The Project Begins... 19ft Sterling Tunnel

**Corona Mike** · 06-13-2005, 08:22 PM

The Sterling was made by the same guy--Bob Ackerbloom--that builds the Gambler bass boats here in Frutland Park Fla. Several of my friends had them back in the early 80's and if set up rite they were pretty fast. I don't have the ph# for Gambler, but they should have a webb site I would think. BTW, he now builds a saltwater--flats boat--and is calling it Sterling. He quit using that name back then due to several law-suits over a certain model he built he called a offshore, and as quick as you hit any reel rough water with it, the boat would seperate!! Good luck with your project! One more thing, A friend of mine from Albany Georgia, Ben Roudy, had one back in the early 80's and it was the 1st boat--lake boat--I ever saw run a honest 110mph!! Pretty good for what motors we had to work with way back then!

**AxisMoto** · 06-14-2005, 09:27 PM

Wow, that is more info than I have found in the last 2 months... Thanks!

What motor was your friend running when he ran 110mph? Can you tell me anything about his setup?

I spoke to a guy at Gambler today. Based on what he said I was impressed that the pedigree of this line is hi quality and hi performance.

Also, in keeping with the other discussion about transom cores, Gambler is currently using a closed cell foam core (he wouldn't give me details on the material, other than it is kinda like a black styrofoam (generic term for closed cell foam), but heavier than "normal" styrofoam, and quite stiff...

-David, AxisMoto

**Corona Mike** · 06-15-2005, 12:17 PM

David, 1st. The current Gambler boats have come a LONG!! way from back then, but, the Sterlings wern't prone to problems. Bob has allways had a good finish and a better than good interior in all his boats even back then. As far as what motor Ben was running, if memory serves me rite it was a ported 2.4 using a 6-pack intake. I do rember he allways ran a 12" mid-section and a inline gearcase--not a speedmaster--The 1st time I saw the boat I thought he was just some guy with to much money, boy was I wrong!! He out ran everybody including a friend of mine who had cubic dollars in his boat --we all ran Streams back then with modified either 225's or 2.4's--When he out ran Billy he came back and told us he did have to use trim when he passed Billy in the curve on the Suwannee! All the guys I ran with from Georgia back then new Ben and kind of set us up with him. In all Ben was one of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Good luck with your project. BTW, I beleave Racemore on the board also has one of those boats. Be carefull. Mike T.

**AxisMoto** · 06-19-2005, 01:56 PM

So, I haven't made any significant physical progress over the week, but I have made some critical decisions.

First, after reading some posts concerning cradles, I reset the boat, using the ground as the primary support. I set the center sponson on 1x3s, and then supported the outside sponsons with 2x4s. As you can see, this made for a sell supported, straight setup. Care has to be taken at this point, as when I move the hull it creaks and groans (as there is lots of support material missing from the insides).

This afternoon I'm cutting the deck off, and this will mark the true beginning of the project. Up until now, I can always follow standard methods and return the boat to original setup, but the cuts I will be making will make it very difficult to return to "stock". (But then, stock sucks...)

As can be seen from the drawings and the pictures of the boat, this is a big project. I am redoing basically all the systems, and changing the design from the inside out. I will be in need of lots of stuff - primary needs include a 4 lever shifter (prefer Gaffrig, etc) for two motors, cleats, hydraulic helm (2.7 or bigger), PL-65 jack plate (to match the one I have), fuel pumps, water seperator/filters, etc.. Also, eventually I will need a pair of small hub clevers - I'm hoping I can spin 32s, but probably 30s.

-David, AxisMoto

**AxisMoto** · 06-19-2005, 02:01 PM

Good techs follow the "measure twice, cut once" rule to avoid mistakes.

Since there is no instruction book for my project, I'm following the "measure 10 times, then sleep on it and consider cutting in the morning..." rule.

-David

**Tahiti_Tim** · 06-20-2005, 10:52 AM

Maybe you should have been designer?

How did you determine what size your knees should be? (looks like a 45 degree angle down from the top of the transom).

**AxisMoto** · 06-20-2005, 12:29 PM

I couldn't start from a clean slate, so I cleaned it as far as I could, and then just let the design fall around the constraints - there were certain parts which I knew had to be in a certain place, and the other parts would fall in as required.

First, the outline of the hull was fixed - I couldn't very well remold the "chassis"..

The freeboard needed to be raised, in varying degrees (from a base of 6" (everywhere but the bow), to a height of 20" (the binnacle area, in front of the pilot)).

Weight needed to be moved forward to compensate for the additional 500lbs of motor - I removed 300 to 400 lbs of junk inside of the boat, and should be under 200lbs to replace the parts, so this will help...

Add a "fairing" in the nose to aid aerodynamics (and looks...)

I had a real good idea of where the motors needed to be (based on discussions with 5 or 6 people with lots of experience with similar boats), so I just drew the knees to the shape need to move the transom to the appropriate height and setback.

I was having a hard time getting my head around the "lines" (which was the influence on where to cut the deck), so I built up a model in small scale balsa. If you haven't worked with this stuff, it is great - cuts with an xacto knife, and glues together instantly with special cyanocrylate adhesives.

Hopefully, I'll make final decisions on cutting the deck today, so it will start going back together next weekend...

-David

**chris_lacey** · 06-21-2005, 09:20 AM

Bruce Leonard, who used to hang around here, had a very mean Sterling.
Have seen any posts by him for quite a while.

**AxisMoto** · 06-26-2005, 08:16 PM

Hi Chris, thanks for the info - I got in touch with Bruce Leonard, lots of cool info, thanks...

So, after talking with a couple of board members who stopped by and looked at my project, and the info gathered from other Sterling owners, I have decided to scrap the top deck, and remold a new unit using the Rutan moldless method (same as used on experimental aircraft - makes for a very strong, very light structure).

This means I can change whatever I want, so the top will be a copy of a mix between a 24 and 18 ft Liberator, and the bottom will be an optimized Sterling. HotBoat gave it hi marks, but I have the center sponson version (which is known to be slower, however with 400hp in the water, this might not be a concern...)

I am glad I decided to do everything - cutting the top off revealed sections of it delaminating (minor), and about 40% of the rivets were missing (it appears they used aluminum rivets, of which many were just gone...) The new boat will be a monocoque, so the seam will be covered as a continuous part of the hull. Also, there were a few gallons of water trapped in the foam (enough that I am quite certain some of the chunks I pulled out wouldn't float any more...)

Note the "free form" bow support, which was simply stuck into the foam. This wasn't covered in glass (or anything), but didn't appear to be too bad. Not so for the gunnel wood (see next post)...

**AxisMoto** · 06-26-2005, 08:19 PM

Another good reason to start over - the gunnel supports (1/4" ply) were uncovered, and therefore dry rotted. The new design will be all new closed cell foam and glass - no balsa, no ply (no rotting, no termites...)

-David

**Racemore** · 06-30-2005, 09:52 PM

I wish I had mine back.It was a true tunnel and I wanted to put a center pod to make it easier to prop to drag and never saw one with a center pod.It was the best rough water 19ft boat on the river though,by a mile.

**Racemore** · 07-01-2005, 12:01 AM

Here are a couple motor pics.Had a good one out of the water that showed the adapter plate and tunnel depth but I cant find the damn thing.

**Racemore** · 07-01-2005, 12:08 AM

This one shows sponson depth somewhat and the other is getting up to speed at around 150ft.It's still deep in the water at the stern for no centerpod.

**Racemore** · 07-01-2005, 12:17 AM

Why I traded? Driving Pic 1 got me trading for pic 2.My problem is the pic 2 view hasn't changed in 2 years

**Racemore** · 07-01-2005, 12:33 AM

Found this motor pic on Readers Rides Motors David.Still dosen't show the sponsons though.I think I cut it off trying to size it.I can't post it because it was to big since the attachment size has changed but it is on page 6 I think.