Now I'm getting serious....

[yeller]

How the boat sits on the bunks and the balance of the trailer is the most important concern IMHO. If the post sits partially on the side rails, why not just put a piece of aluminum flat bar under it as a spacer to level it off?

[gcarter]

How the boat sits on the bunks and the balance of the trailer is the most important concern IMHO. If the post sits partially on the side rails, why not just put a piece of aluminum flat bar under it as a spacer to level it off?

Well done Glen!
That's something I'd kicked around.
So yesterday, I ordered a piece of 3" X 5/16" aluminum flat bar....the piece I had to order is 4' long.
I'll postpone tying it all down until the boat is back on the trailer.

[JayZ]

so when are you going to finally light that thing up?

[gcarter]

So I haven't been sitting on my butt doing nothing.
Actually I spent several weeks and well over $2K on the trailer. I'll post pictures later.
There's a logical process to this. I can't put the outdrive on until I get the boat off the dollies and onto the trailer.

But today Bob Wilson (Tidbart) came over and the two of us started the engine successfully, timed it, and broke in the cam (30 minutes @ 2000 RPM).
It was a pretty cool, very wet (w/o actually raining) day, humidity 90+%, and 58*F.
Of course, just sitting there, it's producing very little heat (or power for that matter). We continually monitored the gauges, and used an IR temp gun on all the various systems.
After 30 minutes the heat exchanger thermostat never fully opened (the temp on the gauge, the hoses and the HE shell never got above 140*. The raw water discharge through the exhaust was 120*. Oil pressure was a steady 45#, oil temp (eventually) got to 160*.
I was pretty pleased, it'd been awhile coming.
I would be posting a couple of videos below, but my phone shoots videos in MP4 which, apparently, is invalid on this site, any suggestions?

[joseph m. hahnl]

So I haven't been sitting on my butt doing nothing.
Actually I spent several weeks and well over $2K on the trailer. I'll post pictures later.
There's a logical process to this. I can't put the outdrive on until I get the boat off the dollies and onto the trailer.

But today Bob Wilson (Tidbart) came over and the two of us started the engine successfully, timed it, and broke in the cam (30 minutes @ 2000 RPM).
It was a pretty cool, very wet (w/o actually raining) day, humidity 90+%, and 58*F.
Of course, just sitting there, it's producing very little heat (or power for that matter). We continually monitored the gauges, and used an IR temp gun on all the various systems.
After 30 minutes the heat exchanger thermostat never fully opened (the temp on the gauge, the hoses and the HE shell never got above 140*. The raw water discharge through the exhaust was 120*. Oil pressure was a steady 45#, oil temp (eventually) got to 160*.
I was pretty pleased, it'd been awhile coming.
I would be posting a couple of videos below, but my phone shoots videos in MP4 which, apparently, is invalid on this site, any suggestions?

Post them to You Tube and then insert the link into the post. 30 min at 2000 RPM, does that mean you used a flat tappet cam?

[gcarter]

Post them to You Tube and then insert the link into the post. 30 min at 2000 RPM, does that mean you used a flat tappet cam?

Thanks for the tip.

Yes, a Comp hydraulic flat tappet cam.

[Tidbart]

Here is mine, but it needs rotation. Sorry. I can't rotate the video on my PC.

IMG_0293.MOV

[gcarter]

OK, Here're the YouTube addresses:

http://youtu.be/CwrhaT4Mdxg

http://youtu.be/0cAvLK1Onr4

[Ghost]

Thanks, looks and sounds great! (Think the steering wheel's supposed to be on the right though.)

[gcarter]

Thanks, looks and sounds great! (Think the steering wheel's supposed to be on the right though.)

Mike, that's a universal steering wheel, put it where ya want it.
It does have a quick disconnect hub.

[woobs]

I swear I want to download this thread and print it with quick reference tabs to keep in my shop!

What a beautiful boat with attention to every imaginable system, surface and detail. George, you have a methodical approach and a creative drive to work though all of the issues in rebuilding these boats.

Seriously, if anyone is a boat enthusiast and hasn't read all 112 pages (1675 posts covering 7 years and 3 months) you owe it to yourself to do so. Besides a Donzi Classic enthusiast, I am also a woody boater guy... and we appreciate the effort it takes to completely restore a wooden boat. But, most people (including the woody guys) have no idea what it takes to properly go through a fiberglass boat to produce one of this quality.

After realizing the size of job this is, I almost want to give up on my Donzi 16' resto right now.... but instead, I think I'll use this thread as a guideline, a text book, a resource manual and a source of strength. Unless you have a really, really BIG bank account; A person would be hard pressed to hire a shop to do this level of work (and maybe not even then) so, the only way you get a boat of this calibre is to do it yourself.

Now, get out and run that Red Devil George. You deserve to enjoy it!
Thanks for recording this process.

[Conquistador_del_mar]

It is wonderful to see you are almost there George! The engine sounds perfect. Are those Corsa muffler tips with the baffles?

[gcarter]

Are those Corsa muffler tips with the baffles?

Thank you Bill!
Yes, I'm doing what I can to quieten it. Those Corsa risers are switchable also.
It's still pretty loud. My office manager told me it shook the entire office.

[BUIZILLA]

i'll be up that way on the 16-18th, will it get wet by then?

[Barry Eller]

He's waiting for Ed Donnelly to come down and finish wiring the gauges...lol
Ed will be coming south soon...he has to pick up his daughter Taylor....