Hydro Identification Help -- W-18

[dndsam]

Can anyone help Identify this Hydro? It does have a cloth deck. Apparently the inspection sticker is still on the boat and it was last raced in 1985. I am being told it could be a Sid or Marchetti. The boat measures ~11'6" in length. What class boat would that make it?

Thanks,
Doug

[treadguy]

Looks more like a hard deck SidSon............

[sbowman]

b alky marchetti

[John Schubert]

Marchetti

I agree with Shannon. The coaming side ends at the transom is how Nick made them. Also, Nick made the cut out at the bottom of the transom much bigger then Sid did on his which is evident in the pictures.

[treadguy]

Now that I look at it, you guys are right. The transom threw me off as it seemed higher at the deck level than a Marchetti.

[dndsam]

Thank you all for the feedback thus far! My heart of hearts was/is hoping, this is a Marchetti. Does the 11'6" make it a C boat or B alky as sbowman indicated? I read somewhere that 1968 was the last year Nick used the cloth deck and went to wood sometime in 1969. The section of wood where the steering wheel mounts is different on this boat than on a few Sids, but my knowledge is limited to pictures available on the internet.

[W-88]

Boat

Maybe belonged to Jim Douglas?

[Smitty]

Rear non-trips on any Sid-Craft or Sid-Son hydro I saw were 45 degrees; sponson non-trips were too, except on some of the short-sponson boats. IIRC, Marchettis all had 35 degree non-trips in the back, and 30 degrees on the sponsons, visibly flatter than Sids. Pretty sure the pictured boat is a Marchetti or a copy.

[T Chance]

I thin it is a Marchetti too and I think it was owned by Gary Cervis of Madison Wisconsin. He and his brother Greg ran C, D and F Hydro in the 60's; quit and then cam back briefly in the 80's.

My Marchetti, the only 12' built, the next one was 12'-2" had 37-1/2 degree chines.

[dndsam]

Now that the boat is fully restored, what is the best location, based on y'all's experience, to mount the new BTM turn fin? Centered on the sponson, closer to the boat or?

[ZUL8TR]

How about bringing some pics here from Johns Old Merc site?
Where was the fin originally placed? I would mount the fin so that the blade is outboard at least 2" past the rear deck sheer line if the rear of the sponson allows it. Not good in a turn for fin spray to hit the rear non trip. How are you planning to attach it, bolts preferred but not very easy with the deck on? Since you replaced the decks for the restore did you do any possible needed work on the sponson back for the future fin placement?

[dndsam]

"I would mount the fin so that the blade is outboard at least 2" past the rear deck sheer line if the rear of the sponson allows it."

I am not following you here.

The turn fin will be have to be screwed in. With the deck on, there is no good access to the inside of the sponson now.

Still finishing up the hardware.

[ZUL8TR]

Doug
Very nice restore, any pics of the bottom? What top coat clear finish did you use on the new wood? Epoxy seal coat first?

[dndsam]

I do have pictures of the bottom, but am not able to locate them for some reason. Once I find them, I will put them up on this site.

I used a Pettit Hi-build varnish from ClarkCraft.com. While the boat was apart, the ribs and supports were tightened, then followed with the epoxy resin inside and out, then paint and varnish.

This is the fin I bought. http://www.btmco.com/images/items/1102-b.jpg
I believe they are 1" SS screws.

[ZUL8TR]

Can't tell from the pic of the fin but I would at least use #12 screws and mod the bracket for that size if needed.

[ZUL8TR]

Doug

Here is the fin setup on my Karelsen hydro for the position I note

[Bipolarboater]

My brother has an old Marchetti... I am putting my money there. The length says DSH to me.

[Dave M]

I think what Zul8tr is saying is to mount the fin so that the edge is right where chine of the sponson meets the bottom of the sponson. I would agree with this. As far as the height of the bracket, simply put it where you have enough depth on the fin to be where you want it. I never use bolts for a fin bracket, I don't reccomend it. If you hit something solid it is much easier to replace a fin bracket than your sponson. And if that blunt object you hit is someone else it might do less damage to them. I use wood screws of around 1/4" diameter. I also put what is called "goop" on the bracket and screw it in place. Goop can be purchased at your local hardware ar auto supply store near the silicone. Goop is the brand name. It is tough enough to add strength yet when you want to remove the bracket some day it will come off with only maybe a couple pieces of veneer.

[dndsam]

Thank you for the clarification Dave. Crystal clear now. We will be using screws as the boat is nearly complete and there is no way to get into the sponsons. Your point about the screws giving way before the sponson makes a lot of sense too.

[ZUL8TR]

Per his 2nd and 3rd pic at the lead of this thread indicate that putting the fin at the left sponson chine break line at the bottom of the sponson will do it, although I would put it a bit farther out (if the fin and bracket will allow) due to the low slope (around 33 degrees) on the rear chine of this hydro which puts the rear sheer line farther out. You can see the original location of the fin bracket in the photo #2 and it looks to far in but photo angle makes it deceiving.