Glastron Surface drive

[Poky]

I thought there were 3 donzi 18 classics made with 454 big blocks. old boats, the one I saw had a big windshield on it. like the few 22 classic outboards. I chased donzi 22 classic for years, these are just boats for sale that I came past looking for the perfect 22, I never found one.......

[CharlieN]

Please, I have NO interest in old Donzi's. I would like to keep this thread on topic. Could you take the Donzi's elsewhere. FWIW Donzi is a company that went bankrupt, years later a marketing person bought the hollow shell of a company just for the name, some molds were sold off but very few. FWIW there are only 11 Donzi boats registered for use in NY and NE states. 7 of them in NY.

[Poky]

No problem, just asking questions. Good Luck with your surface drive.

[CharlieN]

I thought I would be writing about bonding the filler panel in at the rear of the running surface. Yesterday I finally accepted that I had not formed the slots in the panel to scoop cooling water. I thought I would have the panel ready today but with a hot humid day I have not finished the task. This needs to be completed first.

[CharlieN]

A week of bad weather and four hospital visits, well 5th one today I have not progressed much. The panel that will close in the bottom is 90% ready. I cut water inlet grooves to feed the water pump and developed a scoop to add on later should the flush design not be sufficient. Another 3-4 Hrs in a hospital tomorrow, that is not including the 3.5 hrs travel. So I will not make progress again. Heck I can not even get the radiator in my wife's car, thank golly for a neighbor who loaned this crazy Black awd big HP Chrysler utility rig. It can scoot.

[CharlieN]

I have done some work and am almost finished closing up the hull where the pump inlet was. Some other tasks like a lower coolant hose on my wife's car blew out and is a bit pesky to change not to mention source locally, parts are in and almost back together, other than the blowoff valve bypass hose went into hiding. I am now thinking it dropped into the grass under the car, but the grass is now 8+ inches high and the car has 4" ground clearance and is not where I can jack it up.. Pesky task. Not to mention I have been in doctors offices almost daily and the hospital my new to me doctor uses is a 4+ Hr drive and my visits are commonly 2+ hrs. I do say this new doctor is trying to keep me alive. But my hands shake as well as my head, try TIG welding when you hands are quivering.
But I have made progress, I am one or two work sessions from turning the hull upright. That will be a happy day. I will try to get some photos posted later.

[CharlieN]

Car is done, back to the boat tomorrow, There has been some kids coming around stealing tools, they stole hundreds of dollars of tools I need. Guess I can not leave anything outside overnight anymore. I know who they are now but our wonderful police will do nothing. I have replacements on the way. But I should be able to get by with the last filling to do where I have been working since I can use a 10 foot length of 1" box tube to guide my last filling and sanding on the underside. I will get to this in the morning.

[CharlieN]

This will be an image file dump from recent work done,
Bottom filler panel made from 3/8 fiberglass flat panel.


Rear panel also machined from flat FG stock,

The rear and bottom panels fitted in place,



A closer view of the lower panel fitted in place, I used a 14deg router bit around the perimeter and shaped the panel to fit, the panel is also slotted to allow for the cooling water inlet,


Now the lower panel is bonded into the hull, this was a very happy step to achieve. The rear panel is not bonded in yet, that will be done once the hull is upright. I have some filler work to do first.

[CharlieN]

I have been frustrated with near constant humidity in the upper 90% range, 98% at this time. Just not getting sessions to prep and layup. Forecast is for rain in 3 hrs or so. Guess I should pull the hull out from the canopy and wet sand the hull. Got to do that sometime. The areas I have done looks nice.

[89LASER]

Sorry to hear about all your doctors visits. I've been following your build and your work looks great. I hope you catch a break soon between the weather and your doctor visits.

[CharlieN]

Thank you, damn roller coaster I am on. The superb lady doctor that has been doing well with has been transferred to Boston to train and climb the ladder, she called us at home to say so. She has transferred me to her supervisor so my health issues should get figured out.

I really wanted to do some structural filling this week where I am working on the bottom, Dang 96% humidity the past few days, This resin is limited to 80% for use.
I was sanding the oxidized surface under the bow, time to get back to it.

[CharlieN]

I can get updated a bit, My neighbors hang around in my front yard and keep an eye on me while I work, nice kids.




Early today I spread some more filler, this is Vinyl Ester thickened with Cabosil,


And from the rear, the aft panel is bolt in where to original jet pump was.




I will do a session with a longboard and determine where more filler needs to go. This will remain linearly textured as recommended early in this project, I have not recently found her post to thank her.

After I am done here it is to sand the full running surface followed with turning the hull upright. Well I guess polishing the sides of the hull as well.

[CharlieN]

Looks like this tread is dead. Someone with a grudge hit my profile and wiped my profile out. I know who it is but not much I can do about it. He hit my Facebook account shortly before this.

[CharlieN]

Update, I feel I have completed the underside of the hull. Appears it is time to roll the hull upright. We have rain coming tomorrow but I will try to get rigged to do so or possibly wait for a friend to get some time to bring equipment over as he did in the spring.

[CharlieN]

I have the hull upright after a few months belly up. I did some cleanup inside the hull. I even started taking some photos that do not look the same as the previous ones I taken recently. Tomorrow I will do a quick clean on the hull brackets for the engine mounts. I want to get some decent pain but have not drilled the holes to line up with the existing through bolts in the stringers yet, expect to set the engine in place. This will allow me to get back to the exhaust system and other functions.
For some reason we have been blessed with great weather so maybe I should just keep going.