Hydrostream Transom and Engine Well

[lwilde.0422]

What kind of resin did you use? And did you paint the fiberglass and then put a layer if resin over the paint?

[Aaronhl]

I'll be using epoxy during the WHOLE build, except for the areas that need to be painted. I'll have a shop spray duratec or awlgrip to paint red or black over the epoxy (specifically the flat engine well I am putting in)...Right now I am ripping all of the wood and foam out. I am having a custom tank built soon and will then work on the new stringers and transom knees.

I wouldn't recommend putting a layer of resin over paint. Maybe I am missing your question?

[lwilde.0422]

Thanks for the info. I am building a 15' hydroplane and I am getting ready to start painting. So I was wondering if you painted over the cured epoxy or vis versa. But seems like painting the cured epoxy is the best way to go. What brand of paint are you going to be using for the final coats?

[Aaronhl]

You should paint over the cured epoxy...I don't have any spraying equipment or even know how to do it so I will leave it up to the professionals, but they will probably use a vinylester that will be able to stick to both poly gelcoat and the epoxy I use to patch everything up.

[Aaronhl]

Pretty much all the wood is out, just have to grind off the remaining scraps in the lower corners of the transom. The worst part about removing the wood was removing the wood and fiberglass bonded to the left and right side in the middle v part of the boat. The edge is really thin, so I think I might fiberglass two long strips to make it a little thicker. I will be moving the boat in the garage soon, that way I can take it off the trailer and block it up

[AlaskaStreamin]

Hey Aaron, what have you been up to ??

[Aaronhl]

Hey Aaron, what have you been up to ??

Hey nothing much def been thinkin of my Virage though. Recently moved so trailered it to the new place today. No updates since the last picture posted in the thread except for the top being put back on the boat. I will start working once it wont snow anymore maybe in March or April.

I have been doing some thinking and lookin at pics to get idea to start the floor now that I have all the old stuff out. I am torn on wether or not to put a gas tank under the floor. I am nervous it might crack or something and will need to rip the floor up again.

I have decided to put core in the sponsons and will be doing that first once the snow stops and I can put the boat on the floor in the garage.

[AlaskaStreamin]

Well i'm glad you are still moving forward.

Keeping the tank above deck may be a safe plan.

I have 9 hours in mine now. It doesn't seem to lift and fly the bow like my stage II did. Could be the extra cut outs in the sponsons or not enough setback. I keep thinking that extra weight in the bottom may be hurting me. I'll know more this spring when I get some 2" spacers on and try again. Seems to ride the same weather full or at 1/4.

[phil blomquist]

It would be good to get that bow up might be a good thing to try a bow lifting prop. All mine are small shaft so your sol.

[Aaronhl]

Very cool, glad to see you are up and running after all your work. What setback do you have right now?

[AlaskaStreamin]

I'm running a 8" jack and my offshore mid has 2" built into it. So 10" now. I'm also going to try a 4 blade.

When running under 65 mph, you can feel the hull surging like it's trying to dig in. It's too wet. I am currently running a 30" ET which was a great all around prop on my stage II with nice bow lift. This hull just feels heavier.

I got 104 mph with a 260 / 32" Cleaver on my old boat. So far I can only get 97 mph with a fresh 280 @ 7900 rpm's.

Helmut Freitag was getting 115 with a stage III with a heavily modified 260. He told me the 30" ET and the 32" Cleaver were the best props with 10" setback on these hulls. My only alteration is the belly tank.

Alby Pine has a stage I with a longer belly tank and a 280 and can fly his really well. He says he can feel the weight when full of fuel. Also, his tank is around 40 gallons and goes further forward. That's why I made my tank shorter.

[Varmint]

Nope. The fiberglass will hold everything together. I radius the inside corners with core bond putty so the glass fibers aren't "creased". Add a few extra layers in the joints staggering the widths and you will be golden.

Do your knees like Ron suggest, i'm doing one of my canadian editions right now, i prefer to install some deck first,then install knees from transom to deck,this ae-21 is kinda similar to a virage, my buddy did his virage 2 yrs ago.

[Aaronhl]

I don't think that alby pine guy has a belly tank. I thought he has his above the floor

[Varmint]

Do your knees like Ron suggest, i'm doing one of my canadian editions right now, i prefer to install some deck first,then install knees from transom to deck,this ae-21 is kinda similar to a virage, my buddy did his virage 2 yrs ago.

I'm using vinylester, those guys did nice work on the splashwell deletes, i'm lucky mine has no splashwell, thinking of hinging my rear cover,like stv's for better access.

[AlaskaStreamin]

Varmint, I didn't add knee braces "per say" on my build. My dropped splashwell sides are acting as knee braces. I reinforced my rear deck to take the loading from the top of the transom. Also the horizontal shelf stiffens the 2 1/2" thick transom.

After our 87 mph spin out, the transom faired very well. The guts got ripped out of the short race trim ram and my jack plate was racked and bent. All is fixed now but sure tested the strength of the transom.