Seeing your pictures of bending that plywood reminds me alot of my restoration of this 1961 Bank-Maxwell air-boat. This was bought for $50 and was a pile of FIREWOOD!!!!
http://i19.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/96/54/93b9_1.JPG
What, you don't call, you don't write???
Hey, I need to get by again and see the progress. I was going to get out there today, but just ran out of time. Glad to see you finally took the time to put up some pics.
I can testify to the fact that this is going to be one helluva cool little woody. I've seen this project come together from day one, and can say that John is a true craftsman. It's fun to see the enjoyment he's getting out of this, rembering what it was like to work with his dad. How cool, to build a flat bottom, all out of wood, from scratch!! His attention to detail will surely be reflected in the final outcome.
BTW...thanks again for all you help on the Spectra.
Seeing your pictures of bending that plywood reminds me alot of my restoration of this 1961 Bank-Maxwell air-boat. This was bought for $50 and was a pile of FIREWOOD!!!!
http://i19.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/96/54/93b9_1.JPG
This brings back memories for me too, as I used to build wood limited hydroplanes for Don Kelson in Seattle; the construction techniques are very similar.
Looks great, John! This really brings it back some memories for me. I restored a 1962 Miller flat about 10 years ago. It looked very similar to what you are building. It also looks like you are improving the problem areas. Cleaning the inside of the boat is was really hard on the knees with all of those battens We ran a small block chevy with a Edelbrock Cross-Ram and a Hall-Craft box with 1:1 gears, which was how it was set up originally. 7,000 RPM's was 70 mph GPS. Plenty fast for us in an old wood boat.
Wood!!!!!!!!!
John what a great thread.
I always wanted to re-create the boat from my youth too, but never did. I thought that I had the skills to do it too until my son built a boat for his senior project 2 years ago, (I tried to talk him out of it by telling him I'd borrow a set of molds and he could build a glass boat, lol ) but I'm not so sure after watching/helping him.
My dads boat, Bullhead City, 1961, that I'd give damn near anything to have again...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...t/thumper1.jpg
And our son working away on his...I know it's light years from what you're doing on every level, but he sure had fun doing it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...h312005089.jpg
Will be checking daily on this thread to follow along.
very cool pics Rich!
I really appreciate the compliments from all of you!!!
Steelcomp - (Scott) - Scotts boat is upside down next my woodie in the second pic I posted, it's a black 19' Spectra.
Oldrigger - Your son's boat project is cool. I can't think of any school that has wood projects like that!!! That's light years ahead!!!
Minimatt - your only about 5 miles from me, do you still have the wood Miller?
DansBlown73Nordic - Nice resto on the firewood:
This is without a doubt one of the coolest things I have ever seen on ***boat! Keep the pics coming! The more the better!
RD