Key Largo Build in Charleston

[Hercdrvr]

Glad you got the oil level sorted out.
Matt B

[mickfly]

Thru-hull drain plug? As far as I’m aware , there is no drain plug on the engine bottom or oil pan like a automobile… that you could connect to. I suctioned the oil out with a pump. Pretty easy. Pump a vacuum into the collection vessel and leave it alone until it fills. You could argue, I suppose, that a thru hull is less environmentally friendly, but I’m the wrong person to give advice in this realm.

[patflanagan]

my stupid question showed how little I know about boat engines. I am looking forward to the build but terrified of the mechanical and wiring. That is one of the reasons I am reading posts and not starting build until january

[hoodman]

Don't put off starting because you don't understand one of the last steps that you will accomplish.

[kens]

yes, don't wait on things you don't need for a while down the road. By the time you need those things, you will have it figured out by then

[patflanagan]

I am going to start the build in January 2022. Right now I am trying to read everything I can to see what others have done and are doing. I can not tell you how much I learned just reading through the Charleston Build forum posts. I have a couple hundred board foot of white oak slabs at various stages of drying that I plan on using for framing.

[mickfly]

I agree. There are few who have less mechanical knowledge than me, but I was able to figure out engine mounts, exhaust, and wiring. Once you start, you will have two years or more to figure out which engine to buy, how to install and wire it. This forum, as you’ve seen in my thread, is very knowledgeable and supportive!

I’ll post a video of my sea trial this weekend! Took me six years and 2600 hours to get to this point, so YES you have time to figure everything out. Nearly every builder on this forum will tell you they started thinking about drilling their prop shaft hole—months in advance! Problem solving at bedtime has been productive and is better than counting sheep.

[hoodman]

Also, recommended reading is Boatbuilding with Plywood and the Cold Mold building book. There's also an inboard motor installation book. All are available from Glen-l and will answer the majority of your questions. You have time to read all of them more than once by January.

[mickfly]

Sea trial was as close to flawless as I could have hoped. Mechanic on board to double check my work and provide moral support!
The boat, all credit due to Mr Hankinson, popped up on plane at 2000 rpm. Ride was smooth and 19 knots. Engine Break-in rules said no higher than 3000 for the first two hours. At 3000 rpm, the ride was still silky smooth and at 29 knots! Since the boat was neither registered nor insured, we kept it short.

Prop shaft was perfectly aligned and vibration free!

The only issue I had is that the steering is much different from an outboard, which I’ve been driving for the past 10 years. This made my first attempt to dock less than graceful, but I was able to back away and successfully dock on attempt two. The prop walk on this boat (in reverse) is impressive and I’ll learn to use that to my advantage.

I’ve attached the link to a short video of my wife taking a turn at the helm. My mechanic, who has advised/coached me through some of the engine challenges, can be seen smiling in the back seat. He said, “Today is the highlight of my career!” Hyperbole perhaps, but this comment caused even more “salty discharge” from my eyes.

What a grand day. I was a bit too anxious to fully enjoy it but now I’m basking in the glow.

Mick

https://youtube.com/shorts/I6tamiDLVn0?feature=share

[Bill Edmundson]

Mick

Turn the rudder away from the reverse prop-walk. The rudder is almost useless in reverse. A short forward burst make the turn more predictable.

Your passenger looked happy!

Bill

[mickfly]

Thanks Bill.

I have a left prop, so in reverse, it's turning clockwise and prop-walking to starboard. Turning the rudder away from the prop-walk, would be hard to port, correct?

I've watched a few youtube videos showing a 360 turn, in place...using a combination of a brief forward burst and prop-walk, with the rudder hard over. I'm eager to get into some calm water to practice that.

Mick

[Bill Edmundson]

Mick

I also have a left prop. Let me think through this a minute and get back to you.

Bill

[Roberta]

The best way to figure out how to maneuver your boat is get it out away from harms way and practice. I found my boat likes short in and out of forward or reverse at idle to maneuver near the dock. I have a Starboard helm with RH rotation. LH and Port helm may act the opposite of mine. When docking, with some room, my boat likes to head to the dock with dock portside at about a 45 degree angle. Near the dock, I do a hard over starboard in forward, then reverse to walk the stern in and slow forward motion, all at idle and still at hard starboard. I rarely use any throttle when docking.

Turning an inboard at low speeds is way different than an outboard. The stern tends to swing wide while the bow is more the pivot point. So you need to be wary of the stern swinging opposite the direction of the turn. Backing straight, I just use short transmission inputs and let the boat coast. It takes some getting used to. I am still learning after 6 years, but haven't crashed into anything recently.

Roberta

[Bill Edmundson]

What Roberta said. Only the opposite with the LH.

Bill

[kens]

Letting the Captain drive the boat,,,,,,,,thats a good call right there !!
Happy wife = happy life