*Updated 5-7-07*

What's new: Launch Photos and movies of the maiden voyage

BACKGROUND

My grandfather and my father both built one of these when they were around my age. Of course theirs was of a different model but was basically the same. I remember going for a ride in my father's when I was very young. But then it was promptly sold. Ever since that ride, I've always wanted my own hydro. So at the age of 13 or so, I saved up my money and bought a set of full size plans from Clark Craft. As soon as I got them, I began cutting out the shapes and getting price quotes for the wood. This is where I realized this project was WAY out of my league. So 10 years later I was very bored one day and decided to see if I still had the plans. Well I did. So I grabbed my girlfriend and ran to a million different lumber yards looking for the right wood. Finally we found a place in Somerville and it began....

Here are some pics of it getting built, including the very beginning when it began in my bedroom. The pics jump many steps because I got too caught up in building it to remember to take pics. They are pretty much in chronological order. This boat had to be made upside-down at first like most cold-molded boats. Then it was flipped over and the top was finished. The boat is made up of 2 girders running length-wise to which all 12 frames, running from left to right, are attached. The frames are 1/4" plywood with Sitka spruce attached to the edges for reinforcement and to thicken the frames enough for screws to grab the edges. The bottom is completely decked in 1/4" AB or BC plywood, both marine and exterior grade.

Here the project began in my bedroom with two 10-foot girders, a mess of 3/4" sq. posts and a dream. It was tight but it made working on menial tasks more convenient.. .

Here is the bottom nearly planked except for the right sponson. This is a huge jump from the girders but I got caught up in the excitement. If you look carefully, you can see the hundred or so screw hole  in the bottom that I had to fill.

The frame facings can be seen here as well as the frames which are tinted with red stain. ( I got bored one day waiting for glue to dry) The sponson planking is odd in that it starts in the back with a defined edge but actually ends up rounded at the bow. THIS called for some careful planing.
 

Here is the bottom completely planked. The cut-out for the motor hasn't been made yet. Notice the pool/Secret testing tank in background. shhh!

Here you can see the 12th frame which is actually outside the normal 'borders' of the boat's hull. It extends past the transom and sits submerged in the water until you accelerate and then it rides atop the water. A very unique design that makes the motor sorta pull the weight of the boat instead of pushing it like a normal boat.

Fiberglass tape was layered over weak and leak prone seams. Then 2 layers of Polyester resin was brushed on top. The last layer was poured on without any brushes to get a super-smooth surface.

The tunnel section had an odd geometry where it ended at the bow. It had a small 'V' shape which seemed a bit 'Hodge Podge'. So I filled the gaps with Bondo-glass (aka Kitty hair) and faired it smooth with the rest of the tunnel to where it meets the bow.

Looking down the tunnel you can see the bondo-glass fairing  and the long tunnel seams taped with 2" FG tape. After the seams dried, I coated the entire tunnel with 30" wide fiberglass cloth from bow to transom. This provides some protection against an underwater object piercing the hull. Then a layer of Polyester was poured on to create a glass smooth bottom. After the bottom fully cured, my brother helped me flip the dang thing over so I could work on the top.