Delcraft Tunnel Boat Complete Restoration

**Tom Smyth** · 09-27-2023, 02:24 PM

Variety of activity last few days. Both port and Starboard rear deck sections have been installed. Working on the backer blocks for the deck joint. Also interior cockpit walls were finished. Also test pacemen of where the foot throttle needs to go so that piece of mounting wood can be cut and installed before the front decks go on. Front decks will take some time to get it just right. Enjoy

**WaterZebra** · 09-27-2023, 04:04 PM

Any reason why you went with a deck butt joint and splice plates versus a scarf joint? (Other than getting the topside edge perfect?) They are kind of a pain to make but with West System epoxy and filler then all you would care about is the topside trim line?

**Tom Smyth** · 09-27-2023, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by WaterZebra

Any reason why you went with a deck butt joint and splice plates versus a scarf joint? (Other than getting the topside edge perfect?) They are kind of a pain to make but with West System epoxy and filler then all you would care about is the topside trim line?

do not have the ability to do a scarf joint... AND the boat was built with butt joints on the deck. I suspect Ronnie did not have the ability for a scarf joint as well...
thank you for the detailed review of my pics....

**Tom Smyth** · 09-27-2023, 06:22 PM

Just spoke on the phone with Ronnie DelRossa who built this boat over 50 years ago. So cool to talk to him...

**WaterZebra** · 09-28-2023, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by Tom Smyth

Just spoke on the phone with Ronnie DelRossa who built this boat over 50 years ago. So cool to talk to him...

Did Ronnie loft the hull himself? Copied from?

**Tom Smyth** · 09-28-2023, 09:03 PM

No idea. Wasn’t discussed…

**Tom Smyth** · 10-10-2023, 03:23 PM

ben a busy week or so. All deck sections installed and trimmed to size. second coat of UV resistant epoxy applied this am. If things look good tomorrow, may start on the front cowling. Dashboard is being a pain in the ASS though......

lots of fine sanding and multiple layers of epoxy to follow. Edge trim has been decided on. ENJOY

PS... Last post till mid-November. Headed on a much needed VACA for a few weeks.... RESET TIME.......

**Tom Smyth** · 10-12-2023, 03:47 PM

so little bit more work done before vaca. Setting up the front cowl support and outlining the footprint. this will take some time when i get serious on it. Old cowl came off in one piece so a good start to a new template exists.

**WaterZebra** · 10-13-2023, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Tom Smyth

so little bit more work done before vaca. Setting up the front cowl support and outlining the footprint. this will take some time when i get serious on it. Old cowl came off in one piece so a good start to a new template exists.

Have you thought about building the front cowl "kayak style" using 3/32 wood strips bonded with epoxy and lap straked, and then sanded smooth on the outside? The strip lines covered in clear epoxy would look really cool! It might end up being lighter than Ronnie's cowl?

**Tom Smyth** · 10-14-2023, 04:28 AM

Originally Posted by WaterZebra

Have you thought about building the front cowl "kayak style" using 3/32 wood strips bonded with epoxy and lap straked, and then sanded smooth on the outside? The strip lines covered in clear epoxy would look really cool! It might end up being lighter than Ronnie's cowl?

no,plan to restore and rebuild exactly as Ronnie built it. Not worried about weight that much.

**Tom Smyth** · 10-16-2023, 03:38 PM

some down time so planned out the front cowl supports. Made in two pieces. Rear pieces solid fir. front pieces get so thin at the front I used 6 mm marine ply.

**NICE PAIR** · 10-18-2023, 01:59 PM

Awesome project Tom, some very nice work also.

**1954bmw** · 10-19-2023, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by Tom Smyth

some down time so planned out the front cowl supports. Made in two pieces. Rear pieces solid fir. front pieces get so thin at the front I used 6 mm marine ply.

Ok, so your legs go thru the upside down U s in the picture???

**WaterZebra** · 10-19-2023, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by 1954bmw

Ok, so your legs go thru the upside down U s in the picture???

Yes, back in the day it was pretty much normal to have some part of your legs tucked under the nose (Molinaris, Scottis, etc). This is why this period of racing produced a fair share of broken legs and other injuries because of blow overs and other incidents. The racing tunnel designs would evolve in later years where the structural nose deck would be replaced by flimsy lightweight fiberglass cowls. The advantages of the cowls were that the cowl would break away if the driver were to be thrown out but also they were lighter, easier to build and allowed access to steering and control cables, etc. The disadvantages to the flimsy cowls was there was no place to mount tachs, etc? The "U" bulkhead was the only way to mount drum cable steering. Either a drum attached directly to the steering wheel (stock outboard style) or a drum with a short shaft passing through the bulkhead.

When you look at a "naked" raceboat we were sitting in a seat mounted atop the center section of a lifting wing? Completely nuts! Safety cells were the only way to go.

**Tom Smyth** · 11-06-2023, 12:28 PM

Vaca over back to work. Initial canopy I cut for the front almost fit. Thankful I bought a second sheet of the 2 mil okumi. Second piece cut and in process of fitting. Also determined the steering helm location and that I can use the existing pulley cutouts. Enjoy….