The Crackerbox from ****

[mjmsprt40]

Ok, folks, I've finally lost my mind and decided to post some pictures from my first ever build-from-plans project. These pictures were taken today, with the boat just about ready for it's first run. It needs only the fuel tanks, exhaust piping and exterior waterproofing to make it semi-complete (I have yet to build the hatch that goes with it). Here's the first one;

[mjmsprt40]

Here's another one;

[mjmsprt40]

And yet another;

[mjmsprt40]

And the last of this series. After this, nobody else needs to worry about their boat being ugly, as I have the undisputed ugliest boat. But, at least it will keep the water on the right side of the boat.

[mjmsprt40]

A few facts: The boat is 40" long, taken from plans in another magazine. It's powered by the venerable K&B Sport Marine .40 engine, and yes it really is using the muffler that comes with the engine. A silicone hose will lead the exhaust from the muffler to the hole in the transom. I'm going to make a simple hatch for it rather than the one that has an engine block mounted on top, but probably will keep the two pilots the plan calls for. This boat is all but ready to run as it stands now, a couple of weekends will have it ready.

[Doubledog]

If you think its ugly, then don't let me get around it with a can of spray paint. :D

Don't mean to bust your bubble, but it looks decent. Especially the first one in the back of the car. Some times the ugliest boats will put others on the trailer the quickest.

How does it run? What prop?

[CFRACR]

Are You Planning On Taking Off The Harware Before Sealing/painting. I Just See Raw Wood With The Strut & Tabs Installed.

ALSO WON'T PUTTING A TUBE ON THE MUFFLER CAUSE UNWANTED/TO MUCH BACK PRESSURE? JUST DID'NT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MENT BY THAT.

[rc10gtisthebest]

I am kind of liking the "classic" raw wood look. May be it's just me?

-Todd

[mjmsprt40]

Are You Planning On Taking Off The Harware Before Sealing/painting. I Just See Raw Wood With The Strut & Tabs Installed.

ALSO WON'T PUTTING A TUBE ON THE MUFFLER CAUSE UNWANTED/TO MUCH BACK PRESSURE? JUST DID'NT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MENT BY THAT.
CF, I thought taking the hardware off before sealing/painting was standard practice. In any case, I will do that because it's the only way to be sure the transom doesn't delaminate later from getting waterlogged.

The exhaust tube shouldn't create excessive backpressure because its inside diameter and the muffler's overall outside diameter are nearly the same. It's quite a big pipe in there.

[CFRACR]

mjm, Good Job Man!!! I Like The Wood Look :) Maybe A Little Stain For A Bit Of Color, And A Good Clear Would Do The Trick. Can Always Add A Few Decals Too. I Look Into My Crystal Ball And Maybe See A Dark Stain With A Few Number Decals (in White) Hmmm....

As For The Pipe, Could Be Just A Thing For Tune Pipes. If So, My Bad.

[Hydro Junkie]

Looks really good. Are all the round circles nails, screws or what? I like the idea of a natural wood with a painted bottom, kinda like red with a white water line. As far as engines go, I would have put in the .45. More power and a tuned pipe will really make it get up and run. Are you putting a skeg under the center of the hull? It will turn like it's on ice if you don't.

[mjmsprt40]

Hydro, I have to admit that the round holes are brass screws. I had reason not to trust my glue seam there. The bottom seams are much more dependable so I didn't use screws on the bottom. Now, about the engine: The plans call for the Sport marine .40 because, acording to the guy who put the plans together anyway, the .45 engine with tuned pipe would produce too much power for this boat. He may be right, at that. The .40 engine with muffler has all it can do to produce 14,000 rpm under optimum conditions. The .45 engines with pipes produce in excess of 20,000 rpm, and under certain conditions are in excess of 26,000 rpm. That would make the boat fly alright in the straights, but you have to turn sometime and this design is already squirrelly enough at lower speeds. It does have a skeg/turn fin, directly under the engine's flywheel. You're right, there's no way to turn a smooth-bottom hull without one. This one calls for the skeg to be made of 1/8" plywood, covered with fiberglass. I can only hope this will stand up to the strains of operation.

[Hydro Junkie]

I wouldn't bet on it. I would put on a metal skeg to two reasons:
1) the metal skeg is stronger and less likely to break in a hard turn or impact with submerged rocks, twigs, etc and is replacible if damaged without having to pull the bottom apart
2) the metal skeg will spread the strain over a larger area of the bottom, rather than at just the one point.