Glastron Surface drive

[CharlieN]

Bit of an update, the hull is upside down, I am concentrating on closing in the hull where the jet drive used to be. A bit slow at this point since some of my power tools are missing since my last bad customer cleaned my shop out while we were not here. This being the real reason I have retired.
As I progress I will start getting photos posted again.

I mentioned above that I have Long Covid, A few days ago I was in Dartmouth Hospital for a full day getting a serious scan done. It is not Covid eating at me but Parkinson's disease. There are a number of mutations of this. The info they developed has been sent to Boston for analysis.
The good thing is once they determine which of the seven strains I have they feel I am not outside the curable window. I will have some level of permanent impairment and it will be awhile till they determine If I can pass a flight medical so that side on my life may be gone, I am part way through building my 7th and last airplane, damn It was coming along nice too.

[Poky]

sorry for your new heath issue. It sucks to have life get in the way of a fun project. I'm forced retired, (also from heath issues) It makes retirement, not what you would think its suppose to be. You definitely have the right attitude.

[CharlieN]

sorry for your new heath issue. It sucks to have life get in the way of a fun project. I'm forced retired, (also from heath issues) It makes retirement, not what you would think its suppose to be. You definitely have the right attitude.

Thank you,
This is a interesting, weird "disability"
On technical tasks I seem fine. Working with tools, power or hand tools is as natural as ever.

Hearing sounds are normal although I have stopped listening to music.

Conversation is a major issue yet spotty in ways. I can get confused with a normal conversation yet hours in the hospital yesterday I could have a good technical conversation and minutes later I am not able to understand what they are saying yet it is a simple topic. I truly need my wife by my side.

I have been driving and boating over 50 years. Heck I started flying in 1972. I flew a bit last year, might be able other than radio work.
I had been sick, the beginning of this late last summer into the fall, I have chosen to not drive other than plowing snow through the winter.

Today the hospital sent an itinerary for the next 3 weeks. They are really going after this, they formed an idea a week ago, it will be interesting to learn just where they will go.
I am also grateful my wife works at home and has some freedom with current clients since we can be gone from the house for 10+ Hrs as yesterday was.
I am scared though.
I do not scare easy.
CN

[Poky]

Yea, I always take my wife with me to the doctors. I miss a lot of info, or don't remember what to say. If someone gets me talking about tech, I do great. But I don't remember my last vacation, or last week really. So I sit and stare at my boat, and don't remember how to fix it. But like you said, if I start working on it, I know how to do it. but don't remember how to do it.

[CharlieN]

Yes, bingo
My mind has failed on this recently but they said, "You have been through this before, but you just do not remember it"

It is intriguing how our intellect works

[LakeFever]

Sorry to hear about the challenges ahead and your tools gone too that’s lousy. Good to see the boat still moving forward though. Take er easy as she goes it sounds like you’re well in front of this and in good hands. Wishing you all the best thorough your recovery

[CharlieN]

I will try to get an update on the boat project I am waiting till mid week to get a dado cutter router bit for machining a tapered relief for the fill panel to close the bottom of the hull.
My compact router has gone into hiding as well so I am not sure if I et this step done this upcoming week.
The best I can tell this is the only true "work" to get done on the underside and it must be done right.

I also need to wet sand the full underbelly with 1000 grit, this will be a full day or more.
More later

[CharlieN]

I wish I had coerced my wife to get a few pictures, she was mowing the lawn which is knee deep from all the rain, while I was playing. I put on the full vapor suit and fired up the breathing air supply. I used a 4 1/2 coarse grit flap disk and like what I have done. Now I am ready for when the cutting wheel arrives.

[Poky]

so what are you going to use to fill in the hole from the jet pump? I was thinking of making a fiber glass part off the boat. or maybe cut a section out of another boat and then graft it in.

[CharlieN]

I am using 3/8 fiberglass sheets. These will be cut as needed, the longer narrow one will slide into a milled grove machined with a 14 Deg Dado cutter. " Not in house yet, I think it is shipped from China even though it was listed being in Chicago." This will be bonded with Vinyl Ester resin with additional glass from the inside.


The rear face will have a 3/8 FG panel as well. The second image above is my proof of concept panel that I made from HPDE last fall. I am tending towards threaded fasteners with sealant utilizing the fastener holes from the original Berkeley drive. This will allow decent access to the universal joint and related fasteners. I am going to try to be a good boy and get allot of images.

[Poky]

so your going to leave it as a flat pad? I always debated if you should run the V farther back and make a smaller pad. Kind of the same issue with converting a V bottom to a jet. How to transition from the V to a large flat for the pump. You know, the things you think about when you can't sleep

[CharlieN]

This is a pad V hull, it has a 10" wide pad with a gentle rise with a 4" pad just 2" above the bottom. There is no Vee to extend back and I and many other people have pad V hulls for a reason. It would also be very rare to find a jet drive hull that has a full V. I expect a few rough/white water hulls might.

[Poky]

ok, that picture make way more sense. I wonder what they did on the few donzi 18 foot classic with jet drives.

[CharlieN]

I have not been aware of those,
I will try to find them once I finish up. I am making more progress and realized I did not bring my camera down to my work area.

[CharlieN]

I see a few write ups of the 18 Donzi with conversions, I will read about them when I finish up for the day.