My smokin' Cigarette.

Thanks Isuzu.

Space is the word. In theory I have enough space. But only if i consider placing everything with millimeters precision.
It will work though. It think.. I hope.. I wish......

Cheers!

Woodie.

BTW: How about that Killer Kat? Any news so far?

Wow!
With the engine installed the hull dont look so big no more! :blink:
Very neat work mate!

woodie,

Looking good. Somehow with that huge motor, I think that you'll not need to worry about any strakes. That thing should get up and go just as it.
David

Hi Oz and Kiwi.

Yep! It's a huge engine. The issue right now is to set it as low as possible. In theory it could be lowered another 10-12 millimeters for a better sidewards stability in the boat. However this would almost cut the engine rails apart, where the engine bolts are very close to two of the spants. (Can be seen on the second picture).
I am still considering how to solve this.
Any good advice about how-to-do is wellcome!

Cheers!

Woodie.

In addition to the issue about lowering the engine 10-12 millimeters, I think I can solve this by supporting the engine rails with some 3x40 millimeter aluminium from the hardware store.

Kiwi: As you say, I have more than enough power to get up and going. That's no problem. The Blata could send this boat to the moon! :laugh:
But I still have concerns about the risk of chine walking, if I don't get the right design on the bottom (strakes).

Anyway: For now I am into designing aluminium carriers for the dual gearbox.
After that I will look into the aluminium supporting rails.

More (pics and trouble) will follow after that.

Cheers!

Woodie.

Woodie, A couple of layers of fibreglass on the outside of the rails will strengthen them. The holes don't need to be in the middle, low down is ok, because you will have glassed them to the hull as well....
Get the motor as low as possible, as long as it still lines up with your gearbox.
Aluminium angle, 25 or 40mm may work for your mounts. Rough them up with emery/sandpaper and the alloy glasses in as well.
David

You will be able to get away with just spray rails on your hull, they do help with stability and lift.
You may run too high with a full set of strakes.
I agree with 'Kiwi' glass in the alloy also helps if you can have some countersunk holes in the alloy so the glass can make plugs to help ankor the alloy in.

Thanks to Kiwi and Oz for the tips about engine mounts and spray rails.
The spray rails are allready roughly mounted, and will be refined when i put on the boats sides.

As said I am in the process of building a craddle for the dual gearbox, all made of cheap aluminium from the hardware store. (It is surprisingly strong).
This build makes me think of the many uses of this aluminium, so now I am considering making supports for the flexidrives too, and maybe also the craddles for the servos.
- Ideas about the use of this aluminium are just flowing to me right now!

Cheers!

Woodie.

To Kiwi.

I will try to lower the engine as much as possible.
I have decided not to weaken spants or engine rails more than already done to do this.
If I cut off an unnessecary part at the bottom of the Blata (only used for mounting to a pocket bike), it should be possible to lower the engine a 1/2 inch or maybe more.
That is if I also change the design of the metal rails, that came with the blata. I will consult my local blacksmith about this in order to get it done right.
This will take some time and money, but pics will follow.
Weight in a boat should be like your best friends: In a very low place! :woohoo:

Cheers!

Woodie.

BTW: Good thing that I did'nt present this project as at "Budget Build" right from the start. I expect a total cost about 5 grand US $ even before the boat will touch the water!
I really hope it will be worth the work and the investment.

Anyway. The build is a sweet challenge, and I have met some really fine and helpfull people here in MGB, so there is nothing to be sorry about

As Isuzu says: Life is good! :laugh:

A new and better plan has been set up now!

(Think this is the third time)

Now I will go for a (very) long internal engine rail (aluminium), that holds both the lowered engine (lowered by 18 mm), the gearbox and the support for the flexicables tubes in the back fixed together in a row.
My part of the job will be to design these rails with precision in 6 mm plywood. Then it's up to the blacksmith to do the rest by making copies in strong aluminium.
This solution means that I will be able to get the whole "shabang" out of the boat in a few minutes, just by loosening some bolts, and even put it into some other boat in a few minutes without any hassle.
But it also means that many hours of sawing, glueing, filing and shaping a couple of perfectly good aluminum "craddles" for the gearbox is totally wasted.

While the blacksmith does his thing, I think I will try to make a good servobox.

Cheers!

Woodie.