IN CANADA AND BOUGHT HIS BOOK. I READ IT ABOUT 100 TIMES IT SEEMED. THEN I TALKED TO A LOT OF RACERS AND STUDIED ALL THE BOATS I COULD AND PHOTOGRAPHED THEM. MOST WERE VERY HELPFUL. I HAVE A COUPLE OF FRIENDS THAT WERE VERY COMMITED TO HELPING ME(ONE HAPPENS TO BE A DESIGN ENGINEER OF TOOL AND DYES SO HE DID ALL THE CAD WORK. IT TOOK HIM AND I ABOUT 4 MONTHS TO COME UP WITH THE DESIGN AND THEN WE PRINTED OUT FULL SIZE PATTERNS FOR THE FRAMES AND THEN HE BOAT TOOK SHAPE. WE ENCOUNTERED MANY OBSTACLES BUT I GUESS WITH ANY DESIGN YOU FIND A WAY TO GET PAST THEM. HERE IS THE END PRODUCT AND ALSO SOME CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS. I AM VERY PLEASED AND VERY PROUD OF THIS BOAT. I HAVE TRIED TO RIG IT WITH THE BEST(THAT I CAN AFFORD). I PERSONALLY THINK IT IS A 1ST CLASS BOAT(NO BIAS HERE!). IT IS A FAST AND WELL MANNERED BOAT. TESTING HAS BEEN VERY LIMITED(I KINDA COOKED A COUPLE PISTONS,BUT IT WAS FUN DOING IT). SPRINGTIME WILL TELL THE REST OF THE STORY. I HAVE A LOT OF PROPS TO TRY AND WEIGHT TO MOVE AROUND TO GET THE BALANCE RIGHT. I USED TO THINK I KNEW A LOT ABOUT BOATS AND GOING FAST BUT AFTER JOINING THIS SIGHT, I AM TRUELY HUMBLED!!THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PEOPLE ON HERE IS INCREDIBLE! I AM SURE GLAD THIS SIGHT EXISTS!

[largecar91]

CONSTRUCTION PICS

[largecar91]

MORE

[largecar91]

1 MORE

[largecar91]

HERE'S WHAT WE STARTED WITH.

[Raceman]

That is unbelieveable. I wish I had the time/patience/ability to do that.

Did you buy the capsule and center section (looks kinda like a Pugh) or fabricate it also.

VERY IMPRESSIVE WORK

[largecar91]

THANKS.I BOUGHT THE CAPSULE NEW FROM LAMB BOATS

[largecar91]

I HAVE ALWAYS JUST LOVED FAST BOATS. AND WOOD BOATS(I HAVE A 19' CENTURY RESORTER I AM DOING NEXT).WHEN I WAS A KID, MY DAD WAS FRIENDS WITH MERLYN CULVER AND JON. THEY HAD SOME NEAT STUFF THAT JUST KINDA GOT ME STARTED.SOMETIMES (AFTER CRASHING) I GOT TO SEE THE INNER WORKING AND CONSTRUCTION OF SOME OF THESE BOATS.(MY OLD BROUGHTON TUNNEL FOR 1). I ADMIRE THE WORKMANSHIP THAT GOES INTO BOATS LIKE SEEBOLDS, OLD BURGESSES, PUGHS,ETC. THE TIME AND EFFORT THESE BUILDERS PUT INTO THEIR HULLS ARE INCREDIBLE. I HOPE IT IS AN ART THAT NEVER DIES. I HAVE READ YOUR POSTS ON HERE RACEMAN A LOT AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF COOL STUFF AND SEEM TO BE A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE.

[spn#43]

Great job, boat looks awesome!
Are you planning to race it or it’s just for fun?

[rock]

I have been a custom cabinetmaker for about 30 years and have always wanted to try what you did. There has got to be a lot of satisfaction there. What does the boat weigh? Did you cover it in fibreglass? How does it run? Thanks
Rock

[MN4V]

I know how much work it is. I did it on a smaller scale (Sport C Boat). I also used Jims software to come up with a new radical design. And used AutoCad LT to do the drawings, then cut the ribs and tunnel walls out on the CNC. It is alot of work, but well worth the effort. Just to see it float is cool!
Mark Nelson
Kankakee, IL

[largecar91]

I PLAN ON TRYING TO RUN MOST OF IF NOT ALL THE APR RACES NEXT YEAR. WE SHOWED UP AT BUCKEYE LAKE THIS YEAR WITH THE BOAT BUT DIDN'T GET THERE UNTIL SUNDAY AND IT WAS TOO HECTIC WITH THE RACE BEING CALLED SATURDAY BECAUSE OF ROUGH WATER. THEY WERE TRYING TO CRAM 2 DAYS WORTH OF RACING INTO 1 DAY AND I HAD NO SEAT TIME IN THIS BOAT AT THE TIME. I FIGURED I WOULD WAIT. IS SIMON MOTORSPORTS PLANNING ON BUILDING THE LAMB BOATS OR JUST USE THEM FOR THEIR RACE TEAM? AS TO THE OTHER QUESTION, THE BOAT IS ALL WOOD EXCEPT FOR THE COMPOSITE CENTER SECTION AND COWLINGS OF COURSE. IT IS COVERED WITH JUST EPOXY RESIN(NO CLOTH). AS FOR WEIGHT, IT IS A LITTLE OVER 400LBS(HULL AND COWLINGS ONLY). IT IS NOT THE LIGHTEST BOAT NOR WILL IT BE THE HEAVIEST BY ANY MEANS. IT IS STRONG AND SHOULD BE VERY COMPETITIVE.(BUT TIME WILL TELL)

[Raceman]

If you don't mind me asking, what approximately does a center assembly cost?

[Trikki1010]

Good Question Norris,

LARGE - Let everyone know what ya really got into her, labor and material so some people can benchmark what it takes

Before some newbies start buying sitka spruce and marine plywood.;)

BTW, Looks to be an excellent job and a beautiful looker:D

[heath brinkley]

WOW !!!!

[largecar91]

Hours and beer involved??Not sure. Probably took around 6 months on and off to build. Money?. I built the whole boat rigged and ready to race for probably around $16,000. I got some pretty good deals on rigging and motor parts. You could buy a late model used boat race ready for similar money. I enjoyed building it and I know how it is built. We did some things different in the design so I guess ask me at the end of next season and I can answer a lot more! There is a lot of fast boats in sst-120 and a lot of talented drivers.

[spn#43]

Originally posted by largecar91
I PLAN ON TRYING TO RUN MOST OF IF NOT ALL THE APR RACES NEXT YEAR. WE SHOWED UP AT BUCKEYE LAKE THIS YEAR WITH THE BOAT BUT DIDN'T GET THERE UNTIL SUNDAY AND IT WAS TOO HECTIC WITH THE RACE BEING CALLED SATURDAY BECAUSE OF ROUGH WATER. THEY WERE TRYING TO CRAM 2 DAYS WORTH OF RACING INTO 1 DAY AND I HAD NO SEAT TIME IN THIS BOAT AT THE TIME. I FIGURED I WOULD WAIT. IS SIMON MOTORSPORTS PLANNING ON BUILDING THE LAMB BOATS OR JUST USE THEM FOR THEIR RACE TEAM? AS TO THE OTHER QUESTION, THE BOAT IS ALL WOOD EXCEPT FOR THE COMPOSITE CENTER SECTION AND COWLINGS OF COURSE. IT IS COVERED WITH JUST EPOXY RESIN(NO CLOTH). AS FOR WEIGHT, IT IS A LITTLE OVER 400LBS(HULL AND COWLINGS ONLY). IT IS NOT THE LIGHTEST BOAT NOR WILL IT BE THE HEAVIEST BY ANY MEANS. IT IS STRONG AND SHOULD BE VERY COMPETITIVE.(BUT TIME WILL TELL)


Why APR and not Champ Boat Series SST-120, I think Champ offers much better program for racers and especially for rookies.
Check out the schedule;
May 6-8 Port Neches, TX 120 - 45
4th Annual River Fest
May 28-29 New Roads, LA Champ - 120 - 45
The Advocate's False River Championships
June 11-12 Sault Ste. Marie, MI Champ - 120 - 45
Kewadin Casinos River Rampage
June 25-26 Bay City, MI Champ - 120 - 45
Labadie Cadillac Bay City River Roar
July 9-10 Toledo, OH Champ - 120 - 45
2nd Annual River Roar
July 23-24 Trenton, MI 120 - 45
Detroit River Championship
July 22-24 Cincinnati, OH - Champ
August 13-14 St. Louis, MO Champ - 120 - 45
34th Bud Light World Championships
August 27-28 Windsor, CO Champ - 120 - 45
6th Roar of the Rockies
September 2-5 Kankakee, IL Champ - 120 - 45
OPC National Championship
September 17-18 TBA Champ - 120 - 45
TBA
September 23-25 Charlotte, NC

If you need contact info let me know.

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[luvgoing fast]

very nice boat!!!!